UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 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): December 7, 2016

 

 

Flushing Financial Corporation

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   001-33013   11-3209278
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)   (Commission File Number)   (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
220 RXR Plaza, Uniondale, New York     11556
(Address of principal executive offices)     (Zip Code)

(718) 961-5400

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

 

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:

 

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 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

On December 7, 2016, Flushing Financial Corporation (the “Company”), and the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Flushing Bank, entered into an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Sandler O’Neill & Partners, L.P., as representative of the underwriters named in the Underwriting Agreement, to issue and sell to the public $75 million aggregate principal amount of its 5.25% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2026 (the “Notes”), at a public offering price equal to 100% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes (the “Offering”). The Company estimates that the net proceeds from the Offering, after deducting underwriting discounts and estimated expenses, will be approximately $73.4 million. The Offering was completed on December 12, 2016.

The Underwriting Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and agreements of the Company, customary conditions to closing, obligations of the parties and termination provisions. The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Underwriting Agreement, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 1.1 and incorporated herein by reference. The description of the material terms of the Underwriting Agreement and the transaction contemplated thereby is qualified in its entirety by reference to such exhibit.

The Notes were offered pursuant to a prospectus supplement, dated December 7, 2016, to the prospectus dated April 25, 2014 that forms part of the Company’s effective registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-195182) filed by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

The Notes were issued pursuant to the Subordinated Indenture, dated as of December 12, 2016 (the “Subordinated Indenture”), between the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture relating to the Notes, dated as of December 12, 2016, between the Company and the Trustee (the “First Supplemental Indenture”). The Indenture, as amended and supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, governs the terms of the Notes and provides that the Notes are unsecured, subordinated debt obligations of the Company. The Notes will mature on December 15, 2026. From and including the date of issuance, but excluding December 15, 2021, the Notes will bear interest at an initial fixed rate of 5.25% per annum, payable semi-annually. From and including December 15, 2021 and thereafter, the Notes will bear interest at a floating rate equal to the then-current three-month LIBOR as calculated on each applicable date of determination, plus 3.44%, payable quarterly. If the then-current three-month LIBOR is less than zero, three-month LIBOR will be deemed to be zero.

The Notes are unsecured subordinated obligations of the Company. There is no sinking fund for the Notes. The Notes are subordinated in right of payment to the payment of the Company’s existing and future senior indebtedness, including all of its general creditors, and they are structurally subordinated to all of the Company’s subsidiaries’ existing and future indebtedness and other obligations. The Notes are obligations of the Company only and are not obligations of, and are not guaranteed by, any of the Company’s subsidiaries. The Company may, beginning with the interest payment date of December 15, 2021 and on any interest payment date thereafter, redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest to but excluding the date of redemption.

The foregoing descriptions are qualified in their entirety by reference to the Subordinated Indenture, the First Supplemental Indenture and the Notes, the form of which is attached as Exhibit A to the First Supplemental Indenture. Copies of the Subordinated Indenture and the First Supplemental Indenture, including the form of Notes attached as Exhibit A to the First Supplemental Indenture, are attached hereto as Exhibits 4.1 and 4.2, respectively, and are incorporated herein by reference.


Item 2.03. Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.

The information set forth under the fourth and fifth paragraphs of Item 1.01 above and the full text of the Subordinated Indenture and the First Supplemental Indenture, which are attached hereto as Exhibits 4.1 and 4.2, respectively, are incorporated by reference into this Item 2.03.

 

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.

 

Exhibit
Number

 

Description

  1.1   Underwriting Agreement, dated December 7, 2016, by and between the Company, Flushing Bank and Sandler O’Neill & Partners, L.P., as representative of the underwriters named therein.
  4.1   Subordinated Indenture, dated as of December 12, 2016, by and between the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee.
  4.2   First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of December 12, 2016, by and between the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee, including the form of the Notes attached as Exhibit A thereto.
  5.1   Opinion of Holland & Knight LLP regarding the legality of the Notes.
23.1   Consent of Holland & Knight LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1 filed herewith).


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.

 

Flushing Financial Corporation
By:   /s/ Susan K. Cullen
  Susan K. Cullen
Title:   Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Dated: December 12, 2016


EXHIBIT LIST

 

Exhibit
Number

 

Description

1.1   Underwriting Agreement, dated December 7, 2016, by and between the Company, Flushing Bank and Sandler O’Neill & Partners, L.P., as representative of the underwriters named therein.
4.1   Subordinated Indenture, dated as of December 12, 2016, by and between the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee.
4.2   First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of December 12, 2016, by and between the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee, including the form of the Notes attached as Exhibit A thereto.
5.1   Opinion of Holland & Knight LLP regarding the legality of the Notes.
23.1   Consent of Holland & Knight LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1 filed herewith).

Exhibit 1.1

Flushing Financial Corporation

$75,000,000

5.25% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2026

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

December 7, 2016

Sandler O’Neill & Partners, L.P.,

        as Representative of the Underwriters

        named in Schedule I hereto,

c/o Sandler O’Neill & Partners, L.P.

1251 Avenue of the Americas, 6 th Floor

New York, New York 10020

Ladies and Gentlemen:

FLUSHING FINANCIAL CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell to the underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (each, an “ Underwriter ” and, collectively, the “ Underwriters ”), for whom Sandler O’Neill & Partners, L.P. is acting as representative (the “ Representative ”), $75,000,000 principal amount of its 5.25% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2026 (each a “ Note ” and collectively, the “ Notes ”). The Notes will be issued pursuant to a Subordinated Indenture, to be dated as of December 12, 2016, and a First Supplemental Indenture to be dated as of December 12, 2016 (collectively, the “ Indenture ”), between the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee (the “ Trustee ”).

1. (a) The Company represents and warrants to each of the several Underwriters, as of the date hereof, as of the Closing Date (each such date, a “ Representation Date ”), and as of the Applicable Time referred to in Section 1(a)(v) hereof, as of the Closing Date referred to in Section 4(a) hereof, and agrees with each of the several Underwriters, as follows:

(i) The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-195182), including each preliminary prospectus or prospectus included therein, which registration statement has been declared effective by the Commission promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ 1933 Act ”), and the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “ TIA ”), and the Company has filed such post-effective amendments thereto as may be required prior to the execution of this Agreement and each such post-effective amendment is effective under the 1933 Act. Such registration statement covers the registration of the Notes under the 1933 Act. Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a final prospectus supplement with respect to the Notes and the Base Prospectus (as hereinafter defined) in


accordance with the provisions of Rule 430B (“ Rule 430B ”) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1933 Act (the “ 1933 Act Regulations ”) and paragraph (b) of Rule 424 (“ Rule 424(b) ”) of the 1933 Act Regulations. Any information included in each such final prospectus supplement or the Base Prospectus that was omitted from such registration statement at the time it became effective but that is deemed to be part of and included in such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B is referred to as “ Rule 430B Information .” Each prospectus, together with the related prospectus supplement, used in connection with the offering of the Notes that omitted the Rule 430B Information or that was captioned “Subject to Completion” (or a similar caption) is herein called, together with the documents incorporated and deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act, a “ preliminary prospectus ” and all references herein to any “preliminary prospectus” shall be deemed to mean and include, without limitation, the Statutory Prospectus (as defined below)) and each “preliminary prospectus” included in the registration statement referred to above. Such registration statement, at any given time, including the amendments thereto at such time, the exhibits and any schedules thereto at such time, the documents incorporated and deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act at such time, and the documents and information (including, without limitation, any Rule 430B Information) otherwise deemed to be a part thereof or included therein by 1933 Act Regulations at such time, is herein called the “ Registration Statement .” The Company’s prospectus dated April 25, 2014 (the “ Base Prospectus ”) and the prospectus supplement dated as of the date hereof, relating to the offering of the Notes in the form first furnished to the Underwriters by the Company for use in connection with the offering of the Notes (whether to meet the requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the 1933 Act Regulations or otherwise), including the documents incorporated and deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act at such time, are hereinafter called, collectively, the “ Prospectus .” For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus (as hereinafter defined) or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (“ EDGAR ”). The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act.

In the event that the Company shall file a registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the 1933 Act (a “ Rule 462(b) Registration Statement ”) in connection with the offering of the Notes, then, from and after the date of such filing, all references herein to the “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to mean and include such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, mutatis mutandis , unless otherwise expressly stated or the context otherwise requires.

All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included” or “stated” (or other references of like import) in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information which is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in, or otherwise deemed by the 1933 Act Regulations (including, without limitation, pursuant to Rule 430B(f) of the 1933 Act Regulations) to be a part of or included in, the Registration Statement, such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the

 

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Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ 1934 Act ”), which is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, such preliminary prospectus, the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be.

(ii) At the time of the original filing of the Registration Statement, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations) of the Notes, at the Applicable Time, and at each Representation Date, the Company was not, is not and will not be an ‘‘ineligible issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the 1933 Act.

(iii) The Registration Statement was declared effective by the Commission on April 25, 2014, 2016, any post-effective amendments thereto have also been declared effective by the Commission and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has become or will become effective upon filing thereof with the Commission. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information with respect to the Registration Statement (or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference pursuant to the 1934 Act) has been complied with.

(iv) At the respective times the Registration Statement was originally declared effective and any amendment thereto was declared effective, at the time that any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement became effective, at the time the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K was filed with the Commission, at each “new effective date” with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations, and at the Applicable Time, the date hereof and the Closing Date, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto complied, comply and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations and the TIA, and did not, do not and will 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 therein not misleading; provided, that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to that part of the Registration Statement that constitutes the Statement of Eligibility and Qualification (Form T-1) of the Trustee under the TIA.

As of the date the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto was issued and as of each Representation Date, neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will 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.

Each preliminary prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act, complied when so filed (or, in the case of any preliminary prospectus or part thereof that was not filed as part of the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto or pursuant to Rule 424(b), complied as of its date), and each Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto filed

 

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pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act complied when so filed (or, in the case of any Prospectus or amendment or supplement thereto that was not filed pursuant to Rule 424(b), complied as of its date), in all material respects with the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Notes (whether to meet requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the 1933 Act Regulations or otherwise) was identical, except for any de minimis changes, to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

(v) As of the Applicable Time, neither (x) all Issuer-Represented General Use Free Writing Prospectuses (as defined below) issued at or prior to the Time of Sale or the Applicable Time, as applicable, the Final Term Sheet and the Statutory Prospectus, all considered together (collectively, the “ General Disclosure Package ”), nor (y) any individual Issuer-Represented Limited-Use Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below), when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included an 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.

As used in this Section 1(a)(v) and elsewhere in this Agreement:

Applicable Time ” means 12:00 p.m. (New York City time) on December 7, 2016, or such other date or time as agreed by the Company and the Representative.

Final Term Sheet ” means the final term sheet set forth on Schedule III hereto, reflecting the final terms of the Notes.

Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus ” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“ Rule 433 ”), relating to the Notes (including, without limitation, any such issuer free writing prospectus that (i) is required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) is a ‘‘road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission or (iii) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Notes or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms), in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).

Issuer-Represented General Use Free Writing Prospectus ” means any Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors, as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule II hereto.

Issuer-Represented Limited-Use Free Writing Prospectus ” means any Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer-Represented General Use Free Writing Prospectus.

Statutory Prospectus ” means, at any time, the Base Prospectus and the preliminary prospectus supplement dated December 5, 2016, relating to the offering of the Notes, in the form first furnished to the Underwriters by the Company for use in connection with the offering of the

 

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Notes, including the documents incorporated and deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act at such time.

Each Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offering and sale of the Notes, did not, does not and will not include any information that materially conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus, in each case including the documents incorporated and deemed to be incorporated by reference therein.

The representations and warranties in this Section l(a)(v) shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriters through the Representative expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Underwriters consists of the Underwriters’ Information (defined below) described as such in Section 8 hereof.

(vi) The Company has not prepared, made, used, authorized, approved or distributed and will not, and will not cause or allow its agents or representatives to, prepare, make, use, authorize, approve or distribute any written communication that constitutes an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the Notes, or otherwise is prepared to market the Notes, other than the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus reviewed and consented to by the Representative.

(vii) The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, or the Prospectus, at the respective time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied, comply and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “1934 Act Regulations”), and did not, do not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. There are no material contracts or other documents required to be described in such incorporated documents or the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to such incorporated documents or the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus which have not been described or filed as required.

(viii) The statements set forth in the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus under the captions “Risk Factors,” “Description of Capital Stock,” “Description of Debt Securities,” “Description of Warrants,” and “Description of Notes,” insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Notes or certain provisions of the Company’s amended certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws or Delaware law, and under the caption “Regulation” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws, rules, regulations and documents referred to therein, are accurate and complete in all material respects. Each Transaction Document (as defined below) conforms in all material respects to the

 

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description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, General Disclosure Package, and the Prospectus.

(ix) The Company is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and the Company is qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in each jurisdiction in which qualification is required, except where failure to so qualify would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (as defined below). The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed on Annex II (the “ Subsidiaries ”). The Company does not have any significant subsidiaries (as defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X (a “ Significant Subsidiary ”)) other than Subsidiaries listed on Exhibit 21 to the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission. Each Subsidiary is duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation with power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in each of the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and is qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in each jurisdiction in which qualification is required, except where failure to so qualify would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (as defined below).

(x) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except as disclosed therein, (i) neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has incurred any liabilities, direct or contingent, including without limitation any losses or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood, earthquakes, accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any strike, labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, that would have a Material Adverse Effect (as defined below), or has entered into any transactions not in the ordinary course of business that are material to the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (ii) there has not been any material decrease in the capital stock or any material increase in any short-term or long-term indebtedness of the Company or the Subsidiaries, or any payment of or declaration to pay any dividends or any other distribution with respect to the Company, other than cash or stock dividends in the normal course of business consistent with past practice, and (iii) there has not been any material adverse change in the properties, business, financial prospects, operations, earnings, assets, liabilities or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole (a “ Material Adverse Effect ”).

(xi) The Company is duly registered as a bank holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended. Flushing Bank (the “ Bank ”) holds the requisite authority to do business as a state chartered banking association as described in each of the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The Company and each Subsidiary are in compliance with all laws administered by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “ FDIC ”), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “ Federal Reserve ”) and any other federal or state bank regulatory authorities with jurisdiction over the Company and its Subsidiaries, except for failures to be so in compliance that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(xii) The Company is subject to the reporting requirements of the 1934 Act and, during the last 12 months, has timely filed all reports required thereby. The Company meets the requirements under the 1933 Act specified in the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“ FINRA ”) Conduct Rule 5110(b)(7)(C)(i).

(xiii) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in each of the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Capitalization.” With respect to each of the Subsidiaries, all the issued and outstanding shares of such Subsidiary’s capital stock have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable, are owned directly by the Company or one of its Subsidiaries free and clear of any liens, claims or encumbrances. The authorized capital stock of the Company conforms and will conform in all material respects as to legal matters to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(xiv) The Notes have been duly authorized by the Company and, when duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered as provided in the Indenture and paid for in the manner set forth in this Agreement, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, and general equitable principles relating to the availability of remedies, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.

(xv) The Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company and is duly qualified under the TIA and, when duly executed and delivered in accordance with its terms by each of the parties thereto, will constitute a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, and general equitable principles relating to the availability of remedies, and will conform to the description thereof contained in each of the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(xvi) The Notes and the Indenture will conform in all material respects to the respective statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and will be in substantially the respective forms filed or incorporated by reference, as the case may be, as exhibits to the Registration Statement.

(xvii) The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement, the Notes and the Indenture (collectively, the “ Transaction Documents ”) and to perform its obligations contemplated hereby and thereby. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and all action required to be taken by the Company for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery of each of the Transaction Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby has been, or, for the Transaction Documents other than this Agreement, will be prior to the Closing Date duly and validly taken. This Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as

 

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enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or other laws of general application relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights and the application of equitable principles relating to the availability of remedies, and subject to 12 U.S.C. § 1818(b)(6)(D) (or any successor statute) and similar bank regulatory powers and the application of principles of public policy, and except as rights to indemnity or contribution, including but not limited to, indemnification provisions set forth in Section 8 of this Agreement may be limited by federal or state securities law or the public policy underlying such laws.

(xviii) Any and all material swaps, caps, floors, futures, forward contracts, option agreements (other than stock options issued to the Company’s employees, directors, agents or consultants) and other derivative financial instruments, contracts or arrangements, whether entered into for the account of the Company or one of the Subsidiaries or for the account of a customer of the Company or one of the Subsidiaries, were entered into in the ordinary course of business and in accordance in all material respects with applicable laws, rules, regulations and policies of all applicable regulatory agencies and with counterparties believed by the Company to be financially responsible at the time. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries have duly performed in all material respects all of their obligations thereunder to the extent that such obligations to perform have accrued, and there are no breaches, violations or defaults or allegations or assertions of such by any party thereunder which would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xix) BDO USA, LLP, who has certified and expressed their opinion with respect to the consolidated financial statements contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, are registered independent public accountants as required by the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and by the rules of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and BDO USA, LLP is not in violation of the auditor independence requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 with respect to the Company.

(xx) Grant Thornton LLP, who has certified and expressed their opinion with respect to the consolidated financial statements contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, are, and at all applicable times were, registered independent public accountants as required by the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and by the rules of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and Grant Thornton LLP, at all applicable times, was not in violation of the auditor independence requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 with respect to the Company and at any time during their engagement as independent auditor of the Company.

(xxi) The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the Transaction Documents (other than this Agreement), the issuance and sale of the Notes by the Company, the compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of the Transaction Documents and this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (including, without limitation, the use of proceeds from the sale of the Notes as described in the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”), do not and will not (i) violate or conflict with any provision of the amended certificate of incorporation or amended and restated bylaws of the Company, each as

 

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amended through the date hereof or the organizational documents of any Subsidiary and (ii) except as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect and will not materially and adversely affect the Company’s ability to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, will not (x) result in the creation of any lien, charge, security interest or encumbrance upon any assets of the Company or any Subsidiary pursuant to the terms or provisions of, and will not conflict with, result in the breach or violation of, or constitute, either by itself or upon notice or the passage of time or both, a default under, or give rise to the accelerated due date of any payment due under, any agreement, mortgage, deed of trust, lease, franchise, license, indenture, permit or other instrument to which any of the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which any of the Company or any Subsidiary or their respective properties may be bound or affected or (y) violate any statute or any authorization, judgment, decree, order, rule or regulation of any court or any regulatory body, administrative agency or other governmental agency or body applicable to the Company or any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties. All consents, approvals, licenses, qualifications, authorizations or other orders of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency or other governmental agency or body that are required for the execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, including the issuance, sale, authentication and delivery of the Notes, have been obtained, except such consents, approvals authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Notes by the Underwriters.

(xxii) No “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined in Rule 436(g)(2) under the 1933 Act) (i) has imposed (or has informed the Company that it is considering imposing) any condition (financial or otherwise) to retain any rating assigned to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or to any securities of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or (ii) has indicated to the Company that it is considering (A) the downgrading, suspension, or withdrawal of or any review (or of any potential or intended review) for a possible adverse change in, any rating so assigned (including, without limitation, the placing of any of the foregoing ratings on credit watch with negative or developing implications or under review with an uncertain direction) or (B) any adverse change in the outlook for any rating of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any securities of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries.

(xxiii) No person has the right to require the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to register any securities for sale under the 1933 Act by reason of the filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission or the issuance and sale of the Notes to be sold by the Company hereunder.

(xxiv) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the material contracts to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party, have been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company or its Subsidiaries, as the case may be, and constitute the legal, valid and binding agreements of the Company or its Subsidiaries, enforceable by and against it in accordance with their respective terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar laws relating to enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, and general equitable principles relating to the availability of remedies, and subject to 12 U.S.C. § 1818(b)(6)(D) (or any successor statute) and similar bank regulatory powers and to the

 

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application of principles of public policy, and except as rights to indemnity or contribution may be limited by federal or state securities laws and the public policy underlying such laws.

(xxv) The deposit accounts of the Bank are insured by the Deposit Insurance Fund to the fullest extent permitted by the law and the rules and regulations of the FDIC and no proceeding for the revocation or termination of such deposit insurance has been instituted or is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, is threatened.

(xxvi) Except as disclosed in each of the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental actions, suits or proceedings pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against the Company or any Subsidiary before or by any court, regulatory body or administrative agency or any other governmental agency or body, domestic, or foreign, which actions, suits or proceedings, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and no labor disturbance by the employees of the Company exists or, to the Company’s knowledge, is imminent, that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxvii) Except as disclosed in each of the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no Subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any order of the FDIC or the Federal Reserve (other than orders applicable to banks and their holding companies and their subsidiaries generally) or any other federal or state bank regulatory authorities with jurisdiction over any Subsidiary, under any applicable law, or under any agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or is subject, 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 any of such Subsidiary’s properties or assets to the Company or any other Subsidiary of the Company.

(xxviii) The Company and each Subsidiary has good and marketable title in fee simple (in the case of real property) to, or have valid and marketable rights to lease or otherwise use, all items of real and personal property and assets that are material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, mortgages, pledges, or encumbrances of any kind except (i) those, that do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its Subsidiaries, or (ii) those that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Any real property and buildings held under lease or sublease by the Company and each of its Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has any notice of any claim that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or any Subsidiary thereof to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease, except claims that would not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxix) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to a letter of intent, accepted term sheet or similar instrument or any binding agreement that contemplates an acquisition, disposition, transfer or sale of the assets (as a going concern) or

 

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capital stock of the Company or of any Subsidiary or business unit or any similar business combination transaction which would be material to the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole.

(xxx) Except as disclosed in each of the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since December 31, 2015, (i) the Company and its Subsidiaries have conducted their respective businesses in all material respects in the ordinary course, consistent with prior practice, (ii) except for publicly disclosed ordinary stock dividends on the Common Stock, the Company has not made or declared any distribution in cash or in kind to its shareholders, (iii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has issued any capital stock or securities issuable into capital stock except for securities issued pursuant to the Company’s existing shareholder- approved equity incentive plans, except for publicly disclosed ordinary stock dividends on the Common Stock, (iv) neither the Company nor its Subsidiaries has incurred any liabilities or obligations of any nature (absolute, accrued, contingent or otherwise) which are not fully reflected or reserved against in the financial statements described in Section 1(a)(xlv) , except for liabilities that have arisen since such date in the ordinary and usual course of business and consistent with past practice and that, individually or in the aggregate, have not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and (v) no event or events have occurred that, individually or in the aggregate, has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. As used in this paragraph, references to the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus exclude any amendments or supplements thereto subsequent to the date of this Agreement.

(xxxi) The Company owns, is licensed or otherwise possesses adequate rights to use, all patents, patent rights, inventions, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented or unpatentable or confidential information, systems, or procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights and other intellectual property rights (collectively, the “ Intellectual Property ”) necessary for the conduct of its business as it is currently conducted and as described in each of the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No claims have been asserted against the Company by any person with respect to the use of any such Intellectual Property or challenging or questioning the validity or effectiveness of any such Intellectual Property except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxxii) Except as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is (a) in violation of its charter or bylaws or other organizational documents, as applicable; (b) is in default under, and no event has occurred which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge, or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, pursuant to any agreement, mortgage, deed of trust, lease, franchise, license, indenture or permit; or (c) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except in the case of clauses (b) and (c) above, as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxxiii) The Company and its Subsidiaries are and at all prior times were, in compliance with Environmental Laws and Regulations, except where failure to be so in

 

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compliance would not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. “ Environmental Laws and Regulations ” shall mean any applicable federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment or natural resources, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products, asbestos-containing materials or mold (collectively, “ Hazardous Materials ”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials. Neither the Company nor its Subsidiaries has received notice of any actual or potential liability under or relating to, or actual or potential violation of, any Environmental Laws, including for the investigation or remediation of any release or threat of release of Hazardous Materials.

(xxxiv) Except as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject or is party to, or has received any notice or advice that any of them may become subject or party to any investigation with respect to, any corrective, suspension or cease-and-desist order, agreement, consent agreement, memorandum of understanding or other regulatory enforcement action, proceeding or order with or by, or is a party to any commitment letter or similar undertaking to, or is subject to any directive by, or has been a recipient of any supervisory letter (including, without limitation, any notification from the Federal Reserve of a proposal to increase the minimum capital requirements of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, pursuant to the Federal Reserve’s authority under 12 U.S.C. 3907(a)(2)) from, or has adopted any board resolutions at the request of, any agency that currently relates to or restricts in any material respect the conduct of their business or that in any manner relates to their capital adequacy, credit policies or management (each, a “ Regulatory Agreement ”), nor has the Company or any of its Subsidiaries been advised by any agency that it is considering issuing or requesting any such Regulatory Agreement. The Bank is an insured depository institution and has received a Community Reinvestment Act rating of “Satisfactory” or better. There is no unresolved violation, criticism or exception by any agency with respect to any report or statement relating to any examinations of the Company or any of its subsidiaries which, in the reasonable judgment of the Company, is expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The application of the proceeds received by the Company from the issuance, sale and delivery of the Notes as described in the General Disclosure Package, and the Prospectus, will not violate Regulation T, U or X of the Federal Reserve or any other regulation of the Federal Reserve.

(xxxv) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has participated in any reportable transaction, as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.6011-4(b)(1).

(xxxvi) Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, the Company and each Subsidiary has filed on a timely basis (giving effect to extensions) all required federal, state and foreign income and franchise tax returns and has paid or accrued all taxes shown as due thereon to the extent that such taxes have become due and are not being contested in good faith, and the Company does not have knowledge of any tax deficiency that has been or might be asserted or threatened against it or any Subsidiary, in each case, that would be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. All material tax liabilities accrued

 

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through the date hereof have been adequately provided for on the books of the Company. There is no tax lien, whether imposed by any federal, state or other taxing authority, outstanding against the assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxxvii) Neither the Company nor the Bank is required and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Notes and the application of the proceeds thereof, will be required to register as an “investment company,” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(xxxviii) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries maintain insurance underwritten by insurers of recognized financial responsibility, of the types and in the amounts that the Company reasonably believes is adequate to protect its business on a consolidated basis, including, but not limited to, insurance covering real and personal property owned or leased by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, operations, personnel and businesses, all of which insurance is in full force and effect. There are no claims by the Company or any Subsidiary under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause which would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received notice from any insurance carrier that such insurance will be canceled or that coverage thereunder will be reduced or eliminated, and there are presently no material claims pending under policies of such insurance and no notices have been given by the Company or any Subsidiary under such policies.

(xxxix) Neither the Company nor to the knowledge of the Company, any affiliate of the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any person acting on their behalf has taken, nor will the Company or any affiliate or any person acting on their behalf take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to or which has constituted or which would be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Notes.

(xl) The statistical, industrial and market-related data contained or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or the General Disclosure Package is based on or derived from sources which the Company believes are reliable and accurate in all material respects and are presented on a reasonable basis in all material respects. Each “forward-looking statement” (within the meaning of Section 27A of the 1933 Act or Section 21E of the 1934 Act) contained or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or the General Disclosure Package has been made or reaffirmed with a reasonable basis and in good faith.

(xli) No transaction has occurred or relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any Subsidiary, on the one hand, and its officers, directors or shareholders, customers or suppliers, on the other hand, that is required by the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act or the 1934 Act Regulations to have been described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or any documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein and that is not so described as required.

 

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(xlii) There is no transaction, arrangement or other relationship between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and an unconsolidated or other off-balance sheet entity that is required to be disclosed by the Company in its 1934 Act filings and is not so disclosed or that otherwise would be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xliii) The Company and each Subsidiary has all franchises, licenses, permits, certificates and other authorizations from such federal, state or local government or governmental agency, department or body that are currently necessary to own, lease and operate their respective properties and currently necessary for the operation of their respective businesses, except where the failure to possess currently such franchises, licenses, permits, certificates and other authorizations is not reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any written notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such franchise, license, permit, certificate or other authorizations that, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xliv) The audited consolidated financial statements and related notes and supporting schedules of the Company and the Subsidiaries incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (the “ Financial Statements ”) present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position, results of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries, as of the respective dates and for the respective periods to which they apply and have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles of the United States, applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved and the requirements of Regulation S-X. The financial data set forth under the caption “Summary Selected Financial Data” in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus has been prepared on a basis consistent with that of the Financial Statements. The unaudited as adjusted financial information and related notes and supporting schedules of the Company and the Subsidiaries contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of Regulation S-X in all material respects and have been properly presented on the basis described therein, and give effect to assumptions used in the preparation thereof that are on a reasonable basis and in good faith and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein. No other financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines thereto. To the extent applicable, all disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the Commission’s rules and regulations) comply with Regulation G of the 1934 Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the 1934 Act, as applicable.

(xlv) The Company is in compliance in all material respects with the requirements of the NASDAQ Global Select Market (the “ NASDAQ ”) for continued listing of the Common Stock thereon. The Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the 1934 Act or the listing of

 

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the Common Stock on the NASDAQ, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission or the NASDAQ is contemplating terminating such registration or listing. The transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not contravene the rules and regulations of the NASDAQ. The Company will comply with all requirements of the NASDAQ with respect to the issuance of the Notes.

(xlvi) The Company maintains a system of internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the 1934 Act) that have been designed by, or under the supervision of, its principal executive and financial officer, to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Company has disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the 1934 Act) that are designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company is made known to the Company’s principal executive officer and the Company’s principal financial officer or persons performing similar functions. The Company has not become aware of 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. The Company is otherwise in compliance in all material respects with all applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

(xlvii) The Registration Statement is not the subject of a pending proceeding or examination under Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the 1933 Act, and the Company is not the subject of a pending proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in connection with the offering of the Notes.

(xlviii) Neither the Company, nor any Subsidiary, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or other Person acting on behalf of the Company or any Subsidiary has, in the course of its actions for, or on behalf of, the Company (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expenses relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended (the “ FCPA ”) or any law, rule or regulation promulgated to implement the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, signed December 17, 1997 (the “ Convention ”); or (iv) made any unlawful bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee. The Company has instituted and maintains procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance with the Convention, the FCPA and similar laws, rules and regulations based on the business of the Company as conducted on the date hereof.

 

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(xlix) The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance in all material respects with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, Title 18 U.S. Code section 1956 and 1957, the Patriot Act and the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “ Money Laundering Laws ”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has instituted and maintains policies and procedures designed to ensure continued compliance with the Money Laundering Laws.

(l) None of the Company, any Subsidiary or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is (A) an individual or entity currently subject or, to the Company’s knowledge, a target of any U.S. sanctions administered or enforced by the United States Government, including, without limitation, the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control or the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “ Sanctions ”) or (B) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is subject of Sanctions, including, without limitation, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria and Crimea (each, a “ Sanctioned Country ”). The Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any Subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject or target of Sanctions, (ii) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business in any Sanctioned Country or (iii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions.

(li) Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not sold, issued or distributed any debt securities during the six-month period preceding the date hereof.

(lii) Other than as contemplated by this Agreement, there is no broker, finder or other party that is entitled to receive from the Company or any Subsidiary any brokerage or finder’s fee or any other fee, commission or payment as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

(liii) The Company is in compliance in all material respects with all presently applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (herein called “ ERISA ”); no “reportable event” (as defined in ERISA) has occurred with respect to any “pension plan” (as defined in ERISA) for which the Company would have any material liability; the Company has not incurred and does not expect to incur any material liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “pension plan”; or (ii)

 

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Sections 412 or 4971 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the “ Code ”); and each “ Pension Plan ” for which the Company would have liability that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified in all material respects and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.

(liv) There has been no storage, disposal, generation, manufacture, transportation, handling or treatment of toxic wastes, hazardous wastes or hazardous substances by the Company or any Subsidiary (or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of their predecessors in interest for whose acts or omissions the Company or its Subsidiaries is or could reasonably be expected to be liable) at, upon or from any of the property now or previously owned or leased by the Company or any Subsidiary in violation of any Environmental Laws and Regulations or order, judgment, decree or permit or that would require remedial action under any applicable law, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit; there has been no material spill, discharge, leak, emission, injection, escape, dumping or release of any kind into such property or into the environment surrounding such property of any toxic wastes, medical wastes, solid wastes, hazardous wastes or hazardous substances due to or caused by the Company or any Subsidiary or with respect to which the Company or any Subsidiary have knowledge; in each of the foregoing cases, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. As used in this Section 1(a)(lv) , the terms “hazardous wastes”, “toxic wastes”, “hazardous substances”, and “medical wastes” shall have the meanings specified in any applicable local, state, federal and foreign laws or regulations with respect to environmental protection.

2. (a) Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, the respective principal amount of the Notes set forth opposite each Underwriter’s name in Schedule I hereto at a purchase price equal to 98.75% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued interest, if any, from December 12, 2016 to the Closing Date.

    (b) The Company understands that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Notes as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Representative is advisable. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters may offer and sell the Notes to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter and that any such affiliate may offer and sell the Notes purchased by it to or through any Underwriter.

    (c) It is understood that each Underwriter has authorized the Representative, for such Underwriter’s account, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for the Notes which such Underwriter has agreed to purchase. Sandler O’Neill & Partners, L.P., individually and not as representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Notes to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by Sandler O’Neill & Partners, L.P.by the Time of Delivery but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.

 

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3. Upon the authorization by the Representative of the release of the Notes, the several Underwriters propose to offer the Notes for sale upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus.

4. (a) Payment for the Notes shall be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the account(s) specified by the Company to the Representative against delivery to the nominee of The Depository Trust Company (“ DTC ”), for the account of each Underwriter, of one or more global notes representing the Notes (collectively, the “ Global Notes ”), with any transfer or other taxes payable in connection with the sale of the Notes duly paid by the Company. The Company will cause the Global Notes to be made available for checking at least twenty-four hours prior to the Time of Delivery with respect thereto. The time and date of such delivery and payment shall be 9:00 a.m. New York City Time, on December 12, 2016 (the “ Closing Date ”) or such other time and date as the Representative and the Company may agree upon in writing. Such time and date for delivery of the Notes is herein called the “ Time of Delivery .”

    (b) The documents to be delivered at the Time of Delivery by or on behalf of the parties hereto pursuant to Section 7 hereof, including the cross receipt for the Notes and any additional documents requested by the Representative pursuant to Section 7(j) hereof, will be delivered at the offices of Covington & Burling LLP, 850 Tenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20001, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Underwriters and the Company, including by electronic exchange of documents. For the purposes of this Section 4 , “ New York Business Day ” shall mean each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which banking institutions in New York are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

5. The Company covenants with each of the Underwriters:

    (a) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by the Representative and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)) not later than the Commission’s close of business on the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement, or, if applicable, such earlier time as may be required by Rule 430B under the 1933 Act; to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus which shall be disapproved by the Representative promptly after reasonable notice thereof; to advise the Representative, promptly after it receives notice thereof of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus has been filed and to furnish the Representative with copies thereof; to advise the Representative, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus, Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus or Prospectus, of the suspension of the qualification of the Notes for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus or Prospectus (in each case, including any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein) or for additional information; and in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order

 

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preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus, Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus or Prospectus or suspending any such qualification, promptly to use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of such order.

    (b) If at any time following issuance of an Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will notify promptly the Representative so that any use of such Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus may cease until it is amended or supplemented and the Company will promptly amend or supplement such Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

    (c) The Company represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representative, and each Underwriter represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of each of the Company and the Representative, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Notes that would constitute an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 under the 1933 Act, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405 under the 1933 Act, required to be filed with the Commission. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Company and the Representative is hereinafter referred to as a “ Permitted Free Writing Prospectus .” The Company represents that it has treated and agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. The Company represents that it has satisfied the conditions in Rule 433 to avoid a requirement to file with the Commission any electronic road show. The Company consents to the use by the Underwriters of an Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus that contains information describing the preliminary terms of the Notes or is the Final Term Sheet, each of which is a Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.

    (d) Promptly from time to time to take such action as the Representative may reasonably request to qualify the Notes for offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative may request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of the Notes, provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction.

    (e) Prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the New York Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and from time to time, to furnish the Underwriters with copies of the Prospectus in New York City in such quantities as the Representative may from time to time reasonably request, and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required at any time prior to the expiration of nine months after the time of issue of the Prospectus in connection with

 

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the offering or sale of the Notes and if at such time any event shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an 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 when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary during such period to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, to notify the Representative and upon its request to prepare and furnish without charge to the Underwriters and to any dealer in securities as many copies as the Representative may from time to time reasonably request of an amended Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance, and in case any Underwriter is required to deliver a prospectus in connection with sales of any of the Notes at any time nine months or more after the time of issue of the Prospectus, upon its request, to prepare and deliver to such Underwriter as many copies as the Representative may request of an amended or supplemented Prospectus complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the 1933 Act.

    (f) The Company will make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable an earnings statement that satisfied the provisions of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated thereunder covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the effective date of the Registration Statement. From the date of this Agreement and continuing through and including the date that is the New York Business Day following the Closing Date, the Company will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, without the prior written consent of the Representative, offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of any debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

    (g) To comply with the letter of representation of the Company to DTC relating to the approval of the Notes by DTC for “book-entry” transfer.

    (h) For so long as any amounts under the Notes remain outstanding, to furnish to its shareholders, as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year, an annual report (including a balance sheet and statements of income, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries certified by an independent registered public accounting firm) and, as soon as practicable after the end of each of the first three quarters of each fiscal year, to furnish to its shareholders consolidated summary financial information of the Company and its subsidiaries for such quarter in reasonable detail. For purposes of this paragraph, documents shall be deemed furnished to the Company’s shareholders if filed on EDGAR.

    (i) During a period of three years from the date of this Agreement, to furnish to the Representative or provide on EDGAR copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to shareholders, and to deliver to the Representative (i) as soon as they are available, copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange on which any class of securities of the Company is listed and (ii) such additional information concerning the business and financial condition of the Company as the Representative may from time to time reasonably request (such financial statements to be on a consolidated basis to the extent the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries are consolidated in reports furnished to its shareholders generally or to the

 

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Commission). For purposes of this paragraph, documents shall be deemed furnished to the Underwriters if filed on EDGAR.

    (j) To use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Notes pursuant to this Agreement in the manner specified in each of the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”.

    (k) If the Company elects to rely on Rule 462(b), the Company shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) by 10:00 p.m., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement, and the Company shall at the time of filing either pay to the Commission the filing fee for the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or give irrevocable instructions for the payment of such fee pursuant to Rule 111(b) under the 1933 Act.

    (l) The Company will, pursuant to reasonable procedures developed in good faith, retain copies of each Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus that is not filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 433 under the 1933 Act.

6. The Company covenants and agrees with the Underwriters that the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following:

    (a)(i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and accountants in connection with the registration of the Notes under the 1933 Act and all other expenses in connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers; (ii) the cost of printing or producing any agreement among Underwriters, this Agreement, the Blue Sky Memorandum and any other documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Notes; (iii) the filing fees incident to, and the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with, securing any required review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Notes; (iv) the cost and charges of any transfer agent or registrar; (v) the fees and expenses of the Trustee and any paying agent (including reasonable related fees and disbursements of any counsel to such parties); (vi) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any ‘‘road show” to potential investors; (vii) all reasonable fees and expenses incurred by the Underwriters in connection with their services to be rendered hereunder including, without limitation, road show or investor presentation expenses, word processing charges, the costs of printing or producing any investor presentation materials, messenger and duplicating service expenses, facsimile expenses and other customary expenditures (including the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters), in an amount not to exceed $200,000; and (viii) all other reasonable costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section.

    (b) If this Agreement is terminated by the Representative in accordance with the provisions of Section 9 hereof; the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters.

 

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7. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder, as to the Notes to be delivered at the Time of Delivery, shall be subject, in their discretion, to the condition that all representations and warranties and other statements of the Company herein are, at and as of the Time of Delivery, true and correct, the condition that the Company shall have performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following additional conditions:

    (a) The Prospectus containing the Rule 430B Information shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(d)(8)) and in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof, the Final Term Sheet and any other material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the 1933 Act shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time periods prescribed in such filings by Rule 433; if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have become effective by 10:00 p.m, Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representative; and, to the extent applicable, the FINRA shall have raised no objection to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.

    (b) Covington & Burling LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, shall have furnished to the Representative such written opinion or opinions, dated as of the Time of Delivery, with respect to matters as the Representative may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.

    (c) Holland & Knight LLP, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representative such counsel’s written opinion, dated as of the Time of Delivery, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, substantially in the form of Annex I hereto.

    (d) At the time of execution of this Agreement, BDO USA, LLP and Grant Thornton LLP shall have furnished to the Representative a letter or letters, dated the date of this Agreement, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the preliminary prospectus supplement dated December 5, 2016 and the Prospectus and, at the effective date of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement after the date of this Agreement and at the Time of Delivery, BDO USA LLP and Grant Thornton LLP shall have furnished to the Representative a letter or letters, dated as of the Time of Delivery, as the case may be, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in a letter or letters furnished at the time of execution of this Agreement, except that the specified date referred to therein shall be a date not more than three business days prior to such effective date or Time of Delivery, as the case may be.

 

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    (e) (i) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall have sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in each of the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in each of the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and (ii) since the respective dates as of which information is given in each of the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus there shall not have been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the general affairs, management, financial position, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in each of the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is in the judgment of the Representative so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Notes being delivered at the Time of Delivery on the terms and in the manner contemplated in each of the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. As used in this paragraph, references to the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus exclude any amendments or supplements thereto subsequent to the date of this Agreement.

    (f) On or after the date hereof (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded to the Company’s debt securities by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the 1933 Act, and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its rating of the Company’s debt securities.

    (g) On or after the date hereof there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally on the NASDAQ, the NASDAQ Global Market or the NASDAQ Global Select Market or any setting of minimum or maximum prices for trading on such exchange; (ii) a suspension or material limitation in trading of any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities declared by either federal, New York or Delaware state authorities; (iv) any major disruption of settlements of securities, payment, or clearance services in the United States or any other country where such securities are listed; or (v) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the United States or the declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war or a material adverse change in general economic, political or financial conditions, or currency exchange rates or exchange controls, including, without limitation, as a result of terrorist activities after the date hereof (or the effect of international conditions on the financial markets in the United States shall be such), or any other calamity or crisis, if the effect of any such event specified in this clause (v) in the judgment of the Representative makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Notes being delivered at the Time of Delivery on the terms and in the manner contemplated in either the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Notes.

    (h) At the Time of Delivery, the Global Note shall be eligible for clearance, settlement and trading in book-entry-only form through the facilities of DTC.

 

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    (i) The Company shall have complied with the provisions of Section 5(e) hereof with respect to the furnishing of prospectuses on the New York Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement.

    (j) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the Representative at the Time of Delivery certificates of officers of the Company satisfactory to the Representative to the effect that (i) the representations and warranties in Section 1 hereof are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Time of Delivery, (ii) the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Time of Delivery, (iii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are to their knowledge contemplated or threatened by the Commission, and (iv) no event of default under the Indenture or default with notice and/or lapse of time that would be an event of default in respect of the Notes has occurred and is continuing, and as to such other matters as the Representative may reasonably request. Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Underwriters or counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the sale of the Notes contemplated hereby shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters and shall be deemed to be a part of Section 1 and incorporated therein by reference.

8. (a) The Company and the Bank, jointly and severally, agree to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject, under the 1933 Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any preliminary prospectus, the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any individual Issuer-Represented Limited-Use Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein, or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading, and will reimburse each such indemnified party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred; provided, that neither the Company nor the Bank shall 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 any preliminary prospectus, the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any individual Issuer-Represented Limited-Use Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use therein (provided that the Company and the Underwriters hereby acknowledge and agree that the only information that the Underwriters have furnished to the Company specifically for inclusion in any preliminary prospectus, the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any individual Issuer-Represented Limited-Use Free Writing Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, are (i) the concession and reallowance figures appearing in the Prospectus in the section entitled “Underwriting” and (ii) the eighth and ninth paragraphs appearing in the Prospectus in the

 

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section entitled “Underwriting” relating to stabilization transactions, over-allotment transactions, syndicate covering transactions and, if applicable, penalty bids in which the Underwriters may engage (collectively, the “ Underwriters’ Information ”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the indemnification provided for in this paragraph (a) and the contribution provided for in paragraph (d) below shall not apply to the Bank to the extent that such indemnification or contribution, as the case may be, by the Bank is found by the Federal Reserve or other applicable federal banking regulatory authority, or in a final judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction, to constitute a covered transaction under Section 23A of the Federal Reserve Act.

    (b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may become subject, under the 1933 Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any preliminary prospectus, the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or any individual Issuer-Represented Limited-Use Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in such preliminary prospectus, the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or such individual Issuer-Represented Limited-Use Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, or any such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriters’ Information; and will reimburse the Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred.

    (c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof, but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under such subsection. In case any such action 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 (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the written consent of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such

 

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action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

    (d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions 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 in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Notes. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law or if the indemnified party failed to give promptly the notice required under subsection (c) above, 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, 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 in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, 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 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 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 and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this subsection (d) 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 (d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (d) 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 (d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount which such Underwriter received in underwriting discounts and commissions pursuant to this Agreement has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The obligations of the Company and the Bank in this subsection (d) to contribute are joint and several. The Underwriters’ obligations in this subsection (d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.

 

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    (e) The obligations of the Company and the Bank under this Section 8 shall be in addition to any liability which the Company or the Bank may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls (within the meaning of the 1933 Act) any Underwriter, or any of the respective partners, directors, officers and employees of any Underwriter or any such controlling person; and the several obligations of the Underwriters under this Section 8 shall be in addition to any liability which the respective Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each director of the Company (including any person who, with his or her consent, is named in the Registration Statement as about to become a director of the Company), each officer of the Company who signs the Registration Statement and to each person, if any, who controls the Company, within the meaning of the 1933 Act.

9. (a) If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase the Notes which it has agreed to purchase hereunder at the Time of Delivery, the Representative may in its discretion arrange for it or another party or other parties to purchase such Notes on the terms contained herein. If within thirty-six hours after such default by any Underwriter the Representative does not arrange for the purchase of such Notes, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure another party or other parties reasonably satisfactory to the Representative to purchase such Notes on such terms. In the event that, within the respective prescribed periods, the Representative notifies the Company that it has so arranged for the purchase of such Notes, or the Company notifies the Representative that it has so arranged for the purchase of such Notes, the Representative or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Time of Delivery for a period of not more than seven days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any other documents or arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendments to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which in the Representative’s opinion may thereby be made necessary. The term “Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall include any person substituted under this Section with like effect as if such person had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Notes.

    (b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Notes of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the Representative and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate amount of such Notes which remains unpurchased does not exceed one-tenth of the aggregate amount of all the Notes to be purchased at the Time of Delivery, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the amount of Notes which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder at the Time of Delivery and, in addition, to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase its pro rata share (based on the amount of Notes which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Notes of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.

    (c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Notes of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the Representative and the Company as provided in Section 9(a) hereof, the aggregate amount of such Notes which remains unpurchased exceeds one-tenth of the aggregate amount of all the Notes to be purchased at the Time of Delivery, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in Section 9(b) hereof to require non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase Notes of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, then this

 

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Agreement shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company, except for the expenses to be borne by the Company as provided in Section 6 hereof and the indemnity and contribution and other agreements in Section 8 hereof; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.

10. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the several Underwriters, as set forth in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any controlling person of any Underwriter, or the Company, or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Notes.

11. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9 hereof, neither the Company nor the Bank shall then be under any liability to any Underwriter, except as provided in Sections 6 (in the case of the Company) and 8 (in the case of the Company and the Bank) hereof; but, if for any other reason, any Notes are not delivered by or on behalf of the Company as provided herein, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters through the Representative for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel, incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, marketing, syndication and travel expenses incurred by the Underwriters in making preparations for the purchase, sale and delivery of the Notes not so delivered, but the Company shall then be under no further liability to the Underwriters except as provided in Sections 6 and 8 hereof.

12. The Company acknowledges and agrees that:

      (a) in connection with the sale of the Notes, the Underwriters have been retained solely to act as underwriters, and no fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship between the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, has been created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

      (b) the interest rate and price of the Notes set forth in this Agreement was established following discussions and arms-length negotiations between the Company and the Underwriters, and the Company is capable of evaluating and understanding and understand and accept the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

      (c) it has been advised that the Underwriters and their respective affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company and that each Underwriter has 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 it may have against any Underwriter for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty and agrees that each Underwriter shall have no liability (whether direct or indirect) to the Company in respect of such a fiduciary duty claim or to any person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on

 

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behalf of or in right of the Company, including shareholders, employees, depositors or creditors of the Company.

13. In all dealings hereunder, the Representative shall act on behalf of each of the Underwriters, and the parties hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any statement, request, notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or given by the Representative.

All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail or facsimile transmission to the Representative at 1251 Avenue of the Americas, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10020, Attention: General Counsel, Facsimile No.:(212) 466-7996, with a copy to Covington & Burling LLP, One CityCenter, 850 Tenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20001, Attention: Michael Reed and Christopher DeCresce, Facsimile No.:(202) 778-5988; and if to the Company shall be delivered or sent by mail to the Company at 220 RXR Plaza, Uniondale, New York 11556, Attention: Susan K. Cullen, Facsimile No.: (516) 358-5224, with a copy to Holland & Knight LLP, 800 17 th Street, NW, Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20006, Attention: Kevin Houlihan and Shawn Turner, Facsimile No.:(202) 955-5564; provided, that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 8(c) hereof shall be delivered or sent by mail or facsimile transmission to such Underwriter at its address which will be supplied to the Company by the Representative upon request. Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof.

14. This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the benefit of, the Underwriters, the Company, and the Bank and, to the extent provided in Sections 8 and 10 hereof, the officers and directors of the Company and of the Bank and each person who controls the Company, the Bank or any Underwriter, and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. No purchaser of any of the Notes from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase.

15. Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement. As used herein, the term “business day” shall mean any day when the Commission’s office in Washington, D.C. is open for business.

16. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

17. This Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties hereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

[Signature Page Follows]

 

29


If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and return to us a counterpart hereof, and upon the acceptance hereof by the Representative, on behalf of each of the Underwriters, this letter and such acceptance hereof shall constitute a binding agreement among each of the Underwriters, the Company and the Bank.

 

Very truly yours,
FLUSHING FINANCIAL CORPORATION
By:   /s/ John R. Buran
  Name:   John R. Buran
  Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer

 

FLUSHING BANK
By:   /s/ John R. Buran
  Name:  

John R. Buran

  Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer

 

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]


CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED

    as of the date hereof:

SANDLER O’NEILL & PARTNERS, L.P.,

as Representative of the Underwriters

 

        By:  

Sandler O’Neill & Partners Corp.,

the sole general partner

        By:   /s/ Robert A. Kleinert
  Name:   Robert A. Kleinert
  Title:   An officer of the corporation

 

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]


SCHEDULE I

$75,000,000

5.25% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2026

 

Underwriter

  

Principal Amount of the Notes

Sandler O’Neill & Partners, L.P.

   $60,000,000

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc.

   $15,000,000


SCHEDULE II

Issuer-Represented General Use Free Writing Prospectuses

 

1. Investor Presentation, dated December 5, 2016

 

2. The Final Term Sheet for the Notes


SCHEDULE III

Final Term Sheet for the Notes

See attached.


ANNEX II

Subsidiaries

Flushing Bank

Flushing Financial Capital Trust II

Flushing Financial Capital Trust III

Flushing Financial Capital Trust IV

FSB Properties Inc.

Flushing Preferred Funding Corporation

Flushing Service Corporation

Exhibit 4.1

FLUSHING FINANCIAL CORPORATION

SUBORDINATED INDENTURE

DATED AS OF DECEMBER 12, 2016

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

             Page Number  

Article I

 

DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

     1   
  Section 1.1   Definitions      1   
  Section 1.2   Other Definitions      5   
  Section 1.3   Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act      5   
  Section 1.4   Rules Of Construction      6   
Article II  

THE SECURITIES

     6   
  Section 2.1   Issuable In Series      6   
  Section 2.2   Establishment Of Terms Of Series Of Securities      7   
  Section 2.3   Execution and Authentication      8   
  Section 2.4   Registrar and Paying Agent      9   
  Section 2.5   Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust      9   
  Section 2.6   Securityholder Lists      10   
  Section 2.7   Transfer and Exchange      10   
  Section 2.8   Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities      10   
  Section 2.9   Outstanding Securities      11   
  Section 2.10   Treasury Securities      11   
  Section 2.11   Temporary Securities      11   
  Section 2.12   Cancellation      12   
  Section 2.13   Defaulted Interest      12   
  Section 2.14   Global Securities      12   
  Section 2.15   CUSIP Numbers      13   
Article III  

REDEMPTION

     13   
  Section 3.1   Notice To Trustee      13   
  Section 3.2   Selection of Securities to be Redeemed      14   
  Section 3.3   Notice of Redemption      14   
  Section 3.4   Effect of Notice of Redemption      15   
  Section 3.5   Deposit of Redemption Price      15   
  Section 3.6   Securities Redeemed in Part      15   
Article IV  

COVENANTS

     15   
  Section 4.1   Payment of Principal and Interest      15   
  Section 4.2   SEC Reports      15   
  Section 4.3   Compliance Certificate      15   
  Section 4.4   Stay, Extension and Usury Laws      16   
  Section 4.5   Corporate Existence      16   
  Section 4.6   Taxes      16   
Article V  

SUCCESSORS

     16   
  Section 5.1   When Company May Merge, Etc      16   
  Section 5.2   Successor Corporation Substituted      17   
Article VI  

DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

     17   
  Section 6.1   Events of Default      17   
  Section 6.2   Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment      18   
  Section 6.3   Collection Of Indebtedness And Suits For Enforcement By Trustee      18   

 

i


  Section 6.4   Trustee May File Proofs Of Claim      19   
  Section 6.5   Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession Of Securities      19   
  Section 6.6   Application of Money Collected      20   
  Section 6.7   Limitation On Suits      20   
  Section 6.8   Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and Interest      20   
  Section 6.9   Restoration of Rights and Remedies      21   
  Section 6.10   Rights and Remedies Cumulative      21   
  Section 6.11   Delay or Omission Not Waiver      21   
  Section 6.12   Control by Holders      21   
  Section 6.13   Waiver Of Past Defaults      21   
  Section 6.14   Undertaking For Costs      22   
Article VII  

TRUSTEE

     22   
  Section 7.1   Duties of Trustee      22   
  Section 7.2   Rights of Trustee      23   
  Section 7.3   Individual Rights of Trustee      25   
  Section 7.4   Trustee’s Disclaimer      25   
  Section 7.5   Notice Of Defaults      25   
  Section 7.6   Reports by Trustee to Holders      25   
  Section 7.7   Compensation and Indemnity      25   
  Section 7.8   Replacement of Trustee      26   
  Section 7.9   Successor Trustee by Merger, Etc      27   
  Section 7.10   Eligibility; Disqualification      27   
  Section 7.11   Referential Collection of Claims Against Company      27   
Article VIII  

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE; DEFEASANCE

     27   
  Section 8.1   Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture      27   
  Section 8.2   Application of Trust Funds; Indemnification      28   
  Section 8.3   Legal Defeasance of Securities of any Series      28   
  Section 8.4   Covenant Defeasance      30   
  Section 8.5   Repayment to Company      31   
Article IX  

AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS

     31   
  Section 9.1   Without Consent of Holders      31   
  Section 9.2   With Consent of Holders      32   
  Section 9.3   Limitations      33   
  Section 9.4   Compliance With Trust Indenture Act      33   
  Section 9.5   Revocation and Effect of Consents      33   
  Section 9.6   Notation on or Exchange of Securities      33   
  Section 9.7   Trustee Protected      34   
Article X  

MISCELLANEOUS

     34   
  Section 10.1   Trust Indenture Act Controls      34   
  Section 10.2   Notices      34   
  Section 10.3   Communication by Holders with Other Holders      35   
  Section 10.4   Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent      35   
  Section 10.5   Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion      35   
  Section 10.6   Rules by Trustee and Agents      35   
  Section 10.7   Legal Holidays      35   
  Section 10.8   No Recourse Against Others      36   
  Section 10.9   Counterparts      36   

 

ii


  Section 10.10   Governing Laws      36   
  Section 10.11   No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements      36   
  Section 10.12   Successors      36   
  Section 10.13   Severability      36   
  Section 10.14   Table of Contents, Headings, Etc      36   
Article XI  

SINKING FUNDS

     36   
  Section 11.1   Applicability of Article      36   
  Section 11.2   Satisfaction Of Sinking Fund Payments With Securities      37   
  Section 11.3   Redemption Of Securities For Sinking Fund      37   
Article XII  

SUBORDINATION OF SECURITIES

     37   
  Section 12.1   Agreement of Subordination      37   
  Section 12.2   Payments to Holders      38   
  Section 12.3   Subrogation of Securities      40   
  Section 12.4   Authorization to Effect Subordination      41   
  Section 12.5   Notice to Trustee      41   
  Section 12.6   Trustee’s Relation to Senior Indebtedness      42   
  Section 12.7   No Impairment of Subordination      42   
  Section 12.8   Article Applicable to Paying Agents      42   
  Section 12.9   Senior Indebtedness Entitled to Rely      42   

 

iii


CROSS REFERENCE TABLE

 

Trust Indenture

Act Section

       

Indenture

Section

Section 310

   (a)(1)    7.10
   (a)(2)    7.10
   (a)(3)    N/A
   (a)(4)    N/A
   (a)(5)    7.10
   (b)    7.10

Section 311

   (a)    7.11
   (b)    7.11
   (c)    N/A

Section 312

   (a)    2.6
   (b)    10.3
   (c)    10.3

Section 313

   (a)    7.6
   (b)(1)    7.6
   (b)(2)    7.6
   (c)(1)    7.6
   (d)    7.6

Section 314

   (a)    4.2, 10.5
   (b)    N/A
   (c)(1)    10.4
   (c)(2)    10.4
   (c)(3)    N/A
   (d)    N/A
   (e)    10.5
   (f)    N/A

Section 315

   (a)    7.1
   (b)    7.5
   (c)    7.1
   (d)    7.1
   (e)    6.14

Section 316

   (a)    2.10
   (a)(1)(A)    6.12
   (a)(1)(B)    6.13
   (b)    6.8

Section 317

   (a)(1)    6.3
   (a)(2)    6.4
   (b)    2.5

Section 318

   (a)    10.1

 

* This Cross Reference Table shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be part of the Indenture.

 

iv


This SUBORDINATED INDENTURE , dated as of December 12, 2016 is made by and between FLUSHING FINANCIAL CORPORATION , a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), and WILMINGTON TRUST , NATIONAL ASSOCIATION , a national banking association, not in its individual capacity but solely as trustee (the “ Trustee ”).

Each party agrees as follows for the benefit of the other party and for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities issued under this Indenture:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

Section 1.1 Definitions .

Additional Amounts ” means any additional amounts which are required hereby or by any Security, under circumstances specified herein or therein, to be paid by the Company in respect of certain taxes, duties, levies, imposts, assessments or other governmental charges imposed on Holders specified herein or therein and which are owing to such Holders.

Affiliate ” of any specified person means any other person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as used with respect to any person, shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such person, whether through the ownership of voting securities or by agreement or otherwise.

Agent ” means any Registrar, Paying Agent or Service Agent.

Authorized Newspaper ” means a newspaper in an official language of the country of publication customarily published at least once a day for at least five days in each calendar week and of general circulation in the place in connection with which the term is used. If it shall be impractical in the opinion of the Trustee to make any publication of any notice required hereby in an Authorized Newspaper, any publication or other notice in lieu thereof that is made or given by the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient publication of such notice.

Bearer Security ” means any Security, including any interest coupon appertaining thereto, that does not provide for the identification of the Holder thereof.

Board of Directors ” means the Board of Directors of the Company or any duly authorized committee thereof.

Board Resolution ” means a copy of a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been adopted by the Board of Directors or pursuant to authorization by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of the certificate and delivered to the Trustee.

Business Day ” means, unless otherwise provided by Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture hereto for a particular Series, any day except a Saturday, Sunday, a legal holiday or any other day on which banking institutions in the City of New York, New York, or any Place of Payment are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.


Capital Stock ” means any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock.

Company ” means the party named as such above until a successor replaces it and thereafter means the successor.

Company Order ” means a written order signed in the name of the Company by two Officers, one of whom must be the Company’s principal executive officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting officer.

Company Request ” means a written request signed in the name of the Company by its Chief Executive Officer, the President or a Vice President, and by its Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, its Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, and delivered to the Trustee.

Corporate Trust Office ” means the office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be principally administered, which office at the date hereof is located at 1100 North Market Street, Wilmington, DE 19890, Attention: Flushing Financial Corporation Administrator, or such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Company, or the principal corporate trust office of any successor Trustee (or such other address as such successor Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Company).

Default ” means any event which is, or after notice or passage of time or both would be, an Event of Default.

Depository ” means, with respect to the Securities of any Series issuable or issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities, the person designated as Depository for such Series by the Company, which Depository shall be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act; and if at any time there is more than one such person, “Depository” as used with respect to the Securities of any Series shall mean the Depository with respect to the Securities of such Series.

Designated Senior Indebtedness ” means any of the Company’s senior indebtedness that expressly provides that it is “designated senior indebtedness” for purposes of this Indenture (provided that the instrument, agreement or other document creating or evidencing such Senior Indebtedness may place limitations and conditions on the right of such Senior Indebtedness to exercise the rights of Designated Senior Indebtedness).

Discount Security ” means any Security that provides for an amount less than the stated principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Stated Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.2.

Dollars ” and “ $ ” means the currency of the United States of America. “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

GAAP ” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as have been approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession, which are in effect as of the date of determination.

 

2


Global Security ” or “ Global Securities ” means a Security or Securities, as the case may be, in the form established pursuant to Section 2.2 evidencing all or part of a Series of Securities, issued to the Depository for such Series or its nominee, and registered in the name of such Depository or nominee.

Holder ” or “ Securityholder ” means a person in whose name a Security is registered or the holder of a Bearer Security.

Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any person, and without duplication, (a) all indebtedness, obligations and other liabilities (contingent or otherwise) of such person for borrowed money (including obligations of the Company in respect of overdrafts, foreign exchange contracts, currency exchange agreements, interest rate protection agreements, and any loans or advances from banks, whether or not evidenced by notes or similar instruments) or evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments (whether or not the recourse of the lender is to the whole of the assets of such person or to only a portion thereof) (other than any account payable or other accrued current liability or obligation incurred in the ordinary course of business in connection with the obtaining of materials or services), (b) all reimbursement obligations and other liabilities (contingent or otherwise) of such person with respect to letters of credit, bank guarantees or bankers’ acceptances, (c) all obligations and liabilities (contingent or otherwise) in respect of leases of such person required, in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles, to be accounted for as capitalized lease obligations on the balance sheet of such person and all obligations and other liabilities (contingent or otherwise) under any lease or related document (including a purchase agreement) in connection with the lease of real property which provides that such person is contractually obligated to purchase or cause a third party to purchase the leased property and thereby guarantee a minimum residual value of the leased property to the lessor and the obligations of such person under such lease or related document to purchase or to cause a third party to purchase such leased property, (d) all obligations of such person (contingent or otherwise) with respect to an interest rate or other swap, cap or collar agreement or other similar instrument or agreement or foreign currency hedge, exchange, purchase or similar instrument or agreement, (e) all direct or indirect guaranties or similar agreements by such person in respect of, and obligations or liabilities (contingent or otherwise) of such person to purchase or otherwise acquire or otherwise assure a creditor against loss in respect of indebtedness, obligations or liabilities of another person of the kind described in clauses (a) through (d), (f) any indebtedness or other obligations described in clauses (a) through (e) secured by any mortgage, pledge, lien or other encumbrance existing on property which is owned or held by such person, regardless of whether the indebtedness or other obligation secured thereby shall have been assumed by such person and (g) any and all refinancings, replacements, deferrals, renewals, extensions and refundings of, or amendments, modifications or supplements to, any indebtedness, obligation or liability of the kind described in clauses (a) through (f).

Indenture ” means this Subordinated Indenture as amended or supplemented from time to time and shall include the form and terms of particular Series of Securities established as contemplated hereunder.

interest ” with respect to any Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity.

Maturity ,” when used with respect to any Security or installment of principal thereof, means the date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal becomes due and payable as therein or herein provided, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption, or otherwise.

Officer ” means the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, the Secretary, any Assistant Treasurer or any Assistant Secretary of the Company.

 

3


Officers’ Certificate ” means a certificate signed by two Officers, one of whom must be the Company’s principal executive officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting officer.

Opinion of Counsel ” means a written opinion of legal counsel who is reasonably acceptable to the Trustee. The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Company.

person ” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, limited liability company, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

Place of Payment ”, when used with respect to the Securities of or within any Series, means the place or places where the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on such Securities are payable as specified and as contemplated by Section 2.1.

principal ” or “ principal amount ” of a Security means the principal amount of the Security plus, when appropriate, the premium, if any, on, and any Additional Amounts in respect of, the Security.

Representative ” means the (a) indenture trustee or other trustee, agent or representative for any Senior Indebtedness or (b) with respect to any Senior Indebtedness that does not have any such trustee, agent or other representative, (i) in the case of such Senior Indebtedness issued pursuant to an agreement providing for voting arrangements as among the holders or owners of such Senior Indebtedness, any holder or owner of such Senior Indebtedness acting with the consent of the required persons necessary to bind such holders or owners of such Senior Indebtedness and (ii) in the case of all other such Senior Indebtedness, the holder or owner of such Senior Indebtedness.

Responsible Officer ” means any officer of the Trustee in its Corporate Trust Office and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of his or her knowledge of and familiarity with a particular subject, in each case, who has direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.

SEC ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Securities ” means the debentures, notes or other debt instruments of the Company of any Series authenticated and delivered under this Indenture.

Senior Indebtedness ” means the principal, premium, if any, interest, including any interest accruing after bankruptcy, Additional Amounts, if any, and rent or termination payment on or other amounts due on the Company’s current or future indebtedness, whether created, incurred, assumed, guaranteed or in effect guaranteed by us, including any deferrals, renewals, extensions, refundings, amendments, modifications or supplements to the above. However, Senior Indebtedness does not include: (i) indebtedness that expressly provides that it shall not be senior in right of payment to the Securities or expressly provides that it is on the same basis or junior to the Securities; (ii) the Company’s indebtedness to any of the Company’s Subsidiaries; and (iii) the Securities.

Series ” or “ Series of Securities ” means each series of debentures, notes or other debt instruments of the Company created pursuant to Sections 2.1 and 2.2.

Stated Maturity ” when used with respect to any Security or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon, means the date specified in such Security as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal or interest is due and payable.

 

4


Subsidiary ” of any specified person means any corporation, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of Capital Stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that person or a combination thereof.

TIA ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S. Code Sections 77aaa-77bbbb) as in effect on the date of this Indenture; provided , however , that in the event the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is amended after such date, “TIA” means, to the extent required by any such amendment, the Trust Indenture Act as so amended.

Trustee ” means the person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Trustee shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean each person who is then a Trustee hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such person, “Trustee” as used with respect to the Securities of any Series shall mean the Trustee with respect to Securities of that Series.

U.S. Government Obligations ” means securities which are (a) direct obligations of the United States of America for the payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged or (b) obligations of a person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America, and which in the case of clauses (a) and (b) are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such U.S. Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of any such U.S. Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the U.S. Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.

Section 1.2 Other Definitions .

 

Term    Defined in Section  

“Bankruptcy Law”

     6.1   

“Custodian”

     6.1   

“Event of Default”

     6.1   

“Legal Holiday”

     10.7   

“mandatory sinking fund payment”

     11.1   

“optional sinking fund payment”

     11.1   

“Paying Agent”

     2.4   

“Payment Blockage Notice”

     12.2   

“Registrar”

     2.4   

“Service Agent”

     2.4   

“successor person”

     5.1   

Section 1.3 Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act . Whenever this Indenture refers to a provision of the TIA, the provision is incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Indenture. The following TIA terms used in this Indenture have the following meanings:

“Commission” means the SEC.

 

5


“indenture securities” means the Securities.

“indenture security holder” means a Securityholder.

“indenture to be qualified” means this Indenture.

“indenture trustee” or “institutional trustee” means the Trustee.

“obligor” on the indenture securities means the Company and any successor obligor upon the Securities.

All other terms used in this Indenture that are defined by the TIA, defined by TIA reference to another statute or defined by SEC rule under the TIA and not otherwise defined herein are used herein as so defined.

Section 1.4 Rules of Construction . Unless the context otherwise requires:

 

  (a) a term has the meaning assigned to it;

 

  (b) an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

 

  (c) references to “generally accepted accounting principles” and “GAAP” shall mean generally accepted accounting principles of the United States, consistently applied, in effect as of the time when and for the period as to which such accounting principles are to be applied;

 

  (d) “or” is not exclusive;

 

  (e) words in the singular include the plural, and in the plural include the singular; and

 

  (f) provisions apply to successive events and transactions.

ARTICLE II

THE SECURITIES

Section 2.1 Issuable in Series . The aggregate principal amount of Securities that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more Series. All Securities of a Series shall be identical except as may be set forth or determined in the manner provided in a Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officers’ Certificate detailing the adoption of the terms thereof pursuant to authority granted under a Board Resolution. In the case of Securities of a Series to be issued from time to time, the Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture detailing the adoption of the terms thereof pursuant to authority granted under a Board Resolution may provide for the method by which specified terms (such as interest rate, maturity date, record date or date from which interest shall accrue) are to be determined. Securities may differ between Series in respect of any matters; provided that all Series of Securities shall be equally and ratably entitled to the benefits of the Indenture, but all Securities issued hereunder shall be subordinate and junior in right of payment, to the extent and in the manner set forth in Article XII, to all Senior Indebtedness of the Company.

 

6


Section 2.2 Establishment of Terms of Series of Securities . At or prior to the issuance of any Securities within a Series, the following shall be established (as to the Series generally, in the case of Section 2.2(a) and either as to such Securities within the Series or as to the Series generally, in the case of Sections 2.2(b) through 2.2(q)) by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, and set forth or determined in the manner provided in a Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or an Officers’ Certificate:

 

  (a) the title of the Series (which shall distinguish the Securities of that particular Series from the Securities of any other Series);

 

  (b) the price or prices (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount thereof) at which the Securities of the Series will be issued;

 

  (c) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the Series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of the Series pursuant to Section 2.7, 2.8, 2.11, 3.6 or 9.6);

 

  (d) the date or dates on which the principal of the Securities of the Series is payable;

 

  (e) the rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) per annum or, if applicable, the method used to determine such rate or rates (including, but not limited to, any commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index) at which the Securities of the Series shall bear interest, if any, the date or dates from which such interest, if any, shall accrue, the date or dates on which such interest, if any, shall commence and be payable and any regular record date for the interest payable on any interest payment date;

 

  (f) the Place of Payment where the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series shall be payable, where the Securities of such Series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such Series and this Indenture may be served, and the method of such payment, if by wire transfer, mail or other means;

 

  (g) if applicable, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which the Securities of the Series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company;

 

  (h) the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem or purchase the Securities of the Series pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a Holder thereof and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which Securities of the Series shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;

 

  (i) the dates, if any, on which and the price or prices at which the Securities of the Series will be repurchased by the Company at the option of the Holders thereof and other detailed terms and provisions of such repurchase obligations;

 

  (j) if other than minimum denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple in excess thereof, the denominations in which the Securities of the Series shall be issuable;

 

  (k) the forms of the Securities of the Series in bearer or fully registered form (and, if in fully registered form, whether the Securities will be issuable as Global Securities);

 

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  (l) if other than the entire principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of the Securities of the Series that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.2;

 

  (m) the provisions, if any, relating to any lien, security or encumbrance provided for the Securities of the Series;

 

  (n) any addition to or change in the Events of Default which applies to any Securities of the Series and any change in the right of the Trustee or the requisite Holders of such Securities to declare the principal amount thereof due and payable pursuant to Section 6.2;

 

  (o) any addition to or change in the covenants set forth in Article IV or V which applies to Securities of the Series;

 

  (p) any other terms of the Securities of the Series (which may modify or delete any provision of this Indenture insofar as it applies to such Series); and

 

  (q) any depositories, interest rate calculation agents, exchange rate calculation agents or other agents with respect to Securities of such Series if other than those appointed herein.

All Securities of any one Series need not be issued at the same time and may be issued from time to time, consistent with the terms of this Indenture, if so provided by or pursuant to the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers’ Certificate referred to above, and the authorized principal amount of any Series may not be increased to provide for issuances of additional Securities of such Series, unless otherwise provided in such Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officers’ Certificate.

Section 2.3 Execution and Authentication .

One Officer shall sign the Securities for the Company by manual or facsimile signature, attested by its Secretary or one of its Assistant Secretaries.

If an Officer whose signature is on a Security no longer holds that office at the time the Security is authenticated, the Security shall nevertheless be valid.

A Security shall not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of the Trustee or an authenticating agent. Such a signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Security has been authenticated under this Indenture.

The Trustee shall at any time, and from time to time, authenticate Securities for original issue in the principal amount provided in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers’ Certificate, upon receipt by the Trustee of a Company Order. Such Company Order may authorize authentication and delivery pursuant to oral or electronic instructions from the Company or its duly authorized agent or agents, which oral instructions shall be promptly confirmed in writing. Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication unless otherwise provided by a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate.

The aggregate principal amount of Securities of any Series outstanding at any time may not exceed any limit upon the maximum principal amount for such Series set forth in the Board Resolution,

 

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supplemental indenture hereto or Officers’ Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2, except as provided in Section 2.8.

Prior to the issuance of Securities of any Series, the Trustee shall have received and (subject to Section 7.2) shall be fully protected in relying on: (a) the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers’ Certificate establishing the form of the Securities of that Series or of Securities within that Series and the terms of the Securities of that Series or of Securities within that Series, (b) an Officers’ Certificate complying with Section 10.4, and (c) an Opinion of Counsel complying with Section 10.4.

The Trustee shall have the right to decline to authenticate and deliver any Securities of such Series: (a) if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not be taken lawfully; or (b) if the Trustee in good faith shall determine that such action would expose the Trustee to personal liability to Holders of any then outstanding Series of Securities.

The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent acceptable to the Company to authenticate Securities. An authenticating agent may authenticate Securities whenever the Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by such agent. An authenticating agent has the same rights as an Agent to deal with the Company or an Affiliate of the Company.

Section 2.4 Registrar and Paying Agent . The Company shall maintain, with respect to each Series of Securities, at the Place of Payment specified with respect to such Series pursuant to Section 2.2, an office or agency where Securities of such Series may be presented or surrendered for payment (the “ Paying Agent ”), where Securities of such Series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange (the “ Registrar ”) and where notices and demands (other than service of process) to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such Series and this Indenture may be served (the “ Service Agent ”). The Registrar shall keep a register with respect to each Series of Securities and to their transfer and exchange. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the name and address, and any change in the name or address, of each Registrar, Paying Agent or Service Agent. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required Registrar, Paying Agent or Service Agent or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the name and address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands (other than any service of process).

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more co-registrars, additional paying agents or additional service agents and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided , however , that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligations to maintain a Registrar, Paying Agent and Service Agent in each place so specified pursuant to Section 2.2 for Securities of any Series for such purposes. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the name or address of any such co-registrar, additional paying agent or additional service agent. The term “Registrar” includes any co-registrar; the term “Paying Agent” includes any additional paying agent; and the term “Service Agent” includes any additional service agent.

The Company hereby appoints the Trustee as the initial Registrar, Paying Agent and Service Agent for each Series unless another Registrar, Paying Agent or Service Agent, as the case may be, is appointed prior to the time Securities of that Series are first issued.

Section 2.5 Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust . The Company shall require each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to agree in writing that the Paying Agent will hold in trust, for the benefit of

 

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Securityholders of any Series of Securities, or the Trustee, all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal of or interest on the Series of Securities, and will notify the Trustee of any default by the Company in making any such payment. While any such default continues, the Trustee may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. The Company at any time may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. Upon payment over to the Trustee, the Paying Agent (if other than the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company) shall have no further liability for the money. If the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company acts as Paying Agent, it shall segregate and hold in a separate trust fund for the benefit of Securityholders of any Series of Securities all money held by it as Paying Agent.

Section 2.6 Securityholder Lists . The Trustee shall preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of Securityholders of each Series of Securities and shall otherwise comply with TIA Section 312(a). If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee at least ten days before each interest payment date and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing a list, in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of Securityholders of each Series of Securities.

Section 2.7 Transfer and Exchange . Where Securities of a Series are presented to the Registrar or a co-registrar with a request to register a transfer or to exchange them for an equal principal amount of Securities of the same Series, the Registrar shall register the transfer or make the exchange if its requirements for such transactions are met. To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Trustee shall authenticate Securities at the Registrar’s request. No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange (except as otherwise expressly permitted herein), but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than any such transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable upon exchanges pursuant to Section 2.11, 3.6 or 9.6).

Neither the Company nor the Registrar shall be required (a) to issue, register the transfer of, or exchange Securities of any Series for the period beginning at the opening of business 15 days immediately preceding the mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities of that Series selected for redemption and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, or (b) to register the transfer of or exchange Securities of any Series selected, called or being called for redemption as a whole or the portion being redeemed of any such Securities selected, called or being called for redemption in part.

Section 2.8 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities . If any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery in exchange therefor a new Security of the same Series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.

If there shall be delivered to the Company and the Trustee (a) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security and (b) such security or satisfactory indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the Company shall execute and upon its request the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Security, a new Security of the same Series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.

In case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security.

 

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Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee) connected therewith.

Every new Security of any Series issued pursuant to this Section in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of that Series duly issued hereunder.

The provisions of this Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities.

Section 2.9 Outstanding Securities . The Securities outstanding at any time are all the Securities authenticated by the Trustee except for those canceled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation, those reductions in the interest on a Global Security effected by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions hereof and those described in this Section as not outstanding.

If a Security is replaced pursuant to Section 2.8, it ceases to be outstanding until the Trustee receives proof satisfactory to it that the replaced Security is held by a bona fide purchaser.

If the Paying Agent (other than the Company, a Subsidiary of the Company or an Affiliate of the Company) holds on the Maturity of Securities of a Series money sufficient to pay such Securities payable on that date, then on and after that date such Securities of the Series cease to be outstanding and interest on them ceases to accrue (to the extent of the Maturity of such Security if less than the entire principal amount is due and payable on such date of Maturity).

A Security does not cease to be outstanding because the Company or an Affiliate of the Company holds the Security.

In determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, the principal amount of a Discount Security that shall be deemed to be outstanding for such purposes shall be the amount of the principal thereof that would be due and payable as of the date of such determination upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.2.

Section 2.10 Treasury Securities . In determining whether the Holders of the required principal amount of Securities of a Series have concurred in any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, Securities of a Series owned by the Company shall be disregarded, except that for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Securities of a Series that the Trustee knows are so owned shall be so disregarded.

Section 2.11 Temporary Securities . Until definitive Securities are ready for delivery, the Company may prepare and the Trustee shall authenticate temporary Securities upon a Company Order. Temporary Securities shall be substantially in the form of definitive Securities but may have variations that the Company considers appropriate for temporary Securities. Without unreasonable delay, the Company shall prepare and the Trustee upon request shall authenticate definitive Securities of the same Series and Stated Maturity in exchange for temporary Securities. Until so exchanged, temporary Securities shall have the same rights under this Indenture as the definitive Securities.

 

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Section 2.12 Cancellation . All Securities and coupons surrendered for payment, redemption, repayment at the option of the Holder, registration of transfer or exchange or for credit against any sinking fund payment shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee, and any such Securities and coupons and Securities and coupons surrendered directly to the Trustee for any such purpose shall be promptly cancelled by the Trustee. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and may deliver to the Trustee (or to any other Person for delivery to the Trustee) for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated hereunder which the Company has not issued and sold, and all Securities so delivered shall be promptly cancelled by the Trustee. If the Company shall so acquire any of the Securities, however, such acquisition shall not operate as a redemption or satisfaction of the indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the same are surrendered to the Trustee for cancellation. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by this Indenture. Cancelled Securities and coupons held by the Trustee shall be destroyed by the Trustee in accordance with its customary procedures. The Company by Company Order may direct the Trustee to deliver a certificate of such destruction to the Company.

Section 2.13 Defaulted Interest . If the Company defaults in a payment of interest on a Series of Securities, it shall pay the defaulted interest, plus, to the extent permitted by law, any interest payable on the defaulted interest, to the persons who are Securityholders of the Series on a subsequent special record date. The Company shall fix the record date and payment date. At least 10 days before the record date, the Company shall mail to the Trustee and to each Securityholder of the Series a notice that states the record date, the payment date and the amount of interest to be paid. The Company may pay defaulted interest in any other lawful manner.

Section 2.14 Global Securities .

 

  (a) Terms of Securities . A Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate shall establish whether the Securities of a Series shall be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities and the Depository for such Global Security or Securities.

 

  (b) Transfer and Exchange . Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary contained in Section 2.7 and in addition thereto, any Global Security shall be exchangeable pursuant to Section 2.7 for Securities registered in the names of Holders other than the Depository for such Security or its nominee only if (i) such Depository notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depository for such Global Security or if at any time such Depository ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and, in either case, the Company fails to appoint a successor Depository registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act within 90 days of such event, (ii) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate to the effect that such Global Security shall be so exchangeable or (iii) an Event of Default with respect to the Securities represented by such Global Security shall have happened and be continuing. Any Global Security that is exchangeable pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be exchangeable for Securities registered in such names as the Depository shall direct in writing in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global Security with like tenor and terms.

Except as provided in this Section 2.14(b), a Global Security may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depository with respect to such Global Security to a nominee of such Depository, by a nominee of such Depository to such Depository or another

 

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nominee of such Depository or by the Depository or any such nominee to a successor Depository or a nominee of such a successor Depository.

 

  (c) Legend . Any Global Security issued hereunder shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:

“This Security is a Global Security within the meaning of the Indenture hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name of the Depository or a nominee of the Depository. This Security is exchangeable for Securities registered in the name of a person other than the Depository or its nominee only in the limited circumstances described in the Indenture, and may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depository to a nominee of the Depository, by a nominee of the Depository to the Depository or another nominee of the Depository or by the Depository or any such nominee to a successor Depository or a nominee of such a successor Depository.”

 

  (d) Acts of Holders . The Depository, as a Holder, may appoint agents and otherwise authorize participants to give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action which a Holder is entitled to give or take under the Indenture.

 

  (e) Payments . Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Indenture, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 2.2, payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on any Global Security shall be made to the Holder thereof.

 

  (f) Consents, Declaration and Directions . Except as provided in Section 2.14(e), the Company, the Trustee and any Agent shall treat a person as the Holder of such principal amount of outstanding Securities of such Series represented by a Global Security as shall be specified in a written statement of the Depository with respect to such Global Security, for purposes of obtaining any consents, declarations, waivers or directions required to be given by the Holders pursuant to this Indenture.

Section 2.15 CUSIP Numbers . The Company in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP” numbers (if then generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee shall use “CUSIP” numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders; provided that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of a redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other elements of identification printed on the Securities, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers.

ARTICLE III

REDEMPTION

Section 3.1 Notice to Trustee . The Company may, with respect to any Series of Securities, reserve the right to redeem and pay the Series of Securities or may covenant to redeem and pay the Series of Securities or any part thereof prior to the Stated Maturity thereof at such time and on such terms as provided for in such Securities. If a Series of Securities is redeemable and the Company wants or is obligated to redeem prior to the Stated Maturity thereof all or part of the Series of Securities pursuant to the terms of such Securities, it shall notify the Trustee of the redemption date and the principal amount of Series of Securities to be redeemed. The Company shall give the notice at least 45 days before the redemption date (or such shorter notice as may be acceptable to the Trustee).

 

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Section 3.2 Selection of Securities to be Redeemed . Unless otherwise indicated for a particular Series by a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture or an Officers’ Certificate, if less than all the Securities of any Series issued on the same day with the same terms are to be redeemed, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 45 days prior to the redemption date by the Trustee, from the Outstanding Securities of such Series issued on such date with the same terms not previously called for redemption, by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate, and, in the case of global Securities, in accordance with the procedures of the depositary; provided that such method complies with the rules of any national securities exchange or quotation system on which the Securities are listed, and may provide for the selection for redemption of portions (equal to the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of that Series or any integral multiple thereof) of the principal amount of Securities of such Series of a denomination larger than the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of that Series; provided , however , that no such partial redemption shall reduce the portion of the principal amount of a Security not redeemed to less than the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of such Series.

The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company and the Security Registrar (if other than itself) in writing of the Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Securities selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.

For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate, in the case of any Security redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal amount of such Security which has been or is to be redeemed.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any Security to be redeemed is a Global Security then any partial redemption of that Series of Securities will be made in accordance with the Depository’s applicable procedures among all Holders of such Series of Securities.

Section 3.3 Notice of Redemption . Unless otherwise indicated for a particular Series by Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate, at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before a redemption date, the Company shall mail a notice of redemption by first-class mail to each Holder whose Securities are to be redeemed and, if any Bearer Securities are outstanding, publish on one occasion a notice in an Authorized Newspaper.

The notice shall identify the Securities of the Series to be redeemed and shall state:

 

  (a) the redemption date;

 

  (b) the redemption price and accrued interest, if any, to the redemption date payable as provided;

 

  (c) the name and address of the Paying Agent;

 

  (d) that Securities of the Series called for redemption must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the redemption price;

 

  (e) that interest on Securities of the Series called for redemption ceases to accrue on and after the redemption date;

 

  (f) the CUSIP number, if any;

 

  (g) any conditions precedent that must be satisfied prior to the redemption; and

 

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  (h) any other information as may be required by the terms of the particular Series or the Securities of a Series being redeemed.

At the Company’s request given at least five Business Days prior to the date such notice is given to Holders, the Trustee shall give the notice of redemption in the Company’s name and at its expense.

Section 3.4 Effect of Notice of Redemption . Once notice of redemption is mailed or published as provided in Section 3.3, Securities of a Series called for redemption become due and payable on the redemption date and at the redemption price, subject to, with respect to any redemption that is conditioned upon the satisfaction of any conditions precedent, (i) the delay of such redemption date until such time as any or all of such conditions precedent have been satisfied or (ii) the revocation of such redemption if the Company determines that such conditions precedent will not be satisfied. Upon surrender to the Paying Agent, such Securities shall be paid at the redemption price plus accrued interest to, but excluding, the redemption date; provided that installments of interest whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the redemption date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities (or one or more predecessor Securities) registered at the close of business on the relevant record date therefor according to their terms and the terms of this Indenture.

Section 3.5 Deposit of Redemption Price . On or before the redemption date, the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the redemption price of and accrued interest, if any, on all Securities to be redeemed on that date.

Section 3.6 Securities Redeemed in Part . Upon surrender of a Security that is redeemed in part, the Trustee shall authenticate for the Holder a new Security of the same Series and the same maturity equal in principal amount to the unredeemed portion of the Security surrendered.

ARTICLE IV

COVENANTS

Section 4.1 Payment of Principal and Interest . The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of each Series of Securities that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of that Series in accordance with the terms of such Securities and this Indenture.

Section 4.2 SEC Reports . The Company shall deliver to the Trustee within 15 days after it files them with the SEC copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents, and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the SEC may by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company is required to file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. The Company also shall comply with the other provisions of TIA Section 314(a). Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on an Officers’ Certificate).

Section 4.3 Compliance Certificate . The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, an Officers’ Certificate stating that a review of the activities of the Company and its Subsidiaries during the preceding fiscal year has been made under the supervision of the signing Officers with a view to determining whether the Company has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled its obligations under this Indenture, and further stating, as to each such Officer signing such certificate, that to the best of his/her knowledge the Company has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled each and every covenant contained in this Indenture and is not in default in the performance

 

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or observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions hereof (or, if a Default or Event of Default shall have occurred, describing all such Defaults or Events of Default of which he may have knowledge).

The Company will, so long as any of the Securities are outstanding, deliver to the Trustee, forthwith upon becoming aware of any Default or Event of Default, an Officers’ Certificate specifying such Default or Event of Default and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.

Section 4.4 Stay, Extension and Usury Laws . The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any time insist upon, plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay, extension or usury law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture or the Securities and the Company (to the extent it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not, by resort to any such law, hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law has been enacted.

Section 4.5 Corporate Existence . Subject to Article V, the Company will do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence and the rights (charter and statutory), licenses and franchises of the Company; provided , however , that the Company shall not be required to preserve any such right, license or franchise if the Board of Directors shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole and that the loss thereof is not adverse in any material respect to the Holders.

Section 4.6 Taxes . The Company shall pay prior to delinquency all taxes, assessments and governmental levies, except as contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings.

ARTICLE V

SUCCESSORS

Section 5.1 When Company May Merge, Etc . The Company shall not consolidate with or merge with or into, or convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of its properties and assets to, any person (a “successor person”), nor shall the Company permit any other person to consolidate with or merge into it or convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of its properties and assets to it, in either case unless:

 

  (a) the Company is the surviving corporation or the successor person (if other than the Company) is a corporation organized and validly existing under the laws of any U.S. domestic jurisdiction and expressly assumes, by a supplemental indenture, the Company’s obligations on the Securities and under this Indenture; and

 

  (b) immediately after giving effect to the transaction, and treating any indebtedness that becomes the obligation of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as having been incurred at the effective date of such transaction no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

The Company shall deliver to the Trustee prior to the consummation of the proposed transaction an Officers’ Certificate to the foregoing effect and an Opinion of Counsel stating that the proposed transaction and any supplemental indenture comply with this Indenture.

 

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Section 5.2 Successor Corporation Substituted . Upon any consolidation or merger, or any sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company in accordance with Section 5.1, the successor corporation formed by such consolidation or into or with which the Company is merged or to which such sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor person has been named as the Company herein; provided , however , that the predecessor Company in the case of a sale, conveyance or other disposition (other than a lease) shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities.

ARTICLE VI

DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

Section 6.1 Events of Default . “Event of Default,” wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any Series, means any one of the following events, unless in the establishing Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officers’ Certificate, it is provided that such Series shall not have the benefit of said Event of Default:

 

  (a) default in the payment of any interest on any Security of that Series when it becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days (unless the entire amount of such payment is deposited by the Company with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent prior to the expiration of such period of 30 days);

 

  (b) default in the payment of principal of any Security of that Series at its Maturity;

 

  (c) default in the deposit of any sinking fund payment, when and as due in respect of any Security of that Series;

 

  (d) default in the performance or breach of any covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture (without such default or breach having been waived in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture), which default or breach continues uncured or unwaived in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture for a period of 90 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of not less than 25.0% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder;

 

  (e) the Company pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:

 

  i. commences a voluntary case,

 

  ii. consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case,

 

  iii. consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property,

 

  iv. makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors, or

 

  v. generally is unable to pay its debts as the same become due; or

 

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  (f) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that:

 

  i. is for relief against the Company in an involuntary case,

 

  ii. appoints a Custodian of the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or

 

  iii. orders the liquidation of the Company, and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 60 days; or

 

  (g) any other Event of Default provided with respect to Securities of that Series, which is specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate, in accordance with Section 2.2(n).

The term “Bankruptcy Law” means title 11, U.S. Code or any similar Federal or State law for the relief of debtors. The term “Custodian” means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.

Section 6.2 Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment . Except to the extent provided otherwise in the establishing Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officers’ Certificate for such Series, if an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any Series at the time outstanding occurs and is continuing (other than an Event of Default referred to in Section 6.1(e) or 6.1(f)), then in every such case the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25.0% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series may declare the principal amount (or, if any Securities of that Series are Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such Securities) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all of the Securities of that Series to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal amount (or portion thereof) and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, shall become immediately due and payable. If an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(e) or 6.1(f) shall occur, the principal amount (or portion thereof) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all outstanding Securities shall automatically become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder.

At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to any Series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series, by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if all Events of Default with respect to Securities of that Series, other than the non-payment of the principal and interest, if any, of Securities of that Series which have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 6.13.

No such rescission shall affect any subsequent Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 6.3 Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee . The Company covenants that if:

 

  (a) default is made in the payment of any interest on any Security when such interest becomes due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days,

 

  (b) default is made in the payment of principal of any Security at the Maturity thereof, or

 

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  (c) default is made in the deposit of any sinking fund payment when and as due by the terms of a Security,

then, the Company will, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities, the whole amount then due and payable on such Securities for principal and interest and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, interest on any overdue principal and any overdue interest at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel.

If the Company fails to pay such amounts forthwith upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree and may enforce the same against the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities and collect the moneys adjudged or deemed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities, wherever situated.

If an Event of Default with respect to any Securities of any Series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such Series by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.

Section 6.4 Trustee may File Proofs of Claim . In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or the property of the Company or of such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company for the payment of overdue principal or interest) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise, (a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel) and of the Holders allowed in such judicial proceeding, and (b) to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same, and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.7.

Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or the rights of any Holder thereof or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding.

Section 6.5 Trustee may Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities . All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the Securities may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or the production thereof in any proceeding relating

 

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thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

Section 6.6 Application of Money Collected . Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal or interest, upon presentation of the Securities and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

First: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.7; and

Second: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid for principal of and interest on the Securities in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on such Securities for principal and interest, respectively; and

Third: To the Company.

Section 6.7 Limitation on Suits . No Holder of any Security of any Series shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless:

 

  (a) such Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of that Series;

 

  (b) the Holders of not less than 25.0% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;

 

  (c) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee indemnity satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;

 

  (d) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and

 

  (e) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series;

it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other of such Holders, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other of such Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders.

Section 6.8 Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and Interest . Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on such Security on the Stated Maturity or Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of

 

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redemption, on the redemption date) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such rights shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.

Section 6.9 Restoration of Rights and Remedies . If the Trustee or any Holder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case, subject to any determination in such proceeding, the Company, the Trustee and the Holders shall be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

Section 6.10 Rights and Remedies Cumulative . Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities in Section 2.8, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not, to the extent permitted by law, prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

Section 6.11 Delay or Omission Not Waiver . No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Securities to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders, as the case may be.

Section 6.12 Control by Holders . The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee, with respect to the Securities of such Series; provided that:

 

  (a) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture;

 

  (b) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction; and

 

  (c) subject to the provisions of Section 6.1, the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee in good faith shall, by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, determine that the proceeding so directed would involve the Trustee in personal liability.

Section 6.13 Waiver of Past Defaults . The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series may on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such Series waive any past Default hereunder with respect to such Series and its consequences, except a Default (a) in the payment of the principal of or interest on any Security of such Series ( provided , however , that the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series may rescind an acceleration and its consequences, including any related payment default that resulted from such acceleration) or (b) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each outstanding Security of such Series affected. Upon any such waiver, such Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be

 

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deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 6.14 Undertaking for Costs . All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Company, to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of or interest on any Security on or after the Stated Maturity or Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the redemption date).

ARTICLE VII

TRUSTEE

Section 7.1 Duties of Trustee .

 

  (a) If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of their own affairs.

 

  (b) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default:

 

  i. The Trustee need perform only those duties that are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no others, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee. The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith that it believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers. The Trustee is not required to give any bond or surety with respect to the performance of its duties or the exercise of its powers under this Indenture. The permissive right of the Trustee to take the actions permitted by this Indenture shall not be construed as an obligation or duty to do so.

 

  ii. In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon Officers’ Certificates or Opinions of Counsel furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; however, in the case of any such Officers’ Certificates or Opinions of Counsel which by any provisions hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall examine such Officers’ Certificates and Opinions of Counsel to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture.

 

  (c) The Trustee may not be relieved from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, its own bad faith or its own willful misconduct, except that:

 

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  i. This paragraph does not limit the effect of paragraph (b) of this Section.

 

  ii. The Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it is proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts.

 

  iii. The Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it with respect to Securities of any Series in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such Series relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such Series.

 

  (d) Every provision of this Indenture that in any way relates to the Trustee is subject to paragraphs (a), (b), (c) and (g) of this Section.

 

  (e) The Trustee may refuse to perform any duty or exercise any right or power at the request or direction of any Holder unless it receives security or indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense.

 

  (f) The Trustee shall not be liable for interest on any money received by it except as the Trustee may agree in writing with the Company. Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

 

  (g) No provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or satisfactory indemnity against such risk is not assured to it.

 

  (h) The Paying Agent, the Registrar and any authenticating agent shall be entitled to the protections, immunities and standard of care as are set forth in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this Section with respect to the Trustee.

Section 7.2 Rights of Trustee .

 

  (a) The Trustee may rely on and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper person. The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document.

 

  (b) Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officers’ Certificate, an Opinion of Counsel, or both. The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on such Officers’ Certificate and/or Opinion of Counsel.

 

  (c) The Trustee may act through agents and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any agent appointed with due care. No Depository shall be deemed an agent of the Trustee and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any act or omission by any Depository.

 

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  (d) The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith which it believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers, provided that the Trustee’s conduct does not constitute negligence or willful misconduct.

 

  (e) The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders of Securities unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.

 

  (f) The Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and the advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder without negligence and in good faith and in reliance thereon.

 

  (g) The Trustee may conclusively rely upon and shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit.

 

  (h) The Trustee shall not be deemed to have notice of any Default or Event of Default unless a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has actual knowledge thereof or unless written notice of any event which is in fact such a default is received by the Trustee at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and such notice references the Securities generally or the Securities of a particular Series and this Indenture.

 

  (i) Delivery of reports, information and documents (including, without limitation, reports contemplated in this Section) to the Trustee is for information purposes only, and the Trustee’s receipts thereof shall not constitute actual or constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with covenants under the Indenture, Securities, and guarantees (if any), as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officers’ Certificates.

 

  (j) The Trustee shall have no responsibility for monitoring the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants under this Indenture.

 

  (k) The Trustee shall not be responsible or liable for punitive, special, indirect, or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including, but not limited to, loss of profit) irrespective of whether the Trustee has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of actions.

 

  (l) Any permissive right of the Trustee to take or refrain from taking actions enumerated in this Indenture shall not be construed as a duty.

 

  (m)

The Trustee shall not be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations under this Indenture arising out of or caused, directly or indirectly, by circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including, without limitation, acts of God; earthquakes; fire; flood; terrorism; wars and other military disturbances; sabotage; epidemics; riots; interruptions; loss or malfunction of utilities, computer (hardware or

 

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  software) or communication services; accidents; labor disputes; and acts of civil or military authorities and governmental action.

 

  (n) The Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series, relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such Series.

Section 7.3 Individual Rights of Trustee . The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and may otherwise deal with the Company or an Affiliate of the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. Any Agent may do the same with like rights. The Trustee is also subject to Sections 7.10 and 7.11.

Section 7.4 Trustee’s Disclaimer . The Trustee makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Securities, it shall not be accountable for the Company’s use of the proceeds from the Securities, and it shall not be responsible for any statement in the Securities other than its authentication.

Section 7.5 Notice of Defaults . If a Default or Event of Default occurs and is continuing with respect to the Securities of any Series and if it is known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, the Trustee shall mail to each Securityholder of the Securities of that Series and, if any Bearer Securities are outstanding, publish on one occasion in an Authorized Newspaper, notice of a Default or Event of Default within 90 days after it occurs or, if later, after a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has knowledge of such Default or Event of Default. Except in the case of a Default or Event of Default in payment of principal of or interest on any Security of any Series, the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as it in good faith determines that withholding the notice is in the interests of Securityholders of that Series.

Section 7.6 Reports by Trustee to Holders . Within 60 days after December 1 in each year, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Securityholders, as their names and addresses appear on the register kept by the Registrar and, if any Bearer Securities are outstanding, publish in an Authorized Newspaper, a brief report dated as of such December 1, in accordance with, and to the extent required under, TIA Section 313.

A copy of each report at the time of its mailing to Securityholders of any Series shall be filed with the SEC and each stock exchange, if any, on which the Securities of that Series are listed. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee when Securities of any Series are listed on any stock exchange.

Section 7.7 Compensation and Indemnity . The Company shall pay to the Trustee from time to time compensation for its services as the Company and the Trustee shall from time to time agree upon in writing. The Trustee’s compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust. The Company shall reimburse the Trustee upon request for all reasonable expenses incurred by it. Such expenses shall include the reasonable compensation and expenses of the Trustee’s agents and counsel.

The Company shall indemnify each of the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee (including the cost of defending itself) against any loss, liability, claim (including any between the parties to this Indenture), suit or expense, including taxes (other than taxes based upon, measured by or determined by the income of the Trustee) incurred by it except as set forth in the next paragraph in the performance of its duties under this Indenture as Trustee or Agent. The Trustee shall notify the Company promptly of any

 

25


claim for which it may seek indemnity. The Trustee may have separate counsel and the Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel. The Company need not pay for any settlement made without its consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. This indemnification shall apply to officers, directors, employees, shareholders and agents of the Trustee.

The Company need not reimburse any expense or indemnify against any loss or liability incurred by the Trustee or by any officer, director, employee, shareholder or agent of the Trustee to the extent of its negligence or willful misconduct.

To secure the Company’s payment obligations in this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities of any Series on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee, except that held in trust to pay principal of and interest on particular Securities of that Series.

When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services after an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(e) or 6.1(f) occurs, the expenses and the compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any Bankruptcy Law.

The provisions of this Section shall survive the resignation or removal of the Trustee and the termination of this Indenture.

Section 7.8 Replacement of Trustee . A resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment of a successor Trustee shall become effective only upon the successor Trustee’s acceptance of appointment as provided in this Section.

The Trustee may resign with respect to the Securities of one or more Series by so notifying the Company at least 30 days prior to the date of the proposed resignation. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities of any Series may remove the Trustee with respect to that Series by so notifying the Trustee and the Company. The Company may remove the Trustee with respect to Securities of one or more Series if:

 

  (a) the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.10;

 

  (b) the Trustee is adjudged a bankrupt or an insolvent or an order for relief is entered with respect to the Trustee under any Bankruptcy Law;

 

  (c) a Custodian or public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property; or

 

  (d) the Trustee becomes incapable of acting.

If the Trustee resigns or is removed or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee for any reason, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee. Within one year after the successor Trustee takes office, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Securities may appoint a successor Trustee to replace the successor Trustee appointed by the Company.

If a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any one or more Series does not take office within 60 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee, the Company or the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Securities of the applicable Series may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.

A successor Trustee shall deliver a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Company. Immediately after that, the retiring Trustee shall transfer all property held by it as

 

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Trustee to the successor Trustee subject to the lien provided for in Section 7.7, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective, and the successor Trustee shall have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee with respect to each Series of Securities for which it is acting as Trustee under this Indenture. A successor Trustee shall mail a notice of its succession to each Securityholder of each such Series and, if any Bearer Securities are outstanding, publish such notice on one occasion in an Authorized Newspaper. Notwithstanding replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section 7.8, the Company’s obligations under Section 7.7 shall continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee with respect to expenses and liabilities incurred by it prior to such replacement.

Section 7.9 Successor Trustee by Merger, Etc . If the Trustee consolidates with, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all of its corporate trust business to, another person, the successor person without any further act shall be the successor Trustee.

Section 7.10 Eligibility; Disqualification . This Indenture shall always have a Trustee who satisfies the requirements of TIA Sections 310(a)(1), 310(a)(2) and 310(a)(5). The Trustee shall always have a combined capital and surplus of at least $25,000,000 as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition. The Trustee shall comply with TIA Section 310(b).

Section 7.11 Referential Collection of Claims Against Company . The Trustee is subject to TIA Section 311(a), excluding any creditor relationship listed in TIA Section 311(b). A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject to TIA Section 311(a) to the extent indicated.

ARTICLE VIII

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE; DEFEASANCE

Section 8.1 Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture . This Indenture shall upon Company Order cease to be of further effect (except as hereinafter provided in this Section 8.1), and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, when

 

  (a) either:

 

  i. all Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than Securities that have been destroyed, lost or stolen and that have been replaced or paid) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

 

  ii. all such Securities not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation

 

  (1) have become due and payable, or

 

  (2) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or

 

  (3) are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company; or

 

  (4) are deemed paid and discharged pursuant to Section 8.3, as applicable;

and the Company, in the case of clauses (1), (2) and (3) above, has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust an amount sufficient for the purpose of paying and discharging the entire

 

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indebtedness on such Securities not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal and interest to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable on or prior to the date of such deposit) or to the Stated Maturity or redemption date, as the case may be;

 

  (b) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company; and

 

  (c) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture have been complied with.

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 7.7, and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to clause (a) of this Section, the provisions of Sections 2.4, 2.7, 2.8, 8.1, 8.2 and 8.5 shall survive.

Section 8.2 Application of Trust Funds; Indemnification .

 

  (a) Subject to the provisions of Section 8.5, all money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.1, all money and U.S. Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.3 or 8.4 and all money received by the Trustee in respect of U.S. Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.3 or 8.4, shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (other than the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the persons entitled thereto, of the principal and interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with or received by the Trustee or to make mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments as contemplated by Section 8.3 or 8.4.

 

  (b) The Company shall pay and shall indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against U.S. Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Section 8.3 or 8.4 or the interest and principal received in respect of such obligations other than any payable by or on behalf of Holders.

 

  (c) The Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request any U.S. Government Obligations or money held by it as provided in Section 8.3 or 8.4 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent certified public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are then in excess of the amount thereof which then would have been required to be deposited for the purpose for which such U.S. Government Obligations or money were deposited or received. This provision shall not authorize the sale by the Trustee of any U.S. Government Obligations held under this Indenture.

Section 8.3 Legal Defeasance of Securities of any Series . Unless this Section 8.3 is otherwise specified, pursuant to Section 2.2(p), to be inapplicable to Securities of any Series, the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness on all the outstanding Securities of any Series on the 90th day after the date of the deposit referred to in subparagraph (c) hereof, and the provisions of this Indenture, as it relates to such outstanding Securities of such Series, shall no longer be in effect (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall, at Company Request, execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), except as to:

 

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  (a) the rights of Holders of Securities of such Series to receive, from the trust funds described in subparagraph (c) hereof, (i) payment of the principal of and each installment of principal of and interest on the outstanding Securities of such Series on the Stated Maturity of such principal or installment of principal or interest and (ii) the benefit of any mandatory sinking fund payments applicable to the Securities of such Series on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and the Securities of such Series;

 

  (b) the provisions of Sections 2.4, 2.7, 2.8, 8.2, 8.3 and 8.5; and

 

  (c) the rights, powers, trust and immunities of the Trustee hereunder; provided that, the following conditions shall have been satisfied:

 

  i. the Company shall have deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited (except as provided in Section 8.2(c)) with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for and dedicated solely to the benefit of the Holders of such Securities, cash in Dollars and/or U.S. Government Obligations, which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms, will provide (and without reinvestment and assuming no tax liability will be imposed on such Trustee), not later than one day before the due date of any payment of money, an amount in cash, sufficient, in the opinion of at least a regionally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge each installment of principal of and interest, if any, on and any mandatory sinking fund payments in respect of all the Securities of such Series on the dates such installments of interest or principal and such sinking fund payments are due;

 

  ii. such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;

 

  iii. no Default or Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such Series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or during the period ending on the 120th day after such date;

 

  iv. the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that (A) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (B) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such Opinion of Counsel shall confirm that, the Holders of the Securities of such Series will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit, defeasance and discharge and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit, defeasance and discharge had not occurred;

 

  v.

the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of preferring the Holders of the Securities of such Series over any other creditors of the Company

 

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  or with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any other creditors of the Company;

 

  vi. the discharge does not cause the Trustee to have a conflicting interest for purposes of the Trust Indenture Act and may not result in our becoming an investment company in violation of the Investment Company Act of 1940; and

 

  vii. the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for relating to the defeasance contemplated by this Section have been complied with.

Section 8.4 Covenant Defeasance . Unless this Section 8.4 is otherwise specified pursuant to Section 2.2(p) to be inapplicable to Securities of any Series, on and after the 90th day after the date of the deposit referred to in subparagraph (a) hereof, the Company may omit to comply with respect to the Securities of any Series with any term, provision or condition set forth under Sections 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.6, and 5.1 as well as any additional covenants specified in a supplemental indenture for such Series of Securities or a Board Resolution or an Officers’ Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2(p) (and the failure to comply with any such covenants shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default with respect to such Series under Section 6.1) and the occurrence of any event specified in a supplemental indenture for such Series of Securities or a Board Resolution or an Officers’ Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2(n) and designated as an Event of Default shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default hereunder, with respect to the Securities of such Series; provided that the following conditions shall have been satisfied:

 

  (a) With reference to this Section 8.4, the Company has deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited (except as provided in Section 8.2(c)) with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities, cash in Dollars and/or U.S. Government Obligations, which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms, will provide (and without reinvestment and assuming no tax liability will be imposed on such Trustee), not later than one day before the due date of any payment of money, an amount in cash, sufficient, in the opinion of a regionally recognized firm of independent certified public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge each installment of principal of and interest, if any, on and any mandatory sinking fund payments in respect of the Securities of such Series on the dates such installments of interest or principal and such sinking fund payments are due;

 

  (b) Such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;

 

  (c) No Default or Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such Series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or during the period ending on the 120th day after such date;

 

  (d)

The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that Holders of the Securities of such Series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and covenant defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same

 

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  times as would have been the case if such deposit and covenant defeasance had not occurred;

 

  (e) The discharge does not cause the Trustee to have a conflicting interest for purposes of the Trust Indenture Act and may not result in our becoming an investment company in violation of the Investment Company Act of 1940; and

 

  (f) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the covenant defeasance contemplated by this Section have been complied with.

Section 8.5 Repayment to Company . The Trustee and the Paying Agent shall pay to the Company upon request any money held by them for the payment of principal and interest that remains unclaimed for six months. After that, Securityholders entitled to the money must look to the Company for payment as general creditors unless an applicable abandoned property law designates another person.

ARTICLE IX

AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS

Section 9.1 Without Consent of Holders . The Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture or the Securities of one or more Series without the consent of any Securityholder by indentures supplemental hereto:

 

  (a) to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency, provided that such actions will not adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Notes in any material respect;

 

  (b) to comply with Article V;

 

  (c) to evidence the succession of another corporation to the Company, or successive successions, pursuant to Article XI, and the assumption by the successor corporation of the covenants, agreements and obligations of the Company herein and in the Securities;

 

  (d) to add to the covenants of the Company such further covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions as its Board of Directors shall consider to be for the protection of the holders of Securities, and to make the occurrence, or the occurrence and continuance, of a default in any of such additional covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions an Event of Default permitting the enforcement of all or any of the several remedies provided in this Indenture as herein set forth, with such period of grace, if any, and subject to such conditions as such supplemental indenture may provide;

 

  (e) to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture to provide that Bearer Securities may be registrable as to principal, to change or eliminate any restrictions on the payment of principal of or any premium or interest on Bearer Securities, to permit Bearer Securities to be issued in exchange for Registered Securities, to permit Bearer Securities to be issued in exchange for Bearer Securities of other authorized denominations or to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in uncertificated form; provided that any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the holders of Securities of any Series or any related coupons in any material respect;

 

  (f)

to modify, eliminate or add to the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to effect the qualification of this Indenture under the TIA, or under any similar

 

31


  federal statute hereafter enacted, and to add to this Indenture such other provisions as may be expressly permitted by the TIA, excluding however, the provisions referred to in Section 316(a)(2) of the TIA or any corresponding provision in any similar federal statute hereafter enacted;

 

  (g) to add any additional Events of Default (and if such Events of Default are to be for the benefit of less than all Series of Securities, stating that such are expressly being included solely for the benefit of such Series);

 

  (h) to modify, eliminate or add to any of the provisions of this Indenture; provided that any such change or elimination (i) shall become effective only when there is no Security of any Series Outstanding and created prior to the execution of such supplemental indenture that is entitled to the benefit of such provision or (ii) shall not apply to any Security Outstanding;

 

  (i) to provide for uncertificated Securities in addition to or in place of certificated Securities, provided that such actions will not adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Notes in any material respect;

 

  (j) to make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any Securityholder;

 

  (k) to provide for the issuance of and establish the form and terms and conditions of Securities of any Series as permitted by this Indenture;

 

  (l) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more Series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee; or

 

  (m) to comply with requirements of the SEC in order to effect or maintain the qualification of this Indenture under the TIA.

Section 9.2 With Consent of Holders . The Company and the Trustee may enter into a supplemental indenture with the written consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of each Series affected by such supplemental indenture (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Securities of such Series), for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Securityholders of each such Series. Except as provided in Section 6.13, the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series by notice to the Trustee (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Securities of such Series) may waive compliance by the Company with any provision of this Indenture or the Securities with respect to such Series.

It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders of Securities under this Section 9.2 to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture or waiver, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof. After a supplemental indenture or waiver under this Section becomes effective, the Company shall mail to the Holders of Securities affected thereby and, if any Bearer Securities affected thereby are outstanding, publish on one occasion in an Authorized Newspaper, a notice briefly describing the supplemental indenture or waiver. Any failure by the Company to mail or

 

32


publish such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such supplemental indenture or waiver.

Section 9.3 Limitations . Without the consent of each Securityholder affected, an amendment or waiver may not:

 

  (a) reduce the amount of Securities whose Holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;

 

  (b) reduce the rate of or extend the time for payment of interest (including default interest) on any Security;

 

  (c) reduce the principal or change the Stated Maturity of any Security or reduce the amount of, or postpone the date fixed for, the payment of any sinking fund or analogous obligation;

 

  (d) reduce the principal amount of Discount Securities payable upon acceleration of the maturity thereof;

 

  (e) waive a Default or Event of Default in the payment of the principal of or interest, if any, on any Security (except a rescission of acceleration of the Securities of any Series by the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such Series and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);

 

  (f) make the principal of or interest, if any, on any Security or any Additional Amount with respect thereto payable in any currency other than that stated in the Security;

 

  (g) make any change in Section 6.8, 6.13, or 9.3 (this sentence); or

 

  (h) waive a redemption payment with respect to any Security.

Section 9.4 Compliance with Trust Indenture Act . Every amendment to this Indenture or the Securities of one or more Series shall be set forth in a supplemental indenture hereto that complies with the TIA as then in effect.

Section 9.5 Revocation and Effect of Consents . Until an amendment is set forth in a supplemental indenture or a waiver becomes effective, a consent to it by a Holder of a Security is a continuing consent by the Holder and every subsequent Holder of a Security or portion of a Security that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Security, even if notation of the consent is not made on any Security. However, any such Holder or subsequent Holder may revoke the consent as to his Security or portion of a Security if the Trustee receives the notice of revocation before the date of the supplemental indenture or the date the waiver becomes effective.

Any amendment or waiver once effective shall bind every Securityholder of each Series affected by such amendment or waiver unless it is of the type described in any of clauses (a) through (h) of Section 9.3. In that case, the amendment or waiver shall bind each Holder of a Security who has consented to it and every subsequent Holder of a Security or portion of a Security that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Security.

Section 9.6 Notation on or Exchange of Securities . The Trustee may place an appropriate notation about an amendment or waiver on any Security of any Series thereafter authenticated. The

 

33


Company in exchange for Securities of that Series may issue and the Trustee shall authenticate upon request new Securities of that Series that reflect the amendment or waiver.

Section 9.7 Trustee Protected . In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Section 7.1) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of Counsel stating that all conditions precedent have been satisfied, the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and that such supplemental indenture is the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms. The Trustee shall sign all supplemental indentures, except that the Trustee need not sign any supplemental indenture that adversely affects it.

ARTICLE X

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 10.1 Trust Indenture Act Controls . If any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies, or conflicts with another provision which is required or deemed to be included in this Indenture by the TIA, such required or deemed provision shall control.

Section 10.2 Notices . Any notice or communication by the Company or the Trustee to the other, or by a Holder to the Company or the Trustee, is duly given if in writing and delivered in person or mailed by first-class mail:

if to the Company:

Flushing Financial Corporation

220 RXR Plaza

Uniondale, New York 11556

Attention: Susan K. Cullen, Senior Executive Vice President,

Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

Telephone: (718) 961-5400

if to the Trustee:

Wilmington Trust, National Association

Rodney Square North

1100 North Market Street

Wilmington, Delaware 19890

Attention: Flushing Financial Corporation Administrator

Telephone: (302) 636-6398

The Company or the Trustee by notice to the other may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.

Any notice or communication to a Securityholder shall be mailed by first-class mail to his address shown on the register kept by the Registrar and, if any Bearer Securities are outstanding, published in an Authorized Newspaper. Failure to mail a notice or communication to a Securityholder of any Series or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Securityholders of that or any other Series.

 

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If a notice or communication is mailed or published in the manner provided above, within the time prescribed, it is duly given, whether or not the Securityholder receives it.

If the Company mails a notice or communication to Securityholders, it shall mail a copy to the Trustee and each Agent at the same time. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Indenture or any Security, where the Indenture or any Security provides for notice of any event or any other communication (including any notice of redemption or repurchase) to a Securityholder of a Security (whether by mail or otherwise), such notice shall be sufficiently given if given to Depository (or its designee) pursuant to the applicable procedures from Depository or its designee, including by electronic mail in accordance with accepted practices at Depository.

Section 10.3 Communication by Holders with Other Holders . Securityholders of any Series may communicate pursuant to TIA Section 312(b) with other Securityholders of that Series or any other Series with respect to their rights under this Indenture or the Securities of that Series or all Series. The Company, the Trustee, the Registrar and anyone else shall have the protection of TIA Section 312(c).

Section 10.4 Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent . Upon any request or application by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee:

 

  (a) an Officers’ Certificate stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with; and

 

  (b) an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent have been complied with.

Section 10.5 Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion . Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (other than a certificate provided pursuant to TIA Section 314(a)(4)) shall comply with the provisions of TIA Section 314(e) and shall include:

 

  (a) a statement that the person making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition;

 

  (b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;

 

  (c) a statement that, in the opinion of such person, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

 

  (d) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such person, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Section 10.6 Rules by Trustee and Agents . The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by, or a meeting of, Securityholders of one or more Series. Any Agent may make reasonable rules and set reasonable requirements for its functions.

Section 10.7 Legal Holidays . Unless otherwise provided by Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture hereto for a particular Series, a “Legal Holiday” is any day that is

 

35


not a Business Day. If a payment date is a Legal Holiday at a place of payment, payment may be made at that place on the next succeeding day that is not a Legal Holiday, and no interest shall accrue for the intervening period.

Section 10.8 No Recourse Against Others . A director, officer, employee or stockholder, as such, of the Company shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company under the Securities or the Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. Each Securityholder by accepting a Security waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issue of the Securities.

Section 10.9 Counterparts . This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. The exchange of copies of this Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile or electronic format ( e.g. , “.pdf” or “.tif”) transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Indenture as to the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original Indenture for all purposes. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile or electronic format ( e.g. , “.pdf” or “.tif”) shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes.

Section 10.10 Governing Laws . THIS INDENTURE AND THE SECURITIES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND TO BE PERFORMED IN SUCH STATE, WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICT OF LAWS PROVISIONS THEREOF (OTHER THAN SECTIONS 5-1401 AND 5-1402 OF THE NEW YORK GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW).

Section 10.11 No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements . This Indenture may not be used to interpret another indenture, loan or debt agreement of the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company. Any such indenture, loan or debt agreement may not be used to interpret this Indenture.

Section 10.12 Successors . All agreements of the Company in this Indenture and the Securities shall bind its successor. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture shall bind its successor.

Section 10.13 Severability . In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Securities shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 10.14 Table of Contents, Headings, Etc . The Table of Contents, Cross-Reference Table, and headings of the Articles and Sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be considered a part hereof, and shall in no way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.

ARTICLE XI

SINKING FUNDS

Section 11.1 Applicability of Article . The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of the Securities of a Series, except as otherwise permitted or required by any form of Security of such Series issued pursuant to this Indenture.

The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of the Securities of any Series is herein referred to as a “mandatory sinking fund payment” and any other amount provided for by the terms of Securities of such Series is herein referred to as an “optional sinking fund payment.” If

 

36


provided for by the terms of Securities of any Series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 11.2. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any Series as provided for by the terms of the Securities of such Series.

Section 11.2 Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities . The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of any Series to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities (a) deliver outstanding Securities of such Series to which such sinking fund payment is applicable (other than any of such Securities previously called for mandatory sinking fund redemption) and (b) apply as credit Securities of such Series to which such sinking fund payment is applicable and which have been repurchased by the Company or redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such Series of Securities (except pursuant to any mandatory sinking fund) or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments or other optional redemptions pursuant to the terms of such Securities, provided that such Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received by the Trustee, together with an Officers’ Certificate with respect thereto, not later than 15 days prior to the date on which the Trustee begins the process of selecting Securities for redemption, and shall be credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly. If as a result of the delivery or credit of Securities in lieu of cash payments pursuant to this Section 11.2, the principal amount of Securities of such Series to be redeemed in order to exhaust the aforesaid cash payment shall be less than $100,000, the Trustee need not call Securities of such Series for redemption, except upon receipt of a Company Order that such action be taken, and such cash payment shall be held by the Trustee or a Paying Agent and applied to the next succeeding sinking fund payment; provided , however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall from time to time upon receipt of a Company Order pay over and deliver to the Company any cash payment so being held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of Securities of that Series purchased by the Company having an unpaid principal amount equal to the cash payment required to be released to the Company.

Section 11.3 Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund . Not less than 45 days (unless otherwise indicated in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officers’ Certificate in respect of a particular Series of Securities) prior to each sinking fund payment date for any Series of Securities, the Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that Series pursuant to the terms of that Series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting of Securities of that Series pursuant to Section 11.2, and the optional amount, if any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 30 days (unless otherwise indicated in the Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture in respect of a particular Series of Securities) before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 3.2 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 3.3. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Sections 3.4, 3.5 and 3.6.

ARTICLE XII

SUBORDINATION OF SECURITIES

Section 12.1 Agreement of Subordination . The Company covenants and agrees, and each Holder of Securities issued hereunder by accepting a Security likewise covenants and agrees, that all Securities shall be issued subject to the provisions of this Article XII; and each Person holding any

 

37


Security, whether upon original issue or upon transfer, assignment or exchange thereof, accepts and agrees to be bound by such provisions.

The payment of the principal of and interest on all Securities (including, but not limited to, the redemption price with respect to the Securities called for redemption in accordance with Article III as provided in the Indenture) issued hereunder shall, to the extent and in the manner hereinafter set forth, be subordinated and subject in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness, whether outstanding at the date of this Indenture or thereafter incurred.

No provision of this Article XII shall prevent the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default hereunder.

Section 12.2 Payments to Holders . Except as otherwise provided in a supplemental indenture, no payment shall be made with respect to the principal of or interest on the Securities (including, but not limited to, the redemption price with respect to the Securities to be called for redemption in accordance with Article III as provided in the Indenture), except payments and distributions made by the Trustee as permitted by the first or second paragraph of Section 12.5, if:

 

  (a) a default in the payment of principal, premium, interest, rent or other obligations due on any Senior Indebtedness occurs and is continuing (or, in the case of Senior Indebtedness for which there is a period of grace, in the event of such a default that continues beyond the period of grace, if any, specified in the instrument or lease evidencing such Senior Indebtedness), unless and until such default shall have been cured or waived or shall have ceased to exist; or

 

  (b) a default, other than a payment default, on a Designated Senior Indebtedness occurs and is continuing that then permits holders of such Designated Senior Indebtedness to accelerate its maturity and the Trustee receives a notice of the default (a “Payment Blockage Notice”) from a Representative or the Company.

If the Trustee receives any Payment Blockage Notice pursuant to clause (b) above, no subsequent Payment Blockage Notice shall be effective for purposes of this Section unless and until (A) at least 365 days shall have elapsed since the initial effectiveness of the immediately prior Payment Blockage Notice, and (B) all scheduled payments of principal, premium, if any, and interest on the Securities that have come due have been paid in full in cash. No nonpayment default that existed or was continuing on the date of delivery of any Payment Blockage Notice to the Trustee shall be, or be made, the basis for a subsequent Payment Blockage Notice.

The Company may and shall resume payments on and distributions in respect of the Securities upon the earlier of:

 

  (1) the date upon which the default is cured or waived or ceases to exist, or

 

  (2) in the case of a default referred to in clause (b) above, 179 days pass after notice is received if the maturity of such Designated Senior Indebtedness has not been accelerated, unless this Article XII otherwise prohibits the payment or distribution at the time of such payment or distribution.

Upon any payment by the Company, or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to creditors upon any dissolution or winding-up or liquidation or reorganization of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary or in bankruptcy,

 

38


insolvency, receivership or other proceedings, all amounts due or to become due upon all Senior Indebtedness shall first be paid in full in cash or other payment satisfactory to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, or payment thereof in accordance with its terms provided for in cash or other payment satisfactory to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, before any payment is made on account of the principal of or interest on the Securities (except payments made pursuant to Article VI from monies deposited with the Trustee pursuant thereto prior to commencement of proceedings for such dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization); and upon any such dissolution or winding-up or liquidation or reorganization of the Company or bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other proceeding, any payment by the Company, or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to which the Holders of the Securities or the Trustee would be entitled, except for the provision of this Article XII, shall (except as aforesaid) be paid by the Company or by any receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, or by the Holders of the Securities or by the Trustee under this Indenture if received by them or it, directly to the holders of Senior Indebtedness (pro rata to such holders on the basis of the respective amounts of Senior Indebtedness held by such holders, or as otherwise required by law or a court order) or their representative or representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any instruments evidencing any Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, to the extent necessary to pay all Senior Indebtedness in full, in cash or other payment satisfactory to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the holders of Senior Indebtedness, before any payment or distribution or provision therefor is made to the Holders of the Securities or to the Trustee.

For purposes of this Article XII, the words, “cash, property or securities” shall not be deemed to include shares of stock of the Company as reorganized or readjusted, or securities of the Company or any other person provided for by a plan of reorganization or readjustment, the payment of which is subordinated at least to the extent provided in this Article XII with respect to the Securities to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness which may at the time be outstanding; provided that (i) the Senior Indebtedness is assumed by the new person, if any, resulting from any reorganization or readjustment, and (ii) the rights of the holders of Senior Indebtedness (other than leases which are not assumed by the Company or the new person, as the case may be) are not, without the consent of such holders, altered by such reorganization or readjustment. The consolidation of the Company with, or the merger of the Company into, another person or the liquidation or dissolution of the Company following the conveyance or transfer of its property as an entirety, or substantially as an entirety, to another person upon the terms and conditions provided for in Article V shall not be deemed a dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization for the purposes of this Section 12.2 if such other person shall, as a part of such consolidation, merger, conveyance or transfer, comply with the conditions stated in Article V.

In the event of the acceleration of the Securities because of an Event of Default, no payment or distribution shall be made to the Trustee or any Holder of Securities in respect of the principal of or interest on the Securities (including, but not limited to, the redemption price with respect to the Securities called for redemption in accordance with Article III as provided in the Indenture), except payments and distributions made by the Trustee as permitted by the first or second paragraph of Section 12.5, until all Senior Indebtedness has been paid in full in cash or other payment satisfactory to the holders of Senior Indebtedness or such acceleration is rescinded in accordance with the terms of this Indenture. If payment of the Securities is accelerated because of an Event of Default, the Company shall promptly notify holders of Senior Indebtedness of the acceleration at the address set forth in the notice from the Agent (or successor agent) to the Trustee as being the address to which the Trustee should send its notice pursuant to this Section 12.2, unless there are no payment obligations of the Company thereunder and all obligations thereunder to extend credit have been terminated or expired.

 

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In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, any payment or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities (including, without limitation, by way of setoff or otherwise), prohibited by the foregoing, shall be received by the Trustee or the Holders of the Securities before all Senior Indebtedness is paid in full in cash or other payment satisfactory to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, or provision is made for such payment thereof in accordance with its terms in cash or other payment satisfactory to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, such payment or distribution shall be held in trust for the benefit of and shall be paid over or delivered to the holders of Senior Indebtedness or their representative or representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any instruments evidencing any Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, as calculated by the Company, for application to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid to the extent necessary to pay all Senior Indebtedness in full in cash or other payment satisfactory to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

Nothing in this Section 12.2 shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Section 7.7. This Section 12.2 shall be subject to the further provisions of Section 12.5.

Section 12.3 Subrogation of Securities . Subject to the payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness, the rights of the Holders of the Securities shall be subrogated to the extent of the payments or distributions made to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness pursuant to the provisions of this Article XII (equally and ratably with the holders of all indebtedness of the Company which by its express terms is subordinated to other indebtedness of the Company to substantially the same extent as the Securities are subordinated and is entitled to like rights of subrogation) to the rights of the holders of Senior Indebtedness to receive payments or distributions of cash, property or securities of the Company applicable to the Senior Indebtedness until the principal and interest on the Securities shall be paid in full; and, for the purposes of such subrogation, no payments or distributions to the holders of the Senior Indebtedness of any cash, property or securities to which the Holders of the Securities or the Trustee would be entitled except for the provisions of this Article XII, and no payment over pursuant to the provisions of this Article XII, to or for the benefit of the holders of Senior Indebtedness by Holders of the Securities or the Trustee, shall, as between the Company, its creditors other than holders of Senior Indebtedness, and the Holders of the Securities, be deemed to be a payment by the Company to or on account of the Senior Indebtedness; and no payments or distributions of cash, property or securities to or for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities pursuant to the subrogation provisions of this Article XII, which would otherwise have been paid to the holders of Senior Indebtedness shall be deemed to be a payment by the Company to or for the account of the Securities. It is understood that the provisions of this Article XII are and are intended solely for the purposes of defining the relative rights of the Holders of the Securities, on the one hand, and the holders of the Senior Indebtedness, on the other hand.

Nothing contained in this Article XII or elsewhere in this Indenture or in the Securities is intended to or shall impair, as among the Company, its creditors other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness, and the Holders of the Securities, the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay to the Holders of the Securities the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Securities as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with their terms, or is intended to or shall affect the relative rights of the Holders of the Securities and creditors of the Company other than the holders of the Senior Indebtedness, nor shall anything herein or therein prevent the Trustee or the Holder of any Security from exercising all remedies otherwise permitted by applicable law upon default under this Indenture, subject to the rights, if any, under this Article XII of the holders of Senior Indebtedness in respect of cash, property or securities of the Company received upon the exercise of any such remedy.

 

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Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article XII, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 7.1, and the Holders of the Securities shall be entitled to rely upon any order or decree made by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such bankruptcy, dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization proceedings are pending, or a certificate of the receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, agent or other person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of the Securities, for the purpose of ascertaining the persons entitled to participate in such distribution, the holders of the Senior Indebtedness and other indebtedness of the Company, the amount thereof or payable thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article XII.

Section 12.4 Authorization to Effect Subordination . Each Holder of a Security by the holder’s acceptance thereof authorizes and directs the Trustee on the holder’s behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination as provided in this Article XII and appoints the Trustee to act as the holder’s attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes. If the Trustee does not file a proper proof of claim or proof of debt in the form required in any proceeding referred to in Section 6.3 hereof at least 30 days before the expiration of the time to file such claim, the holders of any Senior Indebtedness or their representatives are hereby authorized to file an appropriate claim for and on behalf of the Holders of the Securities.

Section 12.5 Notice to Trustee . The Company shall give prompt written notice in the form of an Officers’ Certificate to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee and to any paying agent of any fact known to the Company which would prohibit the making of any payment of monies to or by the Trustee or any paying agent in respect of the Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Article XII. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article XII or any other provision of this Indenture, the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of the existence of any facts which would prohibit the making of any payment of monies to or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Article XII, unless and until a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have received written notice thereof at the Corporate Trust Office from the Company (in the form of an Officers’ Certificate) or a Representative or a holder or holders of Senior Indebtedness or from any trustee thereof; and before the receipt of any such written notice, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 7.1, shall be entitled in all respects to assume that no such facts exist; provided that if on a date not fewer than two Business Days prior to the date upon which by the terms hereof any such monies may become payable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of the principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on any Security) the Trustee shall not have received, with respect to such monies, the notice provided for in this Section 12.5, then, anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall have full power and authority to receive such monies and to apply the same to the purpose for which they were received, and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary which may be received by it on or after such prior date.

Notwithstanding anything in this Article XII to the contrary, nothing shall prevent any payment by the Trustee to the Holders of monies deposited with it pursuant to Section 8.1, and any such payment shall not be subject to the provisions of Section 12.1 or 12.2.

The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 7.1, shall be entitled to rely on the delivery to it of a written notice by a Representative or a person representing himself to be a holder of Senior Indebtedness (or a trustee on behalf of such holder) to establish that such notice has been given by a Representative or a holder of Senior Indebtedness or a trustee on behalf of any such holder or holders. In the event that the Trustee determines in good faith that further evidence is required with respect to the right of any person as a holder of Senior Indebtedness to participate in any payment or distribution pursuant to this Article XII, the Trustee may request such person to furnish evidence to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee as to the amount of Senior Indebtedness held by such person, the extent to which such person is entitled to participate in such payment or distribution and any other facts pertinent to

 

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the rights of such person under this Article XII, and if such evidence is not furnished the Trustee may defer any payment to such person pending judicial determination as to the right of such person to receive such payment.

Section 12.6 Trustee’s Relation to Senior Indebtedness . The Trustee in its individual capacity shall be entitled to all the rights set forth in this Article XII in respect of any Senior Indebtedness at any time held by it, to the same extent as any other holder of Senior Indebtedness, and nothing in Section 7.11 or elsewhere in this Indenture shall deprive the Trustee of any of its rights as such holder. Nothing in this Article XII shall apply to the Company’s obligations to the Trustee under Section 7.7.

With respect to the holders of Senior Indebtedness, the Trustee undertakes to perform or to observe only such of its covenants and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Article XII, and no implied covenants or obligations with respect to the holders of Senior Indebtedness shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee. The Trustee shall not be deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of Senior Indebtedness and, subject to the provisions of Section 7.1, the Trustee shall not be liable to any holder of Senior Indebtedness if it shall pay over or deliver to Holders of Securities, the Company or any other person money or assets to which any holder of Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled by virtue of this Article XII or otherwise.

Section 12.7 No Impairment of Subordination . No right of any present or future holder of any Senior Indebtedness to enforce subordination as herein provided shall at any time in any way be prejudiced or impaired by any act or failure to act on the part of the Company or by any act or failure to act, in good faith, by any such holder, or by any noncompliance by the Company with the terms, provisions and covenants of this Indenture, regardless of any knowledge thereof which any such holder may have or otherwise be charged with.

Section 12.8 Article Applicable to Paying Agents . If at any time any Paying Agent other than the Trustee shall have been appointed by the Company and be then acting hereunder, the term “Trustee” as used in this Article shall (unless the context otherwise requires) be construed as extending to and including such Paying Agent within its meaning as fully for all intents and purposes as if such Paying Agent were named in this Article in addition to or in place of the Trustee; provided , however , that the first paragraph of Section 12.5 shall not apply to the Company or any Affiliate of the Company if it or such Affiliate acts as Paying Agent.

Section 12.9 Senior Indebtedness Entitled to Rely . The holders of Senior Indebtedness (including, without limitation, Designated Senior Indebtedness) shall have the right to rely upon this Article XII, and no amendment or modification of the provisions contained herein shall diminish the rights of such holders unless such holders shall have agreed in writing thereto.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

FLUSHING FINANCIAL CORPORATION
By:   /s/ Susan K. Cullen
  Name: Susan K. Cullen
 

Title: Senior Executive Vice President, Chief

 Financial Officer and Treasurer

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL

ASSOCIATION , as Trustee

By:   /s/ Michael H. Wass
  Name: Michael H. Wass
  Title: Vice President

[ Signature Page to Subordinated Indenture ]

Exhibit 4.2

FLUSHING FINANCIAL CORPORATION

FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

dated as of December 12, 2016

to the Subordinated Indenture

dated as of December 12, 2016

5.25% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2026

Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee


FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

THIS FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE (“ First Supplemental Indenture ”), dated as of December 12, 2016 between Flushing Financial Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Wilmington Trust, National Association, a national banking association, not in its individual capacity but solely as trustee (“Trustee”).

RECITALS

WHEREAS , the Company and the Trustee have executed and delivered a Subordinated Indenture, dated as of December 12, 2016 (the “Base Indenture” and as supplemented by this First Supplemental Indenture and further supplemented from time to time, the “Indenture”), to provide for the issuance from time to time by the Company of its unsecured subordinated indebtedness to be issued in one or more series as provided in the Indenture;

WHEREAS , the issuance and sale of Seventy-Five Million Dollars ($75,000,000) aggregate principal amount of a new series of Securities of the Company designated as its 5.25% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2026 (the “2026 Notes”) have been authorized by resolutions adopted by the Pricing Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company;

WHEREAS , the Company desires to issue and sell Seventy-Five Million Dollars ($75,000,000) aggregate principal amount of the 2026 Notes as of the date hereof;

WHEREAS , the Company desires to establish the terms of the 2026 Notes;

WHEREAS , all things necessary to make this First Supplemental Indenture a legal and binding supplement to the Base Indenture in accordance with its terms and the terms of the Base Indenture have been done;

WHEREAS , the Company has complied with all conditions precedent provided for in the Base Indenture relating to this First Supplemental Indenture; and

WHEREAS , the Company has requested that the Trustee execute and deliver this First Supplemental Indenture.

NOW, THEREFORE , for and in consideration of the premises stated herein and the purchase of the 2026 Notes by the Holders thereof, the Company and the Trustee covenant and agree, for the equal and proportionate benefit of the Holders of the 2026 Notes, as follows:

ARTICLE I

SCOPE OF FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

Section 1.01. Scope . This First Supplemental Indenture constitutes a supplement to the Base Indenture and an integral part of the Indenture and shall be read together with the Base Indenture as though all the provisions thereof are contained in one instrument. Except as expressly amended by the First Supplemental Indenture, the terms and provisions of the Base Indenture shall remain in full force and effect. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this First Supplemental Indenture shall only apply to the 2026 Notes.

ARTICLE II

DEFINITIONS

 

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Section 2.01. Definitions and Other Provisions of General Application . For all purposes of this First Supplemental Indenture unless otherwise specified herein:

(a) all terms used in this First Supplemental Indenture which are not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings they are given in the Base Indenture;

(b) the provisions of general application stated in Sections 10.1 through 10.14 of the Base Indenture shall apply to this First Supplemental Indenture, except that the words “ herein ,” “ hereof ,” “ hereto ” and “ hereunder ” and other words of similar import refer to this First Supplemental Indenture as a whole and not to the Base Indenture or any particular Article, Section or other subdivision of the Base Indenture or this First Supplemental Indenture;

(c) Section 1.1 of the Base Indenture is amended and supplemented, solely with respect to the 2026 Notes, by inserting the following additional defined terms in their appropriate alphabetical positions:

“Calculation Agent” has the meaning ascribed in Section 3.02(e)(iv).

Designated LIBOR Page ” means the display on Bloomberg Page BBAM1 (or any successor or substitute page of such service, or any successor to such service selected by Flushing), for the purpose of displaying the London interbank rates for U.S. dollars.

“DTC” has the meaning provided in Section 3.02(g).

“Federal Reserve” has the meaning provided in the definition of “Tier 2 Capital Event.”

“Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date” has the meaning provided in Section 3.02(e)(i).

“Fixed Rate Period” has the meaning provided in Section 3.02(e)(i).

“Fixed Rate Regular Record Date” has the meaning provided in Section 3.02(e)(i).

“Floating Rate Interest Payment Date” has the meaning provided in Section 3.02(e)(ii).

“Floating Rate Period” has the meaning provided in Section 3.02(e)(ii).

“Floating Rate Regular Record Date” has the meaning provided in Section 3.02(e)(ii).

“Interest Payment Date” has the meaning provided in Section 3.02(e)(ii).

“Issue Date” means December 12, 2016.

London Banking Day ” means any day on which commercial banks are open for business (including dealing in U.S. dollars) in London.

“Representative Amount” has the meaning provided in the definition of “Three-Month LIBOR.”

“Reset Rate Determination Date” means the second London Banking Day immediately preceding the first day of each applicable interest period commencing on the first Floating Rate Interest Payment Date.

 

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“Tax Event” shall mean the receipt by the Company of an opinion of independent tax counsel to the effect that as a result of (a) an amendment to, or change (including any announced prospective change) in, the laws or any regulations thereunder of the United States or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein, or (b) any official administrative pronouncement or judicial decision interpreting or applying such laws or regulations, which amendment or change becomes effective or which pronouncement or decision is announced on or after the date of original issuance of the 2026 Notes, there is more than an insubstantial risk that the interest payable by the Company on the 2026 Notes is not, or within 90 days of the date of such opinion will not be, deductible by the Company, in whole or in part, for United States federal income tax purposes.

“Tier 2 Capital Event” shall mean the receipt by the Company of an opinion of independent bank regulatory counsel to the effect that, as a result of (a) any amendment to, or change (including any announced prospective change) in, the laws or any regulations thereunder of the United States or any rules, guidelines or policies of an applicable regulatory authority for the Company or (b) any official administrative pronouncement or judicial decision interpreting or applying such laws or regulations, which amendment or change is effective or which pronouncement or decision is announced on or after the date of original issuance of the 2026 Notes, in each case, that there is more than an insubstantial amount of risk that the Company will not be entitled to treat the 2026 Notes then outstanding as Tier 2 Capital (or its then equivalent if the Company were subject to such capital requirement) for purposes of capital adequacy guidelines of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “ Federal Reserve ”) (or any successor regulatory authority with jurisdiction over bank holding companies), as then in effect and applicable to the Company, for so long as any Note is outstanding.

“Three-Month LIBOR” means, for any interest period, the offered rate for deposits in U.S. dollars having a maturity of three months that appears on the Designated LIBOR Page as of 11:00 a.m., London time, on the Reset Rate Determination Date related to such interest period. If such rate does not appear on such page at such time, then the Calculation Agent will request the principal London office of each of four major reference banks in the London interbank market, selected by the Company for this purpose and whose names and contact information will be provided by the Company to the Calculation Agent, to provide such bank’s offered quotation to prime banks in the London interbank market for deposits in U.S. dollars with a term of three months as of 11:00 a m., London time, on such Reset Rate Determination Date and in a principal amount equal to an amount for a single transaction in U.S. dollars in the relevant market at the relevant time as determined by the Company and provided to the Calculation Agent (a “ Representative Amount ”). If at least two such quotations are so provided, Three-Month LIBOR for the interest period related to such Reset Rate Determination Date will be the arithmetic mean of such quotations. If fewer than two such quotations are provided, the Calculation Agent will request each of three major banks in the City of New York selected by the Company for this purpose and whose names and contact information will be provided by the Company to the Calculation Agent, to provide such bank’s rate for loans in U.S. dollars to leading European banks with a term of three months as of approximately 11:00 a m., New York City time, on such Reset Rate Determination Date and in a Representative Amount. If at least two such rates are so provided, Three-Month LIBOR for the interest period related to such Reset Rate Determination Date will be the arithmetic mean of such quotations. If fewer than two such rates are so provided, then Three-Month LIBOR for the interest period related to such Reset Rate Determination Date will be set to equal the Three-Month LIBOR for the immediately preceding interest period or, in the case of the interest period commencing on the first Floating Rate Interest Payment Date, 1.81%, resulting in a coupon rate of 5.25%. All percentages used in or resulting from any calculation of Three-Month LIBOR will be rounded, if necessary, to the nearest one hundred-thousandth of a percentage point, with 0.000005% rounded up to 0.00001%. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that Three-Month LIBOR as determined in accordance with this definition is less than zero, Three-Month LIBOR for such interest period shall be deemed to be zero.

 

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(d) Section 1.1 of the Base Indenture is amended and supplemented, solely with respect to the 2026 Notes, by replacing the corresponding defined term in the Base Indenture with the following defined terms:

“Senior Indebtedness” means: (i) the principal and any premium or interest for money borrowed or purchased by the Company; (ii) the principal and any premium or interest for money borrowed or purchased by another Person and guaranteed by the Company; (iii) any deferred obligation for the payment of the purchase price of property or assets evidenced by a note or similar instrument or agreement; (iv) obligations to general and trade creditors; (v) any obligation arising from direct credit substitutes; (vi) any obligation associated with derivative products such as interest and foreign exchange rate contracts, commodity contracts and similar arrangements, unless the instrument by which Flushing incurred, assumed or guaranteed the obligation expressly provides that it is subordinate or junior in right of payment to any other indebtedness or obligations of Flushing; and (vii) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (vi) above of other persons or entities for the payment of which the Company is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise, whether or not classified as a liability on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States; in each case, whether outstanding on the date this Subordinated Indenture becomes effective, or created, assumed or incurred after that date. Senior Indebtedness excludes any indebtedness that: (a) expressly states that it is junior to, or ranks equally in right of payment with, the 2026 Notes; or (b) is identified as junior to, or equal in right of payment with, the 2026 Notes in any Board Resolution establishing such series of Securities or in any supplemental indenture. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and for the avoidance of doubt, if the Federal Reserve (or other competent regulatory agency or authority) promulgates any rule or issues any interpretation that defines general creditor(s), the main purpose of which is to establish criteria for determining whether the subordinated debt of a financial or bank holding company is to be included in its capital, then the term “general creditors” as used in this definition will have the meaning as described in that rule or interpretation.

ARTICLE III

FORM AND TERMS OF THE 2026 Notes

Section 3.01. Form and Dating .

(a) The 2026 Notes shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto. The 2026 Notes shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, its Chief Executive Officer, its President or one of its Executive Vice Presidents, attested by its Secretary or one of its Assistant Secretaries. The 2026 Notes may have a legend or legends or endorsements as may be required to comply with any law or with any rules of any securities exchange or usage. The 2026 Notes shall be dated the date of their authentication.

(b) The terms contained in the 2026 Notes shall constitute, and are hereby expressly made, a part of the Indenture as supplemented by this First Supplemental Indenture, and the Company and the Trustee, by their execution and delivery of this First Supplemental Indenture, expressly agree to such terms and provisions and to be bound thereby.

Section 3.02. Terms of the 2026 Notes . The following terms relating to the 2026 Notes are hereby established:

(a) Title . The 2026 Notes shall constitute a series of Securities having the title “Flushing Financial Corporation 5.25% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2026” and the CUSIP number 343873 AA3.

 

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(b) Principal Amount . The aggregate principal amount of the 2026 Notes that may be authenticated and delivered under the Indenture, as amended hereby, shall be Seventy-Five Million Dollars ($75,000,000) on the Issue Date. Provided that no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to the 2026 Notes, the Company may, without notice to or the consent of the Holders, create and issue additional Securities having the same terms as, and ranking equally and ratably with, the 2026 Notes in all respects and so that such additional 2026 Notes will be consolidated and form a single series with, and have the same terms as to status, redemption or otherwise as, the 2026 Notes initially issued, provided that such additional 2026 Notes are fungible for U.S. federal income tax purposes with the 2026 Notes.

(c) Person to Whom Interest is Payable . Interest payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will be paid to the person in whose name the 2026 Notes are registered for such interest at the close of business on the 15th day of the month immediately preceding the applicable Interest Payment Date, whether or not such day is a Business Day. Any such interest which is payable, but not so punctually paid or duly provided for on any Interest Payment Date shall cease to be payable to the Holder on such relevant record date by virtue of having been a Holder on such date, and such defaulted interest may be paid by the Company to the person in whose name the 2026 Note is registered at the close of business on a special record date for the payment of such defaulted interest to be fixed by the Company, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of 2026 Notes of this series not less than 10 days prior to such special record date that complies with Section 2.13 of the Base Indenture, or be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the 2026 Notes may be listed and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange and in compliance with the Base Indenture.

(d) Maturity Date . The entire outstanding Principal of the 2026 Notes shall be payable on December 15, 2026.

(e) Interest .

(i) The 2026 Notes will bear interest at a fixed rate of 5.25% per annum from and including December 12, 2016 to, but excluding, December 15, 2021 (the “Fixed Rate Period” ). Interest accrued on the 2026 Notes during the Fixed Rate Period will be payable semi-annually in arrears on June 15 and December 15 of each year, commencing on June 15, 2017 (each such date a “Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date” ). The interest payable during the Fixed Rate Period will be paid to each holder in whose name a 2026 Note is registered at the close of business on the first day (whether or not a Business Day) of the month immediately preceding the applicable Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date (each such date, a “Fixed Rate Regular Record Date” ).

(ii) The 2026 Notes will bear a floating interest rate from and including December 15, 2021 to the Maturity Date or Redemption Date (the “Floating Rate Period” ). The floating interest rate will be reset quarterly, and the interest rate for any Floating Rate Period shall be equal to Three-Month LIBOR plus 3.44%. During the Floating Rate Period, interest on the 2026 Notes will be payable quarterly in arrears on March 15, June 15, September 15 and December 15 of each year commencing on December 15, 2021 through the Maturity Date or Redemption Date (each such date, a “Floating Rate Interest Payment Date” , together with a Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date, an “Interest Payment Date” ). The interest payable during the Floating Rate Period will be paid to each holder in whose name a Note is registered at the close of business on the first day (whether or not a Business Day) of the month immediately preceding the applicable Floating Rate Interest Payment Date (each such date, a “Floating Rate Regular Record Date” ).

 

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(iii) The amount of interest payable on any Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date during the Fixed Rate Period will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months up to, but excluding December 15, 2021, and, the amount of interest payable on any Floating Rate Interest Payment Date during the Floating Rate Period will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year and the number of days actually elapsed. In the event that any scheduled Interest Payment Date for the 2026 Notes falls on a day that is not a Business Day, then payment of interest payable on such Interest Payment Date will be paid on the next succeeding day which is a Business Day (any payment made on such date will be treated as being made on the date that the payment was first due and no interest on such payment will accrue for the period from and after such scheduled Interest Payment Date); provided, that in the event that any scheduled Floating Rate Interest Payment Date falls on a day that is not a Business Day and the next succeeding Business Day falls in the next succeeding calendar month, such Floating Rate Interest Payment Date will be accelerated to the immediately preceding Business Day, and, in each such case, the amounts payable on such Business Day will include interest accrued to but excluding such Business Day. Dollar amounts resulting from interest calculations will be rounded to the nearest cent, with one-half cent being rounded upward.

(iv) The Company agrees that for so long as any of the 2026 Notes are outstanding there will at all times be an agent appointed to calculate Three-Month LIBOR in respect of each Floating Rate Period (the “ Calculation Agent ”). The calculation of Three-Month LIBOR for each applicable Floating Rate Period by the Calculation Agent will (in the absence of manifest error) be final and binding. The Calculation Agent shall have all the rights, protections and indemnities afforded to the Trustee under the Base Indenture and hereunder. The Company hereby appoints Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Calculation Agent for the purposes of determining Three-Month LIBOR for each Floating Interest Period and Wilmington Trust, National Association accepts the appointment. The Calculation Agent may be removed by the Company at any time. If the Calculation Agent is unable or unwilling to act as Calculation Agent or is removed by the Company, the Company will promptly appoint a replacement Calculation Agent, which does not control or is not controlled by or under common control with the Company or its Affiliates. The Calculation Agent may not resign its duties without a successor having been duly appointed; provided, that if a successor Calculation Agent has not been appointed by the Company and such successor accepted such position within 30 days after the giving of notice of resignation by the Calculation Agent, the resigning Calculation Agent may petition, at the expense of the Company, any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series. The Calculation Agent’s calculation of the amount of any interest payable after the first Reset Rate Determination Date will be maintained on file at the Calculation Agent’s principal offices.

(f) Place of Payment of Principal and Interest . So long as the 2026 Notes shall be issued in global form, the Company shall make, or cause the Paying Agent to make, all payments of principal and interest on the 2026 Notes by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the Depository or its nominee, in accordance with applicable procedures of the Depository. If the 2026 Notes are not in global form, the Company, may, at its option, make, or cause the Paying Agent to make, payments of principal and interest on the 2026 Notes by check mailed to the address of the person specified for payment in accordance with Section 3.02(e)(i) and (e)(ii) above. A global security with respect to the 2026 Notes shall be exchangeable for physical securities of such series only if:

 

    The U.S. Depository is at any time unwilling or unable or ineligible to continue as a depository or ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act and a successor depository is not appointed by the Company within 90 days of the date the Company is so notified in writing;

 

6


    The Company executes and delivers to the Trustee a Company Order to the effect that such global securities shall be so exchangeable (and the Trustee consents thereto); or

 

    An Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to the global securities and a Holder requests such exchange.

(g) Redemption . The 2026 Notes shall be redeemable, in each case, in whole or in part from time to time, at the option of the Company prior to the Maturity Date beginning with the Interest Payment Date on December 15, 2021, and on any Interest Payment Date thereafter subject to obtaining the prior approval of the Federal Reserve to the extent such approval is required under the rules of the Federal Reserve. The 2026 Notes may not otherwise be redeemed prior to the Maturity Date, except that the Company may, at its option, redeem the 2026 Notes before the Maturity Date in whole but not in part from time to time, upon the occurrence of a Tier 2 Capital Event or a Tax Event, or if the Company is required to register as an investment company pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (15 U.S.C. 80a-1 et seq.). Any such redemption will be at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the 2026 Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date fixed by the Company. The provisions of Article III of the Base Indenture shall apply to any redemption of the 2026 Notes pursuant to this Article 3. Any partial redemption will be made in accordance with The Depository Trust Company’s (“ DTC ”) applicable procedures among all of the Holders of the 2026 Notes. If any 2026 Note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption relating to such 2026 Note shall state that it is a partial redemption and the portion of the principal amount thereof to be redeemed. The 2026 Notes are not subject to redemption or prepayment at the option of the Holders.

(h) Sinking Fund . There shall be no sinking fund for the 2026 Notes.

(i) Denomination . The 2026 Notes and any beneficial interest in the 2026 Notes shall be in minimum denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

(j) Currency of the 2026 Notes . The 2026 Notes shall be denominated, and payment of principal and interest of the 2026 Notes shall be payable in, the currency of the United States of America.

(k) Acceleration . Neither the Trustee nor the Holders of the 2026 Notes shall have the right to accelerate the maturity of the 2026 Notes unless there is an Event of Default specified under clause (e), (f) or (h) of Section 6.1 (as amended herein) of the Base Indenture. If an Event of Default specified in clause (e), (f) or (h) of Section 6.1 (as amended herein) of the Base Indenture occurs, then the principal amount of all of the outstanding 2026 Notes, including any accrued and unpaid interest on the 2026 Notes and premium, if any, shall automatically become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or the Holders of the 2026 Notes in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.2 of the Base Indenture.

(l) Stated Maturity . The principal of the 2026 Notes shall be payable on December 15, 2026 subject to acceleration as provided under the Indenture.

(m) Registered Form . The 2026 Notes shall be issuable as registered global Securities, and the U.S. Depository for the 2026 Notes shall be the DTC or any successor U.S. Depository appointed by the Company within 90 days of the termination of services of DTC (or any successor to DTC). Sections 2.11 and 2.13 of the Base Indenture shall apply to the 2026 Notes.

 

7


(n) Events of Default . The Events of Default provided for in Section 6.1 of the Base Indenture shall apply to the 2026 Notes, provided that:

(i) the text of clause (c) of Section 6.1 of the Base Indenture is deleted and replaced with the word “Reserved”;

(ii) the text of clause (e) of Section 6.1 of the Base Indenture shall be substituted with the following:

“(e) The Company shall consent to the appointment of a Custodian in any receivership, insolvency, liquidation or similar proceeding with respect to the Company;”

(iii) the text of clause (f) of Section 6.1 of the Base Indenture shall be substituted with the following:

“(f) A court having jurisdiction in the premises shall enter a decree or order for the appointment of a Custodian in any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, or similar proceeding relating to the Company, and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days;” and

(iv) a new clause (h), reading in its entirety as follows, shall be inserted:

“(h) in the event of an appointment of a Custodian for our principal banking subsidiary, Flushing Bank and such appointment shall not have been rescinded for a period of 60 consecutive days from the date thereof.”

(o) Acceleration of Maturity, Rescission and Annulment . Section 6.2 of the Base Indenture shall apply to the 2026 Notes, except that the first paragraph thereof shall be substituted with the following:

“If an Event of Default specified in Sections 6.1(e), 6.1(f) or 6.1(h) occurs, the principal amount of all the 2026 Notes, together with accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon, shall automatically, and without any declaration or other action on the part of the Trustee or any Holder, become immediately due and payable. The Maturity of the 2026 Notes shall not otherwise be accelerated as a result of an Event of Default.”

(p) Ranking . The 2026 Notes shall rank junior to and shall be subordinated to all Senior Indebtedness of the Company, whether existing as of the date of this First Supplemental Indenture, or hereafter issued or incurred, including all indebtedness relating to money owed to general creditors and trade creditors. The 2026 Notes shall rank senior to the Company’s Fixed/Floating Rate Junior Subordinated Debentures due 2037, its Fixed/Floating Rate Junior Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures due 2037, and its Junior Subordinated Notes due 2037. Subject to the terms of the Base Indenture, if the Trustee or any holder of any of the 2026 Notes receives any payment or distribution of the Company’s assets in contravention of the subordination provisions applicable to the 2026 Notes before all Senior Indebtedness is paid in full in cash, property or securities, including by way of set-off or any such payment or distribution that may be payable or deliverable by reason of the payment of any other indebtedness of the Company being subordinated to the payment of the 2026 Notes, then such payment or distribution will be held in trust for the benefit of holders of Senior Indebtedness or their representatives to the extent necessary to make payment in full in cash or payment satisfactory to the holders of Senior Indebtedness of all unpaid Senior Indebtedness.

 

8


(q) No Collateral . The 2026 Notes shall not be entitled to the benefit of any security interest in, or collateralization by, any rights, property or interest of the Company.

(r) Additional Terms . Other terms applicable to the 2026 Notes are as otherwise provided for in the Base Indenture, as supplemented by this First Supplemental Indenture.

ARTICLE IV

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

Section 4.01. Supplemental Indentures . The following paragraph shall be added to the end of Section 9.2 of the Base Indenture and shall only apply to the 2026 Notes:

“Not in limitation of the foregoing, without the consent of any Holder of 2026 Notes, the Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement the Indenture or the 2026 Notes to conform the terms of the Indenture and the 2026 Notes to the description of the 2026 Notes in the prospectus supplement dated December 7, 2016 relating to the offering of the 2026 Notes.”

ARTICLE V

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 5.01. Trust Indenture Act . This First Supplemental Indenture is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of the Indenture and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions. If any provision of this First Supplemental Indenture limits, qualifies, or conflicts with a provision of the Trust Indenture Act that is required under such act to be a part of and govern this First Supplemental Indenture, the latter provision shall control.

SECTION 5.02. GOVERNING LAW . THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SHALL GOVERN THIS FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE AND THE 2026 NOTES.

Section 5.03. Duplicate Originals . The parties may sign any number of copies of this First Supplemental Indenture. Each signed copy shall be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement.

Section 5.04. Severability . In case any provision in this First Supplemental Indenture or the 2026 Notes shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 5.05. Ratification . The Base Indenture, as supplemented and amended by this First Supplemental Indenture, is in all respects ratified and confirmed. The Base Indenture and this First Supplemental Indenture shall be read, taken and construed as one and the same instrument. All provisions included in this First Supplemental Indenture supersede any conflicting provisions included in the Base Indenture unless not permitted by law. The Trustee accepts the trusts created by the Base Indenture, as supplemented by this First Supplemental Indenture, and agrees to perform the same upon the terms and conditions of the Base Indenture, as supplemented by this First Supplemental Indenture.

Section 5.06. Effectiveness . The provisions of this First Supplemental Indenture shall become effective as of the date hereof.

 

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Section 5.07. Successors . All agreements of the Company in this First Supplemental Indenture shall bind its successors. All agreements of the Trustee in this First Supplemental Indenture shall bind its successors.

Section 5.08. Indenture and Notes Solely Corporate Obligations . No recourse for the payment of the principal of or interest or any Additional Amounts on any 2026 Note, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, shall be had against any shareholder, employee, officer or director, as such, past, present or future, of the Company or of any successor Person; it being expressly understood that all such liability is hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as a consideration for, the execution of this First Supplemental Indenture and the issue of the 2026 Notes.

Section 5.09. Trustee’s Disclaimer . The recitals contained herein shall be taken as the statements of the Company and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee shall not be responsible in any manner whatsoever for or in respect of the validity or sufficiency of this First Supplemental Indenture, the 2026 Notes, or for or in respect of the recitals contained herein, all of which recitals are made solely by the Company.

Section 5.10. USA PATRIOT Act . The parties hereto acknowledge that in accordance with Section 326 of the USA PATRIOT Act the Trustee, like all financial institutions and in order to help fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering, are required to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person or legal entity that establishes a relationship or opens an account. The parties to this agreement agree that they shall provide the Trustee with such information as they may request in order to satisfy the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank.]

 

10


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this First Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed as of the date first above written.

 

FLUSHING FINANCIAL CORPORATION
By:   /s/ Michael H. Wass

Name:

Title:

 

Michael H. Wass

Vice President

 

Attest
By:   /s/ Maria A. Grasso

Name:

Title:

 

Maria A. Grasso

Corporate Secretary

[Signature Page to First Supplemental Indenture]

 

11


Wilmington Trust, National Association,

as Trustee

By:   /s/ Michael H. Wass

Name:

Title:

 

Michael H. Wass

Vice President

[Signature Page to First Supplemental Indenture]

 

12


EXHIBIT A

FORM OF NOTE

See attached.

 

A-1


THIS SECURITY AND THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE COMPANY (AS DEFINED HEREIN) AS EVIDENCED HEREBY (1) ARE NOT DEPOSITS WITH OR HELD BY THE COMPANY AND ARE NOT INSURED OR GUARANTEED BY ANY FEDERAL AGENCY OR INSTRUMENTALITY, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION, AND (2) ARE SUBORDINATE IN THE RIGHT OF PAYMENT TO THE SENIOR INDEBTEDNESS (AS DEFINED IN THE INDENTURE IDENTIFIED HEREIN).

GLOBAL NOTE

THIS SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF THE DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY, WHICH MAY BE TREATED BY THE COMPANY, THE TRUSTEE AND ANY AGENT THEREOF AS OWNER AND HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY FOR ALL PURPOSES.

UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR THE INDIVIDUAL SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY, THIS GLOBAL SECURITY MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE (I) BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR (II) BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR THE DEPOSITARY TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY. UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY TO THE ISSUER OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO., ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL SINCE THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.

TRANSFERS OF THIS GLOBAL SECURITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS IN WHOLE, BUT NOT IN PART, BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY, OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY, OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.

 

A-2


FLUSHING FINANCIAL CORPORATION

5.25% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2026

 

No. 1     CUSIP: 343873 AA3
    ISIN: US343873AA30
$75,000,000    

Flushing Financial Corporation, a Delaware corporation (hereinafter called the “ Company ,” which term includes any successor corporation under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to CEDE & CO., or its registered assigns, the principal sum of $75,000,000 (or such other amount as set forth in the Schedule of Increases or Decreases in Global Note attached hereto) on December 15, 2026 (such date is hereinafter referred to as the “ Stated Maturity Date ”), unless redeemed prior to such date, and to pay interest thereon (i) from, and including, December 12, 2016, to, but excluding, December 15, 2021, unless redeemed prior to such date, at a rate of 5.25% per annum, semi-annually in arrears on June 15th and December 15th of each year, commencing June 15, 2017 (each such date, a “ Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date ,” with the period from, and including, December 12, 2016 to, but excluding, the first Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date and each successive period from, and including, a Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date to, but excluding, the next Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date being a “ Fixed Rate Period ”) and (ii) from, and including, December 15, 2021 to, but excluding, the Stated Maturity Date, unless redeemed subsequent to December 15, 2021 but prior to the Stated Maturity Date, at a rate equal to Three-month LIBOR, reset quarterly, plus 344 basis points (3.44%), payable quarterly in arrears on March 15th, June 15th, September 15th and December 15th of each year through the Stated Maturity Date or earlier redemption date (each, a “ Floating Rate Interest Payment Date ,” and together with the Fixed Rate Interest Payment Dates, the “ Interest Payment Dates ,” with the period from, and including, December 15, 2021 to, but excluding, the first Floating Rate Interest Payment Date and each successive period from, and including a Floating Rate Interest Payment Date to, but excluding, the next Floating Rate Interest Payment Date being a “ Floating Rate Period ”). The amount of interest payable on any Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date during the Fixed Rate Period will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months up to, but excluding December 15, 2021, and, the amount of interest payable on any Floating Rate Interest Payment Date during the Floating Rate Period will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year and the number of days actually elapsed. In the event that any scheduled Interest Payment Date for this Note falls on a day that is not a Business Day, then payment of interest payable on such Interest Payment Date will be paid on the next succeeding day which is a Business Day (any payment made on such date will be treated as being made on the date that the payment was first due and no interest on such payment will accrue for the period from and after such scheduled Interest Payment Date); provided, that in the event that any scheduled Floating Rate Interest Payment Date falls on a day that is not a Business Day and the next succeeding Business Day falls in the next succeeding calendar month, such Floating Rate Interest Payment Date will be accelerated to the immediately preceding Business Day, and, in each such case, the amounts payable on such Business Day will include interest accrued to but excluding such Business Day. All percentages used in or resulting from any calculation of Three-month LIBOR shall be rounded, if necessary, to the nearest one hundred-thousandth of a percentage point, with 0.000005% rounded up to 0.00001%.

Any principal and premium, and any such installment of interest, which is overdue shall bear interest at the applicable rate set forth in the previous paragraph (to the extent that the payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable), from the dates such amounts are due until they are paid or made available for payment, and such interest shall be payable on demand. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in the Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Note is registered at the close of business on the 1st day of the month (whether or not a Business Day) immediately preceding such Interest Payment Date.

 

A-3


Payment of the principal of and interest on this Note will be made at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose, which shall initially be the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, in such currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts.

Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Note set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature, this Note shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

[Remainder of this page intentionally left blank. Signature page follows.]

 

A-4


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Note to be signed manually or by facsimile by its duly authorized officer.

 

FLUSHING FINANCIAL CORPORATION
By:    

Name:

  Susan K. Cullen

Title:

 

Senior Executive Vice President,

Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer

 

Attest
By:    

Name:

  Maria A. Grasso

Title:

  Corporate Secretary

 

A-5


TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

This is one of the Notes of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

Date of authentication: December 12, 2016

 

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION , as Trustee
By:    

Name:

  Michael H. Wass

Title:

  Vice President

 

A-6


REVERSE OF NOTE

FLUSHING FINANCIAL CORPORATION

5.25% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2026

This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Securities of the Company of a series designated as the “5.25% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2026” (herein called the “ Notes ”) initially issued in an aggregate principal amount of $75,000,000 on December 12, 2016. Such series of Securities has been established pursuant to, and is one of an indefinite number of series of subordinated debt securities of the Company issued or issuable under and pursuant to the Subordinated Indenture, dated as of December 12, 2016 (the “ Base Indenture ”), between the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee (herein called the “ Trustee ,” which term includes any successor trustee), as supplemented and amended by the First Supplemental Indenture between the Company and the Trustee, dated as of December 12, 2016 (the “ First Supplemental Indenture ,” and the Base Indenture as supplemented and amended by the First Supplemental Indenture, the “ Indenture ”), to which Indenture and any other indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Persons in whose names Notes are registered from time to time and of the terms upon which the Notes are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. The terms, conditions and provisions of the Notes are those stated in the Indenture, those made part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “ Trust Indenture Act ”), and those set forth in this Note. To the extent that the terms, conditions and provisions of this Note modify, supplement or are inconsistent with those of the Indenture, then the terms, conditions and other provisions of this Note shall govern to the extent that such terms, conditions and other provisions of this Note are not inconsistent with the terms, conditions and provisions made part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act.

All capitalized terms used in this Note and not defined herein that are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture. To the extent that any capitalized term used in this Note and defined herein is also defined in the Indenture but conflicts with the definition provided in the Indenture, the definition of the capitalized term in this Note shall control.

The indebtedness of the Company evidenced by the Notes, including the principal thereof, premium, if any, Additional Amounts, if any, and interest thereon, is, to the extent and in the manner set forth in the Indenture, subordinate and subject in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness, whether outstanding at the date hereof or hereafter incurred, and on the terms and subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Indenture, and shall rank pari passu in right of payment with all other Securities and with all other unsecured subordinated indebtedness of the Company and not by its terms subordinate and subject in right of payment to the prior payment in full of debentures, notes, bonds or other evidences of indebtedness of types that include the Notes. Each Holder of this Note, by the acceptance hereof, agrees to and shall be bound by such provisions of the Indenture and authorizes and directs the Trustee on his behalf to take such actions as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination so provided.

The Notes are intended to be treated as Tier 2 capital (or its then-equivalent if the Company were subject to such capital requirement) for purposes of capital adequacy guidelines of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any successor regulatory authority with jurisdiction over bank holding companies) (the “ Federal Reserve Board ”) as then in effect and applicable to the Company. If an Event of Default with respect to Notes shall occur and be continuing, the principal and interest owed on the Notes shall only become due and payable in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in Article VI of the Base Indenture and Section 3.02(k) and (o) of the First Supplemental Indenture. Accordingly, the Holder of this Note has no right to accelerate the maturity of this Note in the event that the Company fails to pay interest on any of the Notes, or fails to perform any other obligations under the Notes or in the Indenture that are applicable to the Notes.


The Company may, at its option, redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest (the “ Redemption Price ”) to but excluding, the date of redemption (the “ Redemption Date ”), on any Interest Payment Date on or after December 15, 2021. The Company may also, at its option, redeem the Notes before the Stated Maturity Date, in whole, but not in part, at any time, upon the occurrence of a Tier 2 Capital Event, a Tax Event or a 1940 Act Event. Any such redemption will be at a redemption price equal to the Redemption Price to, but excluding, the Redemption Date fixed by the Company. No redemption of the Notes by the Company prior to the Stated Maturity Date shall be made without the prior approval of the Federal Reserve Board if such prior approval is or will be required at the scheduled Redemption Date. The provisions of Article III of the Base Indenture and Section 3.02(g) of the First Supplemental Indenture shall apply to the redemption of any Notes by the Company.

The Notes are not entitled to the benefit of any sinking fund. The Notes are not convertible into or exchangeable for any other securities or property of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company.

The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Notes at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Notes. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of specified percentages in principal amount of the Notes at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Notes, to waive certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Note shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Note and of any Note issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Note.

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Note is registrable in the Register described in Section 2.7 of the Base Indenture, upon surrender of this Note for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and interest on this Note are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Registrar duly executed by the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Notes, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

The Notes are issuable only in registered form without coupons in minimum denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

The Company and the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this Note is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Note is overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

This Security is a global note, represented by one or more permanent global certificates registered in the name of the nominee of The Depository Trust Company (each a “ Global Note ” and collectively, the “ Global Notes ”). Accordingly, unless and until it is exchanged for individual certificates, this Note may not be transferred except as a whole by The Depository Trust Company (the “ Depositary ”) to a nominee of such Depositary or by a nominee of such Depositary or by the Depositary or any nominee to a successor Depositary or any nominee of such successor. Ownership of beneficial interests in this Security will be shown on, and the transfer of that ownership will be effected only through, records maintained by the applicable Depositary or its nominee (with respect to interest of persons that have accounts with the Depositary (“ Participants ”)) and the records of Participants (with respect to interests of persons other than Participants). Beneficial interests in Notes owned by persons that hold through Participants will be evidenced only by, and transfers of such beneficial interests with such Participants will be effected only through, records maintained by


such Participants. Except as provided below, owners of beneficial interests in this Note will not be entitled to have any individual certificates and will not be considered the owners or Holders thereof under the Indenture.

Except in the limited circumstances set forth in the Base Indenture, Participants and owners of beneficial interests in the Global Notes will not be entitled to receive Notes in the form of Individual Securities and will not be considered Holders of Notes. None of the Company, the Trustee, the Registrar, the Paying Agent or any of their respective agents will be liable for any delay by the Depositary, its nominee or any direct or indirect Participant in identifying the beneficial owners of the related Notes. The Company, the Trustee, the Registrar, the Paying Agent and each of their respective agents may conclusively rely on, and will be protected in relying on, instructions from the Depositary or its nominee for all purposes, including with respect to the registration and delivery, and the respective principal amounts, of the Notes to be issued.

Except as provided in Section 2.14 of the Base Indenture, beneficial owners of Global Notes will not be entitled to receive physical delivery of Notes in the form of Individual Securities, and no Global Note will be exchangeable except for another Global Note of like denomination and tenor to be registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee. Accordingly, each person owning a beneficial interest in a Global Note must rely on the procedures of the Depositary and, if such person is not a Participant, on the procedures of the Participant through which such person owns its interest, to exercise any rights of a Holder under the Notes.

The laws of some jurisdictions may require that certain purchasers of securities take physical delivery of those securities in definitive form. Accordingly, the ability to transfer interests in the Notes represented by a Global Note to those persons may be limited. In addition, because the Depositary can act only on behalf of its Participants, who in turn act on behalf of persons who hold interests through Participants, the ability of a person having an interest in Notes represented by a Global Note to pledge or transfer such interest to persons or entities that do not participate in the Depositary’s system, or otherwise to take actions in respect of such interest, may be affected by the lack of a physical definitive security in respect of such interest. None of the Company, the Trustee, the Paying Agent and the Registrar will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of Notes by the Depositary, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records of the Depositary relating to the Notes.

The Trustee will act as the Company’s Paying Agent with respect to the Notes through its Corporate Trust Office presently located at 1100 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19890. The Company may at any time rescind the designation of a Paying Agent, appoint a successor Paying Agent, or approve a change in the office through which any Paying Agent acts.

Notices to the Holders of registered Notes in the form of Individual Securities will be given to such Holders at their respective addresses in the Register, or in the case of Global Notes, electronic delivery in accordance with DTC’s applicable procedures. The Indenture contains provisions setting forth certain conditions to the institution of proceedings by the Holders of Notes with respect to the Indenture or for any remedy under the Indenture.

THIS NOTE SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACT MADE UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.


ASSIGNMENT FORM

To assign the within Security, fill in the form below: I or we assign and transfer the within Security to:

 

   
  (Insert assignee’s legal name)
   
  (Insert assignee’s social security or tax I.D. number)
   
  (Print or type assignee’s name, address and zip code)

and irrevocably appoint the Trustee as agent to transfer this Security on the books of Flushing Financial Corporation. The agent may substitute another to act for it.

Your Signature:

( Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this Security )

Your Name:

Date:

Signature Guarantee:

SIGNATURE GUARANTEE

Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of the Registrar, which requirements include membership or participation in the Security Transfer Agent Medallion Program (“ STAMP ”) or such other “signature guarantee program” as may be determined by the Registrar in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.


SCHEDULE OF INCREASES OR DECREASES IN GLOBAL NOTE

The initial principal amount of this Global Note is $75,000,000. The following increases or decreases in the principal amount of this Global Note have been made:

 

Date

 

Amount of

decrease in

principal amount

of this

Global Note

 

Amount of

increase in

principal amount

of this

Global Note

  

Principal amount

of this

Global Note following
such decrease

or increase

  

Signature of

authorized

signatory of

Trustee

Exhibit 5.1

December 12, 2016

Flushing Financial Corporation

220 RXR Plaza

Uniondale, New York 11556

 

  Re:

Flushing Financial Corporation—Prospectus Supplement to Shelf Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-195182)

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as legal counsel to Flushing Financial Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), in connection with the preparation and filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “ Securities Act ”), of a prospectus supplement, dated December 7, 2016 and filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act on December 8, 2016 (the “ Prospectus Supplement ”) to the prospectus, dated April 25, 2014 (together with the Prospectus Supplement, the “ Prospectus ”), related to the above-referenced Registration Statement (the “ Registration Statement ”), relating to the issuance and sale by the Company of $75,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 5.25% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2026 (the “ Notes ”), to be issued under a supplemental indenture, dated December 12, 2016 (the “ Supplemental Indenture ”) to that certain subordinated indenture, dated December 12, 2016 (the “ Base Indenture ” and, together with the Supplemental Indenture, the “ Indenture ”), by and among the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee (the “ Trustee ”). The Company is selling the Notes to the underwriters named in Schedule I to (the “ Underwriters ”), and pursuant to the terms of, an underwriting agreement, dated December 7, 2016 (the “ Underwriting Agreement ”), by and among the Company, the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Flushing Bank (the “ Bank ”), and the Underwriters.

This opinion letter is being furnished in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of the Regulation S-K under the Securities Act.

In connection with the issuance of this opinion letter, we have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of: (i) the Underwriting Agreement; (ii) the Registration Statement and all exhibits thereto; (iii) the Prospectus; (iv) the Indenture; (v) the Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of the Trustee filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement; (vi) the form of global certificate evidencing the Notes; (vii) the documents filed by the Company pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and incorporated by reference to the Prospectus as of the date thereof; (viii) resolutions adopted by the board of directors of the Company and its committees, the organizational documents of the Company, certificates of responsible officers and representatives of the Company (who, in our judgment, are likely to know the facts upon which the opinion or confirmation will be based), certificates of public officials and such other documents as we have deemed appropriate as a basis for the opinions hereinafter set forth and (ix) such other documents as we have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinion set forth below.

As to certain factual matters relevant to this opinion letter, we have relied upon the representations and warranties made in the agreements and other documents entered into or to be entered into by the parties to the Underwriting Agreement in connection with the issuance of the Notes, including, without limitation, the Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture, certificates and statements of responsible officers of the Company, and certificates of public officials. Except to the extent expressly set forth herein, we have made no independent investigations with regard thereto, and, accordingly, we do not express any opinion or belief as to matters that might have been disclosed by independent verification.

In rendering our opinion set forth below, we have assumed, without any independent verification, (i) the legal capacity of all natural persons; (ii) the authenticity of original documents and the genuineness of all signatures; (iii) the conformity to the original documents of all documents submitted to us as conformed, facsimile, photostatic or electronic copies; (iv) that the form of the Notes will conform to that included in the Indenture; (v) the due authorization, execution and delivery of the Indenture by the Trustee under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or organization; (vi) that all parties (other than the Company and, as applicable, the Bank) to the documents examined by us have full power and authority under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of incorporation or organization to execute, deliver and perform their obligations under such documents and under the other documents required or permitted to be delivered and performed thereunder; and (vii) that the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.

 


The opinion letter which we render herein is limited to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, including all Delaware statutes and all Delaware court decisions that affect the interpretation of the General Corporation Law, and the laws of the State of New York as of the date hereof. Our opinions expressed herein are as of the date hereof, and we assume no obligation to revise or supplement the opinions rendered herein should the above-referenced laws be changed by legislative or regulatory action, judicial decision or otherwise.

Our opinion set forth herein as to the validity, binding effect and enforceability of the Notes is specifically qualified to the extent that the legal validity, binding effect or enforceability of any obligations of the Company under the Notes or the Indenture, or the availability or enforceability of any remedies provided therein or by law may be subject to or limited by: (i) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, conservatorship, receivership, liquidation, voidable preference, moratorium and other statutory or decisional laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights or the reorganization of financial institutions (including, without limitation, preference and fraudulent conveyance or transfer laws), heretofore or hereafter enacted or in effect; (ii) the effect of general principles of equity (whether applied in a court of law or in equity) which may limit the availability or enforceability of certain remedies; (iii) the possible unenforceability of the indemnity and contribution provisions; (iv) the effect and possible unenforceability of choice of law provisions; (v) the possible unenforceability of provisions purporting to waive defenses where such waiver is against public policy; (vi) the possible unenforceability of provisions purporting to exonerate any party for negligence or malfeasance, or to negate any remedy of any party for fraud; (vii) the possible unenforceability of forum selection clauses; (viii) the possible unenforceability of provisions permitting modification of an agreement only in writing; and (ix) the effect of laws requiring mitigation of damages.

We express no opinion (i) as to any provision or accumulation of provisions that may be deemed to be unconscionable or against public policy; (ii) as to provisions which purport to establish evidentiary standards; (iii) as to provisions relating to venue, governing law, disclaimers or liability limitations with respect to third parties; (iv) as to any anti-trust or state securities laws; (v) as to provisions regarding indemnification, contribution, waiver of the right to jury trial or waiver of objections to jurisdiction; (vi) as to provisions relating to waivers, waiver of remedies (or the delay or omission of enforcement thereof), disclaimers, releases of legal or equitable rights or discharges of defenses; (vii) as to severability provisions; (viii) as to provisions which purport or would operate to render ineffective any waiver or modification not in writing; (ix) federal law, including the federal securities laws

Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the limitations, qualifications, exceptions and assumptions set forth herein, we are of the opinion that, when duly authenticated by the Trustee and issued and delivered in the manner provided in the Indenture against payment of the consideration therefor in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement, the Notes will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.

The only opinion rendered by us consists of those matters set forth in the immediately preceding paragraph, and no opinion may be implied or inferred beyond the opinion expressly stated. Our opinion expressed herein is as of the date hereof, and we undertake no obligation to advise you of any changes in applicable law or any other matters that may come to our attention after the date hereof that may affect our opinion expressed herein.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as Exhibit 5.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K for incorporation by reference into the Registration Statement and to the references to us under the heading “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus constituting a part thereof. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Holland & Knight LLP

Holland & Knight LLP