CAPITAL BANK CORPORATION (a North Carolina corporation) 34,500,000 Shares of Common Stock (No Par Value) FORM OF UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT [], 2010

 

(a North Carolina corporation)

34,500,000 Shares of Common Stock

(No Par Value)

[●], 2010

FIG Partners, LLC

1175 Peachtree St., NE

100 Colony Square

Suite 2250

Atlanta, Georgia 30361

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Capital Bank Corporation, a North Carolina corporation (the “Company”), and the bank holding company for Capital Bank, a banking corporation chartered under the laws of North Carolina (“Capital Bank” or the “Bank”), hereby confirms its agreement with FIG Partners, LLC (the “Underwriter”) to assist the Company, on a best-efforts basis, in the proposed public offering (the “Offering”) of up to 34,500,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, no par value per share (the “Common Stock”). The aforesaid 34,500,000 shares of Common Stock to be sold in the Offering are hereinafter called the “Shares.”

The Company hereby confirms its agreement with the Underwriter concerning the sale of the Shares, as follows:

1.           Registration Statement. The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-168408), including the related preliminary prospectus covering the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), which registration statement has been declared effective by the Commission in such form under the Securities Act. Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a prospectus in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430A (“Rule 430A”) of the rules and regulations of the Commission und er the Securities Act (the “Securities Act Regulations”) and paragraph (b) of Rule 424 (“Rule 424(b)”) of the Securities Act Regulations. The information included in such prospectus that was omitted from such registration statement at the time it became effective but that is deemed to be part of such registration statement at the time it became effective pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 430A is referred to as “Rule 430A Information.” Each prospectus used before such registration statement became effective, and any prospectus that omitted the Rule 430A Information, that was used after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, is herein called a “preliminary prospectus.” Such registration statement, including the amendments thereto, the exhibits and any schedules thereto, if any, at the time it became effective and including the Rule 430A Information is herein called the “Registration Statement.”

Any registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act Regulations is herein referred to as the “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement,” and after such filing the term “Registration Statement” shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. The final prospectus, including the documents incorporated by reference, in the form first furnished to the Underwriter for use in connection with the Offering is herein called the “Prospectus.” For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus 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 term “General Disclosure Package” shall mean the following documents, all considered together: (i) the preliminary prospectus, if any, used most recently prior to the date and time as of which the Registration Statement was declared effective by the Commission, (ii) the issuer free writing prospectuses as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act identified in Annex A hereto, and (iii) any other “free writing prospectus” (as defined pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that the parties hereto shall hereafter expressly agree in writing to treat as part of the General Disclosure Package. “Applicable Time” shall mean [•]:00 [a/p].m. Eastern Time on the date of execution and delivery of this Agreement.

2.           Appointment of the Underwriter; Terms. The Company hereby appoints the Underwriter as its sole and exclusive agent for the purpose of selling, in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, the Shares. The Underwriter hereby accepts such agency and agrees to use its best efforts to sell the Shares on said terms and conditions.

a)           Subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell up to 34,500,000 Shares in the Offering. All Shares to be offered and sold in the Offering shall be issued and sold through the Underwriter, as agent for the Company, to the public and the Underwriter agrees to use its best efforts to sell the Shares as agent for the Company, at the price per share set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus (the “Offering Price”). In consideration for the Underwriter’s efforts under this Section, the Company agrees to pay the Underwriter a commission (“Selling Commission”) equal to 6.0% of the Offering Price of all Shares sold through the Underwriter in the Offering. It shall be the Underwriter’s responsibility to co mpensate any selected dealers out of the commissions that it receives from the Company. The Underwriter may reject any offer to purchase the Shares made through the Underwriter or a selected dealer in whole or in part, and any such rejection shall not be deemed a breach of the Underwriter’s agreement contained herein. This is strictly a “best efforts” offering and there is no minimum contingency of a specific number of Shares which must be sold prior to proceeding with a closing and the Underwriter is not required to purchase any Shares that are not sold to the public or for which buyers have not paid in the Offering. The Company will not sell or agree to sell any of the Shares otherwise than through the Underwriter until after the Closing Date (as defined below), subject to Section 4(h) of this Agreement. In the event the Company or any of its executive officers is contacted directly or indirectly by prospective purchasers of the Shares, the Company will promptly forward the names of such prospective purchasers to the Underwriter.

b)           The Company understands that the Underwriter intends to make a public offering of the Shares as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Underwriter is advisable and to offer the Shares on the terms set forth in the Prospectus. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriter may offer and sell Shares to or through any affiliate of the Underwriter.

c)           Payment for the Shares shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Company to the Underwriter. Such payment and delivery of the Shares shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) unless the Underwriter shall

otherwise instruct, at 10:00 A.M., Eastern Time, on the third (fourth, if the pricing occurs after 4:30 P.M., Eastern Time, on any given day) business day after the date of this Agreement or at such other time or date, not later than the fifth business day thereafter, as the Underwriter and the Company may agree upon in writing, such time and date referred to herein as the “Closing Date.”

d)           The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriter is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company with respect to the Offering contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the Offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Company or any other person. Additionally, the Underwriter is not advising the Company or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. The Company shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Underwriter shall have no responsib ility or liability to the Company with respect thereto. Any review by the Underwriter of the Company, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Underwriter and shall not be on behalf of the Company.

3.           Representations and Warranties of the Company. The representations and warranties in this Section 3 shall not apply to any statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) or any other free writing prospectus that is part of the General Disclosure Package made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter. The Company represents and warrants to the Underwriter that:

a)           Preliminary Prospectus. No order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and any preliminary prospectus included in the General Disclosure Package, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, and no preliminary prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

b)          General Disclosure Package. The General Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time did not, and as of the Closing Date will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

c)           Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. Other than the Registration Statement, the preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Underwriter in its capacity as such) has not prepared, used, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare, use, authorize, approve or refer to any “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Shares (each such communication by the Company or its agents (other than a communication referred to in clause (i) below) an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”) other than (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the Securities Act or Rule 134 under the Securities Act, (ii) the documents listed on Annex A hereto, or (iii) each electronic road show and any other written communications approved in writing in advance by the Underwriter. Each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, has been or will be (within the time period specified in Rule 433) filed in accordance with the Securities Act (to the extent required thereby) and, when taken together with the preliminary prospectus accompanying, or delivered prior to delivery

of, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, did not, and as of the Closing Date, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

d)           Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission under the Securities Act. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission, and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or related to the Offering has been initiated or threatened by the Commission; as of the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, the Registration Statement and any such post-effective amendment complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act, and did not and will not contain any untrue statem ent 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 not misleading; and as of the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date, the Prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

e)           Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the General Disclosure Package, when they were filed with the Commission conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act, and none of such documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

f)           Financial Statements. The financial statements (including the related notes thereto) of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and present fairly the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the periods specified; such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (& #8220;GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby, and any supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein; and the other financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and presents fairly the information shown thereby. No other financial statements or schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement. 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 rules and regulations of the Commission) comply with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, as applicable.< /font>

g)           No Material Adverse Change. Since the date of the most recent financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (i) there has not been any change in the capital stock (other than the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of stock options and warrants described as outstanding in, and the grant of options and awards under existing equity incentive plans described in, the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus), material change in short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any dividend or distribution of any kind

declared, set aside for payment, paid or made by the Company on any class of capital stock other than dividends paid on the Company’s Fixed Rate Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A, or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the business, properties, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; (ii) except as disclosed or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has entered into any transaction or agreement (whether or not in the ordinary course of business) that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Comp any and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained any loss or interference with its business that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole and that is either from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except in each case as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

h)           Organization and Good Standing. The Company and each of its subsidiaries have been duly organized and are validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of North Carolina and Delaware, as applicable, and, in the case of Capital Bank, is validly chartered as a North Carolina state bank. The Company and each of its subsidiaries are duly qualified to do business and are in good standing in each jurisdiction in which their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of their respective businesses requires such qualification, and have all power and authority necessary to own or hold their respective properties and to conduct the businesses in which they are engaged, except where the fa ilure to be so qualified or in good standing or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or on the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement (a “Material Adverse Effect”). The Company is duly registered as a bank holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHCA”) and meets the applicable requirements for qualification as such. The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than Capital Bank, Capital Bank Investment Services, Inc., Capital Bank Statutory Trust I, Capital Bank Statutory Trust II, Capital Bank Statutory Trust III and CB Trustee, LLC, as listed in Exhibit 21.01 to the Registration Statement. For purposes of this Ag reement, the Company’s subsidiaries that are Delaware statutory trusts shall be referred to as the “Subsidiary Trusts.”

i)           Capitalization. The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Capitalization;” all the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and are not subject to any pre-emptive or similar rights, except for such rights as may have been fully satisfied or waived; except for options, restricted stock, restricted stock units and similar securities issued under the Company’s existing equity compensation plans or as described in or expressly contemplated by the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no outstanding rights (including, without limitation, pre-emptive rights), warrants or options to acquire, or instruments convertible into or exchangeable for, any shares of capital stock or other equity interest in the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any contract, commitment, agreement, understanding or arrangement of any kind relating to the issuance of any capital stock of the Company or any such subsidiary, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or any such rights, warrants or options; the capital stock of the Company conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and all the outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each subsidiary owned, directly or

 

indirectly, by the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and, other than the Subsidiary Trusts, are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of any lien, charge, encumbrance, security interest, restriction on voting or transfer or any other claim of any third party.

k)           Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly executed by the Company.

l)           The Shares. The Shares to be issued and sold by the Company hereunder have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered and paid for as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued, will be fully paid and nonassessable and will conform to the descriptions thereof in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and the issuance of the Shares is not subject to any preemptive or similar rights.

m)           No Violation or Default. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents; (ii) in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject; or (iii) 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 (ii) and (iii) above, for any such default or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

n)           No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Shares and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, 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 indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the proper ty or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (iii) result in the 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 (i) and (iii) above, for any such conflict, breach, violation or default that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

o)           No Consents Required. No consent, approval, authorization, order, license, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Shares and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except as already obtained or for the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may be required by the Financial Industry

q)           Independent Accountants. Grant Thornton LLP, who has certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the Securities Act. Elliot Davis LLP is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the Securities Act.

r)           Title to Real and Personal Property. The Company and its subsidiaries have 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 respective businesses of the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, claims and defects and imperfections of title except those that (i) do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries or (ii) could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

s)           Title to Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights to use all material patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses and know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses as currently conducted, and the conduct of their respective businesses does not conflict in any material respect with any such rights of others. The Company and its subsidiaries have not received any notice of any claim of infringement, misappropriation or conf lict with any such rights of others in connection with its patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights and know-how, which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

t)           No Undisclosed Relationships. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers or suppliers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the other, that is required by the

Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and that is not so described in such documents and in the General Disclosure Package.

u)           Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be required to register as an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Investment Company Act”).

v)           Taxes. The Company and its subsidiaries have paid all federal, state, local and foreign taxes and filed all tax returns required to be paid or filed through the date hereof; and except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company does not have knowledge of any material tax deficiency that has been, or could reasonably be expected to be, asserted against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets.

w)           Licenses and Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries possess all licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by, and have made all declarations and filings with, the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities that are necessary for the ownership or lease of their respective properties or the conduct of their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except where the failure to possess or make the same would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospec tus, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received notice of any revocation or modification of any such license, certificate, permit or authorization or has any reason to believe that any such license, certificate, permit or authorization will not be renewed in the ordinary course, except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

x)           No Labor Disputes. No labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is contemplated or threatened, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by, or dispute with, the employees of any of its or its subsidiaries’ principal suppliers, contractors or customers, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

y)           Compliance with and Liability under Environmental Laws. (i) The Company and its subsidiaries (a) are, and at all prior times were, in compliance with any and all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws, rules, regulations, requirements, decisions, judgments, decrees, orders and the common law relating to pollution or the protection of the environment, natural resources or human health or safety, including those relating to the generation, storage, treatment, use, handling, transportation, Release or threat of Release of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (b) have received and are in compliance with all permits, licenses, certificates or other authorizations or approva ls required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses, (c) have not 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, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in any such notice, (d) are not conducting or paying for, in whole or in part, any investigation, remediation or other corrective action pursuant to any Environmental Law at any location, and (e) are not a party to any order, decree or agreement that imposes any obligation or liability under any Environmental Law, and (ii) there are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws of

or relating to the Company or its subsidiaries, except, in the case of each of (i) and (ii) above, for any such matter as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (iii) except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (a) there are no proceedings that are pending, or that are known to be contemplated, against the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any Environmental Laws in which a governmental entity is also a party, other than such proceedings regarding which it is reasonably believed no monetary sanctions of $100,000 or more will be imposed, (b) the Company and its subsidiaries are not aware of any facts or issues regarding compliance with Environmental Laws, or liabilities or other obligations under Environmen tal Laws, including the Release or threat of Release of Hazardous Materials, that could reasonably be expected to have a material effect on the capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position of the Company and its subsidiaries, and (c) none of the Company and its subsidiaries anticipates material capital expenditures relating to any Environmental Laws.

z)           Hazardous Materials. There has been no storage, generation, transportation, use, handling, treatment, Release or threat of Release of Hazardous Materials by or caused by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (or, to the knowledge of the Company and its subsidiaries, any predecessor for whose acts or omissions the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or could reasonably be expected to be liable) at, on or from any property or facility now or previously owned, operated or leased by the Company or any of its subsidiaries in violation of any Environmental Laws or in a manner or amount or to a location that could reasonably be expected to result in any liability under any Environmental Law, except for any violation or liability which would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. “Hazardous Materials” means any material, chemical, substance, waste, pollutant, contaminant, compound, mixture, or constituent thereof, in any form or amount, including petroleum (including crude oil or any fraction thereof) and petroleum products, natural gas liquids, asbestos and asbestos containing materials, naturally occurring radioactive materials, brine, and drilling mud, regulated or which can reasonably be expected to give rise to liability under any Environmental Law. “Release” means any spilling, leaking, seepage, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping, disposing, depositing, dispersing, or migrating in, into or through the environment, or in, into, from or through any building or structure.

aa)           Compliance with ERISA. (i) Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), for which the Company or any member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any organization which is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”)) would have any liability (each, a “Plan”) has been maintained in compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Code, except for noncompliance that could not reasonably be expected to result in material liability to the Company or its subsidiaries; (ii) no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any Plan, excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption, that could reasonably be expected to result in a material liability to the Company or its subsidiaries; (iii) for each Plan that is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, the minimum funding standard of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, as applicable, has been satisfied (without taking into account any waiver thereof or extension of any amortization period) and is reasonably expected to be satisfied in the future (without taking into account any waiver thereof or extension of any amortization period); (iv) the fair market value of the assets of each Plan subject to Title IV of ERISA exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under s uch Plan (determined based on those assumptions used to fund such Plan); (v) no “reportable event” (within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur that either has resulted, or could reasonably be expected to result, in material liability to the Company or its subsidiaries; (vi) neither the

Company nor any member of the Controlled Group has incurred, nor reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than contributions to the Plan or premiums to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, in the ordinary course and without default) in respect of a Plan (including a “multiemployer plan”, within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA); and (vii) there is no pending audit or investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any other governmental agency or any foreign regulatory agency with respect to any Plan that could reasonably be expected to result in material liability to the Company or its subsidiaries. None of the following events has occurred or is reasonably likely to occur: (x) a material increase in the aggregate amount of contributions required to be made to all Plans by the Company or its subsidiaries in the current fiscal year of the Company and its subsidiaries compared to the amount of such contributions made in the Company and its subsidiaries’ most recently completed fiscal year; or (y) a material increase in the Company and its subsidiaries’ “accumulated post-retirement benefit obligations” (within the meaning of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards 106) compared to the amount of such obligations in the Company and its subsidiaries’ most recently completed fiscal year.

bb)           Disclosure Controls. The Company maintains an effective system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and that has been designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. The Com pany has carried out evaluations of the effectiveness of its disclosure controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act.

cc)           Accounting Controls. The Company maintains a system of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and has been designed by, or under the supervision of, the Company’s principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP, including, but not limited to, internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with man agement’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (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 the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no material weaknesses in the Company’s internal controls. The Company’s auditors and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of (i) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which have adversely affected or are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to reco rd, process, summarize and report financial information; and (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

dd)           Insurance. The Company and its subsidiaries have insurance covering their respective properties, operations, personnel and businesses, including business interruption insurance, which insurance is in amounts and insures against such losses and risks as are adequate, in the reasonable belief

 

ee)           No Unlawful Payments. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, 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 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 expense 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 Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977; or (iv) made any unlawful bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payme nt, kickback or other unlawful payment.

ff)           Compliance with Money Laundering Laws. 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, 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 knowledge of the Company, threatened.

gg)           Compliance with OFAC. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”); and the Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the Offering hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

hh)           No Restrictions on Subsidiaries. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, 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.

ii)           No Broker’s Fees. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or the Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares.

jj)           No Registration Rights. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and except for certain participants in the Company’s March 2010 unit offering who are deemed to be affiliates of the Company, no person has the right to require the

Company or any of its subsidiaries to register any securities for sale under the Securities Act by reason of the filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission or the issuance and sale of the Shares.

ll)           Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.

mm)           Statistical and Market Data. Nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has caused the Company to believe that the statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus is not based on or derived from sources that are reliable and accurate in all material respects.

nn)           Sarbanes-Oxley Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith, including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.

oo)           Status under the Securities Act. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or any Offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Securities Act) of the Shares and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act. The Company has paid the registration fee for this Offering pursuant to Rule 456(a) under the Securities Act or will pay such fee within the time period required by such rule (without giving effect to the proviso therein) and in any event prior to the Closing Date.

pp)           Bank Regulatory Authorities. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with all applicable laws administered by, and all rules and regulations of, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve Board”), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”), the North Carolina Commissioner of Banks, and any other federal or state bank regulatory authorities with jurisdiction over the Company or its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Bank Regulatory Authorities”), except where such noncompliance would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The deposit accounts of the Bank are i nsured up to applicable limits by the FDIC and no proceedings for the termination or revocation of such insurance are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to any written agreement or memorandum of understanding with, or a party to any commitment letter or similar undertaking to, or is subject to any order or directive by, or is a recipient of any extraordinary supervisory letter from, any Bank Regulatory Authority which currently restricts the conduct of its business, or relates to its capital adequacy, its credit policies or its management.

4.           Further Agreements of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with the Underwriter that:

b)           Delivery of Copies. The Company will deliver, without charge, (i) to the Underwriter, two signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto, in each case including all exhibits and consents filed therewith; and (ii) to the Underwriter (A) a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) and (B) during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below), as many copies of the Prospectus (including all amendments and supplements thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus) as the Underwriter may reasonably request. As used herein, the term “Prospectus Deli very Period” means such period of time after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriter a prospectus relating to the Shares is required by law to be delivered (or required to be delivered but for Rule 172 under the Securities Act) in connection with sales of the Shares by the Underwriter or any dealer.

c)           Amendments or Supplements, Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Before preparing, using, authorizing, approving, referring to or filing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and before filing any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company will furnish to the Underwriter and counsel for the Underwriter a copy of the proposed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, amendment or supplement for review and will not prepare, use, authorize, approve, refer to or file any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Underwriter reasonably objects.

d)           Notice to the Underwriter. The Company will advise the Underwriter promptly, and confirm such advice in writing, (i) when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective; (ii) when any supplement to the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment to the Prospectus has been filed; (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or the receipt of any comments from the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or any other request by the Commission for any additional information; (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any order suspending the effectiveness of the R egistration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus, any of the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act; (v) of the occurrence of any event within the Prospectus Delivery Period as a result of which the Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; (vi) of the receipt by the Company of any notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(1) under the

Securities Act; and (vii) of the receipt by the Company of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and the Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus, any of the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or suspending any such qualification of the Shares and, if any such order is issued, will use its best efforts to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.

e)           Ongoing Compliance. (1) If during the Prospectus Delivery Period (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriter thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission and furnish to the Underwriter and to such dealers as the Under writer may designate such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus as may be necessary so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with law, and (2) if at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the General Disclosure Package as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the General Disclosure Package is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriter thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission (to the e xtent required) and furnish to the Underwriter and to such dealers as the Underwriter may designate such amendments or supplements to the General Disclosure Package as may be necessary so that the statements in the General Disclosure Package as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the General Disclosure Package is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the General Disclosure Package will comply with law.

f)           Blue Sky Compliance. The Company will qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Underwriter shall reasonably request and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for distribution of the Shares; provided that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction, or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.

g)           Earnings Statement. The Company will make generally available to its security holders and the Underwriter as soon as practicable an earnings statement that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities 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” (as defined in Rule 158) of the Registration Statement.

h)           Clear Market. For a period of 90 days after the date of the Prospectus (the “Restricted Period”), the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Underwriter (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with the Commission a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to, any shares of Common

Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock, or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge, disposition or filing, or (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock or any such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, other than the Shares to be sold hereunder and any shares of Common Stock of the Company and options to purchase shares of Common Stock granted under the Company’s equity compensation plans, and shares of Common Stock issued upon exercise of options granted under such equity c ompensation plans or any warrants issued by the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that either (i) during the period that begins on the date that is 15 calendar days plus 3 business days before the last day of the Restricted Period and ends on the last day of the Restricted Period, the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs, or (ii) prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the Restricted Period, the restrictions set forth herein will continue to apply until the expiration of the date that is 15 calendar days plus 3 business days after the date on which the earnings release is issued or the material news or event related to the Company occurs.

i)           Use of Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Use of Proceeds.”

j)           No Stabilization. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Common Stock.

k)           Exchange Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to effect and maintain the listing of, subject to notice of issuance, the Shares on the Nasdaq Global Select Market.

l)           Reports. So long as the Shares are outstanding, the Company will furnish to the Underwriter, as soon as they are available, copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to holders of the Shares, and copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange or automatic quotation system; provided the Company will be deemed to have furnished such reports or financial statements to the Underwriter to the extent they are filed on EDGAR.

m)           Record Retention. The Company will, pursuant to reasonable procedures developed in good faith, retain copies of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 433 under the Securities Act.

5.           Certain Agreements of the Underwriters. The Underwriter hereby represents and agrees that:

b)           Indemnification of the Company. The Underwriter agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to the Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by the Underwriter expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the General Disclosure Package.

c)           Notice and Procedures. If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) above, such person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under paragraph (a) or (b) above except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided, further, that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under paragraph (a) or (b) above. If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person (who shall not, without the consent of the Indemnified Person, be counsel to the Indemnifying Person) to represent the Indemnified Person in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and e xpenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it

that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interest between them. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such fees and expenses shall be paid or reimbursed as they are incurred. Any such separate firm for the Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control persons o f the Underwriter shall be designated in writing by FIG Partners, LLC and any such separate firm for the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and any control persons of the Company shall be designated in writing by the Company. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after r eceipt by the Indemnifying Person of such request, and (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding, and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.

d)           Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriter on the other, from the Offering, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in suc h proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriter on the other, in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriter on the other, shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company from the sale of the Shares and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriter in connection therewith, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriter on the other, 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 or by the Underwriter and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

f)           Non-Exclusive Remedies. The remedies provided for in this Section 7 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.

8.           Effectiveness of Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.

9.           Termination. This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the Underwriter, by notice to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on or by any of the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq Stock Market, the Chicago Board Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange or the Chicago Board of Trade; (ii) trading of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or North Carolina state authorities; or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis, either within or outside the United States, that, in the judgment of the Underwriter, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares on the Closing Date on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

10.           Payment of Expenses.

a)           Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company will pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including without limitation, (i) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Shares and any taxes payable in that connection; (ii) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement, the preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto) and the distribution thereof; (iii) the fees and expenses of the Company̵ 7;s counsel and independent accountants; (iv) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration or qualification of the Shares under the state or foreign securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Underwriter may reasonably designate and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum and any offering outside of the United States (including the related fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriter); (v) the cost of preparing stock certificates; (vi) the costs and charges of any transfer agent and any registrar; (vii) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection with any filing with, and clearance of the

offering by, FINRA; (viii) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any “road show” presentation to potential investors; and (ix) all expenses and application fees related to the listing of the Shares on the Nasdaq Global Select Market.

12.           Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and any controlling persons referred to in Section 7 hereof. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein. No purchaser of Shares from the Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase.

13.           Survival. The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the Underwriter contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriter pursuant to this Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Shares and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriter.

14.           Certain Defined Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except where otherwise expressly provided, the term “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; (b) the term “business day” means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or required to be closed in New York City; and (c) the term “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

15.           Miscellaneous.

a)           Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriter shall be given to it at FIG Partners, LLC, 1175 Peachtree Street, N.E., 100 Colony Square Suite 2250, Atlanta, GA 30361 (fax: (404) 591-6004); Attention: Matthew Veneri. Notices to the Company shall be given to it at Capital Bank Corporation, 333 Fayetteville Street, Suite 700, Raleigh, North Carolina 27601 (fax: (919) 645-6353); Attention: B. Grant Yarber.

b)           Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of North Carolina applicable to agreements made and to be performed in such state.

c)           Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

d)           Amendments or Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.

 

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate your acceptance of this Agreement by signing in the space provided below.

	Very truly yours,
	CAPITAL BANK CORPORATION
	By:
		Name:
		Title:

Accepted:  [●], 2010

FIG PARTNERS, LLC
By:
	Name:
	Title:

Annex A

a.           General Disclosure Package

Issuer Free Writing Prospectus filed with the Commission on September 13, 2010

Exhibit A

FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT

[●], 2010

FIG Partners, LLC

1175 Peachtree Street NE

100 Colony Square

Suite 2250

Atlanta, Georgia 30361

Re:           Capital Bank Corporation—Public Offering

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The undersigned understands that you, as the Underwriter (the “Underwriter”), propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Capital Bank Corporation, a North Carolina corporation (the “Company”), providing for the public offering (the “Public Offering”) by the Underwriter of shares of common stock of the Company, no par value (the “Common Stock”) on a “best-efforts” basis.  Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.

In consideration of the Underwriter’s agreement to assist the Company, on a best-efforts basis, with the Public Offering of the Common Stock, and for other good and valuable consideration receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of FIG Partners, LLC, the undersigned will not, during the period ending 90 days after the date of the prospectus relating to the Public Offering (the “Prospectus”), sell, offer, agree to sell, contract to sell, hypothecate, pledge, grant any option to sell, make any short sale or otherwise dispose of or hedge, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into, exchangeable or exercisable for any shares of Common Stock or warrants or other rights to purchase shares o f Common Stock or other similar securities.  These restrictions are expressly agreed to preclude the undersigned from engaging in any hedging or other transaction or arrangement that is designed to, or which reasonably could be expected to, lead to or result in a sale, disposition or transfer, in whole or in part, of any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether such transaction would be settled by delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may transfer shares of the undersigned’s Common Stock  (i) as a bona fide gift or gifts where the donee or donees agree to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein, or (ii) to any trust or family limited partnership for the direct or indirect benefit of such shareholder or the immediate family of the shareholder, provided that the trustee of the trust or general partner of the family limited partnership, as the

 

case may be, agrees to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein and that the transfer does not involve a disposition for value.

 

The 90-day restricted period described above will be automatically extended if (1) during the period that begins on the date that is 15 calendar days plus 3 business days before the last day of the 90-day restricted period and ends on the last day of the 90-day restricted period, the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs or (2) prior to the expiration of the 90-day restricted period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results or becomes aware that material news or a material event will occur during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the 90-day restricted period, in which case the restricted period will continue to apply until the expiration of the date that is 17 calendar days after the date on which the earnings release is issued or the material news or material event related to the Company occurs.

In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company and any duly appointed transfer agent for the registration or transfer of the securities described herein are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Letter Agreement.

The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Letter Agreement.  All authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred and any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors, assigns, heirs or personal representatives of the undersigned.

The undersigned understands that, if the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Common Stock to be sold thereunder, the undersigned shall be released from all obligations under this Letter Agreement.  The undersigned understands that the Underwriter is entering into the Underwriting Agreement and proceeding with the Public Offering in reliance upon this Letter Agreement.

This Letter Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of North Carolina, without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof.

	Very truly yours,
	[NAME OF STOCKHOLDER]
	By:
		Name:
		Title: