Section 13.Rights Upon Liquidation. In case: (i) the Company shall make any distribution of its assets to holders of its shares of Common Stock as a liquidation or partial liquidation dividend or by way of return of capital, or other than as a dividend payable out of capital and unimpaired surplus legally available for dividends under California law; or (ii) the Company shall liquidate, dissolve or wind up its affairs (other than in connection with a consolidation, merger or sale of all or substantially all of its property, assets, and business as an entirety), then the Company shall cause to be mailed to each holder, by first class mail, postage prepaid, at least 20 days prior to the applicable record date, a notice stating the date on which such distribution, liquidation, dissolution or winding up is expected to become effective, and the date on which it is expected that holders of shares of Common Stock of record shall be entitled to exchange their shares of Common Stock for securities or other property or assets (including cash) deliverable upon such distribution, liquidation, dissolution or winding up. The Company’s failure to give the notice required by this Section 13 or any defect therein shall not affect the validity of such distribution, liquidation, dissolution or winding up.
Section 14.Fractional Shares of Common Stock.
Section 15.Agreement of Warrant Certificate Holders. Every holder of a Warrant Certificate by accepting the same consents and agrees with the Company and the Warrant Agent and with every other holder of a Warrant Certificate that:
thereof and of the Warrants evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Warrant Certificates made by anyone other than the Company or the Warrant Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Warrant Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.
Section 16.Warrant Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder. No holder, as such, of any Warrant Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends or distributions on, or be deemed for any purpose the holder of Common Stock or any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Warrants represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Warrant Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Warrant Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting shareholders, or to receive dividends or distributions or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Warrant or Warrants evidenced by such Warrant Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof
Section 17.Concerning the Warrant Agent. The Company agrees to pay to the Warrant Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Warrant Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder.
The Company covenants and agrees to indemnify and to hold the Warrant Agent harmless against any costs, expenses (including reasonable fees of its legal counsel), losses or damages, which may be paid, incurred or suffered by or to which it may become subject, arising from or out of, directly or indirectly, any claims or liability resulting from its actions as Warrant Agent pursuant hereto; provided, that such covenant and agreement does not extend to, and the Warrant Agent shall not be indemnified with respect to, such costs, expenses, losses and damages incurred or suffered by the Warrant Agent as a result of, or arising out of, its gross negligence, bad faith, or willful misconduct.
Promptly after the receipt by the Warrant Agent of notice of any demand or claim or the commencement of any action, suit, proceeding or investigation, the Warrant Agent shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the Company, notify the Company thereof in writing. The Company shall be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense of any such claim or proceeding, and, if it so elects at any time after receipt of such notice, it may assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any such claim or of any other legal action or proceeding. For the purposes of this Section 17, the term “expenses and losses” mean any amount paid or payable to satisfy any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding settled with the express written consent of the Warrant Agent, and all reasonable costs and expenses, including, but not limited to, reasonable counsel fees and disbursements, paid or incurred in investigating or defending against any such claim, demand, action, suit, proceeding or investigation.
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The Warrant Agent shall be responsible for and shall indemnify and hold the Company harmless from and against any and all losses, damages, costs, charges, counsel fees, payments, expenses and liability arising out of or attributable to the Warrant Agent’s refusal or failure to comply with the terms of this Agreement, or which arise out of Warrant Agent’s negligence or willful misconduct or which arise out of the breach of any representation or warranty of the Warrant Agent hereunder, for which the Warrant Agent is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement; provided, however, that Warrant Agent’s aggregate liability during any term of this Agreement with respect to, arising from, or arising in connection with this Agreement, or from all services provided or omitted to be provided under this Agreement, whether in contract or in tort, or otherwise, is limited to, and shall not exceed, the amounts paid under this Agreement by the Company to Warrant Agent as fees and charges, but not including reimbursable expenses.
Promptly after the receipt by the Company of notice of any demand or claim or the commencement of any action, suit, proceeding or investigation, the Company shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the Warrant Agent, notify the Warrant Agent thereof in writing. The Warrant Agent shall be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense of any such claim or proceeding, and, if it so elects at any time after receipt of such notice, it may assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any such claim or of any other legal action or proceeding. For the purposes of this Section 17, the term “expenses and losses” mean any amount paid or payable to satisfy any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding settled with the express written consent of the Company, and all reasonable costs and expenses, including, but not limited to, reasonable counsel fees and disbursements, paid or incurred in investigating or defending against any such claim, demand, action, suit, proceeding or investigation.
From time to time, Company may provide Warrant Agent with instructions concerning the services performed by the Warrant Agent hereunder. In addition, at any time Warrant Agent may apply to any officer of Company for instruction, and may consult with legal counsel for Warrant Agent or Company with respect to any matter arising in connection with the services to be performed by the Warrant Agent under this Agreement. Warrant Agent and its agents and subcontractors shall not be liable and shall be indemnified by Company for any action taken or omitted by Warrant Agent in reliance upon any Company instructions or upon the advice or opinion of such counsel. Warrant Agent shall not be held to have notice of any change of authority of any person, until receipt of written notice thereof from Company.
Section 18.Purchase or Consolidation or Change of Name of Warrant Agent. Any corporation into which the Warrant Agent or any successor Warrant Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Warrant Agent or any successor Warrant Agent shall be party, or any corporation succeeding to the corporate trust business of the Warrant Agent or any successor Warrant Agent, shall be the successor to the Warrant Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto, provided that such corporation would be
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eligible for appointment as a successor Warrant Agent under the provisions of Section 20. In case at the time such successor Warrant Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement any of the Warrant Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Warrant Agent may adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Warrant Agent and deliver such Warrant Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Warrant Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Warrant Agent may countersign such Warrant Certificates either in the name of the predecessor Warrant Agent or in the name of the successor Warrant Agent; and in all such cases such Warrant Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Warrant Certificates and in this Agreement.
In case at any time the name of the Warrant Agent shall be changed and at such time any of the Warrant Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, the Warrant Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name and deliver Warrant Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Warrant Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Warrant Agent may countersign such Warrant Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Warrant Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Warrant Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 19.Duties of Warrant Agent. The Warrant Agent undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Warrant Certificate, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a)The Warrant Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the Warrant Agent as to any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b)Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the Warrant Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by the Chairman, President or any Vice President of the Company and by the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Warrant Agent; and such certificate shall be full authentication to the Warrant Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(c)The Warrant Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct, pursuant to Section 17, above.
(d)The Warrant Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Warrant Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to verify the same, but
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all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
(e)The Warrant Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Warrant Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any Warrant Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Warrant Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for the adjustment of the Warrant Price or the making of any change in the number of shares of Common Stock required under the provisions of Sections 10 or 12 or responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such change or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment or change (except with respect to the exercise of Warrants evidenced by Warrant Certificates after actual notice of any adjustment of the Warrant Price); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any shares of Common Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Warrant Certificate or as to whether any shares of Common Stock will, when issued, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(f)The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Warrant Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Warrant Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(g)The Warrant Agent is hereby authorized to accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from the Chairman or the President or any Vice President or the Secretary of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable and shall be indemnified and held harmless for any action taken or suffered to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer, provided Warrant Agent carries out such instructions without negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(h)The Warrant Agent and any shareholder, director, officer or employee of the Warrant Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Warrants or other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Warrant Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Warrant Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.
(i)The Warrant Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through its attorney or agents, and the Warrant Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorney or agents or
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for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof.
(j)Neither party to this Agreement shall be liable to the other party for any consequential, indirect, special or incidental damages under any provisions of this Agreement or for any consequential, indirect, penal, special or incidental damages arising out of any act or failure to act hereunder even if that party has been advised of or has foreseen the possibility of such damages.
Section 20.Change of Warrant Agent. The Warrant Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement upon 30 days’ notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Warrant Certificates by first-class mail. The Company may remove the Warrant Agent or any successor Warrant Agent upon 30 days’ notice in writing, mailed to the Warrant Agent or successor Warrant Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Warrant Certificates by first-class mail. If the Warrant Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to the Warrant Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of 30 days after such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Warrant Agent or by the holder of a Warrant Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Warrant Certificate for inspection by the Company), then the registered holder of any Warrant Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Warrant Agent. Any successor Warrant Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or of a state thereof, in good standing, which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority and which has at the time of its appointment as Warrant Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000. After appointment, the successor Warrant Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Warrant Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Warrant Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Warrant Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment, the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Warrant Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Stock, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Warrant Certificates. However, failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 20, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Warrant Agent or the appointment of the successor Warrant Agent, as the case may be.
Section 21.Issuance of New Warrant Certificates. Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Warrants to the contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Warrant Certificates evidencing Warrants in such form as
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may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or change in the Warrant Price per share and the number or kind or class of shares of stock or other securities or property purchasable under the several Warrant Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
Section 22.Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made (i) by the Warrant Agent or by the holder of any Warrant Certificate to or on the Company, (ii) subject to the provisions of Section 20, by the Company or by the holder of any Warrant Certificate to or on the Warrant Agent or (iii) by the Company or the Warrant Agent to the holder of any Warrant Certificate, shall be deemed given (x) on the date delivered, if delivered personally, (y) on the first Business Day following the deposit thereof with Federal Express or another recognized overnight courier, if sent by Federal Express or another recognized overnight courier, and (z) on the fourth Business Day following the mailing thereof with postage prepaid, if mailed by registered or certified mail (return receipt requested), in each case to the parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a party as shall be specified by like notice):
(a)
If to the Company, to:
Citizens Bancorp
208 Providence Mine Road Suite 122
Nevada City, California 95959
Attention: Gary D. Gall
(b)
If to the Warrant Agent, to:
Computershare Trust Company, N.A.
250 Royall Street
Canton, Massachusetts 02021
Attention: Client Administration
Telecopy: (781) 575-2549
(c)If to the holder of any Warrant Certificate, to the address of such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company. Any notice required to be delivered by the Company to the registered holder of any Warrant may be given by the Warrant Agent on behalf of the Company.
Section 23.Supplements and Amendments.
(a) The Company and the Warrant Agent may from time to time supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Warrant Certificates in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein, or to make any other provisions with regard to matters or questions
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arising hereunder which the Company and the Warrant Agent may deem necessary or desirable and which shall not adversely affect the interests of the holders of Warrants Certificates.
(b)In addition to the foregoing, with the consent of holders of Warrants entitled, upon exercise thereof, to receive not less than a majority of the shares of Common Stock issuable thereunder, the Company and the Warrant Agent may modify this Agreement for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Warrant Agreement or modifying in any manner the rights of the holders of the Warrant Certificates;provided,however, that no modification of the terms (including but not limited to the adjustments described in Section 10) upon which the Warrants are exercisable or reducing the percentage required for consent to modification of this Agreement may be made without the consent of the holder of each outstanding warrant certificate affected thereby.
Section 24.Successors. All covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Warrant Agent shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 25.Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to give any Person other than the Company and the Warrant Agent any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company and the Warrant Agent.
Section 26.Governing Law. This Agreement and each Warrant Certificate issued hereunder shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware without giving effect to the conflicts of law principles thereof.
Section 27.Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
Section 28.Captions. The captions of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
Section 29.Information. The Company agrees to promptly provide the registered holders of the Warrants the information it is required to provide to the holders of the Common Stock.
Section 30.Force Majeure. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, Warrant Agent shall not be liable for any delays or failures in performance resulting from acts beyond its reasonable control including, without limitation, acts of God, terrorist acts, shortage of supply, breakdowns or malfunctions, interruptions or malfunction of computer facilities, or loss of data due to power failures
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or mechanical difficulties with information storage or retrieval systems, labor difficulties, war, or civil unrest.
Section 31.Further Assurances. From time-to-time and after the date hereof, the Company agrees that it will perform, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts, documents, instruments and assurances as may be reasonably required by the Warrant Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Warrant Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
Section 32.Confidentiality. The Warrant Agent and the Company agree that all books, records, information and data pertaining to the business of the other party, including inter alia, personal, non-public warrant holder information, which are exchanged or received pursuant to the negotiation or the carrying out of this Agreement including the fees for services set forth in the attached schedule shall remain confidential, and shall not be voluntarily disclosed to any other person, except as may be required by law.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
CITIZENS BANCORP
By:__________________________________
Name:
Title:
COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
By:__________________________________
Name:
Title:
COMPUTERSHARE INC.
By:__________________________________
Name:
Title:
i