CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP (a Delaware corporation) 13,068,182 Shares of Common Stock PURCHASE AGREEMENT

EX-1.1 2 cathay11.htm cathay11.htm - Generated by SEC Publisher for SEC Filing

Exhibit 1.1

CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP

(a Delaware corporation)

13,068,182 Shares of Common Stock

PURCHASE AGREEMENT

Dated: February 1, 2010

CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP

(a Delaware corporation)

13,068,182 Shares of Common Stock

PURCHASE AGREEMENT

February 1, 2010

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated

as Representative of the several Underwriters
One Bryant Park
New York, New York 10036

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Cathay General Bancorp, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), confirms its agreement with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“Merrill Lynch”) and each of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the “Underwriters,” which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10 hereof) for whom Merrill Lynch is acting as representati ve (in such capacity, the “Representative”), with respect to (i) the sale by the Company and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the respective numbers of shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (“Common Stock”) set forth in Schedule A hereto and (ii) the grant by the Company to the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the option described in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any part of 1,960,227 additional shares of Common Stock to cover overallotments, if any. The aforesaid 13,068,182 shares of Common Stock (the “Initial Securities”) to be purchased by the Underwriters and all or any part of the 1,960,227 shares of Common Stock subject to the option described in Section 2(b) hereof (the “Option Securities”) are herein called, collectively, the “Securities.”

The Company understands that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Securities as soon as the Representative deems advisable after this Agreement has been executed and delivered.

The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-163070) (the “Original Registration Statement”), including the related preliminary prospectus or prospectuses, which registration statement has been declared effective by the Commission. Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a prospectus in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430B (“Rule 430B”) of the rules and regulations (the “1933 Act Regulations”) of the Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”) and paragraph (b) of Rule 424 (“Rule 424(b)”) of the 1933 Act Regulations. Any 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 and included in such registration

statement pursuant to Rule 430B is herein called the “Rule 430B Information.” Each prospectus used in connection with the offering of the Securities that omitted Rule 430B Information, is herein called a “preliminary prospectus.” The Original 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 by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act at such time and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof or included therein by 1933 Act Regulations, and any registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations (the “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement”) are herein called the “Registration Statement.” The final prospectus in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Securities, including the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act at the time of the execution of this Agreement and any preliminary prospectuses that form a part thereof, is herein called the “Prospectus.” The Registration Statement covers the registration of the Securities under the 1933 Act. 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 or any successor system thereto (“EDGAR”).

All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included” or “stated” in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or other references of like import) shall include all such financial statements and schedules and other information which is incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed by 1933 Act Regulations to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), which is incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed by 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, at or after the execution and delivery of this Agreement.

SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties.

(a) Representations and Warranties by the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, the Applicable Time (as defined below), the Closing Time (as defined below) and any Date of Delivery (as defined below), as follows:

(i) Registration Statement and Prospectuses. Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective under the 1933 Act. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated by the Commission. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.

Any offer that is a written communication relating to the Securities made prior to the filing of the Original Registration Statement by the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this paragraph only, of Rule 163(c) of the 1933 Act Regulations) has been filed with the Commission in accordance with the exemption provided by Rule 163 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 163”) and otherwise complied with the requirements of Rule 163, including without limitation the legending requirement, to qualify such offer for the exemption from Section 5(c) of the 1933 Act provided by Rule 163.

At the respective times the Original Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and each amendment and supplement thereto became effective, at each deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations and at the Closing Time (and, if any Option Securities are purchased, at any Date of Delivery), the Registration Statement complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and did 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.

Neither the Prospectus nor any amendments or supplements thereto (including any prospectus wrapper), at the time the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement was issued and at the Closing Time (and, if any Option Securities are purchased, at any Date of Delivery), included or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted 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 (including the prospectus or prospectuses filed as part of the Original Registration Statement or any amendment thereto) complied when so filed in all material respects with the 1933 Act Regulations and each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this offering was identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

As of the Applicable Time, at the Closing Time and at each Date of Delivery, neither (x) the Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus(es) (as defined below) issued at or prior to the Applicable Time (as defined below), the Statutory Prospectus (as defined below) and the information included on Schedule B hereto, all considered together (collectively, the “General Disclosure Package”), nor (y) any individual Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, 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 o f the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

As used in this subsection and elsewhere in this Agreement:

“Applicable Time” means 7:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on February 2, 2010, or such other time as agreed by the Company and Merrill Lynch.

“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), including without limitation any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations) relating to the Securities that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) 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) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Securities 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 General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors, as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule B-2 hereto.

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

“Statutory Prospectus” as of any time means the prospectus relating to the Securities that is included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to that time, including any document incorporated by reference therein and any preliminary or other prospectus deemed to be a part thereof.

Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Securities or until any earlier date that the issuer notified or notifies the Representative as described in Section 3(b), did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein and any preliminary or other prospectus deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified.

The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through Merrill Lynch expressly for use therein. For purposes of this Agreement, the only information so furnished shall be the information in the first paragraph under the heading “Underwriting–Commissions and Discounts,” the information in the second, third and fourth paragraphs under the heading “Underwriting–Price Stabilization and Short Positions” in the Prospectus and the information under the heading “Underwriting–Electronic Offer, Sale and Distribution of Shares” (collectively, the “Underwriter Information”).

(ii) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus, at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied 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, when read together with the other information in the Prospectus, (a) at the time the Original Registration Statement became effec tive, (b) at the earlier of time the Prospectus was first used and the date and time of the first contract of sale of Securities in this offering and (c) at the Closing Time (and if any Option Securities are purchased, at the Date of Delivery), did not and will not include 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.

(iii) Financial Statements. The financial statements and the related notes thereto 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 1933 Act and the 1934 Act, as applicable, and present in all material respects the consolidated financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the periods specified; and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States applied on a consistent bas is throughout the periods covered thereby, and the

supporting schedules to such financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto are, in all material respects, fairly presented.

(iv) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Except in each case as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, 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, there has not been (i) any material adverse change or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the business, properties or assets described or referred to in the Registration Statement, or the results of operations, condition (financial or otherwise), business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, whether or no t arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) any transaction that is material to the Company or its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, planned or entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or (iii) any obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, incurred by the Company or its subsidiaries, except obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business, or (iv) any material change in the capital stock or outstanding indebtedness of the Company or its subsidiaries (other than the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of stock options and warrants and the conversion of convertible securities, and the grant of options and awards under existing equity incentive plans), or (v) any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made on the capital stock of the Company (other than the Company’s regular quarterly cash dividends and repurchases of securities made in accordance with the Company’s employee benef it plans); and neither the Company nor its subsidiaries has any material contingent obligation that is not disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained any loss or interference with its business 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 for such losses that, individually or in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect. As used herein, “Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on the business, properties, financial position, results of operations or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole.

(v) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with all corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the fai lure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company is duly registered as a bank holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (“BHCA”).

(vi) Good Standing of Subsidiaries. Each of the Company’s “significant subsidiaries” (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X) (each a “Significant Subsidiary”) has been duly incorporated or organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with all corporate or similar power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package a nd the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such

qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; and all the outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each such Significant Subsidiary have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable (except, in the case of any foreign subsidiary, for directors’ qualifying shares) and 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, except that (i) all capital stock of Cathay Bank’s real estate investment trusts is subject to certain ownership and transfer restrictions, (ii) certain preferred stock or units issued by Cathay Bank’s r eal estate investment trusts are not owned directly or indirectly by the Company and may be subject to liens, charges, encumbrances, security interest, restrictions on transfer or other claims of a third party, and (iii) except as otherwise described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(vii) Capitalization. The Company has an authorized, issued and outstanding capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; all the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and are not subject to any preemptive or similar rights; except with respect to preferred stock or preferred units of Cathay Bank’s real estate investment trusts, certain of which are convertible into preferred stock of Cathay Bank, and except as described in or expressly contemplated by the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there a re 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 interests in the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries, nor any contracts, commitments, agreements, understandings or arrangements of any kind relating to the issuance of any capital stock of the Company or any such Significant Subsidiary, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or any such rights, warrants or options; and 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.

(viii) Authorization and Description of Securities. The Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Company have been duly authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to this Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth herein, will be duly and validly issued, will be fully paid and non-assessable and will conform to the description thereof in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and the shareholders of the Company do not have any preemptive or similar rights with respect to the Securities.

(ix) Authorization of Agreement. The Company has full right, power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and perform its obligations hereunder; and all action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery by it of this Agreement and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly and validly taken. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(x) Description of Agreement. This Agreement conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(xi) Stock Options. With respect to the stock options (the “Stock Options”) granted pursuant to the stock-based compensation plans of the Company and its subsidiaries (the “Company Stock Plans”) and except as would not individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) each Stock Option intended to qualify as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Code so qualifies, (ii) each grant of a Stock Option was duly authorized no later than the date on which the grant of such Stock Option was by its terms to be effective (the “Grant Date”) by all necessary corporate action, including, as applicable, approval by the board of directors of the Company (or a duly constituted and authorized committee thereof) and any required stockholder approval by the necessary number of votes or written consents, and the award agreement governing such grant (if any) was duly executed and delivered by each party thereto, (iii) each such grant was made in accordance with the terms of the Company Stock Plans, the 1934 Act and all other applicable laws and regulatory rules or requirements, including the rules of the NASDAQ Global Select Market (the “Exchange”) and any other exchange on which Company securities are traded, and (iv) each such grant was properly accounted for in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the financial statements (including the related notes) of the Company and disclosed in the Company’s filings with the Commission in accordance with the 1934 Act and all other applicable laws.

(xii) Absence of Violations, Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any of its Significant 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 properties or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, or (iii) in viol ation 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.

(xiii) No Resulting Defaults and Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Securities, the compliance by the Company with the terms hereof and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby 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, any material indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other material agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the properties or assets of the Company o r any of its Significant Subsidiaries is subject, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or bylaws of the Company 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; and no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Securities and compliance by the Company with the terms hereof and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, except as have been made or obtained and except as may be required by and made with or obtained from state securities laws or regulations.

(xiv) Absence of Proceedings. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject which would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect or would materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company or its subsidiaries to perform their respective obligations under this Agreement.

(xv) Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference therein or to be filed as exhibits thereto which have not been so described and filed as required.

(xvi) Independent Accountants. KPMG LLP, which 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 and as required by the 1933 Act.

(xvii) Title to Property. The Company and its Significant Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to, or have valid rights to lease or otherwise use, all items of real and personal property that are material to the respective businesses of the Company and its Significant 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) would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xviii) Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the net proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, will not be 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”).

(xix) Absence of Labor Dispute. 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, except for those as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xx) Possession of Intellectual Property. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its Significant Subsidiaries own, possess or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate trademarks, trade names and other rights to inventions, know-how, patents, copyrights, confidential information and other intellectual property (collectively, “intellectual property rights”) necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, or presently employed by them. The Com pany and its Significant Subsidiaries have not received any notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any intellectual property rights that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries, would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxi) Environmental Laws. (i) The Company and its Significant Subsidiaries (A) are in compliance with any and all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws, rules, regulations,

requirements, decisions and orders relating to the protection of human health or safety, the environment, hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (B) have received and are in compliance with all permits, licenses, certificates or other authorizations or approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses, and (C) have not received notice of any actual or potential liability under or relating to any Environmental Laws, including for the investigation or remediation of any disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in any such notice, and (ii) except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, 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 failure to comply, or failure to receive required permits, licenses or approvals, or cost or liability, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxii) Possession of Licenses and Permits. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its Significant Subsidiaries possess adequate certificates, authorities or permits issued by appropriate governmental agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by them. The Company and its Significant Subsidiaries have not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authority or permit that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries, would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Ad verse Effect.

(xxiii) Compliance with ERISA. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect: (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 material compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Code; (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; (iii) for each Plan that is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, no “accumulated funding deficiency” as defined in Section 412 of the Code, whether or not waived, has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; (iv) the fair market value of the assets of each Plan exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such 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, except for any reportable event as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (vi) neither the Company nor any member of its Controlled Group has incurred, nor reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Titl e 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), except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxiv) Disclosure Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain an effective system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the 1934 Act) that is designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that

it files or submits under the 1934 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 Company and its subsidiaries have carried out evaluations of the effectiveness of their disclosure controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 under the 1934 Act.

(xxv) Accounting Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the 1934) that comply with the requirements of the 1934 Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of their respective 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 generally accepted accounting principles, including, but not limited to internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles 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. Other than as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as of December 31, 2008, there were no material weaknesses in the Company’s internal controls.

(xxvi) Insurance. The Company and its Significant 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 the Company believes in its reasonable judgment are adequate to protect the Company and its Significant Subsidiaries and their respective businesses; and neither the Company nor any of its Significant Subsidiaries has (i) received notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that capital improvements or other expenditures are required or necessary to be made in order to continue such insurance or (ii) any reason to believe that it will not be a ble to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage at reasonable cost from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business. The deposit accounts of Cathay Bank are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) to the fullest extent permitted by law and the rules and regulations of the FDIC; and no proceedings for the termination of such insurance are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(xxvii) OFAC. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent or employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently included on the List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (the “SDN List”) maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”); and the Company shall not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Securities 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 included on the SDN List maintained by OFAC.

(xxviii) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent or employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended,

and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA; and the Company, its subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

(xxix) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance 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.

(xxx) Compliance with the 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 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.

(xxxi) Brokerage Commissions. 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 could reasonably be expected to give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or the Underwriters for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities.

(xxxii) Registration Rights. 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, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto with the Commission or the issuance and sale of the Securities.

(xxxiii) Absence of Manipulation. The Company has not taken, 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 Securities.

(xxxiv) Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the 1933 Act and Section 21E of the 1934 Act) contained or incorporated by reference 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.

(xxxv) Company Not Ineligible Issuer. The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” as defined under the 1933 Act and at the times specified in the 1933 Act in connection with the

offering of the Securities. The Company has paid the registration fee for this offering pursuant to Rule 457 under the 1933 Act.

(xxxvi) Statistical and Market-Related Data. Any statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources which the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate and, and such data agree with the sources from which they are derived.

(xxxvii) Absence of Further Requirements. The Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the 1934 Act, and 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 delisting the Common Stock from the Exchange, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission or the Exchange is contemplating terminating such registration or listing. The outstanding shares of the Common Stock have been approved for listing and the Securities being sold hereunder have been approved for listing, subject only to official notice of issuance, on the Exchange.

(xxxviii) Payment of Taxes. The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all federal, state and foreign income and franchise tax returns required to be filed and have paid all taxes (including any interest or penalties imposed with respect thereto by a taxing authority) required to be paid by any of them, except where the failure to file any requisite tax returns or to pay taxes (including any interest or penalties imposed with respect thereto by a taxing authority) would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has made charges, accruals and reserves in its financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in respect of all federal , state and foreign income and franchise taxes for all periods as to which the tax liability of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has not been finally determined. No tax deficiencies have been asserted or threatened against the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except for any tax deficiencies that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxxix) Active Trading. The Common Stock is an “actively-traded security” excepted from the requirements of Rule 101 of Regulation M under the 1934 Act by Rule 101(c)(1) thereunder.

(xl) Compliance with Banking Regulations. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries is in compliance in all respects with all laws administered by, and all rules and regulations of, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve Board”), the FDIC, the California Department of Financial Institutions, and any other federal or state bank regulatory authority with jurisdiction over the Company or its subsidiaries (collectively, “Bank Regulato ry Authorities”), other than where the failure to be in compliance would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and, except as set forth or referenced in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any 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, or has adopted any board of director resolutions at the request of, any Bank Regulatory Authority which currently restricts the conduct of its business, or relates to its capital adequacy, its credit policies or its management, nor have any of them been advised by any Bank Regulatory Authority that it is contemplating issuing or requesting (or is considering the appropriateness of issuing or requ esting) any such order, decree, agreement, memorandum of understanding, extraordinary supervisory letter, commitment letter or similar submission, or any such board of director

resolutions, in each case that are applicable to the Company or its subsidiaries specifically rather than to banks and bank holding companies generally.

(xli) No Registration Rights. Except as described in or expressly contemplated by the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such person or to require the Company to include such securities in the securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company under the 1933 Act.

(b) Officer’s Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered to the Representative or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.

SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.

(a) Initial Securities. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company, at the price per share set forth in Schedule A, the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter, plus any additional number of Initial Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 hereof, bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject, in each case, to such adjustments among the Underwriters as Merr ill Lynch in its sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares.

(b) Option Securities. In addition, on the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional 1,960,227 shares of Common Stock, as set forth in Schedule B-1, at the price per share set forth in Schedule A, less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities. The option hereby granted will expire 30 days after the date hereof and may be exercised in whole or in part from time to time only for the purpose of covering overallotmen ts made in connection with the offering and distribution of the Initial Securities upon notice by the Representative to the Company setting forth the number of Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are then exercising the option and the time and date of payment and delivery for such Option Securities. Any such time and date of delivery (a “Date of Delivery”) shall be determined by the Representative, but shall not be later than seven full business days after the exercise of said option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Time, as hereinafter defined. If the option is exercised as to all or any portion of the Option Securities, each of the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, will purchase that proportion of the total number of Option Securities then being purchased which the number of Initial Securities set fort h in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject, in each case, to such adjustments as Merrill Lynch in its sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares.

(c) Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) for the account of the Underwriters of, the Initial Securities shall be made at the offices of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company, at 9:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the third

(fourth, if the pricing occurs after 4:30 P.M. (New York City time) on any given day) business day after the date hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10), or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called “Closing Time”).

In addition, in the event that any or all of the Option Securities are purchased by the Underwriters, payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of, such Option Securities shall be made at the above-mentioned offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company, on each Date of Delivery as specified in the notice from the Representative to the Company.

Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account designated by the Company, against delivery to the Representative through the facilities of DTC for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of the Securities to be purchased by them. It is understood that each Underwriter has authorized the Representative, for its account, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, which it has agreed to purchase. Merrill Lynch, individually and not as representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Initial Securities or the Option Securities, if any, to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery , as the case may be, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.

(d) Denominations; Registration. The Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, shall be transferred electronically at the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, in such denominations and registered in such names as the Representative may request; provided that any such request must be received in writing at least one full business day before the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be.

SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests. The Company, subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the requirements of Rule 430B and will notify the Representative immediately, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or new registration statement relating to the Securities shall become effective, or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement, the filing of a new registration statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, including any document incorporat ed by reference therein or otherwise deemed to be a part thereof or for additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or such new registration statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(e) of the 1933 Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in connection with the offering of the Securities. The Company will effect all filings required under Rule 424(b), in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and will take such steps as it deems necessary to asc ertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order, prevention or suspension and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting

thereof at the earliest possible moment. The Company shall pay the required Commission filing fees relating to the Securities within the time required by Rule 456(a) of the 1933 Act Regulations and otherwise in accordance with 457 of the 1933 Act Regulations.

(b) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 172”), would be) required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Securi ties, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to (i) amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not include 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, (ii) amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Ac t Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Representative notice of such event, (B) prepare any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Representative with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement; provided that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall timely and reasonably object. The Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request. The Company has given the Representative notice of any filings made pursuant to the 1934 Act or 1934 Act Regulations within 48 hours prior to the Applicable Time; the Company will give the Representative notice of its intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time to the Closing Time and will furnish the Representative with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing, as the case may be, and, subject to applicable laws and regulations, will not file or use any such document to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall timely and reasonably object.

(c) Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

(d) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use its reasonable best efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Representative may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the distribution of the Securities; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is

not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.

(e) Rule 158. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement (which need not be audited) for the purposes of, and to provide to the Underwriters the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.

(f) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities in the manner specified in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under “Use of Proceeds.”

(g) Listing. The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to effect the listing of the Securities on the Exchange.

(h) Restriction on Sale of Securities. During a period of 90 days from the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of Merrill Lynch, (i) directly or indirectly, 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 any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or file any registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such swap or 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. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) the Securities to be sold hereunder, (B) any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof and referred to or incorporated by reference in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (C) any shares of Common Stock issued or options to purchase Common Stock granted pursuant to existing employee benefit plans of the Company referred to in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (D) any shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to any non-employee director stock plan or dividend reinvestment plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) during the last 17 days 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 issue an earnings release 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, the restrictions imposed in this clause (j) shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event.

(i) Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations.

(j) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representative (such consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), it will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided that the Representative will be deemed to have consented to the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses listed on Schedule B-2 hereto and any “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i ) that has been

reviewed by the Representative; provided, further, that, nothing in this Section 3(m) shall restrict the Company from making any filings required under the 1934 Act or 1934 Act Regulations. The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each such free writing prospectus consented to, or deemed consented to, by the Representative as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and that it has complied and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (i) conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein, and any preliminary or other prospectus deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified or (ii) 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 existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representative and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission; provided that this sentence shall not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.

SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses.

(a) Expenses. The Company will pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of this Agreement and such other documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters, including any stock or other transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors, (v) the qualification of the Securities under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(f) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (vi) the printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus, any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and any costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by the Underwriters to investors, (vii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (viii) the costs and expenses (including without limitation any damages or other amounts payable in connection with lega l or contractual liability) associated with the reforming of any contracts for sale of the Securities made by the Underwriters caused by a breach of the representation contained after the second semicolon and before the third semicolon of Section 1(a)(i), (ix) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar for the Securities, (x) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Securities, including without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and the cost of aircraft and other transportation chartered in connection with the road show, (xi) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters in connection with, the review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Securities and (xii) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Securities on the Exchange.

(b) Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representative in accordance with the provisions of Section 5, Section 9(a)(i) or Section 10 hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters.

SECTION 5. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein or in certificates of any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:

(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, has become effective and at Closing Time no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated; and the Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information to the reasonable satisfaction of the counsel to the Underwriters. A prospect us containing the Rule 430B Information shall have been filed with the Commission in the manner and within the time frame required by Rule 424(b) without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed with, and declared effective by, the Commission in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430B. The Company shall have paid the required Commission filing fees relating to the Securities within the time period required by Rule 456(a) of the 1933 Act Regulations and otherwise in accordance with 457 of the 1933 Act Regulations.

(b) Opinions of Counsel for Company. At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of the Closing Time, of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, counsel for the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, to the effect set forth in Exhibit A-1 hereto. At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of the Closing Time, of Perry Oei, Senior Vice President & General Counsel of the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, to the effect set forth in Exhibit A-2 hereto.

(c) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of the Closing Time, of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, counsel for the Underwriters.

(d) Officers’ Certificate. At the Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Representative shall have received a certificate of two executive officers of the Company, dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties of the Co mpany in this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied in all material respects with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement under the 1933 Act has been issued, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been

issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to their knowledge, contemplated.

(e) Chief Financial Officer’s Certificate. At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received a certificate of the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, dated as of the Closing Time, substantially in the form set forth as Exhibit B hereto.

(f) Accountant’s Comfort Letter. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received from KPMG LLP a letter, dated such date, 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 General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(g) Bring-down Comfort Letter. At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received from KPMG LLP, a letter, dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (f) of this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Closing Time.

(h) Approval of Listing. At the Closing Time, the Securities shall have been approved for listing on the Exchange, subject only to official notice of issuance.

(i) No Objection. FINRA has confirmed that it has not raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements relating to the offering of Securities.

(j) Lock-up Agreements. At the date of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto signed by the persons listed on Schedule C hereto.

(k) Maintenance of Rating. Since the execution of this Agreement, there shall not have been any decrease in or withdrawal of the rating of any securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) under the 1933 Act) or any notice given of any intended or potential decrease in or withdrawal of any such rating or of a possible change in any such rating that does not indicate the direction of the possible change.

(l) Conditions to Purchase of Option Securities. In the event that the Underwriters exercise their option provided in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any portion of the Option Securities, the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein and the statements in any certificates furnished by the Company and any of its subsidiaries hereunder shall be true and correct as of each Date of Delivery and, at the relevant Date of Delivery, the Representative shall have received:

(i) Officers’ Certificate. A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of two executive officers of the Company confirming that the certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(d) hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.

(ii) Chief Financial Officer’s Certificate. A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of the Chief Financial Officer of the Company confirming that the certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(e) hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.

(iii) Opinions of Counsel for Company. If requested by the Representative, the favorable opinion of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, counsel for the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(b) hereof. If requested by the Representative, the favorable opinion of Perry Oei, Senior Vice President & General Counsel for the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purcha sed on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(b) hereof.

(iv) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. If requested by the Representative, the favorable opinion of Fried. Frank. Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(c) hereof.

(v) Bring-down Comfort Letter. If requested by the Representative, a letter from KPMG LLP, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative and dated such Date of Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Representative pursuant to Section 5(f) hereof, except that the “specified date” in the letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than three business days prior to such Date of Delivery.

(m) Additional Documents. At the Closing Time and at each Date of Delivery (if any) counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters.

(n) Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement, or, in the case of any condition to the purchase of Option Securities on a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, the obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase the relevant Option Securities, may be terminated by the Representative by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to Closing Time or such Date of Delivery, as the case may be, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 16 and 17 shall survive any such termination and re main in full force and effect.

SECTION 6. Indemnification.

(a) Indemnification of Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) under the 1933 Act (each, an “Affiliate”)), its selling agents and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:

(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430B Information, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue

statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 6(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company;

(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by Merrill Lynch), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;

provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430B Information, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.

(b) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers. Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430B Information, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospe ctus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.

(c) Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. 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 ent itled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, if any, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel selected in accordance with the next sentence, 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 this Section 6 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; provided, however, the indemnifying party shall not, under any of the circ umstances described in clauses (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) below, have the right to assume or direct the defense thereof and shall be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 6 for any

legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses in connection with the defense thereof if, in the reasonable judgment of the indemnified party (i) the use of the counsel chosen by the indemnifying party to represent the indemnified party would present such counsel with a conflict of interest, (ii) representation of the indemnified party by such counsel would be inappropriate due to differing interests between the indemnifying party and any indemnified party, (iii) there are likely to be defenses available to the indemnified party that are different from, or in addition to, the defenses available to the indemnifying party, or (iv) the indemnifying party fails to use reasonable diligence in defending against such action. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by Merrill Lynch, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Sectio n 6(b) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemni fying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding 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) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.

SECTION 7. Contribution. To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) 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 hand, from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and of the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, 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 hand, in connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, on the other hand, in each case as set forth

on the cover of the Prospectus bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Securities as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus.

The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters 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 contribution pursuant to this Section 7 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 Section 7. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses reasonably incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discount or commission applicable to the Securities purchased by the Underwriter hereunder.

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.

For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act and each Underwriter’s Affiliates and selling agents shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to the number of Initial Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.

SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Securities.

SECTION 9. Termination of Agreement.

(a) Termination. The Representative may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company, at any time at or prior to the Closing Time (i) if there has been, in the judgment of the Representative, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course

of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representative, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission or the Exchange, or (iv) if trading generally on the American Stock Exchange or the New York Stock Exchange or in the Nasdaq Global Market has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for price s have been required, by any of said exchanges or by order of the Commission, FINRA or any other governmental authority, or (v) a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States or with respect to Clearstream or Euroclear systems in Europe, or (vi) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal or New York authorities.

(b) Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 16 and 17 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters. If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at the Closing Time or a Date of Delivery to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the “Defaulted Securities”), the Representative shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representative shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24-hour period, then:

(i) if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, each of the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or

(ii) if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, this Agreement or, with respect to any Date of Delivery which occurs after the Closing Time, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase, and the Company to sell, the Option Securities to be purchased and sold on such Date of Delivery shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.

No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.

In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Agreement or, in the case of a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, which does not result in a termination of the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase and the Company to sell the relevant Option Securities, as the case may be, either the (i) Representative or (ii) the Company shall have the right to postpone Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10.

SECTION 11. Default by the Company. If the Company shall fail at the Closing Time or a Date of Delivery, as the case may be, to sell the number of Securities that it is obligated to sell hereunder, then this Agreement shall terminate without any liability on the part of any nondefaulting party; provided, however, that the provisions of Sections 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 16 and 17 shall remain in full force and effect. No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve the Company from liability, if any, in respect of such default.

SECTION 12. Tax Disclosure. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, immediately upon commencement of discussions with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby, the Company (and each employee, representative or other agent of the Company) may disclose to any and all persons, without limitation of any kind, the tax treatment and tax structure of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and all materials of any kind (including opinions or other tax analyses) that are provided to the Company relating to such tax treatment and tax structure. For purposes of the foregoing, the term “tax treatment” is the purported or claimed federal income tax treatment of the transactions contemplated he reby, and the term “tax structure” includes any fact that may be relevant to understanding the purported or claimed federal income tax treatment of the transactions contemplated hereby.

SECTION 13. Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to Merrill Lynch at One Bryant Park, New York, New York 10036, attention of Syndicate Department, with a copy to ECM Legal; notices to the Company shall be directed to it at 777 North Broadway, Los Angeles, California 90012, attention of General Counsel.

SECTION 14. No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the public offering price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering of the Securities and the process leading thereto, each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, any of its subsidiaries, or its respective stockholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (c) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering of the Securities or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company or any of its subsidiaries on other matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Company with respect to the offering of the Securities except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company, and (e) the Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering of the Securities and the Company has consulted its own respective legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.

SECTION 15. Parties. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters, the Company and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriters, the Company and their respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters, the Company and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm

or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.

SECTION 16. Trial by Jury. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

SECTION 17. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF, THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

SECTION 18. TIME. TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.

SECTION 19. Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

SECTION 20. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed 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 Agreement.

SECTION 21. Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement among the Underwriters and the Company in accordance with its terms.

Very truly yours,

CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP

By /s/ Heng W. Chen
Name: Heng W. Chen
Title: Executive Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer

CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,
            as of the date first above written:

MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
                              INCORPORATED

By: MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
                                     INCORPORATED

By /s/ Aaron Packles
Authorized Signatory

For itself and as Representative of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.

SCHEDULE A

The initial public offering price per share for the Securities shall be $8.80.

The purchase price per share for the Securities to be paid by the several Underwriters shall be $8.36, being an amount equal to the initial public offering price set forth above less $0.44 per share, subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 2(b) for dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities.


	Number of Initial Securities
Name of Underwriter	Number of Initial Securities

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated	9,801,137
Goldman, Sachs & Co	3,267,045
Total	13,068,182

Sch A-1

SCHEDULE B-1

Pricing Terms

1. The Company is selling 13,068,182 shares of Common Stock.

2. The Company has granted an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional 1,960,227 shares of Common Stock.

3. The initial public offering price per share for the Securities shall be $8.80.

Sch B - 1

SCHEDULE B-2

Free Writing Prospectuses

N/A

Sch B - 2

SCHEDULE C

Michael M.Y. Chang
Anthony M. Tang
Thomas G. Tartaglia
Peter Wu
Kelly L. Chan
Dunson K. Cheng
Thomas C.T. Chiu
Joseph C.H. Poon
Patrick S.D. Lee
Ting Y. Liu
Nelson Chung
Heng W. Chen
Irwin Wong
Kim R. Bingham
Perry P. Oei

Sch C - 1

Exhibit C

[Form of lock-up from directors, officers or other stockholders pursuant to Section 5(j)]

January [ ], 2010

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated,

as Representative of the several
Underwriters to be named in the
within-mentioned Purchase Agreement

One Bryant Park
New York, New York 10036

Re: Proposed Public Offering by Cathay General Bancorp

Dear Sirs:

The undersigned, a stockholder and an officer and/or director of Cathay General Bancorp, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), understands that Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“Merrill Lynch”) proposes to enter into a Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) with the Company providing for the public offering of shares (the “Securities”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”). In recognition of the benefit that such an offering will confer upon the undersigned as a stockholder and an officer and/or director of the Company, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the undersigned agrees with each underwriter to be named in the Purchase Agreement that, during a period of 90 days from the date of the Pu rchase Agreement, the undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of Merrill Lynch, directly or indirectly, (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 for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of or transfer any shares of the Company’s Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Common Stock, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition, or file, or cause to be filed, any registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with respect to any of the foregoing (collectively, the “Lock-Up Securities”) or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Lock-Up Securities, whether any such swa p or transaction is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if:

(1) during the last 17 days of the 90-day lock-up 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 lock-up 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 lock-up period,

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the restrictions imposed by this lock-up agreement shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event, as applicable, unless Merrill Lynch waives, in writing, such extension.

The undersigned hereby acknowledges and agrees that written notice of any extension of the 90-day lock-up period pursuant to the previous paragraph will be delivered by Merrill Lynch to the Company (in accordance with Section 13 of the Purchase Agreement) and that any such notice properly delivered will be deemed to have been given to, and received by, the undersigned. The undersigned further agrees that, prior to engaging in any transaction or taking any other action that is subject to the terms of this lock-up agreement during the period from the date of this lock-up agreement to and including the 34^thday following the expiration of the initial 90-day lock-up period, it will give notice thereof to the Company and will not con summate such transaction or take any such action unless it has received written confirmation from the Company that the 90-day lock-up period (as may have been extended pursuant to the previous paragraph) has expired.

The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the Lock-Up Securities except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.

Very truly yours,

Signature:
Print Name:

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