1,379,690 Shares HEARTLAND FINANCIAL USA, INC. (a Delaware corporation) Common Stock UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

 

 

 

 

 

Raymond James & Associates, Inc.

880 Carillon Parkway

St. Petersburg, Florida 33716

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Heartland Financial USA, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), confirms its agreement with Raymond James & Associates, Inc. (the “Underwriter”), with respect to the sale by the Company and the purchase by the Underwriter of an aggregate of 1,379,690 shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, $1.00 par value per share (the “Common Stock”). The Shares are described in the Prospectus, which is referred to below.

 

The Company understands that the Underwriter proposes to make a public offering of the Shares as soon as the Underwriter deems advisable after this Agreement has been executed and delivered.

 

The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) an automatic shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-212764) covering the public offering and sale of certain securities, including the Shares, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “1933 Act Regulations”), which automatic shelf registration statement became effective under Rule 462(e) under the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 462(e)”). Such registration statement, as of any time, means such registration statement as amended by any post-effective amendments thereto to such time, including the exhibits and any schedules thereto at such time, the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act or otherwise and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to Rule 430B under the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 430B”), and is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement;” provided, however, that the “Registration Statement” without reference to a time means such registration statement as amended by any post-effective amendments thereto as of the time of the first contract of sale for the Shares, which time shall be considered the “new effective date” of such registration statement with respect to the Shares within the meaning of paragraph (f)(2) of Rule 430B, including the exhibits and schedules thereto as of such time, the documents incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act or otherwise and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to Rule 430B. Each preliminary prospectus used in connection with the offering of the Shares that omitted information in reliance on Rule 430B, including the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act or otherwise, is referred to herein as a “preliminary prospectus.” Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a final prospectus relating to the Shares in accordance with the provisions of Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 424(b)”). The final prospectus, in the form first furnished or made available to the Underwriter for use in connection with the offering of the Shares, including the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act or otherwise, is referred to herein as the “Prospectus.” For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (“EDGAR”).

As used in this Agreement:

 

“Applicable Time” means 4:04 p.m., New York City time, on November 2, 2016, or such other time as agreed by the Company and the Underwriter.

 

“General Disclosure Package” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses issued at or prior to the Applicable Time and the preliminary prospectus (including any documents incorporated therein by reference) and the information included on Schedule A hereto, all considered together.

 

“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 (“Rule 405”)) relating to the Shares 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 Shares 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).

 

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

 

SECTION 1.    Representations and Warranties.

 

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

 

(i)    Registration Statement and Prospectuses. The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement” (as defined in Rule 405) and the Shares have been and remain eligible for registration by the Company on such automatic shelf registration statement.

 

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 Company’s knowledge, contemplated. The Company has complied to the Commission’s satisfaction with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.

 

Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time of its effectiveness and at each deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriter pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) under the 1933 Act Regulations, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations. Each preliminary prospectus (including the prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto), at the time it was filed, complied in all material respects with the 1933 Act Regulations and each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus delivered to the Underwriter for use in connection with this offering was virtually identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, when they became effective or 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 promulgated thereunder (the “1934 Act Regulations”).

 

(ii)    Accurate Disclosure. Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at its effective time or at the Closing Time, contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. As of the Applicable Time, neither (A) the General Disclosure Package nor (B) any individual Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto (including any prospectus wrapper), as of its issue date, at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) or at the Closing Time, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), 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 the Underwriter expressly for use therein. For purposes of this Agreement, the only information so furnished shall be the information in the third, seventh and ninth paragraphs under the heading “Underwriting” in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) (collectively, the “Underwriter Information”).

 

(iii)    Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. No Issuer Free Writing Prospectus 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. Any offer that is a written communication relating to the Shares made prior to the initial filing of the 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 under 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.

 

(iv)    Well-Known Seasoned Issuer. (A) At the original effectiveness of the Registration Statement, (B) at the time of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the 1933 Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act or form of prospectus), (C) at the time the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c) under the 1933 Act) made any offer relating to the Shares in reliance on the exemption of Rule 163 under the 1933 Act and (D) as of the Execution Time, the Company was and is a “well-known seasoned issuer” (as defined in Rule 405).

 

(v)     Company Not Ineligible Issuer. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations) of the Shares and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer.

(vi)    Independent Accountants. KPMG LLP, who have expressed their opinion with respect to the financial statements and supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement are independent public accountants as required by the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act, the 1934 Act Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

 

(vii)    Financial Statements. The financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the results of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the periods specified; said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The supporting schedules, if any, present fairly, in all material respects, in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language incorporated by reference in

the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in all material respects in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

 

(viii)    No Material Adverse Change in Business. Except as set forth or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since the end of the period covered by the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (A) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries (as defined) considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”), (B) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has incurred or undertaken any liabilities or obligations, whether direct or indirect, liquidated or contingent, matured or unmatured, or entered into any transactions, including any acquisition or disposition of any business or asset, which are material to the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, and (C) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock.

 

(ix)    Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in 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 failure 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 (the “BHCA”). The Company is not aware of any circumstances that would preclude the Company from exercising the authorities available to a bank holding company under the BHCA and regulations of the Federal Reserve Board, except where such circumstances would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(x)    Good Standing of Subsidiaries. Each subsidiary of the Company identified on Schedule C hereto (each, a “Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Subsidiaries”) has been duly organized and is validly existing in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, has corporate or similar power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package and 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. Each Subsidiary of the Company which conducts business as a bank is duly authorized to conduct such banking business in each jurisdiction in which such banking business is conducted or is validly existing as a national banking association under the laws of the United States, except in each case where the failure to be so authorized or be in valid existence would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. Each Subsidiary of the Company which conducts business as a bank is a member in good-standing of the Federal Home Loan Bank. Except as otherwise disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance or claim. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary was issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of such Subsidiary. The only subsidiaries of the Company are (a) the subsidiaries listed on Exhibit 21.1 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, and (b) certain other unregulated subsidiaries which, considered in the aggregate as a single subsidiary, do not constitute a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X.

 

(xi)     Capitalization. The authorized, issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are as set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (except for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to this Agreement, pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise or conversion of convertible securities or options referred to in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus). The outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company was issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.

 

(xii)    Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company.

 

(xiii)    Authorization and Description of Shares. The Shares to be purchased by the Underwriter from the Company have been duly authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriter 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 validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable; and the issuance of the Shares is not subject to the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company. The Shares conform in all material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and such description conforms to the rights set forth in the instruments defining the same. No holder of Shares will be subject to personal liability by reason of being such a holder.

 

(xiv)    Registration Rights. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no persons with registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities registered for sale pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise registered for sale by the Company under the 1933 Act.

 

(xv)    Absence of Violations, Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (A) in violation of its charter, by-laws or similar organizational document, (B) in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound or to which any of the properties or assets of the Company or any subsidiary is subject, except for such defaults that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (C) in violation of any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any arbitrator, court, governmental body, regulatory body, administrative agency or other authority, body or agency having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, assets or operations (each, a “Governmental Entity”), except for such violations that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xvi)    No Resulting Defaults and Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Shares, the compliance by the Company with the terms hereof and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and 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 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, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or bylaws (or similar organizational document) of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (iii) result in the violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, for any such conflict, breach, violation or default that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; 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 Shares 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.

 

(xvii)    Absence of Labor Dispute. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent, which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xviii)    Absence of Proceedings. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and 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 or assets 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.

 

(xix)    Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or to be filed as exhibits thereto that have not been so described and filed as required.

 

(xx)    Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any Governmental Entity is necessary or required for the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, in connection with the Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such as have been already obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the rules of The NASDAQ Global Select Market, state securities laws or the rules of Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).

 

(xxi)    Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries possess adequate certificates, authorities or permits issued by appropriate Governmental Entities necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, except where the failure so to possess would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has 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 subsidiaries, would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xxii)    Compliance with Regulations. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries is in compliance, in all material respects, in the conduct of its business, with all applicable federal, state, local statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders or decrees applicable thereto or to the employees conducting such businesses, including the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Fair Housing Act, the Community Reinvestment Act, the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, all other applicable fair lending laws or other laws relating to discrimination and the Bank Secrecy Act, and, as of the date hereof, its subsidiaries that is an insured depository institution has a Community Reinvestment Act rating of “satisfactory” or better, except for failures to be so in compliance that would not individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; and, except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, 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 applicable federal or state 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 applicable federal or state bank regulatory authority that it is contemplating issuing or requesting (or is considering the appropriateness of issuing or requesting) 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. Neither the Company nor any subsidiary has received any communication from any governmental entity asserting that the Company or any subsidiary is not in compliance with any statute, law, rule, regulation, decision, directive or order except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xxiii)    Title to Property. The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real property owned by them and good title to all other properties owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all liens, security interests, claims or encumbrances of any kind except such as (A) are described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (B) would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xxiv)    Possession of Intellectual Property. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have, singly or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names or other intellectual property (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) necessary to carry on the business now operated by them, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice or is otherwise aware of any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or circumstances which would render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Company or any of its subsidiaries therein, and which infringement or conflict (if the subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xxv)    Environmental Laws. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or would not individually or in the aggregate reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (i) the Company and its subsidiaries (A) are in compliance with 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

and are in compliance with all permits, licenses, certificates or other authorizations or approvals required under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses, and (C) have not received, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any notice of any actual or potential liability or claim under or relating to any Environmental Laws and (ii) there are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws of or relating to the Company or its subsidiaries.

 

(xxvi)    Accounting Controls and Disclosure Controls. The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain effective “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) and Rule 15d-15(f) of the 1934 Act Regulations) and a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated). The Company maintains an effective system of disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the 1934 Act Regulations) that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the 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, and is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer or officers and principal financial officer or officers, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure and to make the certifications of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company required under the 1934 Act with respect to such reports. Since the date of the filing of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been no change in internal control or in other factors that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

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

 

(xxviii)    Payment of Taxes. The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all federal, state and local income and other material tax returns that they were required by law to file (taking into account any valid extensions thereof), and all taxes required to be paid by the Company and each of its subsidiaries that are due and payable have been paid, except for such taxes as are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and as to which adequate reserves have been established by the Company and its subsidiaries or except where the failure to pay such taxes would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xxix)    Insurance. The Company and its subsidiaries carry or are entitled to the benefits of insurance, with financially sound and reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks as is generally maintained by companies of established repute engaged in the same or similar business, and all such insurance is in full force and effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has (A) 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 (B) any reason to believe that it will not be able (x) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (y) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. The deposit accounts of each subsidiary of the Company which conducts business as a 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 such subsidiaries have paid all premiums and assessments required by the FDIC and the rules and regulations thereunder and no proceeding for the termination or revocation of such insurance is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

(xxx)    Investment Company Act. The Company is not required, and upon the issuance and sale of the Shares as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not be required, to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(xxxi)    Absence of Manipulation. Neither the Company nor any controlled affiliate of the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any other affiliate of the Company, has taken or will take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed, or would reasonably be expected, to cause or result in, or which has constituted, a violation of Regulation M under the 1934 Act or the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.

 

(xxxii)    Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf 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 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.

(xxxiii)    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 Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), 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 Entity (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

(xxxiv)    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. Treasury Department (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the sale of the Shares, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any of its subsidiaries, joint venture partners or other person, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently included on the SDN List by OFAC.

 

(xxxv)     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 Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares.

 

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

(xxxvii)    ERISA Compliance. The Company is in compliance in all material respects with all presently applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (“ERISA”); no “reportable event” (as defined in ERISA) has occurred with respect to any “pension plan” (as defined in ERISA) for which the Company would have any liability; the Company has not incurred and does not expect to incur liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of, or withdrawal from, any “pension plan” or (ii) Sections 412 or 4971 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the “Code”); and each “pension plan” for which the Company would have any liability that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified in all material respects and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.

(xxxviii) Common Stock Registration. The Common Stock has been registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the 1934 Act. The shares of Common Stock are listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market, 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 de-listing the Common Stock from the Nasdaq Stock Market, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission or the Nasdaq Stock Market is contemplating terminating such registration or listing.

(xxxix)    Mortgage Banking Operations. Except as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect: (A) the Company and its subsidiaries have complied with, and all documentation in connection with the origination, processing, underwriting and credit approval of any mortgage loan originated, purchased or serviced by the Company or its subsidiaries satisfied, (i) all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations with respect to the origination, insuring, purchase, sale, pooling, servicing, subservicing, or filing of claims in connection with mortgage loans, including all laws relating to real estate settlement procedures, consumer credit protection, truth in lending laws, usury limitations, fair housing, transfers of servicing, collection practices, equal credit opportunity and adjustable rate mortgages, (ii) the responsibilities and obligations relating to mortgage loans set forth in any agreement between the Company or its subsidiaries and any Agency, Loan Investor or Insurer (as such terms are hereinafter defined), (iii) the applicable rules, regulations, guidelines, handbooks and other requirements of any Agency, Loan Investor or Insurer and (iv) the terms and provisions of any mortgage or other collateral documents and other loan documents with respect to each mortgage loan; and (B) no Agency, Loan Investor or Insurer has (i) claimed in writing that the Company or its subsidiaries has violated or has not complied with the applicable underwriting standards with respect to mortgage loans sold by the Company or its subsidiaries to a Loan Investor or Agency, or with respect to any sale of mortgage servicing rights to a Loan Investor, (ii) imposed in writing restrictions on the activities (including commitment authority) of the Company or its subsidiaries or (iii) indicated in writing to the Company or its subsidiaries that it has terminated or intends to terminate its relationship with the Company or its subsidiaries for poor performance, poor loan quality or concern with respect the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ compliance with laws.

For purposes hereof (X) “Agency” means the Federal Housing Administration, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, the Federal National Mortgage Association, the Federal National Mortgage Association, the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs, the Rural Development Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or any other federal or state agency with authority to (i) determine any investment, origination, lending or servicing requirements with regard to mortgage loans originated, purchased or serviced by the Company or its subsidiaries or (ii) originate, purchase, or service mortgage loans, or otherwise promote mortgage lending, including state and local housing finance authorities; (Y) “Loan Investor” means any person (including an Agency) having a beneficial interest in any mortgage loan originated, purchased or serviced by the Company or its subsidiaries or a security backed by or representing an interest in any such mortgage loan; and (Z) “Insurer” means a person who insures or guarantees for the benefit of the mortgagee all or any portion of the risk of loss upon borrower default on any of the mortgage loans originated, purchased or serviced by the Company or its subsidiaries, including the Federal Housing Administration, the United States Department of Veterans’ Affairs, the Rural Housing Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and any private mortgage insurer, and providers of hazard, title or other insurance with respect to such mortgage loans or the related collateral.

 

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

 

SECTION 2.     Sale and Delivery to Underwriter; Closing.

 

(a)     The Shares. 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 the Underwriter and the Underwriter agrees to purchase from the Company, the Shares at a purchase price of $36.24 per Share.  The Underwriter may offer the Shares in transactions on The NASDAQ Global Select Market, in the over-the-counter market or through negotiated transactions at market prices or at negotiated prices.

 

(b)     Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) for the account of the Underwriter of, the Shares shall be made at the offices of Luse Gorman, PC, 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Suite 780, Washington, DC 20015, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Underwriter 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, or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Underwriter and the Company (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called “Closing Time”).

 

Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account designated by the Company against delivery through the facilities of DTC to the Underwriter for its account of the Shares to be purchased by the Underwriter.

 

(c)     Denominations; Registration. The Shares shall be transferred electronically at the Closing Time, in such denominations and registered in such names as the Underwriter may request in writing at least one full business day prior to the Closing Time.

 

SECTION 3.     Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with the 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 Underwriter promptly, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the 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 or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein 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 thereto 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 Shares 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 Shares. 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 ascertain 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.

 

(b)     Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Shares as contemplated in this Agreement and in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Shares 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 Shares, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriter 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 Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Underwriter 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 Underwriter 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 Underwriter or counsel for the Underwriter shall reasonably object. The Company will furnish to the Underwriter such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriter may reasonably request. The Company has given the Underwriter notice of any filings made by it pursuant to the 1934 Act or 1934 Act Regulations within 48 hours prior to the Applicable Time; the Company will give the Underwriter notice of its intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time to the Closing Time and will furnish the Underwriter with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing, as the case may be, and, subject to the requirements of applicable laws and regulations, will not file or use any such document to which the Underwriter or counsel for the Underwriter shall reasonably object.

 

(c)     Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company will furnish or deliver to the Underwriter and counsel for the Underwriter, without charge, upon request, (i) signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein) and (ii) signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts.  The Company will also deliver to the Underwriter, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for the Underwriter. The copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment

thereto furnished to the Underwriter 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)     Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to the Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus as the 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 the Underwriter, without charge, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Shares 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 the Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriter 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.

 

(e)     Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to arrange, if necessary, for the qualification of the Shares for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions as the Underwriter may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the distribution of the Shares; 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.

 

(f)     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 for the purposes of, and to provide to the Underwriter the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.

(g)     Listing. The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to effect the listing of the Shares on The NASDAQ Global Select Market and maintain such listing.

 

(h)     Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Shares 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 1934 Act Regulations.

 

(i)     Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Underwriter and subject to the requirements of the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations, it will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” 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 Underwriter will be deemed to have consented to the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses listed on Schedule B hereto, if any, and any “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) that has been reviewed by the Underwriter. 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 Underwriter 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 conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading (other than with respect to any Underwriter Information), the Company will promptly notify the Underwriter 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.

 

(j)      Lock-Up.  For a period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the 60th day after the date of the Prospectus (the “Lock-Up Period”), the Company agrees not to, directly or indirectly, without the prior written consent of the Underwriter, (1) offer for sale, sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed to, or would be reasonably expected to, result in the disposition by any person at any time in the future of) any shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock or sell or grant options, rights or warrants with respect to any shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, (2) enter into any swap or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic benefits or risks of ownership of such shares of Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise, (3) file or cause to be filed a registration statement, including any amendments, with respect to the registration under the 1933 Act for the offer and sale by the Company of any shares of Common Stock or securities convertible, exercisable or exchangeable into Common Stock or any other securities of the

Company or (4) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing. The restrictions contained in the preceding sentence shall not apply to any one or more of the following: (A) the Shares to be sold hereunder and any post-effective amendments to the Registration Statement filed consistent with the terms of this Agreement, (B) the issuance of shares of Common Stock, restricted stock units, options to purchase Common Stock or units pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified stock option plans or other employee compensation plans in effect on the date of this Agreement or pursuant to currently outstanding restricted stock units, options, warrants or rights, (C) the conversion, exercise, or exchange of options, warrants or other securities of the Company convertible into, exercisable for, or exchangeable for Common Stock of the Company outstanding as of the date of this Agreement or issued pursuant to a duly adopted rights plan, and (D) the filing of a registration statement on Form S-4 or issuance of shares of Common Stock in respect of any acquisition or merger transactions so long as the aggregate number of shares to be issued in such transactions during the Lock-Up Period does not exceed ten percent (10%) of the Company’s then outstanding Common Stock.

 

The Company agrees to cause each officer and director of the Company set forth on Schedule D hereto to furnish to the Underwriter, prior to the Closing Date, a letter or letters, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto (the “Lock-Up Agreements”).

 

SECTION 4.      Payment of Expenses.

 

(a)     Expenses. The Company will pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of their 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, issuance and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriter, including any stock or other transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Shares to the Underwriter, (iii) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors, (iv) the qualification of the Shares under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(e) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriter in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (v) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriter of copies of each preliminary prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, (vi) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar for the Shares, (vii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Shares, 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, (viii) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriter in connection with, the review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Shares, if any (ix) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Shares on The NASDAQ Global Select Market and (x) the costs and expenses (including, without limitation, any damages or other amounts payable in connection with legal or contractual liability) associated with the reforming of any contracts for sale of the Shares made by the Underwriter caused by a breach of the representation contained in the third sentence of Section 1(a)(ii) (subject to the second paragraph of Section 1(a)(ii)).

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

 

SECTION 5.     Conditions of Underwriter’s Obligations. The obligations of the Underwriter 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 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, to the Commission’s satisfaction, with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.

 

(b)     Opinion of Counsel for Company. At the Closing Time, the Underwriter shall have received the favorable opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Dorsey & Whitney LLP, counsel for the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriter.

 

(c)     Opinion of General Counsel of Company. At the Closing Time, the Underwriter shall have received the favorable opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Michael J. Coyle, Executive Vice President, Senior General Counsel and Secretary of the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriter.

 

(d)     Opinion of Counsel for Underwriter. At Closing Time, the Underwriter shall have received the favorable opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Luse Gorman, PC, counsel for the Underwriter.

 

(e)     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 Underwriter shall have received a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer or President of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties of the Company 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.

 

(f)     Accountant’s Comfort Letter. At the Execution Time, the Underwriter shall have received from KPMG LLP a letter, dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriter, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriter 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 Underwriter 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)     Lock-Up Agreements. At or prior to the Closing Time, the Underwriter shall have received the written Lock-Up Agreements substantially in the form attached as Exhibit A from each of the Company’s officers and directors listed in Schedule D.

 

(i)     Additional Documents. At the Closing Time, counsel for the Underwriter shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Shares 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 Shares as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Underwriter and counsel for the Underwriter.

 

(j)     Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement may be terminated by the Underwriter by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to Closing Time 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, 14 and 15 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.

 

SECTION 6.     Indemnification.

 

(a)     Indemnification of Underwriter. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriter, each of its directors and officers, 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 the 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 or based on untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, 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 the Underwriter), 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 any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, 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. The Underwriter 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 any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (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 entitled 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 circumstances 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 the Underwriter, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 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 indemnifying 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 Underwriter, on the other hand, from the offering of the Shares 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 Underwriter, 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 Underwriter, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriter, 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 Shares as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus.

 

The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, 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 Underwriter and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

 

The Company and the Underwriter agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation 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 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, the Underwriter shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which the Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

 

No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

 

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 the Underwriter’s Affiliates and selling agents shall have the same rights to contribution as the 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.

 

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 the Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling the Underwriter, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Shares.

 

SECTION 9.    Termination of Agreement.

 

(a)     Termination. The Underwriter may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company, at any time at or prior to the Closing Time (i) if there has been, 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, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Underwriter, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the completion of the offering or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Shares, 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 Underwriter, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the completion of the offering or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Shares, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission or The NASDAQ Global Select Market where trading has not been suspended or materially limited as described in the immediately following clause, or (iv) if trading generally on 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 prices 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 (vi) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either federal or New York State 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, 14 and 15 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.

 

SECTION 10.     Default by the Company. If the Company shall fail at the Closing Time to sell the number of Shares that it is obligated to sell hereunder, then this Agreement shall terminate without any liability on the part of any non-defaulting party; provided, however, that the provisions of Sections 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 14 and 15 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 11.     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 Underwriter shall be directed to Raymond James & Associates, Inc. at 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, Florida 33716, Attention: John Critchlow, and a copy to Luse Gorman, PC, 5335 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Suite 780, Washington, DC 20015, attention of Marc Levy; notices to the Company shall be directed to it at Heartland Financial USA, Inc., 1398 Central Avenue, Dubuque, Iowa 52001, attention of Michael J. Coyle, with a copy to Dorsey & Whitney LLP, 50 South Sixth Street Suite 1500, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402, attention of Jonathan B. Abram.

 

SECTION 12.     No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the initial public offering price of the Shares and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s -length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering of the Shares and the process leading thereto, the 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 Shares or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether the Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company or any of its subsidiaries on other matters) and the Underwriter has no obligation to the Company with respect to the offering of the Shares except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriter and its affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company, and (e) the Underwriter has not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering of the Shares and the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.

 

SECTION 13.     Parties. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriter, 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 Underwriter, 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 Underwriter, 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 Shares from the Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.

 

SECTION 14.     Trial by Jury. Each of the Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) and the Underwriter 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 15.     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 WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS CHOICE OF LAW PROVISIONS.

 

SECTION 16.      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 17.     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 18.     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 19.     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 between the Underwriter and the Company in accordance with its terms.

    

 

 

The public offering price per Share shall be variable.

 

The purchase price per Share to be paid by the Underwriter shall be $36.24.

 

The total number of Shares to be sold by the Company to the Underwriter shall be 1,379,690.

 

 

None.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HEARTLAND FINANCIAL USA, INC.

1398 Central Avenue

Dubuque, Iowa 52001

 

RAYMOND JAMES & ASSOCIATES, INC.

880 Carillon Parkway

St. Petersburg, FL 33716

 

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

This letter agreement is delivered to you pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) to be entered into by the Company, as issuer, and Raymond James & Associates, Inc., the underwriter (the “Underwriter”). Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Underwriting Agreement, the Underwriter intends to effect a public offering of shares of Common Stock, $1.00 par value per share, of the Company (the “Shares”), as described in and contemplated by the registration statement of the Company on Form S-3, File No. 333-212764 (the “Registration Statement”), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 29, 2016, as amended (the “Offering”).  Terms used herein, but not defined, shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the Underwriting Agreement.

 

The undersigned recognizes that it is in the best financial interests of the undersigned, as an officer or director, or an owner of Common Stock, options, warrants, performance units or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock of the Company (the “Company Securities”), that the undersigned not sell Company Securities in the public market for a reasonable period following the Offering.

 

The undersigned further recognizes that the Company Securities held by the undersigned are, or may be, subject to certain restrictions on transferability, including those imposed by United States federal securities laws. Notwithstanding these restrictions, the undersigned has agreed to enter into this letter agreement to further assure the Underwriter that the Company Securities of the undersigned, now held or hereafter acquired, will not enter the public market at a time that might impair the underwriting effort.

 

Therefore, as an inducement to the Underwriter to execute the Underwriting Agreement, the undersigned hereby acknowledges and agrees that the undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of the Underwriter, (1) offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of (collectively, a “Disposition”) any Company Securities or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or any rights to purchase or otherwise acquire, any Company Securities held by the undersigned or acquired by the undersigned after the date hereof, or that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned (collectively, the “Lock-Up Shares”), pursuant to the Rules and Regulations promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), for a period commencing on the date hereof and ending 60 days after the date of the Underwriting Agreement, inclusive (the “Lock-Up Period”), (2) exercise or seek to exercise or effectuate in any manner any rights of any nature that the undersigned has or may have hereafter to require the Company to register under the Act the undersigned’s Disposition of any of the Lock-Up Shares held by the undersigned, (3) otherwise participate as a selling securityholder in any manner in any registration of Lock-Up Shares effected by the Company under the Act, including under the Registration Statement, during the Lock-Up Period, or (4) engage in any hedging, collar (whether or not for any consideration) or other transaction that is designed to or reasonably expected to lead to or result in a Disposition of Lock-Up Shares during the Lock-Up Period, even if such Lock-Up Shares would be disposed of by someone other than such holder, and such prohibited hedging or other transactions would include any short sale or any purchase, sale or grant of any right (including any put or call option or reversal or cancellation thereof) with respect to any Lock-Up Shares or with respect to any security (other than a broad-based market basket or index) that includes, relates to or derives any significant part of its value from Lock-Up Shares.

 

Notwithstanding the agreement not to make any Disposition during the Lock-Up Period, the Underwriter has agreed that the foregoing restrictions shall not apply to:

 

 

 

 

 

provided that in the case of any transfer, gift or other disposition pursuant to the immediately preceding clauses (1) or (2), except in the case of a bona fide gift to a charitable organization, the transferee, trust, donee or other recipient agrees to be bound in writing by the terms of this letter agreement prior to such transfer and no filing by any party (donor, donee, transferor or transferee) under the Exchange Act shall be required or shall be voluntarily made in connection with such transfer (other than required filings under Section 16(a) and Section 13(d) or 13(g) of the Exchange Act and any filings made after the expiration of the Lock-Up Period).  For purposes of clause (10) above, “Change of Control” shall mean any bona fide third party tender offer, merger, amalgamation, consolidation or other similar transaction the result of which would be that any “person” (as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), or group of persons, other than the Company, becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 of the Exchange Act) of more than 50% of the total voting power of the voting stock of the Company.

 

Furthermore, the undersigned may, during the Lock-Up Period, sell shares of Common Stock purchased by the undersigned on the open market following the closing of the Offering if and only if (i) such sales are not required to be reported in any public report or filing under the Exchange Act and (ii) the undersigned does not otherwise voluntarily effect any public report or filing regarding such sales.

 

It is understood that, if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof that survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Shares, the Underwriter will release the undersigned from the obligations under this letter agreement.

In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company and its transfer agent and registrar are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of Lock-Up Shares if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this letter agreement. This letter agreement shall be binding on the undersigned and the respective successors, heirs, personal representatives and assigns of the undersigned. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein have the respective meanings assigned to such terms in the Underwriting Agreement.