Exhibit 3(a)
AMENDED AND RESTATED
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
BANKAMERICA CORPORATION
BankAmerica Corporation, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), hereby certifies that (i) the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation was originally filed on July 31, 1998, (ii) the Corporation was originally incorporated under the name “NationsBank (DE) Corporation,” which name was changed to “NationsBank Corporation” on September 25, 1998 and to “BankAmerica Corporation” on September 30, 1998, (iii) this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation has been duly adopted in accordance with Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, and (iv) the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation is hereby amended and restated to read in its entirety as follows:
1. The name of the Corporation is Bank of America Corporation.
2. The purposes for which the Corporation is organized are to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized and incorporated under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
3. The number of shares, par value $.01 per share, the Corporation is authorized to issue is Five Billion One Hundred Million (5,100,000,000), divided into the following classes:
Class | Number of Shares | |
Common | 5,000,000,000 | |
Preferred | 100,000,000 |
The class of common (“Common Stock”) has unlimited voting rights and, after satisfaction of claims, if any, of the holders of preferred shares, is entitled to receive the net assets of the Corporation upon distribution.
The Board of Directors of the Corporation shall have full power and authority to establish one or more series within the class of preferred shares (the “Preferred Shares”), to define the designations, preferences, limitations and relative rights (including conversion rights) of shares within such class and to determine all variations between series.
The Board of Directors of the Corporation has
designated, established and authorized the following series of Preferred Shares:
(a) 7% Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, Series B.
A. | Designation. |
The designation of this series is “7% Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, Series B” (hereinafter referred to as the “Series B Preferred Stock”) and the number of shares constituting such series is Thirty-Five Thousand Forty-Five (35,045). Shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall have a stated value of $100.00 per share.
B. | Dividends. |
The holders of record of the shares of the Series B Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when and as declared by the Board of Directors of the Corporation, out of any funds legally available for such purpose, cumulative cash dividends at an annual dividend rate per share of 7% of the stated value thereof, which amount is $7.00 per annum, per share, and no more. Such dividends shall be payable each calendar quarter at the rate of $1.75 per share on such dates as shall be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors of the Corporation. The date from which dividends on such shares shall be cumulative shall be the first day after said shares are issued. Accumulations of dividends shall not bear interest. No cash dividend shall be declared, paid or set apart for any shares of Common Stock unless all dividends on all shares of the Series B Preferred Stock at the time outstanding for all past dividend periods and for the then current dividend shall have been paid, or shall have been declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof, shall have been set apart. Subject to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph B, cash dividends or other cash distributions as may be determined by the Board of Directors of the Corporation may be declared and paid upon the shares of the Common Stock of the Corporation from time to time out of funds legally available therefor, and the shares of the Series B Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to participate in any such cash dividend or other such cash distribution so declared and paid or made on such shares of Common Stock.
C. | Redemption. |
From and after October 31, 1988, any holder may, by written request, call upon the Corporation to redeem all or any part of said holder’s shares of said Series B Preferred Stock at a redemption price of $100.00 per share plus accumulated unpaid dividends to the date said request for redemption is received by the Corporation and no more (the “Redemption Price”). Any such request for redemption shall be accompanied by the certificates for which redemption is requested, duly endorsed or with appropriate stock power attached, in either case with signature guaranteed. Upon receipt by the Corporation of any such request for redemption from any holder of the Series B Preferred Stock, the Corporation shall forthwith redeem said stock at the
Redemption Price, provided that: (i) full cumulative dividends have been paid or declared and set apart for payment upon all shares of any series of preferred stock ranking superior to the Series B Preferred Stock as to dividends or other distributions (collectively the “Superior Stock”); and (ii) the Corporation is not then in default or in arrears with respect to any sinking or analogous fund or call for tenders obligation or agreement for the purchase, redemption or retirement of any shares of Superior Stock. In the event that, upon receipt of a request for redemption, either or both of the conditions set forth in clauses (i) and (ii) above are not met, the Corporation shall forthwith return said request to the submitting shareholder along with a statement that the Corporation is unable to honor such request and explanation of the reasons therefor. From and after the receipt by the Corporation of a request for redemption from any holder of said Series B Preferred Stock, which request may be honored consistent with the foregoing provisions, all rights of such holder in the Series B Preferred Stock for which redemption is requested shall cease and terminate, except only the right to receive the Redemption Price thereof, but without interest.
D. | Liquidation Preference. |
In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, subject to the provisions of paragraph G and before any payment shall be made to the holders of the shares of Common Stock, the amount of $100.00 per share, plus accumulated dividends. After payment to the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock of the full amount as aforesaid, the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock as such shall have no right or claim to any of the remaining assets which shall be distributed ratably to the holders of the Common Stock. If, upon any such liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the assets available therefor are not sufficient to permit payments to the holders of Series B Preferred Stock of the full amount as aforesaid, then subject to the provisions of paragraph G, the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock then outstanding shall share ratably in the distribution of assets in accordance with the sums which would be payable if such holders were to receive the full amounts as aforesaid.
E. | Sinking Fund. |
There shall be no sinking fund applicable to the shares of Series B Preferred Stock.
F. | Conversion. |
The shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall not be convertible into any shares of Common Stock or any other class of shares, nor exchanged for any shares of Common Stock or any other class of shares.
G. | Superior Stock. |
The Corporation may issue stock with preferences superior or equal to the shares of the Series B Preferred Stock without the consent of the holders thereof.
H. | Voting Rights. |
Each share of the Series B Preferred Stock shall be entitled to equal voting rights, share for share, with each share of the Common Stock.
(b) ESOP Convertible Preferred Stock, Series C.
The shares of the ESOP Convertible Preferred Stock, Series C, of the Corporation shall be designated “ESOP Convertible Preferred Stock, Series C,” and the number of shares constituting such series shall be 3,000,000. The ESOP Convertible Preferred Stock, Series C, shall hereinafter be referred to as the “ESOP Preferred Stock.”
A. | Special Purpose Restricted Transfer Issue. |
Shares of ESOP Preferred Stock shall be issued only to a trustee acting on behalf of an employee stock ownership plan or other employee benefit plan of the Corporation or any subsidiary of the Corporation. In the event of any transfer of shares of ESOP Preferred Stock to any person other than any such plan trustee or the Corporation, the shares of ESOP Preferred Stock so transferred, upon such transfer and without any further action by the Corporation or the holder, shall be automatically converted into shares of Common Stock on the terms otherwise provided for the conversion of shares of ESOP Preferred Stock into shares of Common Stock pursuant to paragraph E hereof and no such transferee shall have any of the voting powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or special rights ascribed to shares of ESOP Preferred Stock hereunder but, rather, only the powers and rights pertaining to the Common Stock into which such shares of ESOP Preferred Stock shall be so converted. Certificates representing shares of ESOP Preferred Stock shall be legended to reflect such restrictions on transfer. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this paragraph A, shares of ESOP Preferred Stock (i) may be converted into shares of Common Stock as provided by paragraph E hereof and the shares of Common Stock issued upon such conversion may be transferred by the holder thereof as permitted by law and (ii) shall be redeemable by the Corporation upon the terms and conditions provided by paragraphs F, G and H hereof.
B. | Dividends and Distributions. |
(1) Subject to the provisions for adjustment hereinafter set forth, the holders of shares of ESOP Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available therefor, cash dividends (“Preferred Dividends”) in an amount equal to $3.30 per share per annum, and no more, payable semi-annually, one-half on the first day of January and one-half on the first day of July of each year (each a “Dividend Payment Date”) to holders of record at the
start of business on such Dividend Payment Date. Preferred Dividends shall accrue on a daily basis whether or not the Corporation shall have earnings or surplus at the time, but Preferred Dividends on the shares of ESOP Preferred Stock for any period less than a full semi-annual period between Dividend Payment Dates shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of 30-day months. Accumulated but unpaid Preferred Dividends shall accumulate as of the Dividend Payment Date on which they first become payable, but no interest shall accrue on accumulated but unpaid Preferred Dividends.
(2) So long as any ESOP Preferred Stock shall be outstanding, no dividend shall be declared or paid or set apart for payment on any other series of stock ranking on a parity with the ESOP Preferred Stock as to dividends, unless there shall also be or have been declared and paid or set apart for payment on the ESOP Preferred Stock, like dividends for all dividend payment periods of the ESOP Preferred Stock ending on or before the dividend payment date of such parity stock, ratably in proportion to the respective amounts of dividends accumulated and unpaid through such dividend payment period on the ESOP Preferred Stock and accumulated and unpaid or payable on such parity stock through the dividend payment period on such parity stock next preceding such Dividend Payment Date. In the event that full cumulative dividends on the ESOP Preferred Stock have not been declared and paid or set apart for payment when due, the Corporation shall not declare or pay or set apart for payment any dividends or make any other distributions on, or make any payment on account of the purchase, redemption or other retirement of any other class of stock or series thereof of the Corporation ranking, as to dividends or as to distributions in the event of a liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Corporation, junior to the ESOP Preferred Stock until full cumulative dividends on the ESOP Preferred Stock shall have been paid or declared and provided for; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not apply to (i) any dividend payable solely in any shares of any stock ranking, as to dividends or as to distributions in the event of the liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Corporation, junior to the ESOP Preferred Stock, or (ii) the acquisition of shares of any stock ranking, as to dividends or as to distributions in the event of a liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Corporation, junior to the ESOP Preferred Stock either (A) pursuant to any employee or director incentive or benefit plan or arrangement (including any employment, severance or consulting agreement) of the Corporation or any subsidiary of the Corporation heretofore or hereafter adopted or (B) in exchange solely for shares of any other stock ranking junior to the ESOP Preferred Stock.
C. | Voting Rights. |
The holders of shares of ESOP Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:
(1) The holders of ESOP Preferred Stock shall be entitled to vote on all matters submitted to a vote of the holders of Common Stock of the Corporation, voting together with the holders of
Common Stock as one class. Each share of the ESOP Preferred Stock shall be entitled to the number of votes equal to the number of shares of Common Stock into which such share of ESOP Preferred Stock could be converted on the record date for determining the shareholders entitled to vote, rounded to the nearest whole vote; it being understood that whenever the “Conversion Ratio” (as defined in paragraph E hereof) is adjusted as provided in paragraph I hereof, the voting rights of the ESOP Preferred Stock shall also be similarly adjusted.
(2) Except as otherwise required by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware or set forth in paragraph C(l), holders of ESOP Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their consent shall not be required for the taking of any corporate action.
D. | Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding-Up. |
(1) Upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Corporation, the holders of ESOP Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive out of the assets of the Corporation which remain after satisfaction in full of all valid claims of creditors of the Corporation and which are available for payment to shareholders and subject to the rights of the holders of any stock of the Corporation ranking senior to or on a parity with the ESOP Preferred Stock in respect of distributions upon liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Corporation, before any amount shall be paid or distributed among the holders of Common Stock or any other shares ranking junior to the ESOP Preferred Stock in respect of the distributions upon liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Corporation, liquidating distributions in the amount of $42.50 per share, plus an amount equal to all accrued and unpaid dividends thereon to the date fixed for distribution, and no more. If upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Corporation, the amounts payable with respect to the ESOP Preferred Stock and any other stock ranking as to any such distribution on a parity with the ESOP Preferred Stock are not paid in full, the holders of the ESOP Preferred Stock and such other stock shall share ratably in any distribution of assets in proportion to the full respective preferential amounts to which they are entitled. After payment of the full amount to which they are entitled as provided by the foregoing provisions of this paragraph D(l), the holders of shares of ESOP Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to any further right or claim to any of the remaining assets of the Corporation.
(2) Neither the merger or consolidation of the Corporation with or into any other corporation, nor the merger or consolidation of any other corporation with or into the Corporation, nor the sale, transfer or lease of all or any portion of the assets of the Corporation, shall be deemed to be a dissolution, liquidation or winding-up of the affairs of the Corporation for purposes of this paragraph D, but the holders of ESOP Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be entitled in the event of any such merger or consolidation to the rights provided by paragraph H hereof.
(3) Written notice of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Corporation, stating the payment date or dates when, and the place or places where, the amounts distributable to holders of ESOP Preferred Stock in such circumstances shall be payable, shall be given by first-class mail, postage prepaid, mailed not less than twenty (20) days prior to any payment date stated therein, to the holders of ESOP Preferred Stock, at the address shown on the books of the Corporation or any transfer agent for the ESOP Preferred Stock.
E. | Conversion into Common Stock. |
(1) A holder of shares of ESOP Preferred Stock shall be entitled, at any time prior to the close of business on the date fixed for redemption of such shares pursuant to paragraph F, G or H hereof, to cause any or all of such shares to be converted into shares of Common Stock at a conversion rate equal to the ratio of 1.0 share of ESOP Preferred Stock to 1.68 shares of Common Stock (as adjusted as hereinafter provided, the “Conversion Ratio”). The Conversion Ratio set forth above is subject to adjustment pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation.
(2) Any holder of shares of ESOP Preferred Stock desiring to convert such shares into shares of Common Stock shall surrender the certificate or certificates representing the shares of ESOP Preferred Stock being converted, duly assigned or endorsed for transfer to the Corporation (or accompanied by duly executed stock powers relating thereto), at the principal executive office of the Corporation or the offices of the transfer agent for the ESOP Preferred Stock or such office or offices in the continental United States of an agent for conversion as may from time to time be designated by notice to the holders of the ESOP Preferred Stock by the Corporation or the transfer agent for the ESOP Preferred Stock, accompanied by written notice of conversion. Such notice of conversion shall specify (i) the number of shares of ESOP Preferred Stock to be converted and the name or names in which such holder wishes the certificate or certificates for Common Stock and for any shares of ESOP Preferred Stock not to be so converted to be issued, and (ii) the address to which such holder wishes delivery to be made of such new certificates to be issued upon such conversion.
(3) Upon surrender of a certificate representing a share or shares of ESOP Preferred Stock for conversion, the Corporation shall issue and send by hand delivery (with receipt to be acknowledged) or by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to the holder thereof or to such holder’s designee, at the address designated by such holder, a certificate or certificates for the number of shares of Common Stock to which such holder shall be entitled upon conversion. In the event that there shall have been surrendered a certificate or certificates representing shares of ESOP Preferred Stock, only part of which are to be converted, the Corporation shall issue and deliver to such holder or such holder’s designee a new certificate or certificates representing the number of shares of ESOP Preferred Stock which shall not have been converted.
(4) The issuance by the Corporation of shares of Common Stock upon a conversion of shares of ESOP Preferred Stock into shares of Common Stock made at the option of the holder thereof shall be effective as of the earlier of (i) the delivery to such holder or such holder’s designee of the certificate or certificates representing the shares of Common Stock issued upon conversion thereof or (ii) the commencement of business on the second business day after the surrender of the certificate or certificates for the shares of ESOP Preferred Stock to be converted, duly assigned or endorsed for transfer to the corporation (or accompanied by duly executed stock powers relating thereto) as provided hereby. On and after the effective date of conversion, the person or persons entitled to receive the Common Stock issuable upon such conversion shall be treated for all purposes as the record holder or holders of such shares of Common Stock, but no allowance or adjustment shall be made in respect of dividends payable to holders of Common Stock in respect of any period prior to such effective date. The Corporation shall not be obligated to pay any dividends which shall have been declared and shall be payable to holders of shares of ESOP Preferred Stock on a Dividend Payment Date if such Dividend Payment Date for such dividend shall coincide with or be on or subsequent to the effective date of conversion of such shares.
(5) The Corporation shall not be obligated to deliver to holders of ESOP Preferred Stock any fractional share or shares of Common Stock issuable upon any conversion of such shares of ESOP Preferred Stock, but in lieu thereof may make a cash payment in respect thereof in any manner permitted by law.
(6) The Corporation shall at all times reserve and keep available out of its authorized and unissued Common Stock, solely for issuance upon the conversion of shares of ESOP Preferred Stock as herein provided, free from any preemptive rights, such number of shares of Common Stock as shall from time to time be issuable upon the conversion of all shares of ESOP Preferred Stock then outstanding. The Corporation shall prepare and shall use its best efforts to obtain and keep in force such governmental or regulatory permits or other authorizations as may be required by law, and shall comply with all requirements as to registration or qualification of the Common Stock, in order to enable the Corporation lawfully to issue and deliver to each holder of record of ESOP Preferred Stock such number of shares of its Common Stock as shall from time to time be sufficient to effect the conversion of all shares of ESOP Preferred Stock then outstanding and convertible into shares of Common Stock.
F. | Redemption At the Option of the Corporation. |
(1) The ESOP Preferred Stock shall be redeemable, in whole or in part, at the option of the Corporation at any time, at a redemption price per share (except as to redemption pursuant to paragraph F(3)) of $42.83 prior to July 1, 1999 and $42.50 thereafter, plus, in each case, an amount equal to all accrued and unpaid dividends thereon to the date fixed for redemption. Payment of the redemption price shall be made by the Corporation
in cash or shares of Common Stock, or a combination thereof, as permitted by paragraph F(5). From and after the date fixed for redemption, dividends on shares of ESOP Preferred Stock called for redemption will cease to accrue, such shares will no longer be deemed to be outstanding and all rights in respect of such shares of the Corporation shall cease, except the right to receive the redemption price. If less than all of the outstanding shares of ESOP Preferred Stock are to be redeemed, the Corporation shall either redeem a portion of the shares of each holder determined pro rata based on the number of shares held by each holder or shall select the shares to be redeemed by lot, as may be determined by the Board of Directors of the Corporation.
(2) Unless otherwise required by law, notice of redemption will be sent to the holders of ESOP Preferred Stock at the address shown on the books of the Corporation or any transfer agent for the ESOP Preferred Stock by first-class mail, postage prepaid, mailed not less than twenty (20) days nor more than sixty (60) days prior to the redemption date. Each such notice shall state: (i) the redemption date; (ii) the total number of shares of the ESOP Preferred Stock to be redeemed and, if fewer than all the shares held by such holder are to be redeemed, the number of such shares to be redeemed from such holder; (iii) the redemption price; (iv) the place or places where certificates for such shares are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price; (v) that dividends on the shares to be redeemed will cease to accrue on such redemption date; and (vi) the conversion rights of the shares to be redeemed, the period within which conversion rights may be exercised, and the Conversion Ratio and number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of a share of ESOP Preferred Stock at the time. These notice provisions may be supplemented if necessary in order to comply with optional redemption provisions for preferred stock which may be required under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”). Upon surrender of the certificates for any shares so called for redemption and not previously converted (properly endorsed or assigned for transfer, if the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall so require and the notice shall so state), such shares shall be redeemed by the Corporation at the date fixed for redemption and at the applicable redemption price set forth in this paragraph F.
(3) In the event of a change in the federal tax law of the United States of America which has the effect of precluding the Corporation from claiming any of the tax deductions for dividends paid on the ESOP Preferred Stock when such dividends are used as provided under Section 404(k)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and in effect on the date shares of ESOP Preferred Stock are initially issued, the Corporation may, within 180 days following the effective date of such tax legislation and implementing regulations of the Internal Revenue Service, if any, in its sole discretion and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in paragraph F(l), elect to redeem any or all such shares for the amount payable in respect of the shares upon liquidation of the Corporation pursuant to paragraph D.
(4) In the event the C&S/Sovran Retirement Savings, ESOP and Profit Sharing Plan (as amended, together with any successor plan, the “Plan”) is terminated, the Corporation shall, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in paragraph F(l), redeem all shares of ESOP Preferred Stock for the amount payable in respect of the shares upon redemption of the ESOP Preferred Stock pursuant to paragraph F(1) hereof.
(5) The Corporation, at its option, may make payment of the redemption price required upon redemption of shares of ESOP Preferred Stock in cash or in shares of Common Stock, or in a combination of such shares and cash, any such shares to be valued for such purpose at their Fair Market Value (as defined in paragraph I(7) hereof).
G. | Other Redemption Rights. |
Shares of ESOP Preferred Stock shall be redeemed by the Corporation at a price which is the greater of the Conversion Value (as defined in paragraph I) of the ESOP Preferred Stock on the date fixed for redemption or a redemption price of $42.50 per share plus accrued and unpaid dividends thereon to the date fixed for redemption, for shares of Common Stock (any such shares of Common Stock to be valued for such purpose as provided by paragraph F(5) hereof), at the option of the holder, at any time and from time to time upon notice to the Corporation given not less than five (5) business days prior to the date fixed by the Corporation in such notice for such redemption, when and to the extent necessary (i) to provide for distributions required to be made under, or to satisfy an investment election provided to participants in accordance with, the Plan to participants in the Plan or (ii) to make payment of principal, interest or premium due and payable (whether as scheduled or upon acceleration) on any indebtedness incurred by the holder or Trustee under the Plan for the benefit of the Plan.
H. | Consolidation, Merger, etc. |
(1) In the event that the Corporation shall consummate any consolidation or merger or similar transaction, however named, pursuant to which the outstanding shares of Common Stock are by operation of law exchanged solely for or changed, reclassified or converted solely into stock of any successor or resulting company (including the Corporation and any company that directly or indirectly owns all of the outstanding capital stock of such successor or resulting company) that constitutes “qualifying employer securities” with respect to a holder of ESOP Preferred Stock within the meaning of Section 409(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and Section 407(d)(5) of ERISA, or any successor provisions of law, and, if applicable, for a cash payment in lieu of fractional shares, if any, the shares of ESOP Preferred Stock of such holder shall be assumed by and shall become preferred stock of such successor or resulting company, having in respect of such company insofar as possible the same powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights (including the redemption rights provided by paragraphs F, G and H hereof), and the qualifications,
limitations or restrictions thereon, that the ESOP Preferred Stock had immediately prior to such transaction, except that after such transaction each share of the ESOP Preferred Stock shall be convertible, otherwise on the terms and conditions provided by paragraph E hereof, into the qualifying employer securities so receivable by a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock into which such shares of ESOP Preferred Stock could have been converted immediately prior to such transaction if such holder of Common Stock failed to exercise any rights of election to receive any kind or amount of stock, securities, cash or other property (other than such qualifying employer securities and a cash payment, if applicable, in lieu of fractional shares) receivable upon such transaction (provided that, if the kind or amount of qualifying employer securities receivable upon such transaction is not the same for each non-electing share, then the kind and amount of qualifying employer securities receivable upon such transaction for each non-electing share shall be the kind and amount so receivable per share by a plurality of the non- electing shares). The rights of the ESOP Preferred Stock as preferred stock of such successor or resulting company shall successively be subject to adjustments pursuant to paragraph I hereof after any such transaction as nearly equivalent to the adjustments provided for by such paragraph prior to such transaction. The Corporation shall not consummate any such merger, consolidation or similar transaction unless all then outstanding shares of the ESOP Preferred Stock shall be assumed and authorized by the successor or resulting company as aforesaid.
(2) In the event that the Corporation shall consummate any consolidation or merger or similar transaction, however named, pursuant to which the outstanding shares of Common Stock are by operation of law exchanged for or changed, reclassified or converted into other stock or securities or cash or any other property, or any combination thereof, other than any such consideration which is constituted solely of qualifying employer securities (as referred to in paragraph H(l)) and cash payments, if applicable, in lieu of fractional shares, all outstanding shares of ESOP Preferred Stock shall, without any action on the part of the Corporation or any holder thereof (but subject to paragraph H(3)), be deemed converted by virtue of such merger, consolidation or similar transaction immediately prior to such consummation into the number of shares of Common Stock into which such shares of ESOP Preferred Stock could have been converted at such time, and each share of ESOP Preferred Stock shall, by virtue of such transaction and on the same terms as apply to the holders of Common Stock, be converted into or exchanged for the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash or other property (payable in like kind) receivable by a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock into which such shares of ESOP Preferred Stock could have been converted immediately prior to such transaction if such holder of Common Stock failed to exercise any rights of election as to the kind or amount of stock, securities, cash or other property receivable upon such transaction (provided that, if the kind or amount of stock, securities, cash or other property receivable upon such transaction is not the same for each non-electing share, then the kind and amount of stock,
securities, cash or other property receivable upon such transaction for each non-electing share shall be the kind and amount so receivable per share by a plurality of the non-electing shares).
(3) In the event the Corporation shall enter into any agreement providing for any consolidation or merger or similar transaction described in paragraph H(2), then the Corporation shall as soon as practicable thereafter (and in any event at least ten (10) business days before consummation of such transaction) give notice of such agreement and the material terms thereof to each holder of ESOP Preferred Stock and each such holder shall have the right to elect, by written notice to the Corporation, to receive, upon consummation of such transaction (if and when such transaction is consummated), from the Corporation or the successor of the Corporation, in redemption and retirement of such ESOP Preferred Stock, a cash payment equal to the amount payable in respect of shares of ESOP Preferred Stock upon redemption pursuant to paragraph F(l) hereof. No such notice of redemption shall be effective unless given to the Corporation prior to the close of business on the second business day prior to consummation of such transaction, unless the Corporation or the successor of the Corporation shall waive such prior notice, but any notice of redemption so given prior to such time may be withdrawn by notice of withdrawal given to the Corporation prior to the close of business on the second business day prior to consummation of such transaction.
I. | Anti-dilution Adjustments. |
(1) In the event the Corporation shall, at any time or from time to time while any of the shares of the ESOP Preferred Stock are outstanding, (i) pay a dividend or make a distribution in respect of the Common Stock in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or (iii) combine the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, in each case whether by reclassification of shares, recapitalization of the Corporation (including a recapitalization effected by a merger or consolidation to which paragraph H hereof does not apply) or otherwise, the Conversion Ratio in effect immediately prior to such action shall be adjusted by multiplying such Conversion Ratio by the fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately before such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event. An adjustment made pursuant to this paragraph I(1) shall be given effect, upon payment of such a dividend or distribution, as of the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution (on a retroactive basis) and in the case of a subdivision or combination shall become effective immediately as of the effective date thereof.
(2) In the event that the Corporation shall, at any time or from time to time while any of the shares of ESOP Preferred Stock are outstanding, issue to holders of shares of Common Stock as a dividend or distribution, including by way of a reclassification of shares or a recapitalization of the Corporation, any right or
warrant to purchase shares of Common Stock (but not including as such a right or warrant any security convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock) at a purchase price per share less than the Fair Market Value (as hereinafter defined) of a share of Common Stock on the date of issuance of such right or warrant, then, subject to the provisions of paragraphs I(5) and I(6), the Conversion Ratio shall be adjusted by multiplying such Conversion Ratio by the fraction the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately before such issuance of rights or warrants plus the number of shares of Common Stock which could be purchased at the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock at the time of such issuance for the maximum aggregate consideration payable upon exercise in full of all such rights or warrants and the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately before such issuance of rights or warrants plus the maximum number of shares of Common Stock that could be acquired upon exercise in full of all such rights and warrants.
(3) In the event the Corporation shall, at any time and from time to time while any of the shares of ESOP Preferred Stock are outstanding, issue, sell or exchange shares of Common Stock (other than pursuant to any right or warrant to purchase or acquire shares of Common Stock (including as such a right or warrant any security convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock) and other than pursuant to any dividend reinvestment plan or employee or director incentive or benefit plan or arrangement, including any employment, severance or consulting agreement, of the Corporation or any subsidiary of the Corporation heretofore or hereafter adopted) for a consideration having a Fair Market Value on the date of such issuance, sale or exchange less than the Fair Market Value of such shares on the date of such issuance, sale or exchange, then, subject to the provisions of paragraphs I(5) and (6), the Conversion Ratio shall be adjusted by multiplying such Conversion Ratio by the fraction the numerator of which shall be the sum of (i) the Fair Market Value of all the shares of Common Stock outstanding on the day immediately preceding the first public announcement of such issuance, sale or exchange plus (ii) the Fair Market Value of the consideration received by the Corporation in respect of such issuance, sale or exchange of shares of Common Stock, and the denominator of which shall be the product of (i) the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the day immediately preceding the first public announcement of such issuance, sale or exchange multiplied by (ii) the sum of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding on such day plus the number of shares of Common Stock so issued, sold or exchanged by the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall, at any time or from time to time while any shares of ESOP Preferred Stock are outstanding, issue, sell or exchange any right or warrant to purchase or acquire shares of Common Stock (including as such a right or warrant any security convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock), other than any such issuance to holders of shares of Common Stock as a dividend or distribution (including by way of a reclassification of shares or a recapitalization of the Corporation) and other than pursuant to any dividend reinvestment
plan or employee or director incentive or benefit plan or arrangement (including any employment, severance or consulting agreement) of the Corporation or any subsidiary of the Corporation heretofore or hereafter adopted, for a consideration having a Fair Market Value on the date of such issuance, sale or exchange less than the Non-Dilutive Amount (as hereinafter defined), then, subject to the provisions of paragraphs I(5) and (6), the Conversion Ratio shall be adjusted by multiplying such Conversion Ratio by a fraction the numerator of which shall be the sum of (a) the Fair Market Value of all the shares of Common Stock outstanding on the day immediately preceding the first public announcement of such issuance, sale or exchange plus (b) the Fair Market Value of the consideration received by the Corporation in respect of such issuance, sale or exchange of such right or warrant plus (c) the Fair Market Value at the time of such issuance of the consideration which the Corporation would receive upon exercise in full of all such rights or warrants, and the denominator of which shall be the product of (a) the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the day immediately preceding the first public announcement of such issuance, sale or exchange multiplied by (b) the sum of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding on such day plus the maximum number of shares of Common Stock which could be acquired pursuant to such right or warrant at the time of the issuance, sale or exchange of such right or warrant (assuming shares of Common Stock could be acquired pursuant to such right or warrant at such time).
(4) In the event the Corporation shall, at any time or from time to time while any of the shares of ESOP Preferred Stock are outstanding, make any Extraordinary Distribution (as hereinafter defined) in respect of the Common Stock, whether by dividend, distribution, reclassification of shares or recapitalization of the Corporation (including a recapitalization or reclassification effected by a merger or consolidation to which paragraph H hereof does not apply) or effect a Pro Rata Repurchase (as hereinafter defined) of Common Stock, the Conversion Ratio in effect immediately prior to such Extraordinary Distribution or Pro Rata Repurchase shall, subject to paragraphs I(5) and (6), be adjusted by multiplying such Conversion Ratio by a fraction the numerator of which shall be (a) the product of (i) the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately before such Extraordinary Distribution or Pro Rata Repurchase multiplied by (ii) the Fair Market Value (as herein defined) of a share of Common Stock on the Valuation Date (as hereinafter defined) with respect to an Extraordinary Distribution, or on the applicable expiration date (including all extensions thereof) of any tender offer which is a Pro Rata Repurchase, or on the date of purchase with respect to any Pro Rata Repurchase which is not a tender offer, as the case may be, minus (b) the Fair Market Value of the Extraordinary Distribution or the aggregate purchase price of the Pro Rata Repurchase, as the case may be, and the denominator of which shall be the product of (i) the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately before such Extraordinary Distribution or Pro Rata Repurchase minus, in the case of a Pro Rata Repurchase, the number of shares of Common Stock repurchased by the Corporation multiplied by (ii) the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the record date with respect to an
Extraordinary Distribution or on the applicable expiration date (including all extensions thereof) of any tender offer which is a Pro Rata Repurchase or on the date of purchase with respect to any Pro Rata Repurchase which is not a tender offer, as the case may be. The Corporation shall send each holder of ESOP Preferred Stock (x) notice of its intent to make any Extraordinary Distribution and (y) notice of any offer by the Corporation to make a Pro Rata Repurchase, in each case at the same time as, or as soon as practicable after, such offer is first communicated (including by announcement of a record date in accordance with the rules of any stock exchange on which the Common Stock is listed or admitted to trading) to holders of Common Stock. Such notice shall indicate the intended record date and the amount and nature of such dividend or distribution, or the number of shares subject to such offer for a Pro Rata Repurchase and the purchase price payable by the Corporation pursuant to such offer, as well as the Conversion Ratio and the number of shares of Common Stock into which a share of ESOP Preferred Stock may be converted at such time.
(5) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this paragraph I, the Corporation shall not be required to make any adjustment of the Conversion Ratio unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least one percent (1%) in the Conversion Ratio. Any lesser adjustment shall be carried forward and shall be made no later than the time of, and together with, the next subsequent adjustment which, together with any adjustment or adjustments so carried forward, shall amount to an increase or decrease of at least one percent (1%) in the Conversion Ratio.
(6) If the Corporation shall make any dividend or distribution on the Common Stock or issue any Common Stock, other capital stock or other security of the Corporation or any rights or warrants to purchase or acquire any such security, which transaction does not result in an adjustment to the Conversion Ratio pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph I, the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall consider whether such action is of such a nature that an adjustment to the Conversion Ratio should equitably be made in respect of such transaction. If in such case the Board of Directors of the Corporation determines that the adjustment to the Conversion Ratio should be made, an adjustment shall be made effective as of such date, as determined by the Board of Directors of the Corporation. The determination of the Board of Directors of the Corporation as to whether an adjustment to the Conversion Ratio should be made pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph I(6), and, if so, as to what adjustment should be made and when, shall be final and binding on the Corporation and all shareholders of the Corporation. The Corporation shall be entitled to make such additional adjustments in the Conversion Ratio, in addition to those required by the foregoing provisions of this paragraph I, as shall be necessary in order that any dividend or distribution in shares of capital stock of the Corporation, subdivision, reclassification or combination of shares of stock of the Corporation or any recapitalization of the Corporation shall not be taxable to holders of the Common Stock.
(7) For purposes of this paragraph I, the following definitions shall apply:
“Conversion Value” shall mean the Fair Market Value of the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock into which a share of ESOP Preferred Stock is convertible.
“Extraordinary Distribution” shall mean any dividend or other distribution (effected while any of the shares of ESOP Preferred Stock are outstanding) (a) of cash, where the aggregate amount of such cash dividend and distribution together with the amount of all cash dividends and distributions made during the preceding period of 12 months, when combined with the aggregate amount of all Pro Rata Repurchases (for this purpose, including only that portion of the aggregate purchase price of such Pro Rata Repurchase which is in excess of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock repurchased as determined on the applicable expiration date (including all extensions thereof) of any tender offer or exchange offer which is a Pro Rata Repurchase, or the date of purchase with respect to any other Pro Rata Repurchase which is not a tender offer or exchange offer made during such period), exceeds Twelve and One- Half percent (12.5%) of the aggregate Fair Market Value of all shares of Common Stock outstanding on the record date for determining the shareholders entitled to receive such Extraordinary Distribution and (b) any shares of capital stock of the Corporation (other than shares of Common Stock), other securities of the Corporation (other than securities of the type referred to in paragraph I(2)), evidence of indebtedness of the Corporation or any other person or any other property (including shares of any subsidiary of the Corporation), or any combination thereof. The Fair Market Value of an Extraordinary Distribution for purposes of paragraph I(4) shall be the sum of the Fair Market Value of such Extraordinary Distribution plus the amount of any cash dividends which are not Extraordinary Distributions made during such twelve- month period and not previously included in the calculation of an adjustment pursuant to paragraph I(4).
“Fair Market Value” shall mean, as to shares of Common Stock or any other class of capital stock or securities of the Corporation or any other issuer which are publicly traded, the average of the Current Market Prices (as hereinafter defined) of such shares or securities for each day of the Adjustment Period (as hereinafter defined). “Current Market Price” of publicly traded shares of Common Stock or any other class of capital stock or other security of the Corporation or any other issuer for a day shall mean the last reported sales price, regular way, or, in case
no sale takes place on such day, the average of the reported closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported on the New York Stock Exchange Composite Tape or, if such security is not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, on the principal national securities exchange on which such security is listed or admitted to trading or, if not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, on The Nasdaq National Market or, if such security is not quoted on Nasdaq, the average of the closing bid and asked prices on each such day in the over-the-counter market as reported by Nasdaq or, if bid and asked prices for such security on each such day shall not have been reported through Nasdaq, the average of the bid and asked prices for such day as furnished by any New York Stock Exchange member firm selected for such purpose by the Board of Directors of the Corporation or a committee thereof on each trading day during the Adjustment Period. “Adjustment Period” shall mean the period of five (5) consecutive trading days preceding the date as of which the Fair Market Value of a security is to be determined. The “Fair Market Value” of any security which is not publicly traded or of any other property shall mean the fair value thereof as determined by an independent investment banking or appraisal firm experienced in the valuation of such securities or property selected in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Corporation or a committee thereof, or, if no such investment banking or appraisal firm is in the good faith judgment of the Board of Directors or such committee available to make such determination, as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Corporation or such committee.
“Non-Dilutive Amount” in respect of an issuance, sale or exchange by the Corporation of any right or warrant to purchase or acquire shares of Common Stock (including any security convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock) shall mean the remainder of (a) the product of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the day preceding the first public announcement of such issuance, sale or exchange multiplied by the maximum number of shares of Common Stock which could be acquired on such date upon the exercise in full of such rights and warrants (including upon the conversion or exchange of all such convertible or exchangeable securities), whether or not exercisable (or convertible or exchangeable) at such date, minus (b) the aggregate amount payable pursuant to such right or warrant to purchase or acquire such maximum number of shares of Common Stock; provided, however, that in no event shall the Non- Dilutive Amount be less than zero. For purposes of the foregoing sentence, in the case of a security convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock, the amount payable pursuant to a right or
warrant to purchase or acquire shares of Common Stock shall be the Fair Market Value of such security on the date of the issuance, sale or exchange of such security by the Corporation.
“Pro Rata Repurchase” shall mean any purchase of shares of Common Stock by the Corporation or any subsidiary thereof, whether for cash, shares of capital stock of the Corporation, other securities of the Corporation, evidences of indebtedness of the Corporation or any other person or any other property (including shares of a subsidiary of the Corporation), or any combination thereof, effected while any of the shares of ESOP Preferred Stock are outstanding, pursuant to any tender offer or exchange offer subject to Section 13(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or any successor provision of law, or pursuant to any other offer available to substantially all holders of Common Stock; provided, however, that no purchase of shares by the Corporation or any subsidiary thereof made in open market transactions shall be deemed a Pro Rata Repurchase. For purposes of this paragraph I(7), shares shall be deemed to have been purchased by the Corporation or any subsidiary thereof “in open market transactions” if they have been purchased substantially in accordance with the requirements of Rule 10b-18 as in effect under the Exchange Act, on the date shares of ESOP Preferred Stock are initially issued by the Corporation or on such other terms and conditions as the Board of Directors of the Corporation or a committee thereof shall have determined are reasonably designed to prevent such purchases from having a material effect on the trading market for the Common Stock.
“Valuation Date” with respect to an Extraordinary Distribution shall mean the date that is five (5) business days prior to the record date for such Extraordinary Distribution.
(8) Whenever an adjustment to the Conversion Ratio is required pursuant hereto, the Corporation shall forthwith place on file with the transfer agent for the Common Stock and the ESOP Preferred Stock if there be one, and with the Secretary of the Corporation, a statement signed by two officers of the Corporation, stating the adjusted Conversion Ratio determined as provided herein and the voting rights (as appropriately adjusted) of the ESOP Preferred Stock. Such statement shall set forth in reasonable detail such facts as shall be necessary to show the reason and the manner of computing such adjustment, including any determination of Fair Market Value involved in such computation. Promptly after each adjustment to the Conversion Ratio and the related voting rights of the ESOP Preferred Stock, the Corporation shall mail a notice thereof to each holder of shares of the ESOP Preferred Stock.
J. | Ranking; Retirement of Shares. |
(1) The ESOP Preferred Stock shall rank (a) senior to the Common Stock as to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets on liquidation, dissolution and winding-up of the Corporation and (b) unless otherwise provided in the Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation or an amendment to such Articles of Incorporation relating to a subsequent series of Preferred Shares, junior to all other series of Preferred Shares as to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets on liquidation, dissolution or winding-up.
(2) Any shares of ESOP Preferred Stock acquired by the Corporation by reason of the conversion or redemption of such shares as provided hereby, or otherwise so acquired, shall be retired as shares of ESOP Preferred Stock and restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Shares, undesignated as to series, and may thereafter be reissued as part of a new series of such Preferred Shares as permitted by law.
K. | Miscellaneous. |
(1) All notices referred to herein shall be in writing, and all notices hereunder shall be deemed to have been given upon the earlier of receipt thereof or three (3) business days after the mailing thereof if sent by registered mail (unless first-class mail shall be specifically permitted for such notice under the terms hereof) with postage prepaid, addressed: (a) if to the Corporation, to its office at Bank of America Corporate Center, Charlotte, North Carolina 28255 (Attention: Treasurer) or to the transfer agent for the ESOP Preferred Stock, or other agent of the Corporation designated as permitted hereby or (b) if to any holder of the ESOP Preferred Stock or Common Stock, as the case may be, to such holder at the address of such holder as listed in the stock record books of the Corporation (which may include the records of any transfer agent for the ESOP Preferred Stock or Common Stock, as the case may be) or (c) to such other address as the Corporation or any such holder, as the case may be, shall have designated by notice similarly given.
(2) The term “Common Stock” as used herein means the Corporation’s Common Stock, as the same existed at the date of filing of the Amendment to the Corporation’s Articles of Incorporation relating to the ESOP Preferred Stock or any other class of stock resulting from successive changes or reclassification of such Common Stock consisting solely of changes in par value, or from par value to no par value. In the event that, at any time as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to paragraph I hereof, the holder of any share of the ESOP Preferred Stock upon thereafter surrendering such shares for conversion shall become entitled to receive any shares or other securities of the Corporation other than shares of Common Stock, the Conversion Ratio in respect of such other shares or securities so receivable upon conversion of shares of ESOP Preferred Stock shall thereafter be adjusted, and shall be subject to further adjustment from time to time, in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions
with respect to Common Stock contained in paragraph I hereof, and the provisions of paragraphs A through H, J, and K hereof with respect to the Common Stock shall apply on like or similar terms to any such other shares or securities.
(3) The Corporation shall pay any and all stock transfer and documentary stamp taxes that may be payable in respect of any issuance or delivery of shares of ESOP Preferred Stock or shares of Common Stock or other securities issued on account of ESOP Preferred Stock pursuant hereto or certificates representing such shares or securities. The Corporation shall not, however, be required to pay any such tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the issuance or delivery of shares of ESOP Preferred Stock or Common Stock or other securities in a name other than that in which the shares of ESOP Preferred Stock with respect to which such shares or other securities are issued or delivered were registered, or in respect of any payment to any person with respect to any such shares or securities other than a payment to the registered holder thereof, and shall not be required to make any such issuance, delivery or payment unless and until the person otherwise entitled to such issuance, delivery or payment has paid to the Corporation the amount of any such tax or has established, to the satisfaction of the Corporation, that such tax has been paid or is not payable.
(4) In the event that a holder of shares of ESOP Preferred Stock shall not by written notice designate the name in which shares of Common Stock to be issued upon conversion of such shares should be registered or to whom payment upon redemption of shares of ESOP Preferred Stock should be made or the address to which the certificate or certificates representing such shares, or such payment, should be sent, the Corporation shall be entitled to register such shares, and make such payment, in the name of the holder of such ESOP Preferred Stock as shown on the records of the Corporation and to send the certificate or certificates representing such shares, or such payment, to the address of such holder shown on the records of the Corporation.
(5) The Corporation may appoint, and from time to time discharge and change, a transfer agent for the ESOP Preferred Stock. Upon any such appointment or discharge of a transfer agent, the Corporation shall send notice thereof by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to each holder of record of ESOP Preferred Stock.
(c) $2.50 Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock, Series BB.
A. | Designation. |
The designation of this series is “$2.50 Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock, Series BB” (hereinafter referred to as the “Series BB Preferred Stock”), and the initial number of shares constituting such series shall be 20,000,000, which number may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares then outstanding) from time to time by the Board of Directors. The Series BB Preferred Stock shall rank prior to each of the Common Stock, the Series B Preferred Stock and the ESOP Preferred
Stock with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets.
B. | Dividend Rights. |
(1) The holders of shares of Series BB Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when and as declared by the Board of Directors, out of funds legally available therefor, cumulative preferential cash dividends, accruing from January 1, 1998, at the annual rate of $2.50 per share, and no more, payable quarterly on the first day of January, April, July and October of each year (each of the quarterly periods ending on the last day of March, June, September and December being hereinafter referred to as a “dividend period”). Dividends on the Series BB Preferred Stock shall first become payable on the first day of January, April, July or October, as the case may be, next following the date of issuance; provided, however, that if the first dividend period ends within 20 days of the date of issuance, such initial dividend shall be payable at the completion of the first full dividend period.
(2) Dividends on shares of Series BB Preferred Stock shall be cumulative from January 1, 1998, whether or not there shall be funds legally available for the payment thereof. Accumulations of dividends on the Series BB Preferred Stock shall not bear interest. The Corporation shall not (i) declare or pay or set apart for payment any dividends or distributions on any stock ranking as to dividends junior to the Series BB Preferred Stock (other than dividends paid in shares of such junior stock) or (ii) make any purchase or redemption of, or any sinking fund payment for the purchase or redemption of, any stock ranking as to dividends junior to the Series BB Preferred Stock (other than a purchase or redemption made by issue or delivery of such junior stock) unless all dividends payable on all outstanding shares of Series BB Preferred Stock for all past dividend periods shall have been paid in full or declared and a sufficient sum set apart for payment thereof; provided, however, that any moneys theretofore deposited in any sinking fund with respect to any preferred stock of the Corporation in compliance with the provisions of such sinking fund may thereafter be applied to the purchase or redemption of such preferred stock in accordance with the terms of such sinking fund regardless of whether at the time of such application all dividends payable on all outstanding shares of Series BB Preferred Stock for all past dividend periods shall have been paid in full or declared and a sufficient sum set apart for payment thereof.
(3) All dividends declared on shares of Series BB Preferred Stock and any other class of preferred stock or series thereof ranking on a parity as to dividends with the Series BB Preferred Stock shall be declared pro rata, so that the amounts of dividends declared on the Series BB Preferred Stock and such other preferred stock for the same dividend period, or for the dividend period of the Series BB Preferred Stock ending within the dividend period of such other stock, shall, in all cases, bear to each other the same ratio that accrued dividends on the shares of Series BB Preferred Stock and such other stock bear to
each other.
C. | Liquidation Preference. |
(1) In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, the holders of Series BB Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive out of the assets of the Corporation available for distribution to shareholders an amount equal to $25 per share plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends thereon to and including the date of such distribution, and no more, before any distribution shall be made to the holders of any class of stock of the Corporation ranking junior to the Series BB Preferred Stock as to the distribution of assets.
(2) In the event the assets of the Corporation available for distribution to shareholders upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, shall be insufficient to pay in full the amounts payable with respect to the Series BB Preferred Stock and any other shares of preferred stock of the Corporation ranking on a parity with the Series BB Preferred Stock as to the distribution of assets, the holders of Series BB Preferred Stock and the holders of such other preferred stock shall share ratably in any distribution of assets of the Corporation in proportion to the full respective preferential amounts to which they are entitled.
(3) The merger or consolidation of the Corporation into or with any other corporation, the merger or consolidation of any other corporation into or with the Corporation or the sale of the assets of the Corporation substantially as an entirety shall not be deemed a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation within the meaning of this paragraph C.
D. | Redemption. |
(1) The Corporation, at its option, may redeem all or any shares of the Series BB Preferred Stock at any time at a redemption price (the “Redemption Price”) consisting of the sum of (i) $25 per share and (ii) an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends thereon to and including the date of redemption.
(2) If less than all the outstanding shares of Series BB Preferred Stock are to be redeemed, the shares to be redeemed shall be selected pro rata as nearly as practicable or by lot, as the Board of Directors may determine.
(3) Notice of any redemption shall be given by first class mail, postage prepaid, mailed not less than 60 nor more than 90 days prior to the date fixed for redemption to the holders of record of the shares of Series BB Preferred Stock to be redeemed, at their respective addresses appearing on the books of the Corporation. Notice so mailed shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given whether or not actually received. Such notice shall state: (1) the date fixed for redemption; (2) the Redemption Price; (3) the right of the holders of Series BB Preferred Stock to convert such stock into Common Stock until the
close of business on the 15th day prior to the redemption date (or the next succeeding business day, if the 15th day is not a business day); (4) if less than all the shares held by such holder are to be redeemed, the number of shares to be redeemed from such holder; and (5) the place(s) where certificates for such shares are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price. If such notice is mailed as aforesaid, and if on or before the date fixed for redemption funds sufficient to redeem the shares called for redemption are set aside by the Corporation in trust for the account of the holders of the shares to be redeemed, notwithstanding the fact that any certificate for shares called for redemption shall not have been surrendered for cancellation, on and after the redemption date the shares represented thereby so called for redemption shall be deemed to be no longer outstanding, dividends thereon shall cease to accrue, and all rights of the holders of such shares as shareholders of the corporation shall cease, except the right to receive the Redemption Price, without interest, upon surrender of the certificate(s) representing such shares. Upon surrender in accordance with the aforesaid notice of the certificate(s) for any shares so redeemed (duly endorsed or accompanied by appropriate instruments of transfer, if so required by the Corporation in such notice), the holders of record of such shares shall be entitled to receive the Redemption Price, without interest.
(4) At the option of the Corporation, if notice of redemption is mailed as aforesaid, and if prior to the date fixed for redemption funds sufficient to pay in full the Redemption Price are deposited in trust, for the account of the holders of the shares to be redeemed, with a bank or trust company named in such notice doing business in the Borough of Manhattan, the City of New York, State of New York or the City of Charlotte, State of North Carolina and having capital, surplus and undivided profits of at least $3 million, which bank or trust company also may be the Transfer Agent and/or Paying Agent for the Series BB Preferred Stock, notwithstanding the fact that any certificate for shares called for redemption shall not have been surrendered for cancellation, on and after such date of deposit the shares represented thereby so called for redemption shall be deemed to be no longer outstanding, and all rights of the holders of such shares as shareholders of the Corporation shall cease, except the right of the holders thereof to convert such shares in accordance with the provisions of paragraph F at any time prior to the close of business on the 15th day prior to the redemption date (or the next succeeding business day, if the 15th day is not a business day), and the right of the holders thereof to receive out of the funds so deposited in trust the Redemption Price, without interest, upon surrender of the certificate(s) representing such shares. Any funds so deposited with such bank or trust company in respect of shares of Series BB Preferred Stock converted before the close of business on the 15th day prior to the redemption date (or the next succeeding business day, if the 15th day is not a business day) shall be returned to the Corporation upon such conversion. Any funds so deposited with such a bank or trust company which shall remain unclaimed by the holders of shares called for redemption at the end of six years after the
redemption date shall be repaid to the Corporation, on demand, and thereafter the holder of any such shares shall look only to the Corporation for the payment, without interest, of the Redemption Price.
(5) Any provisions of paragraph D or E to the contrary notwithstanding, in the event that any quarterly dividend payable on the Series BB Preferred Stock shall be in arrears and until all such dividends in arrears shall have been paid or declared and set apart for payment, the Corporation shall not redeem any shares of Series BB Preferred Stock unless all outstanding shares of Series BB Preferred Stock are simultaneously redeemed and shall not purchase or otherwise acquire any shares of Series BB Preferred Stock except in accordance with a purchase offer made by the Corporation on the same terms to all holders of record of Series BB Preferred Stock for the purchase of all outstanding shares thereof.
E. | Purchase by the Corporation. |
(1) Except as provided in paragraph D(5), the Corporation shall be obligated to purchase shares of Series BB Preferred Stock tendered by the holder thereof for purchase hereunder, at a purchase price consisting of the sum of (i) $25 per share and (ii) an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends thereon to and including the date of purchase. In order to exercise his right to require the Corporation to purchase his shares of Series BB Preferred Stock, the holder thereof shall surrender the Certificate(s) therefor duly endorsed if the Corporation shall so require or accompanied by appropriate instruments of transfer satisfactory to the Corporation, at the office of the Transfer Agent(s) for the Series BB Preferred Stock, or at such other office as may be designated by the Corporation, together with written notice that such holder irrevocably elects to sell such shares to the Corporation. Shares of Series BB Preferred Stock shall be deemed to have been purchased by the Corporation immediately prior to the close of business on the date such shares are tendered for sale to the Corporation and notice of election to sell the same is received by the Corporation in accordance with the foregoing provisions. As of such date the shares so tendered for sale shall be deemed to be no longer outstanding, dividends thereon shall cease to accrue and all rights of the holder of such shares as a shareholder of the Corporation shall cease, except the right to receive the purchase price.
F. | Conversion Rights. |
The holders of shares of Series BB Preferred Stock shall have the right, at their option, to convert such shares into shares of Common Stock on the following terms and conditions:
(1) Shares of Series BB Preferred Stock shall be convertible at any time into fully paid and nonassessable shares of Common Stock (calculated as to each conversion to the nearest 1/1,000 of a share) at the initial rate of 6.17215 shares of Common Stock for
each share of Series BB Preferred Stock surrendered for conversion (the “Conversion Rate”). The Conversion Rate shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as hereinafter provided. No payment or adjustment shall be made on account of any accrued and unpaid dividends on shares of Series BB Preferred Stock surrendered for conversion prior to the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to such dividends or on account of any dividends on the Common Stock issued upon such conversion subsequent to the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to such dividends. If any shares of Series BB Preferred Stock shall be called for redemption, the right to convert the shares designated for redemption shall terminate at the close of business on the 15th day prior to the redemption date (or the next succeeding business day, if the 15th day is not a business day) unless default be made in the payment of the Redemption Price. In the event of default in the payment of the Redemption Price, the right to convert the shares designated for redemption shall terminate at the close of business on the business day immediately preceding the date that such default is cured.
(2) In order to convert shares of Series BB Preferred Stock into Common Stock, the holder thereof shall surrender the certificate(s) therefor, duly endorsed if the Corporation shall so require, or accompanied by appropriate instruments of transfer satisfactory to the Corporation, at the office of the Transfer Agent(s) for the Series BB Preferred Stock, or at such other office as may be designated by the Corporation, together with written notice that such holder irrevocably elects to convert such shares. Such notice shall also state the name(s) and address(es) in which such holder wishes the certificate(s) for the shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion to be issued. As soon as practicable after receipt of the certificate(s) representing the shares of Series BB Preferred Stock to be converted and the notice of election to convert the same, the Corporation shall issue and deliver at said office a certificate or certificates for the number of whole shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the shares of Series BB Preferred Stock surrendered for conversion, together with a cash payment in lieu of any fraction of a share, as hereinafter provided, to the person(s) entitled to receive the same. Shares of Series BB Preferred Stock shall be deemed to have been converted immediately prior to the close of business on the date such shares are surrendered for conversion and notice of election to convert the same is received by the Corporation in accordance with the foregoing provisions, and the person(s) entitled to receive the Common Stock issuable upon such conversion shall be deemed for all purposes as record holder(s) of such Common Stock as of such date.
(3) No fractional shares of Common Stock shall be issued upon conversion of any shares of Series BB Preferred Stock. If more than one share of Series BB Preferred Stock is surrendered at one time by the same holder, the number of full shares issuable upon conversion thereof shall be computed on the basis of the aggregate number of shares so surrendered. If the conversion of any shares of Series BB Preferred Stock results in a fractional
share of Common Stock, the Corporation shall pay cash in lieu thereof in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied times the closing price of the Common Stock on the date on which the shares of Series BB Preferred Stock were duly surrendered for conversion, or if such date is not a trading date, on the next succeeding trading date. The closing price of the Common Stock for any day shall mean the last reported sales price regular way on such day or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the reported closing bid and asked prices, regular way, on the New York Stock Exchange, or, if the Common Stock is not then listed on such Exchange, on the principal national securities exchange on which the Common Stock is listed for trading, or, if not then listed for trading on any national securities exchange, the average of the closing bid and asked prices of the Common Stock as furnished by the National Quotation Bureau, Inc., or if the National Quotation Bureau, Inc. ceases to furnish such information, by a comparable independent securities quotation service.
(4) In the event the Corporation shall at any time (i) pay a dividend or make a distribution to holders of Common Stock in shares of Common Stock, (ii) subdivide its outstanding shares of Common Stock into a larger number of shares, or (iii) combine its outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the Conversion Rate in effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or distribution or the effective date of such subdivision or combination shall be adjusted so that the holder of any shares of Series BB Preferred Stock surrendered for conversion after such record date or effective date shall be entitled to receive the number of shares of Common Stock which he would have owned or have been entitled to receive immediately following such record date or effective date had such shares of Series BB Preferred Stock been converted immediately prior thereto.
(5) Whenever the Conversion Rate shall be adjusted as herein provided (i) the Corporation shall forthwith keep available at the office of the Transfer Agent(s) for the Series BB Preferred Stock a statement describing in reasonable detail the adjustment, the facts requiring such adjustment and the method of calculation used; and (ii) the Corporation shall cause to be mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid, as soon as practicable to each holder of record of shares of Series BB Preferred Stock a notice stating that the Conversion Rate has been adjusted and setting forth the adjusted Conversion Rate.
(6) In the event of any consolidation of the Corporation with or merger of the Corporation into any other corporation (other than a merger in which the Corporation is the surviving corporation) or a sale of the assets of the Corporation substantially as an entirety, the holder of each share of Series BB Preferred Stock shall have the right, after such consolidation, merger or sale to convert such share into the number and kind of shares of stock or other securities and the amount and kind of property receivable upon such consolidation, merger or sale by a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of such share of Series BB Preferred Stock immediately prior to such
consolidation, merger or sale. Provision shall be made for adjustments in the Conversion Rate which shall be as nearly equivalent as may be practicable to the adjustments provided for in paragraph F(4). The provisions of this paragraph F(6) shall similarly apply to successive consolidations, mergers and sales.
(7) The Corporation shall pay any taxes that may be payable in respect of the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon conversion of shares of Series BB Preferred Stock, but the Corporation shall not be required to pay any taxes which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the issuance of shares of Common Stock in a name other than that in which the shares of Series BB Preferred Stock so converted are registered, and the Corporation shall not be required to issue or deliver any such shares unless and until the person(s) requesting such issuance shall have paid to the Corporation the amount of any such taxes, or shall have established to the satisfaction of the Corporation that such taxes have been paid.
(8) The Corporation shall at all times reserve and keep available out of its authorized but unissued Common Stock the full number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon the conversion of all shares of Series BB Preferred Stock then outstanding.
(9) In the event that:
(i) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or any other distribution on its Common Stock, payable otherwise than in cash out of retained earnings; or
(ii) The Corporation shall authorize the granting to the holders of its Common Stock of rights to subscribe for or purchase any shares of capital stock of any class or of any other rights; or
(iii) The Corporation shall propose to effect any consolidation of the Corporation with or merger of the Corporation with or into any other corporation or a sale of the assets of the company substantially as an entirety which would result in an adjustment under paragraph F(6), the Corporation shall cause to be mailed to the holders of record of Series BB Preferred Stock at least 20 days prior to the applicable date hereinafter specified a notice stating (x) the date on which a record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend, distribution or rights or, if a record is not to be taken, the date as of which the holders of Common Stock of record to be entitled to such dividend, distribution or rights are to be determined or (y) the date on which such consolidation, merger or sale is expected to become effective, and the date as of which it is expected that holders of Common Stock of record shall be entitled to exchange their shares of Common Stock for securities or other property deliverable upon such consolidation, merger or sale. Failure to give such notice, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of such dividend, distribution, consolidation, merger or sale.
G. | Voting Rights. |
Holders of Series BB Preferred Stock shall have no voting rights except as required by law and as follows: in the event that any quarterly dividend payable on the Series BB Preferred Stock is in arrears, the holders of Series BB Preferred Stock shall be entitled to vote together with the holders of Common Stock at the Corporation’s next meeting of shareholders and at each subsequent meeting of shareholders unless all dividends in arrears have been paid or declared and set apart for payment prior to the date of such meeting. For the purpose of this paragraph G, each holder of Series BB Preferred Stock shall be entitled to cast the number of votes equal to the number of whole shares of Common Stock into which his Series BB Preferred Stock is then convertible.
H. | Reacquired Shares. |
Shares of Series BB Preferred Stock converted, redeemed, or otherwise purchased or acquired by the Corporation shall be restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock without designation as to series.
I. | No Sinking Fund. |
Shares of Series BB Preferred Stock are not subject to the operation of a sinking fund.
4. The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is Corporation Trust Center, 1209 Orange Street in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle. The name of the Corporation’s registered agent at such address is The Corporation Trust Company.
5. No holder of any stock of the Corporation of any class now or hereafter authorized shall have any preemptive right to purchase, subscribe for, or otherwise acquire any shares of stock of the Corporation of any class now or hereafter authorized, or any securities exchangeable for or convertible into any such shares, or any warrants or other instruments evidencing rights or options to subscribe for, purchase or otherwise acquire any such shares whether such shares, securities, warrants or other instruments be unissued, or issued and thereafter acquired by the Corporation.
6. To the fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, a director of the Corporation shall not be personally liable to the Corporation, its shareholders or otherwise for monetary damage for breach of his duty as a director. Any repeal or modification of this Article shall be prospective only and shall not adversely affect any limitation on the personal liability of a director of the Corporation existing at the time of such repeal or modification.
7. In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred
by law, the Board of Directors of the Corporation is expressly authorized and empowered to make, alter and repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation by a majority vote at any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors or by written consent, subject to the power of the stockholders of the Corporation to alter or repeal any Bylaws made by the Board of Directors.
8. The Corporation reserves the right at any time from time to time to amend or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation, and to add any other provisions authorized by the laws of the State of Delaware at the time in force; and all rights, preferences and privileges conferred upon stockholders, directors or any other persons by and pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation in its present form or as hereafter amended are granted subject to the rights reserved in this Article.
9. Unless and except to the extent that the Bylaws of the Corporation shall so require, the election of directors of the Corporation need not be by written ballot.
10. Any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation or may be effected by consent in writing in lieu of a meeting of such stockholders only if consents are signed by all stockholders of the Corporation entitled to vote on such action.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, BankAmerica Corporation has caused this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be signed by Hugh L. McColl, Jr., its Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, and attested to by James W. Kiser, its Secretary, this 28th day of April, 1999.
BANKAMERICA CORPORATION | ||
By: | /s/ Hugh L. McColl, Jr. | |
Hugh L. McColl, Jr. | ||
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer |
ATTEST: | ||
By: | /s/ James W. Kiser | |
James W. Kiser | ||
Secretary |
CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
OF
AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION
Bank of America Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Corporation”), does hereby certify as follows:
FIRST: That at a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, resolutions were duly adopted setting forth a proposed amendment of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, declaring said amendment to be advisable and calling a meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation for consideration thereof. The resolution setting forth the proposed amendment is as follows:
RESOLVED, that Article 3 of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation be amended by changing the number of shares of stock the Corporation is authorized to issue, so that, as amended, the first sentence of said Article 3 shall be and read as follows:
“3. The number of shares, par value $.01 per share, the Corporation is authorized to issue is Seven Billion Six Hundred Million (7,600,000,000), divided into the following classes:
Class | Number of Shares | |
Common | 7,500,000,000 | |
Preferred | 100,000,000.” |
The balance of said Article 3 shall remain unchanged.
SECOND: That said amendment was duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Section 242 of the Delaware General Corporation Law.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Certificate of Amendment to be executed by a duly authorized officer on this 26th day of March, 2004.
By: | /s/ James H. Hance, Jr. | |
Name: | James H. Hance, Jr. | |
Title: | Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer |
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION
OF
FIXED/ADJUSTABLE RATE CUMULATIVE
PREFERRED STOCK
OF
Bank of America Corporation
(Pursuant to Section 151 of the Delaware Corporation Law)
Bank of America Corporation, a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), hereby certifies that the following resolutions were adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) pursuant to the authority of the Board of Directors as required by Section 151 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, at a meeting duly convened and held on January 28, 2004:
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority granted to and vested in the Board of Directors in accordance with the provisions of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, the Board of Directors hereby creates a series of the Corporation’s previously authorized preferred stock, without par value (the “Preferred Stock”) and hereby states the designation and number thereof and fixes the voting powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, as follows:
(a) Designation. The designation of the series of Preferred Stock shall be “Fixed/Adjustable Rate Cumulative Preferred Stock” (hereinafter called this “Series”) and the number of shares constituting this Series is Eight Hundred Five Thousand (805,000).
(b) Dividend Rate.
(1) The holders of shares of this Series shall be entitled to receive dividends thereon at a rate of 6.60% per annum computed on the basis of an issue price thereof of $250 per share, and no more, payable quarterly out of the funds of the Corporation legally available for the payment of dividends. Such dividends shall be cumulative from the date of original issue of such shares and shall be payable, when, as and if declared by the Board, on January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1 of each year, commencing July 1, 2004 (a “Dividend Payment Date”) through April 1, 2006. Each such dividend shall be paid to the holders of record of shares of this Series as they appear on the stock register of the Corporation on such record date, not exceeding 30 days preceding the payment date thereof, as shall be fixed by the Board. Dividends on account of arrears for any past quarters may be declared and paid at any time, without reference to any regular dividend
payment date, to holders of record on such date, not exceeding 45 days preceding the payment date thereof, as may be fixed by the Board.
After April 1, 2006, dividends on this Series will be payable quarterly, as, if and when declared by the Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee thereof on each Dividend Payment Date at the Applicable Rate from time to time in effect. The Applicable Rate per annum for any dividend period beginning on or after April 1, 2006 will be equal to .50% plus the highest of the Treasury Bill Rate, the Ten Year Constant Maturity Rate and the Thirty Year Constant Maturity Rate (each as defined below under “Adjustable Rate Dividends”), as determined in advance of such dividend period. The Applicable Rate per annum for any dividend period beginning on or after April 1, 2006 will not be less than 7.0% nor greater than 13.0% (without taking into account any adjustments as described below in subsection (3) of this Section (b)).
(2) Except as provided below in this paragraph, the “Applicable Rate” per annum for any dividend period beginning on or after April 1, 2006 will be equal to .50% plus the Effective Rate (as defined below), but not less than 7.0% nor greater than 13.0% (without taking into account any adjustments as described below in subsection (3) of this Section (b)). The “Effective Rate” for any dividend period beginning on or after April 1, 2006 will be equal to the highest of the Treasury Bill Rate, the Ten Year Constant Maturity Rate and the Thirty Year Constant Maturity Rate (each as defined below) for such dividend period. In the event that the Corporation determines in good faith that for any reason:
(i) any one of the Treasury Bill Rate, the Ten Year Constant Maturity Rate or the Thirty Year Constant Maturity Rate cannot be determined for any dividend period, then the Effective Rate for such dividend period will be equal to the higher of whichever two of such rates can be so determined;
(ii) only one of the Treasury Bill Rate, the Ten Year Constant Maturity Rate or the Thirty Year Constant Maturity Rate can be determined for any dividend period, then the Effective Rate for such dividend period will be equal to whichever such rate can be so determined; or
(iii) none of the Treasury Bill Rate, the Ten Year Constant Maturity Rate or the Thirty Year Constant Maturity Rate can be determined for any dividend period, then the Effective Rate for the preceding dividend period will be continued for such dividend period.
Except as described below in this paragraph, the “Treasury Bill Rate” for each dividend period will be the arithmetic average of the two most recent weekly per annum market discount rates (or the one weekly per annum market discount rate, if only one such rate is published during the relevant Calendar Period (as defined below)) for three-month U.S. Treasury bills, as published weekly by the Federal Reserve Board (as defined below) during the Calendar Period immediately preceding the last ten calendar days preceding the dividend period for which the dividend rate on this Series is being determined. In the event that the Federal Reserve Board does not publish such a weekly per annum market discount rate during any such Calendar Period, then the Treasury Bill Rate for such dividend period will be the arithmetic average of the two most recent weekly per annum market discount rates (or the one weekly per annum market discount rate, if only one such rate is published during the relevant Calendar Period) for three-month U.S. Treasury bills, as published weekly during such Calendar Period by any Federal Reserve Bank or by any U.S. Government department or agency selected by the Corporation. In the event that a per annum market discount rate for three-month U.S. Treasury bills is not published by the Federal Reserve Board or by any Federal Reserve Bank or by any U.S. Government department or agency during
such Calendar Period, then the Treasury Bill Rate for such dividend period will be the arithmetic average of the two most recent weekly per annum market discount rates (or the one weekly per annum market discount rate, if only one such rate is published during the relevant Calendar Period) for all of the U.S. Treasury bills then having remaining maturities of not less than 80 nor more than 100 days, as published during such Calendar Period by the Federal Reserve Board or, if the Federal Reserve Board does not publish such rates, by any Federal Reserve Bank or by any U.S. Government Department or agency selected by the Corporation. In the event that the Corporation determines in good faith that for any reason no such U.S. Treasury Bill Rates are published as provided above during such Calendar Period, then the Treasury Bill Rate for such dividend period will be the arithmetic average of the per annum market discount rates based upon the closing bids during such Calendar Period for each of the issues of marketable non-interest-bearing U.S. Treasury securities with a remaining maturity of not less than 80 nor more than 100 days from the date of each such quotation, as chosen and quoted daily for each business day in New York City (or less frequently if daily quotations are not generally available) to the Corporation by at least three recognized dealers in U.S. Government securities selected by the Corporation. In the event that the Corporation determines in good faith that for any reason the Corporation cannot determine the Treasury Bill Rate for any dividend period as provided above in this paragraph, the Treasury Bill Rate for such dividend period will be the arithmetic average of the per annum market discount rates based upon the closing bids during such Calendar Period for each of the issues of marketable interest-bearing U.S. Treasury securities with a remaining maturity of not less than 80 nor more than 100 days, as chosen and quoted daily for each business day in New York City (or less frequently if daily quotations are not generally available) to the Corporation by at least three recognized dealers in U.S. Government securities selected by the Corporation.
Except as described below in this paragraph, the “Ten Year Constant Maturity Rate” for each dividend period will be the arithmetic average of the two most recent weekly per annum Ten Year Average Yields (as defined below) (or the one weekly per annum Ten Year Average Yield, if only one such yield is published during the relevant Calendar Period), as published weekly by the Federal Reserve Board during the Calendar Period immediately preceding the last ten calendar days preceding the dividend period for which the dividend rate on this Series is being determined. In the event that the Federal Reserve Board does not publish such a weekly per annum Ten Year Average Yield during such Calendar Period, then the Ten Year Constant Maturity Rate for such dividend period will be the arithmetic average of the two most recent weekly per annum Ten Year Average Yields (or the one weekly per annum Ten Year Average Yield, if only such yield is published during the relevant Calendar Period), as published weekly during such Calendar Period by any Federal Reserve Bank or by any U.S. Government department or agency selected by the Corporation. In the event that a per annum Ten Year Average Yield is not published by the Federal Reserve Board or by any Federal Reserve Bank or by any U.S. Government department or agency during such Calendar Period, then the Ten Year Constant Maturity Rate for such dividend period will be the arithmetic average of the two most recent weekly per annum average yields to maturity (or the one weekly per annum average yield to maturity, if only one such yield is published during the relevant Calendar Period) for all of the actively traded marketable U.S. Treasury fixed interest rate securities (other than Special Securities (as defined below)) then having remaining maturities of not less than eight nor more than twelve years, as published during such Calendar Period by the Federal Reserve Board or, if the Federal Reserve Board does not publish such yields, by any Federal Reserve Bank or by any U.S. Government department or agency selected by the
Corporation. In the event that the Corporation determines in good faith that for any reason the Corporation cannot determine the Ten Year Constant Maturity Rate for any dividend period as provided above in this paragraph, then the Ten Year Constant Maturity Rate for such dividend period will be the arithmetic average of the per annum average yields to maturity based upon the closing bids during such Calendar Period for each of the issues of actively traded marketable U.S. Treasury fixed interest rate securities (other than Special Securities) with a final maturity date not less than eight nor more than twelve years from the date of each such quotation, as chosen and quoted daily for each business day in New York City (or less frequently if daily quotations are not generally available) to the Corporation by at least three recognized dealers in U.S. Government securities selected by the Corporation.
Except as described below in this paragraph, the “Thirty Year Constant Maturity Rate” for each dividend period will be the arithmetic average of the two most recent weekly per annum Thirty Year Average Yields (as defined below) (or the one weekly per annum Thirty Year Yield, if only one such yield is published during the relevant Calendar Period), as published weekly by the Federal Reserve Board during the Calendar Period immediately preceding the last ten calendar days preceding the dividend period for which the dividend rate on this Series is being determined. In the event that the Federal Reserve Board does not publish such a weekly per annum Thirty Year Average Yield during such Calendar Period, then the Thirty Year Constant Maturity Rate for such dividend period will be the arithmetic average of the two most recent weekly per annum Thirty Year Average Yields (or the one weekly per annum Thirty Year Average Yield, if only one such yield is published during the relevant Calendar Period), as published weekly during such Calendar Period by any Federal Reserve Bank or by any U.S. Government department or agency selected by the Corporation. In the event that a per annum Thirty Year Average Yield is not published by the Federal Reserve Board or by any Federal Reserve Bank or by any U.S. Government department or agency during such Calendar Period, then the Thirty Year Constant Maturity Rate for such dividend period will be the arithmetic average of the two most recent weekly per annum average yields to maturity (or the one weekly per annum average yield to maturity, if only one such yield is published during the relevant Calendar Period) for all of the actively traded marketable U.S. Treasury fixed interest rate securities (other than Special Securities) then having remaining maturities of not less than twenty-eight nor more than thirty years, as published during such Calendar Period by the Federal Reserve Board or, if the Federal Reserve Board does not publish such yields, by any Federal Reserve Bank or by any U.S. Government department or agency selected by the Corporation. In the event that the Corporation determines in good faith that for any reason the Corporation cannot determine the Thirty Year Constant Maturity Rate for any dividend period as provided above in this paragraph, then the Thirty Year Constant Maturity Rate for such dividend period will be the arithmetic average of the per annum average yields to maturity based upon the closing bids during such Calendar Period for each of the issues of actively traded marketable U.S. Treasury fixed interest rate securities (other than Special Securities) with a final maturity date not less than twenty-eight nor more than thirty years from the date of such quotation, as chosen and quoted daily for each business day in New York City (or less frequently if daily quotations are not generally available) to the Corporation by at least three recognized dealers in U.S. Government securities selected by the Corporation.
The Treasury Bill Rate, the Ten Year Constant Maturity Rate and the Thirty Year Constant Maturity Rate will each be rounded to the nearest five hundredths of a percent.
The Applicable Rate with respect to each dividend period beginning on or after April 1, 2006 will be calculated as promptly as practicable by the Corporation according to the appropriate method described above. The Corporation will cause notice of each Applicable Rate to be enclosed with the dividend payment checks next mailed to the holders of this Series.
As used above, the term “Calendar Period” means a period of fourteen calendar days; the term “Federal Reserve Board” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; the term “Special Securities” means securities which can, at the option of the holder, be surrendered at face value in payment of any Federal estate tax or which provide tax benefits to the holder and are priced to reflect such tax benefits or which were originally issued at a deep or substantial discount; the term “Ten Year Average Yield” means the average yield to maturity for actively traded marketable U.S. Treasury fixed interest rate securities (adjusted to constant maturities of ten years); and the term “Thirty Year Average Yield” means the average yield to maturity for actively traded marketable U.S. Treasury fixed interest rate securities (adjusted to constant maturities of thirty years.)
(3) If one or more amendments to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), are enacted that change the percentage of the dividends received deduction (currently 70%) as specified in Section 243(a)(1) of the Code or any successor provision (the “Dividends Received Percentage”), the amount of each dividend payable per share of this Series for dividend payments made on or after the date of enactment of such change shall be adjusted by multiplying the amount of the dividend payable determined as described above (before adjustment) by a factor which shall be the number determined in accordance with the following formula (the “DRD Formula”), and rounding the result to the nearest cent:
1 – .35(1 – .70)/1 – .35(1 – DRP)
For the purposes of the DRD Formula, “DRP” means the Dividends Received Percentage applicable to the dividend in question. No amendment to the Code, other than a change in the percentage of the dividends received deduction set forth in Section 243(a)(1) of the Code or any successor provision, will give rise to an adjustment. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, in the event that, with respect to any such amendment, the Corporation shall receive either an unqualified opinion of independent recognized tax counsel or a private letter ruling or similar form of authorization from the Internal Revenue Service to the effect that such an amendment would not apply to dividends payable on shares of this Series, then any such amendment shall not result in the adjustment provided for pursuant to the DRD Formula. The Corporation’s calculation of the dividends payable as so adjusted and as certified accurate as to calculation and reasonable as to method by the independent certified public accountants then regularly engaged by the Corporation shall be final and not subject to review.
If any amendment to the Code which reduces the Dividends Received Percentage is enacted after a dividend payable on a Dividend Payment Date has been declared, the amount of dividend payable on such Dividend Payment Date will not be increased; but instead, an amount, equal to the excess of (x) the product of the dividends paid by the Corporation on such Dividend Payment Date and the DRD Formula (where the DRP used in the DRD Formula would be equal to the reduced Dividends Received Percentage) and (y) the dividends paid by the Corporation on such Dividend
Payment Date, will be payable to holders of record on the next succeeding Dividend Payment Date in addition to any other amounts payable on such date.
(4) No full dividends shall be declared or paid or set apart for payment on the Preferred Stock of any series ranking, as to dividends, on a parity with or junior to this Series for any period unless full cumulative dividends have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set apart for such payment on this Series for all dividend payment periods terminating on or prior to the date of payment of such full cumulative dividends. When dividends are not paid in full, as aforesaid, upon the shares of this Series and any other preferred stock ranking on a parity as to dividends with this Series, all dividends declared upon shares of this Series and any other class or series of preferred stock of the Corporation ranking on a parity as to dividends with this Series shall be declared pro rata so that the amount of dividends declared per share on this Series and such other preferred stock shall in all cases bear to each other the same ratio that accrued dividends per share on the shares of this Series and such other preferred stock bear to each other. Holders of shares of this Series shall not be entitled to any dividend, whether payable in cash, property or stocks, in excess of full cumulative dividends, as herein provided, on this Series. No interest, or sum of money in lieu of interest, shall be payable in respect of any dividend payment or payments on this Series which may be in arrears.
(5) So long as any shares of this Series are outstanding, no dividend (other than a dividend in Common Stock or in any other stock ranking junior to this Series as to dividends and upon liquidation and other than as provided in subsection (4) of this Section (b)) shall be declared or paid or set aside for payment or other distribution declared or made upon the Common Stock or upon any other stock ranking junior to or on a parity with this Series as to dividends or upon liquidation, nor shall any Common Stock nor any other stock of the Corporation ranking junior to or on a parity with this Series as to dividends or upon liquidation be redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired for any consideration (or any moneys be paid to or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of any shares of any such stock) by the Corporation (except by conversion into or exchange for stock of the Corporation ranking junior to this Series as to dividends and upon liquidation) unless, in each case, the full cumulative dividends on all outstanding shares of this Series shall have been paid for all past dividend payment periods.
(6) Dividends payable on this Series for any period shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months.
(c) Redemption.
(1) (A) The shares of this Series shall not be redeemable prior to April 1, 2006. On and after April 1, 2006, the Corporation, at its option, may redeem shares of this Series, in whole or in part, at any time or from time to time, at a redemption price or $250 per share, plus accrued and unpaid dividends thereon to the date fixed for redemption.
(B) In the event that fewer than all the outstanding shares of this Series are to be redeemed pursuant to subsection (1)(A), the number of shares to be redeemed shall be determined by the Board and the shares to be redeemed shall be determined by lot or pro rata as may be determined
by the Board or by any other method as may be determined by the Board in its sole discretion to be equitable.
(2) (A) Notwithstanding subsection (1) above, if the Dividends Received Percentage is equal to or less than 40% and, as a result, the amount of dividends on the shares of this Series payable on any Dividend Payment Date will be or is adjusted upwards as described in Section (b)(2) above, the Corporation, at its Option, may redeem all, but not less than all, of the outstanding shares of this Series; provided, that within sixty days of the date on which an amendment to the Code is enacted which reduces the Dividends Received Percentage to 40% or less, the Corporation sends notice to holders of shares of this Series of such redemption in accordance with subsection (3) below.
(B) Any redemption of this Series in accordance with this subsection (2) shall be at the applicable redemption price set forth in the following table, in each case plus accrued and unpaid dividends (whether or not declared) thereon to the date fixed for redemption, including any changes in dividends payable due to changes in the Dividends Received Percentage.
Redemption Period | Redemption Price Per Share | Redemption Price Per Depositary Share | ||
April 2, 2004 to March 31, 2005 | 252.50 | 50.50 | ||
April 1, 2005 to March 31, 2006 | 251.25 | 50.25 | ||
On or after April 1, 2006 | 250.00 | 50.00 |
(3) In the event the Corporation shall redeem shares of this Series pursuant to subsections (1) or (2) above, notice of such redemption shall be given by first class mail, postage prepaid, mailed not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption date, to each holder of record of the shares to be redeemed, at such holder’s address as the same appears on the stock register of the Corporation. Each such notice shall state: (i) the redemption date; (ii) the number of shares of this Series to be redeemed and, if fewer than all the shares held by such holder are to be redeemed, the number of such shares to be redeemed from such holder; (iii) the redemption price; (iv) the place or places where certificates for such shares are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price; and (v) that dividends on the shares to be redeemed will cease to accrue on such redemption date.
(4) Notice having been mailed as aforesaid, from and after the redemption date (unless default shall be made by the Corporation in providing money for the payment of the redemption price) dividends on the shares of this Series so called for redemption under either subsection (1) or (2) above shall cease to accrue, and said shares shall no longer be deemed to be outstanding, and all rights of the holders thereof as stockholders of the Corporation (except the right to receive from the Corporation the redemption price) shall cease. Upon surrender in accordance with said notice of the certificates for any shares so redeemed (properly endorsed or assigned for transfer, if the Board shall so require and the notice shall so state), such shares shall be redeemed by the Corporation at the applicable redemption price. In case fewer than all the shares represented by
any such certificate are redeemed, a new certificate shall be issued representing the unredeemed shares without cost to the holder thereof.
(5) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section (c), if any dividends on this Series are in arrears, no shares of this Series shall be redeemed unless all outstanding shares of this Series are simultaneously redeemed, and the Corporation shall not purchase or otherwise acquire any shares of this Series; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prevent the purchase or acquisition of shares of this Series pursuant to a purchase or exchange offer made on the same terms to holders of all outstanding shares of this Series.
(d) Liquidation Rights.
(1) Upon the dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation, the holders of the shares of this Series shall be entitled to receive and be paid out of the assets of the Corporation available for distribution to its stockholders, before any payment or distribution shall be made on the Common Stock or on any other class of stock ranking junior to the shares of this Series upon liquidation, the amount of $250 per share, plus a sum equal to all dividends (whether or not earned or declared) on such shares accrued and unpaid thereon to the date of final distribution.
(2) Neither the sale of all or substantially all the property or business of the Corporation nor the merger or consolidation of the Corporation into or with any other corporation or the merger or consolidation of any other corporation into or with the Corporation, shall be deemed to be a dissolution, liquidation or winding up, voluntary or involuntary, for the purposes of this Section (d).
(3) After the payment to the holders of the shares of this Series of the full preferential amounts provided for in this Section (d), the holders of this Series as such shall have no right or claim to any of the remaining assets of the Corporation.
(4) In the event the assets of the Corporation available for distribution to the holders of shares of this Series upon any dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, shall be insufficient to pay in full all amounts to which such holders are entitled pursuant to paragraph (1) of this Section (d), no such distribution shall be made on account of any shares of any other class or series of Preferred Stock ranking on a parity with the shares of this Series upon such dissolution, liquidation or winding up unless proportionate distributive amounts shall be paid on account of the shares of this Series, ratably, in proportion to the full distributable amounts for which holders of all such parity shares are respectively entitled upon such dissolution, liquidation or winding up.
(e) Conversion or Exchange. The holders of shares of this Series shall not have any rights herein to convert such shares into or exchange such shares for shares of any other class or classes or of any other series of any class or classes of capital stock of the Corporation.
(f) Voting. The shares of this Series shall not have any voting powers, either general or special, except that:
(1) Unless the vote or consent of the holders of a greater number of shares shall then be required by law, the consent of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of all of the shares of this Series at the time outstanding, given in person or by proxy, either in writing or by a vote at a meeting called for the purpose at which the holders of shares of this Series shall vote together as a separate class, shall be necessary for authorizing, effecting or validating the amendment, alteration or repeal of any of the provisions of the Corporation’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or of any certificate amendatory thereof or supplemental thereto (including any Certificate of the Voting Powers, Designations, Preferences and Relative, Participating, Optional or Other Special Rights, and the Qualifications, Limitations or Restrictions thereof, or any similar document relating to any series of Preferred Stock) which would adversely affect the preferences, rights, powers or privileges of this Series;
(2) Unless the vote or consent of the holders of a greater number of shares shall then be required by law, the consent of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of all of the shares of this Series and all other series of Preferred Stock ranking on a parity with shares of this Series, either as to dividends or upon liquidation, at the time outstanding, given in person or by proxy, either in writing or by a vote at a meeting called for the purpose at which the holders of shares of this Series and such other series of Preferred Stock shall vote together as a single class without regard to series, shall be necessary for authorizing, effecting, increasing or validating the creation, authorization or issue of any shares of any class of stock of the Corporation ranking prior to the shares of this Series as to dividends or upon liquidation, or the reclassification of any authorized stock of the Corporation into any such prior shares, or the creation, authorization or issue of any obligation or security convertible into or evidencing the right to purchase any such prior shares.
(3) If, at the time of any annual meeting of stockholders for the election of directors, a default in preference dividends on any series of the Preferred Stock or any other class or series of preferred stock of the Corporation (other than any other class or series of the Corporation’s preferred stock expressly entitled to elect additional directors to the Board by a vote separate and distinct from the vote provided for in this paragraph (3) (“Voting Preferred”)) shall exist, the number of directors constituting the Board shall be increased by two (without duplication of any increase made pursuant to the terms of any other class or series of the Corporation’s preferred stock other than any Voting Preferred) and the holders of the Corporation’s preferred stock of all classes and series (other than any such Voting Preferred) shall have the right at such meeting, voting together as a single class without regard to class or series, to the exclusion of the holders of Common Stock and the Voting Preferred, to elect two directors of the Corporation to fill such newly created directorships. Such right shall continue until there are no dividends in arrears upon shares of any class or series of the Corporation’s preferred stock ranking prior to or on a parity with shares of this Series as to dividends (other than any Voting Preferred). Each director elected by the holders of shares of any series of the Preferred Stock or any other class or series of the Corporation’s preferred stock in an election provided for by this paragraph (3) (herein called a “Preferred Director”) shall continue to serve as such director for the full term for which he shall have been elected, notwithstanding that prior to the end of such term a default in preference dividends shall cease to exist. Any Preferred Director may be removed by, and shall not be removed except by, the vote of the holders of record of the outstanding shares of the Corporation’s preferred stock entitled to have originally voted for such director’s election, voting together as a single class without regard to class or series, at a meeting of the stockholders, or of the holders of
shares of the Corporation’s preferred stock, called for that purpose. So long as a default in any preference dividends on any series of the Preferred Stock or any other class or series of preferred stock of the Corporation shall exist (other than any Voting Preferred) (A) any vacancy in the office of a Preferred Director may be filled (except as provided in the following clause (B)) by an instrument in writing signed by the remaining Preferred Director and filed with the Corporation and (B) in the case of the removal of any Preferred Director, the vacancy may be filled by the vote of the holders of the outstanding shares of the Corporation’s preferred stock entitled to have originally voted for the removed director’s election, voting together as a single class without regard to class or series, at the same meeting at which such removal shall be voted. Each director appointed as aforesaid shall be deemed for all purposes hereto to be a Preferred Director. Whenever the term of office of the Preferred Directors shall end and a default in preference dividends shall no longer exist, the number of directors constituting the Board shall be reduced by two. For purposes hereof, a “default in preference dividends” on any series of the Preferred Stock or any other class or series of preferred stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have occurred whenever the amount of accrued dividends upon such class or series of the Corporation’s preferred stock shall be equivalent to six full quarterly dividends or more, and, having so occurred, such default shall be deemed to exist thereafter until, but only until, all accrued dividends on all such shares of the Corporation’s preferred stock of each and every series then Outstanding (other than any Voting Preferred or shares of any class or series ranking junior to shares of this Series as to dividends) shall have been paid to the end of the last preceding quarterly dividend period.
(4) Without limiting the foregoing, under any circumstances in which the Series would have additional rights under Rhode Island law if the Corporation were incorporated under the Rhode Island Business Corporation Act (rather than the Delaware General Corporation Law), holders of shares of the Series shall be entitled to such rights, including, without limitation, voting rights under Chapter 7-1.1-55, voting and notice rights under Chapter 7-1.1-67 and dissenters’ rights under Chapters 7-1.1-73 and 7-1.1-74 of the Rhode Island Business Corporation Act (as such Chapters may be amended from time to time).
(g) Reacquired Shares. Shares of this Series which have been issued and reacquired through redemption or purchase shall, upon compliance with an applicable provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, have the status of authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued but only as part of a new series of Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board.
(h) Relation to Existing Preferred Classes of Stock. Shares of this Series are equal in rank and preference with all other series of the Preferred Stock (other than the ESOP Convertible Preferred Stock, Series C) outstanding on the date of original issue of the shares of this Series and are senior in rank and preference to the Common Stock and the ESOP Convertible Preferred Stock, Series C of the Corporation.
(i) Relation to Other Preferred Classes of Stock. For purposes of this resolution, any stock of any class or classes of the Corporation shall be deemed to rank:
(1) prior to the shares of this Series, either as to dividends or upon liquidation, if the holders of such class or classes shall be entitled to the receipt of dividends or of amounts
distributable upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation, as the case may be, in preference or priority to the holders of shares of this Series;
(2) on a parity with shares of this Series, either as to dividends or upon liquidation, whether or not the dividend rates, dividend payment dates or redemption or liquidation prices per share or sinking fund provisions, if any, be different from those of this Series, if the holders of such stock shall be entitled to the receipt of dividends or of amounts distributable upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation, as the case may be, in proportion to their respective dividend rates or liquidation prices, without preference or priority, one over the other, as between the holders of such stock and the holders of shares of this Series; and
(3) junior to the shares of this Series, either as to dividends or upon liquidation, if such class shall be Common Stock or if the holders of shares of this Series shall be entitled to receipt of dividends or of amounts distributable upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation, as the case may be, in preference or priority to the holders of shares of such class or classes.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Certificate of Designation to be duly executed by James H. Hance, Jr., its Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer, and attested to by Rachel R. Cummings, its Corporate Secretary, and has caused the corporate seal to be affixed hereto, this 26th day of March, 2004.
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION | ||
By: | /s/ James H. Hance, Jr. | |
Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer |
ATTEST: |
/s/ Rachel R. Cummings |
Corporate Secretary |
(Corporate Seal) |
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION
OF
6.75% PERPETUAL PREFERRED STOCK
OF
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION
(Pursuant to Section 151 of the Delaware Corporation Law)
Bank of America Corporation, a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), hereby certifies that the following resolutions were adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) pursuant to the authority of the Board of Directors as required by Section 151 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, at a meeting duly convened and held on January 28, 2004:
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority granted to and vested in the Board of Directors in accordance with the provisions of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, the Board of Directors hereby creates a series of the Corporation’s previously authorized preferred stock, without par value (the “Preferred Stock”) and hereby states the designation and number thereof and fixes the voting powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, as follows:
(a) Designation. The designation of the series of Preferred Stock shall be “6.75% Perpetual Preferred Stock” (hereinafter called this “Series”) and the number of shares constituting this Series is Six Hundred Ninety Thousand (690,000).
(b) Dividend Rate.
(1) The holders of shares of this Series shall be entitled to receive dividends thereon at a rate of 6.75% per annum computed on the basis of an issue price thereof of $250 per share, and no more, payable quarterly out of the funds of the Corporation legally available for the payment of dividends. Such dividends shall be cumulative from the date of original issue of such shares and shall be payable, when, as and if declared by the Board, on January 15, April 15, July 15 and October 15 of each year, commencing April 15, 2004 (a “Dividend Payment Date”). Each such dividend shall be paid to the holders of record of shares of this Series as they appear on the stock register of the Corporation on such record date, not exceeding 30 days preceding the payment date
thereof, as shall be fixed by the Board. Dividends on account of arrears for any past quarters may be declared and paid at any time, without reference to any regular dividend payment date, to holders of record on such date, not exceeding 45 days preceding the payment date thereof, as may be fixed by the Board.
(2) If one or more amendments to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), are enacted that change the percentage of the dividends received deduction (currently 70%) as specified in Section 243(a)(1) of the Code or any successor provision (the “Dividends Received Percentage”), the amount of each dividend payable per share of this Series for dividend payments made on or after the date of enactment of such change shall be adjusted by multiplying the amount of the dividend payable determined as described above (before adjustment) by a factor which shall be the number determined in accordance with the following formula (the “DRD Formula”), and rounding the result to the nearest cent:
1 – .35(1 – .70)/1 – .35(1 – DRP)
For the purposes of the DRD Formula, “DRP” means the Dividends Received Percentage applicable to the dividend in question. No amendment to the Code, other than a change in the percentage of the dividends received deduction set forth in Section 243(a)(1) of the Code or any successor provision, will give rise to an adjustment. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, in the event that, with respect to any such amendment, the Corporation shall receive either an unqualified opinion of independent recognized tax counsel or a private letter ruling or similar form of authorization from the Internal Revenue Service to the effect that such an amendment would not apply to dividends payable on shares of this Series, then any such amendment shall not result in the adjustment provided for pursuant to the DRD Formula. The Corporation’s calculation of the dividends payable as so adjusted and as certified accurate as to calculation and reasonable as to method by the independent certified public accountants then regularly engaged by the Corporation shall be final and not subject to review.
If any amendment to the Code which reduces the Dividends Received Percentage is enacted after a dividend payable on a Dividend Payment Date has been declared, the amount of dividend payable on such Dividend Payment Date will not be increased; but instead, an amount, equal to the excess of (x) the product of the dividends paid by the Corporation on such Dividend Payment Date and the DRD Formula (where the DRP used in the DRD Formula would be equal to the reduced Dividends Received Percentage) and (y) the dividends paid by the Corporation on such Dividend Payment Date, will be payable to holders of record on the next succeeding Dividend Payment Date in addition to any other amounts payable on such date.
(3) No full dividends shall be declared or paid or set apart for payment on the Preferred Stock of any series ranking, as to dividends, on a parity with or junior to this Series for any period unless full cumulative dividends have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the
payment thereof set apart for such payment on this Series for all dividend payment periods terminating on or prior to the date of payment of such full cumulative dividends. When dividends are not paid in full, as aforesaid, upon the shares of this Series and any other preferred stock ranking on a parity as to dividends with this Series, all dividends declared upon shares of this Series and any other class or series of preferred stock of the Corporation ranking on a parity as to dividends with this Series shall be declared pro rata so that the amount of dividends declared per share on this Series and such other preferred stock shall in all cases bear to each other the same ratio that accrued dividends per share on the shares of this Series and such other preferred stock bear to each other. Holders of shares of this Series shall not be entitled to any dividend, whether payable in cash, property or stocks, in excess of full cumulative dividends, as herein provided, on this Series. No interest, or sum of money in lieu of interest, shall be payable in respect of any dividend payment or payments on this Series which may be in arrears.
(4) So long as any shares of this Series are outstanding, no dividend (other than a dividend in Common Stock or in any other stock ranking junior to this Series as to dividends and upon liquidation and other than as provided in subsection (3) of this Section (b)) shall be declared or paid or set aside for payment or other distribution declared or made upon the Common Stock or upon any other stock ranking junior to or on a parity with this Series as to dividends or upon liquidation, nor shall any Common Stock nor any other stock of the Corporation ranking junior to or on a parity with this Series as to dividends or upon liquidation be redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired for any consideration (or any moneys be paid to or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of any shares of any such stock) by the Corporation (except by conversion into or exchange for stock of the Corporation ranking junior to this Series as to dividends and upon liquidation) unless, in each case, the full cumulative dividends on all outstanding shares of this Series shall have been paid for all past dividend payment periods.
(5) Dividends payable on this Series for any period shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months.
(c) Redemption.
(1) (A) The shares of this Series shall not be redeemable prior to April 15, 2006. On and after April 15, 2006, the Corporation, at its option, may redeem shares of this Series, in whole or in part, at any time or from time to time, at a redemption price of $250 per share, plus accrued and unpaid dividends thereon to the date fixed for redemption.
(B) In the event that fewer than all the outstanding shares of this Series are to be redeemed pursuant to subsection (1)(A), the number of shares to be redeemed shall be determined by the Board and the shares to be redeemed shall be determined by lot or pro rata as may be determined by the Board or by any other method as may be determined by the Board in its sole discretion to be equitable.
(2) (A) Notwithstanding subsection (1) above, if the Dividends Received Percentage is equal to or less than 40% and, as a result, the amount of dividends on the shares of this Series payable on any Dividend Payment Date will be or is adjusted upwards as described in Section (b)(2) above, the Corporation, at its option, may redeem all, but not less than all, of the outstanding shares of this Series; provided, that within sixty days of the date on which an amendment to the Code is enacted which reduces the Dividends Received Percentage to 40% or less, the Corporation sends notice to holders of shares of this Series of such redemption in accordance with subsection (3) below.
(B) Any redemption of the Perpetual Preferred Stock in accordance with this subsection (2) shall be at the applicable redemption price set forth in the following table, in each case plus accrued and unpaid dividends (whether or not declared) thereon to the date fixed for redemption, including any changes in dividends payable due to changes in the Dividends Received Percentage.
Redemption Period | Redemption Price Per Share | Redemption Price Per Depositary Share | ||
April 2, 2004 to April 14, 2004 | 253.75 | 50.75 | ||
April 15, 2004 to April 14, 2005 | 252.50 | 50.50 | ||
April 15, 2005 to April 14, 2006 | 251.25 | 50.25 | ||
On or after April 15, 2006 | 250.00 | 50.00 |
(3) In the event the Corporation shall redeem shares of this Series pursuant to subsections (1) or (2) above, notice of such redemption shall be given by first class mail, postage prepaid, mailed not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption date, to each holder of record of the shares to be redeemed, at such holder’s address as the same appears on the stock register of the Corporation. Each such notice shall state: (i) the redemption date; (ii) the number of shares of this Series to be redeemed and, if fewer than all the shares held by such holder are to be redeemed, the number of such shares to be redeemed from such holder; (iii) the redemption price; (iv) the place or places where certificates for such shares are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price; and (v) that dividends on the shares to be redeemed will cease to accrue on such redemption date.
(4) Notice having been mailed as aforesaid, from and after the redemption date (unless default shall be made by the Corporation in providing money for the payment of the redemption price) dividends on the shares of this Series so called for redemption under either subsection (1) or (2) above shall cease to accrue, and said shares shall no longer be deemed to be outstanding, and all rights of the holders thereof as stockholders of the Corporation (except the right to receive from the Corporation the redemption price) shall cease. Upon surrender in accordance with said notice of the certificates for any shares so redeemed (properly endorsed or assigned for transfer, if the Board shall so require and the notice shall so state), such shares shall be redeemed by the Corporation at the applicable redemption price. In case fewer than all the shares represented by
any such certificate are redeemed, a new certificate shall be issued representing the unredeemed shares without cost to the holder thereof.
(5) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section (c), if any dividends on this Series are in arrears, no shares of this Series shall be redeemed unless all outstanding shares of this Series are simultaneously redeemed, and the Corporation shall not purchase or otherwise acquire any shares of this Series; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prevent the purchase or acquisition of shares of this Series pursuant to a purchase or exchange offer made on the same terms to holders of all outstanding shares of this Series.
(d) Liquidation Rights.
(1) Upon the dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation, the holders of the shares of this Series shall be entitled to receive and be paid out of the assets of the Corporation available for distribution to its stockholders, before any payment or distribution shall be made on the Common Stock or on any other class of stock ranking junior to the shares of this Series upon liquidation, the amount of $250 per share, plus a sum equal to all dividends (whether or not earned or declared) on such shares accrued and unpaid thereon to the date of final distribution.
(2) Neither the sale of all or substantially all the property or business of the Corporation nor the merger or consolidation of the Corporation into or with any other corporation or the merger or consolidation of any other corporation into or with the Corporation, shall be deemed to be a dissolution, liquidation or winding up, voluntary or involuntary, for the purposes of this Section (d).
(3) After the payment to the holders of the shares of this Series of the full preferential amounts provided for in this Section (d), the holders of this Series as such shall have no right or claim to any of the remaining assets of the Corporation.
(4) In the event the assets of the Corporation available for distribution to the holders of shares of this Series upon any dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, shall be insufficient to pay in full all amounts to which such holders are entitled pursuant to paragraph (1) of this Section (d), no such distribution shall be made on account of any shares of any other class or series of Preferred Stock ranking on a parity with the shares of this Series upon such dissolution, liquidation or winding up unless proportionate distributive amounts shall be paid on account of the shares of this Series, ratably, in proportion to the full distributable amounts for which holders of all such parity shares are respectively entitled upon such dissolution, liquidation or winding up.
(e) Conversion or Exchange. The holders of shares of this Series shall not have any rights herein to convert such shares into or exchange such shares for shares of any other class or classes or of any other series of any class or classes of capital stock of the Corporation.
(f) Voting. The shares of this Series shall not have any voting powers, either general or special, except that:
(1) Unless the vote or consent of the holders of a greater number of shares shall then be required by law, the consent of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of all of the shares of this Series at the time outstanding, given in person or by proxy, either in writing or by a vote at a meeting called for the purpose at which the holders of shares of this Series shall vote together as a separate class, shall be necessary for authorizing, effecting or validating the amendment, alteration or repeal of any of the provisions of the Corporation’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or of any certificate amendatory thereof or supplemental thereto (including any Certificate of the Voting Powers, Designations, Preferences and Relative, Participating, Optional or Other Special Rights, and the Qualifications, Limitations or Restrictions thereof, or any similar document relating to any series of Preferred Stock) which would adversely affect the preferences, rights, powers or privileges of this Series;
(2) Unless the vote or consent of the holders of a greater number of shares shall then be required by law, the consent of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of all of the shares of this Series and all other series of Preferred Stock ranking on a parity with shares of this Series, either as to dividends or upon liquidation, at the time outstanding, given in person or by proxy, either in writing or by a vote at a meeting called for the purpose at which the holders of shares of this Series and such other series of Preferred Stock shall vote together as a single class without regard to series, shall be necessary for authorizing, effecting, increasing or validating the creation, authorization or issue of any shares of any class of stock of the Corporation ranking prior to the shares of this Series as to dividends or upon liquidation, or the reclassification of any authorized stock of the Corporation into any such prior shares, or the creation, authorization or issue of any obligation or security convertible, into or evidencing the right to purchase any such prior shares.
(3) If, at the time of any annual meeting of stockholders for the election of directors, a default in preference dividends on any series of the Preferred Stock or any other class or series of preferred stock of the Corporation (other than any other class or series of the Corporation’s preferred stock expressly entitled to elect additional directors to the Board by a vote separate and distinct from the vote provided for in this paragraph (3) (“Voting Preferred”)) shall exist, the number of directors constituting the Board shall be increased by two (without duplication of any increase made pursuant to the terms of any other class or series of the Corporation’s preferred stock other than any Voting Preferred) and the holders of the Corporation’s preferred stock of all classes and series (other than any such Voting Preferred) shall have the right at such meeting, voting together as a single class without regard to class or series, to the exclusion of the holders of Common Stock and the Voting Preferred, to elect two directors of the Corporation to fill such newly created directorships. Such right shall continue until there are no dividends in arrears upon shares of any class or series of the Corporation’s preferred stock ranking prior to or on a parity with shares of this Series as to dividends (other than any Voting Preferred). Each director elected by the holders of shares of any series of the Preferred Stock or any other class or series of the Corporation’s preferred stock in an election provided for by this paragraph (3) (herein called a “Preferred Director”) shall continue to serve as such director for the full term for which he shall have been elected, notwithstanding that prior to the end of such term a default in preference dividends shall cease to exist. Any Preferred Director may be removed by, and shall not be removed except by, the vote of the holders of record of the outstanding shares of the Corporation’s preferred stock entitled to have originally voted for such director’s election, voting together as a single class without regard to class or series, at a meeting of the stockholders, or of the holders of
shares of the Corporation’s preferred stock, called for that purpose. So long as a default in any preference dividends on any series of the Preferred Stock or any other class or series of preferred stock of the Corporation shall exist (other than any Voting Preferred) (A) any vacancy in the office of a Preferred Director may be filled (except as provided in the following clause (B)) by an instrument in writing signed by the remaining Preferred Director and filed with the Corporation and (B) in the case of the removal of any Preferred Director, the vacancy may be filled by the vote of the holders of the outstanding shares of the Corporation’s preferred stock entitled to have originally voted for the removed director’s election, voting together as a single class without regard to class or series, at the same meeting at which such removal shall be voted. Each director appointed as aforesaid shall be deemed for all purposes hereto to be a Preferred Director.
Whenever the term of office of the Preferred Directors shall end and a default in preference dividends shall no longer exist, the number of directors constituting the Board shall be reduced by two. For purposes hereof, a “default in preference dividends” on any series of the Preferred Stock or any other class or series of preferred stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have occurred whenever the amount of accrued dividends upon such class or series of the Corporation’s preferred stock shall be equivalent to six full quarterly dividends or more, and, having so occurred, such default shall be deemed to exist thereafter until, but only until, all accrued dividends on all such shares of the Corporation’s preferred stock of each and every series then outstanding (other than any Voting Preferred or shares of any class or series ranking junior to shares of this Series as to dividends) shall have been paid to the end of the last preceding quarterly dividend period.
(4) Without limiting the foregoing, under any circumstances in which the Series would have additional rights under Rhode Island law if the Corporation were incorporated under the Rhode Island Business Corporation Act (rather than the Delaware General Corporation Law), holders of shares of the Series shall be entitled to such rights, including, without limitation, voting rights under Chapter 7-1.1-55, voting and notice rights under Chapter 7-1.1-67 and dissenters’ rights under Chapters 7-1.1-73 and 7-1.1-74 of the Rhode Island Business Corporation Act (as such Chapters may be amended from time to time).
(g) Reacquired Shares. Shares of this Series which have been issued and reacquired through redemption or purchase shall, upon compliance with an applicable provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law, have the status of authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued but only as part of a new series of Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board.
(h) Relation to Existing Preferred Classes of Stock. Shares of this Series are equal in rank and preference with all other series of the Preferred Stock (other than the ESOP Convertible Preferred Stock, Series C) outstanding on the date of original issue of the shares of this Series and are senior in rank and preference to the Common Stock and the ESOP Convertible Preferred Stock, Series C of the Corporation.
(i) Relation to Other Preferred Classes of Stock. For purposes of this resolution, any stock of any class or classes of the Corporation shall be deemed to rank:
(1) prior to the shares of this Series, either as to dividends or upon liquidation, if the holders of such class or classes shall be entitled to the receipt of dividends or of amounts distributable upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation, as the case may be, in preference or priority to the holders of shares of this Series;
(2) on a parity with shares of this Series, either as to dividends or upon liquidation, whether or not the dividend rates, dividend payment dates or redemption or liquidation prices per share or sinking fund provisions, if any, be different from those of this Series, if the holders of such stock shall be entitled to the receipt of dividends or of amounts distributable upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation, as the case may be, in proportion to their respective dividend rates or liquidation prices, without preference or priority, one over the other, as between the holders of such stock and the holders of shares of this Series; and
(3) junior to the shares of this Series, either as to dividends or upon liquidation, if such class shall be Common Stock or if the holders of shares of this Series shall be entitled to receipt of dividends or of amounts distributable upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation, as the case may be, in preference or priority to the holders of shares of such class or classes.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Certificate of Designation to be duly executed by James H. Hance, Jr., its Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer, and attested to by Rachel R. Cummings, its Corporate Secretary, and has caused the corporate seal to be affixed hereto, this 26th day of March, 2004.
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION | ||
By: | /s/ James H. Hance, Jr. | |
Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer |
ATTEST: |
/s/ Rachel R. Cummings |
Corporate Secretary |
(Corporate Seal) |
CERTIFICATE OF MERGER
OF
FLEETBOSTON FINANCIAL CORPORATION
INTO
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION
In accordance with Section 252 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, Bank of America Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“Bank of America”), does hereby certify as follows:
FIRST: That the name and state of incorporation of each of the constituent corporations of the merger herein certified are as follows:
Name | State of Incorporation | |||
FleetBoston Financial Corporation | Rhode Island | |||
Bank of America Corporation | Delaware |
SECOND: That an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of October 27, 2003, by and between FleetBoston Financial Corporation (“FleetBoston”), a Rhode Island Corporation, and Bank of America, was approved, adopted, certified, executed and acknowledged by each of the constituent corporations in accordance with the requirements of Section 252 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
THIRD: That Bank of America will continue as the surviving corporation.
FOURTH: That the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Bank of America at the effective time of the merger shall be the certificate of incorporation of the surviving corporation.
FIFTH: That a copy of the executed Agreement and Plan of Merger is on file at the offices of the surviving corporation at Bank of America Corporate Center, Charlotte, North Carolina 28255.
SIXTH: That a copy of the Agreement and Plan of Merger will be furnished by Bank of America, on request and without cost, to any stockholder of any constituent corporation.
SEVENTH: The authorized capital stock of FleetBoston consisted of 2,000,000,000 shares of Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share, and 16,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, $1.00 par value per share, of which 690,000 shares were designated as Series VI 6.75% Perpetual Preferred Stock and 805,000 shares were designated as Series VII Fixed/Adjustable Rate Cumulative Preferred Stock.
EIGHTH: This Certificate of Merger shall become effective on April 1, 2004 at 12:01 a.m., Eastern Time.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Bank of America has caused this Certificate of Merger to be executed by a duly authorized officer on this 31st day of March, 2004.
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION | ||
By: | /s/ JAMES H. HANCE, JR. | |
Name: | James H. Hance, Jr. | |
Title: | Chief Financial Officer |
CERTIFICATE OF MERGER
OF
MBNA CORPORATION
(a Maryland corporation)
with and into
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION
(a Delaware corporation)
Pursuant to Section 252 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), Bank of America Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“Bank of America”), hereby certifies the following information relating to the merger of MBNA Corporation, a Maryland corporation (“MBNA”), with and into Bank of America (the “Merger”):
FIRST: | The name and state of incorporation of each of the constituent corporations (the “Constituent Corporations”) in the Merger are: |
Name: | State of Incorporation | |||
Bank of America Corporation | Delaware | |||
MBNA Corporation | Maryland |
SECOND: | The Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of June 30, 2005, by and between MBNA and Bank of America (the “Plan of Merger”), setting forth the terms and conditions of the Merger has been approved, adopted, certified, executed and acknowledged by each of the Constituent Corporations in accordance with the requirements of Section 252 of the DGCL. | |
THIRD: | The name of the surviving corporation of the Merger (the “Surviving Corporation”) is Bank of America Corporation. | |
FOURTH: | The Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Bank of America in effect immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger shall be the certificate of incorporation of the Surviving Corporation. | |
FIFTH: | The executed Plan of Merger is on file at the principal place of business of the Surviving Corporation at Bank of America Corporate Center, 100 N. Tryon Street, Charlotte, North Carolina 28255. | |
SIXTH: | A copy of the Plan of Merger will be furnished by the Surviving Corporation, on request and without cost, to any stockholder of either Constituent Corporation. | |
SEVENTH: | The authorized capital stock of MBNA consisted of 1,500,000,000 shares of |
common stock, par value $0.01 per share, and 20,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share. | ||
EIGHTH: | The Merger shall become effective as of 12:01 a.m., Eastern time, on January 1, 2006. |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Bank of America has caused this Certificate of Merger to be executed by its duly authorized officer on this 29th day of December, 2005.
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION | ||
By: | /s/ WILLIAM J. MOSTYN | |
Name: | William J. Mostyn | |
Title: | Secretary |
CERTIFICATE OF ELIMINATION
OF
FIXED/ADJUSTABLE RATE CUMULATIVE PREFERRED STOCK
AND
6.75% PERPETUAL PREFERRED STOCK
OF
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION
Pursuant to Section 151(g)
of the General Corporation Law
of the State of Delaware
Bank of America Corporation, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Company”), in accordance with the provisions of Section 151(g) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), hereby certifies as follows:
1. That, pursuant to Section 151 of the DGCL and the authority granted in the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”), by resolution duly adopted, authorized the issuance of a series of 805,000 shares of Fixed/Adjustable Rate Cumulative Preferred Stock, without par value (the “Fixed/Adjustable Preferred Stock”), and established the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating and other rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, and, on March 29, 2004, filed a Certificate of Designation with respect to such Fixed/Adjustable Preferred Stock in the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the “Secretary of State”).
2. That, pursuant to Section 151 of the DGCL and the authority granted in the Certificate of Incorporation, the Board, by resolution duly adopted, authorized the issuance of a series of 690,000 shares of 6.75% Perpetual Preferred Stock, without par value (the “Perpetual Preferred Stock”), and established the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating and other rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, and, on March 29, 2004, filed a Certificate of Designation with respect to such Perpetual Preferred Stock in the office of the Secretary of State.
3. That on May 26, 2006 the Special Preferred Stock Committee of the Board (the “Committee”) authorized and approved the redemption of the issued and outstanding shares of Fixed/Adjustable Preferred Stock on July 3, 2006 and the redemption of the Fixed/Adjustable Preferred Stock on July 14, 2006.
4. That all of the issued and outstanding shares of Fixed/Adjustable Preferred Stock were redeemed on July 3, 2006 and all of the issued and outstanding shares of Perpetual Preferred Stock were redeemed on July 14, 2006, and, therefore, no shares of
Fixed/Adjustable Preferred Stock or Perpetual Preferred Stock are outstanding and no shares thereof will be issued subject to such Certificates of Designation.
5. That the Board has adopted the following resolutions:
WHEREAS, by resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) and by a Certificate of Designation filed in the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the “Secretary of State”) on March 29, 2004, this Company authorized the issuance of a series of 805,000 shares of Fixed/Adjustable Rate Cumulative Preferred Stock, without par value, of the Company (the “Fixed/Adjustable Preferred Stock”) and established the voting powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating and other rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof; and
WHEREAS, by resolution of the Board and by a Certificate of Designation filed in the office of the Secretary of State on March 29, 2004, this Company authorized the issuance of a series of 690,000 shares of 6.75% Perpetual Preferred Stock, without par value, of the Company (the “Perpetual Preferred Stock”) and established the voting powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating and other rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof;
WHEREAS, on May 26, 2006, the Special Preferred Stock Committee of the Board (the “Committee”) authorized and approved the redemption of all the issued and outstanding shares of the Fixed/Adjustable Preferred Stock on July 3, 2006 and the Perpetual Preferred Stock on July 14, 2006;
WHEREAS, all of the issued and outstanding shares of Fixed/Adjustable Preferred Stock were redeemed on July 3, 2006 and all issued and outstanding shares of Perpetual Preferred Stock were redeemed on July 14, 2006, and, therefore, no shares of Fixed/Adjustable Preferred Stock or Perpetual Preferred Stock are outstanding and no shares thereof will be issued subject to such Certificates of Designation;
WHEREAS, it is desirable that all matters set forth in the Certificates of Designation with respect to such Fixed/Adjustable Preferred Stock and Perpetual Preferred Stock be eliminated from the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as heretofore amended, of the Company (the “Certificate of Incorporation”).
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT AND IT HEREBY IS:
RESOLVED, that all matters set forth in the Certificates of Designation with respect to such Fixed/Adjustable Preferred Stock and Perpetual Preferred Stock be eliminated from the Certificate of Incorporation; and it is further
RESOLVED, that the officers of the Company be, and hereby are,
authorized and directed to file a Certificate with the office of the Secretary of State setting forth a copy of these resolutions whereupon all matters set forth in the Certificates of Designation with respect to such Fixed/Adjustable Preferred Stock and Perpetual Preferred Stock shall be eliminated from the Certificate of Incorporation; and it is further
RESOLVED, that the officers of the Corporation be, and each of them hereby is, authorized and directed, for and on behalf of the Corporation, to take any and all actions, to perform all such acts and things, to execute, file, deliver or record in the name and on behalf of the Corporation, all such certificates, instruments, agreements or other documents, and to make all such payments as they, in their judgment, or in the judgment of any one or more of them, may deem necessary, advisable or appropriate in order to carry out the purpose and intent of the foregoing resolutions and the transactions contemplated therein or thereby, the authorization therefor to be conclusively evidenced by the taking of such action or the execution and delivery of such certificates, instruments, agreements or documents.
6. That, accordingly, all matters set forth in the Certificates of Designation with respect to such Fixed/Adjustable Preferred Stock and Perpetual Preferred Stock be, and hereby are, eliminated from the Certificate of Incorporation, as heretofore amended.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Certificate to be signed by its duly authorized officer as of this 31st day of July, 2006.
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION | ||
By: | /s/ Teresa M. Brenner | |
Name: | Teresa M. Brenner | |
Title: | Associate General Counsel |
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS
OF
6.204% NON-CUMULATIVE PREFERRED STOCK, SERIES D
OF
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION
Pursuant to Section 151 of the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
Bank of America Corporation, a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), does hereby certify that:
1. At a meeting duly convened and held on July 26, 2006, the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) duly adopted resolutions (a) authorizing the issuance and sale by the Corporation of one or more series of the Corporation’s preferred stock, and (b) appointing a Committee (the “Committee”) of the Board to act on behalf of the Board in establishing the number of authorized shares, the dividend rate and other powers, designations, preferences and rights of the preferred stock.
2. Thereafter, on September 6, 2006, the Committee duly adopted the following resolution by written consent:
“RESOLVED, that the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, of the Corporation’s 6.204% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series D, including those established by the Board and the number of authorized shares and dividend rate established hereby, are authorized and approved as set forth in Exhibit A hereto, which is incorporated herein by reference.”
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Designations is executed on behalf of the Corporation by its duly authorized officer this 13th day of September, 2006.
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION | ||
/s/ TERESA M. BRENNER | ||
Name: | Teresa M. Brenner | |
Title: | Associate General Counsel |
EXHIBIT A
TO
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS
OF
6.204% NON-CUMULATIVE PREFERRED STOCK, SERIES D
OF
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION
Section 1. Designation. The designation of the series of preferred stock shall be “6.204% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series D” (the “Series D Preferred Stock”). Each share of Series D Preferred Stock shall be identical in all respects to every other share of Series D Preferred Stock. Series D Preferred Stock will rank equally with Parity Stock, if any, will rank senior to Junior Stock and will rank junior to Senior Stock, if any, with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation.
Section 2. Number of Shares. The number of authorized shares of Series D Preferred Stock shall be 34,500. That number from time to time may be increased (but not in excess of the total number of authorized shares of preferred stock) or decreased (but not below the number of shares of Series D Preferred Stock then outstanding) by further resolution duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation, the Committee or any other duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation and by the filing of a certificate pursuant to the provisions of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware stating that such increase or reduction, as the case may be, has been so authorized. The Corporation shall have the authority to issue fractional shares of Series D Preferred Stock.
Section 3. Definitions. As used herein with respect to Series D Preferred Stock:
“Business Day” means each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday on which banking institutions are not authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to close in New York, New York or in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“Depositary Company” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(d) hereof.
“Dividend Payment Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) hereof.
“Dividend Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) hereof.
“DTC” means The Depositary Trust Company, together with its successors and assigns.
“Junior Stock” means the Corporation’s common stock and any other class or series of stock of the Corporation now existing or hereafter authorized over which Series D Preferred Stock has preference or priority in the payment of dividends or in the distribution of assets on any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.
“Parity Stock” means (a) the Corporation’s 7% Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, Series B and (b) any other class or series of stock of the Corporation hereafter authorized that ranks on a par with the Series D Preferred Stock in the payment of dividends and in the distribution of assets on any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.
“Senior Stock”means any class or series of stock of the Corporation now existing or hereafter authorized which has preference or priority over the Series D Preferred Stock as to the payment of dividends or in the distribution of assets on any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.
“Series D Preferred Stock” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1 hereof.
Section 4. Dividends.
(a) Rate. Holders of Series D Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, if, as and when declared by the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, but only out of assets legally available therefor, non-cumulative cash dividends on the liquidation preference of $25,000 per share of Series D Preferred Stock, and no more, payable quarterly in arrears on each March 14, June 14, September 14 and December 14; provided, however, if any such day is not a Business Day, then payment of any dividend otherwise payable on that date will be made on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day, unless that day falls in the next calendar year, in which case payment of such dividend will occur on the immediately preceding Business Day (in either case, without any interest or other payment in respect of such delay) (each such day on which dividends are payable a “Dividend Payment Date”). The period from and including the date of issuance of the Series D Preferred Stock or any Dividend Payment Date to but excluding the next Dividend Payment Date is a“Dividend Period.” Dividends on each share of Series D Preferred Stock will accrue on the liquidation preference of $25,000 per share at a rate per annum equal to 6.204%. The record date for payment of dividends on the Series D Preferred Stock shall be the last Business Day of the calendar month immediately preceding the month during which the Dividend Payment Date falls. The amount of dividends payable shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.
(b) Non-Cumulative Dividends. Dividends on shares of Series D Preferred Stock shall be non-cumulative. To the extent that any dividends payable on the shares of Series D Preferred Stock on any Dividend Payment Date are not declared and paid, in full or otherwise, on such Dividend Payment Date, then such unpaid dividends shall not cumulate and shall cease to accrue and be payable, and the Corporation shall have no obligation to pay, and the holders of Series D Preferred Stock shall have no right to receive, dividends accrued for such Dividend Period after the Dividend Payment Date for such Dividend Period or interest with respect to such
dividends, whether or not dividends are declared for any subsequent Dividend Period with respect to Series D Preferred Stock, Parity Stock, Junior Stock or any other class or series of authorized preferred stock of the Corporation.
(c) Priority of Dividends. So long as any share of Series D Preferred Stock remains outstanding, (i) no dividend shall be declared or paid or set aside for payment and no distribution shall be declared or made or set aside for payment on any Junior Stock, other than a dividend payable solely in shares of Junior Stock, (ii) no shares of Junior Stock shall be repurchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired for consideration by the Corporation, directly or indirectly (other than as a result of a reclassification of Junior Stock for or into other Junior Stock, or the exchange or conversion of one share of Junior Stock for or into another share of Junior Stock, and other than through the use of the proceeds of a substantially contemporaneous sale of other shares of Junior Stock), nor shall any monies be paid to or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of any such Junior Stock by the Corporation and (iii) no shares of Parity Stock shall be repurchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired for consideration by the Corporation otherwise than pursuant topro rata offers to purchase all, or apro rata portion, of the Series D Preferred Stock and such Parity Stock except by conversion into or exchange for Junior Stock, in each case unless full dividends on all outstanding shares of Series D Preferred Stock for the then-current Dividend Period have been paid in full or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set aside. The foregoing limitations do not apply to purchases or acquisitions of the Corporation’s Junior Stock pursuant to any employee or director incentive or benefit plan or arrangement (including any employment, severance or consulting agreement) of the Corporation or any subsidiary of the Corporation heretofore or hereafter adopted.
Subject to the succeeding sentence, for so long as any shares of Series D Preferred Stock remain outstanding, no dividends shall be declared or paid or set aside for payment on any Parity Stock for any period unless full dividends on all outstanding shares of Series D Preferred Stock for the then-current Dividend Period have been paid in full or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set aside. To the extent the Corporation declares dividends on the Series D Preferred Stock and on any Parity Stock but cannot make full payment of such declared dividends, the Corporation will allocate the dividend payments on a pro rate basis among the holders of the shares of Series D Preferred Stock and the holders of any Parity Stock. For purposes of calculating the pro rate allocation of partial dividend payments, the Corporation will allocate dividend payments based on the ratio between the then-current dividend payments due on the shares of Series D Preferred Stock and the aggregate of the current and accrued dividends due on the Parity Stock. No interest will be payable in respect of any dividend payment on shares of Series D Preferred Stock that may be in arrears. Subject to the foregoing, and not otherwise, such dividends (payable in cash, stock or otherwise) as may be determined by the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation may be declared and paid on any Junior Stock from time to time out of any assets legally available therefor, and the shares of Series D Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to participate in any such dividend.
Section 5. Liquidation Rights.
(a) Liquidation. In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, holders of Series D Preferred Stock shall be entitled, out of assets legally available therefor, before any distribution or payment out of the assets of the Corporation may be made to or set aside for the holders of any Junior Stock and subject to the rights of the holders of any class or series of securities ranking senior to or on parity with Series D Preferred Stock upon liquidation and the rights of the Corporation’s depositors and other creditors, to receive in full a liquidating distribution in the amount of the liquidation preference of $25,000 per share, plus any dividends which have been declared but not yet paid, without accumulation of any undeclared dividends, to the date of liquidation. The holders of Series D Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to any further payments in the event of any such voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation other than what is expressly provided for in this Section 5.
(b) Partial Payment. If the assets of the Corporation are not sufficient to pay in full the liquidation preference plus any dividends which have been declared but not yet paid to all holders of Series D Preferred Stock and all holders of any Parity Stock, the amounts paid to the holders of Series D Preferred Stock and to the holders of all Parity Stock shall bepro rata in accordance with the respective aggregate liquidation preferences plus any dividends which have been declared but not yet paid of Series D Preferred Stock and all such Parity Stock.
(c) Residual Distributions. If the liquidation preference plus any dividends which have been declared but not yet paid has been paid in full to all holders of Series D Preferred Stock and all holders of any Parity Stock, the holders of Junior Stock shall be entitled to receive all remaining assets of the Corporation according to their respective rights and preferences.
(d) Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets Not Liquidation. For purposes of this Section 5, the sale, conveyance, exchange or transfer (for cash, shares of stock, securities or other consideration) of all or substantially all of the property and assets of the Corporation shall not be deemed a voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, nor shall the merger, consolidation or any other business combination transaction of the Corporation into or with any other corporation or person or the merger, consolidation or any other business combination transaction of any other corporation or person into or with the Corporation be deemed to be a voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation.
Section 6. Redemption.
(a) Optional Redemption. The Corporation, at the option of its Board of Directors or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, may redeem out of funds legally available therefor, in whole or in part, the shares of Series D Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, at any time on any Dividend Payment Date on or after the Dividend Payment Date on September 14, 2011, upon notice given as provided in Section 6(b) below. The redemption price for shares of Series D Preferred Stock shall be $25,000 per share plus dividends that have been declared but not paid.
(b) Notice of Redemption. Notice of every redemption of shares of Series D Preferred Stock shall be mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the holders of record of such shares to be redeemed at their respective last addresses appearing on the stock register of the Corporation. Such mailing shall be at least 30 days and not more than 60 days before the date fixed for redemption. Any notice mailed as provided in this Section 6(b) shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the holder receives such notice, but failure duly to give such notice by mail, or any defect in such notice or in the mailing thereof, to any holder of shares of Series D Preferred Stock designated for redemption shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other shares of Series D Preferred Stock. Each notice shall state (i) the redemption date; (ii) the number of shares of Series D Preferred Stock to be redeemed and, if fewer than all the shares held by such holder are to be redeemed, the number of such shares to be redeemed from such holder; (iii) the redemption price; (iv) the place or places where the certificates for such shares are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price; and (v) that dividends on the shares to be redeemed will cease to accrue on the redemption date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Series D Preferred Stock is held in book-entry form through DTC, the Corporation may give such notice in any manner permitted by DTC.
(c) Partial Redemption. In case of any redemption of only part of the shares of Series D Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, the shares of Series D Preferred Stock to be redeemed shall be selected eitherpro rata from the holders of record of Series D Preferred Stock in proportion to the number of Series D Preferred Stock held by such holders or by lot or in such other manner as the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation may determine to be fair and equitable. Subject to the provisions of this Section 6, the Board of Directors of the Corporation, the Committee or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors shall have full power and authority to prescribe the terms and conditions upon which shares of Series D Preferred Stock shall be redeemed from time to time.
(d) Effectiveness of Redemption. If notice of redemption has been duly given and if on or before the redemption date specified in the notice all funds necessary for the redemption have been set aside by the Corporation, separate and apart from its other assets, in trust for thepro rata benefit of the holders of the shares called for redemption, so as to be and continue to be available therefor, or deposited by the Corporation with a bank or trust company selected by the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors (the “Depositary Company”) in trust for thepro rata benefit of the holders of the shares called for redemption, then, notwithstanding that any certificate for any share so called for redemption has not been surrendered for cancellation, on and after the redemption date all shares so called for redemption shall cease to be outstanding, all dividends with respect to such shares shall cease to accrue after such redemption date, and all rights with respect to such shares shall forthwith on such redemption date cease and terminate, except only the right of the holders thereof to receive the amount payable on such redemption from such bank or trust company at any time after the redemption date from the funds so deposited, without interest. The Corporation shall be entitled to receive, from time to time, from the Depositary Company any interest accrued on such funds, and the holders of any shares called for redemption shall have no claim to any such interest. Any funds so deposited and unclaimed at the end of three years from the redemption date shall, to the extent permitted by law, be released or repaid to the Corporation, and in the event of such repayment to
the Corporation, the holders of record of the shares so called for redemption shall be deemed to be unsecured creditors of the Corporation for an amount equivalent to the amount deposited as stated above for the redemption of such shares and so repaid to the Corporation, but shall in no event be entitled to any interest.
Section 7. Voting Rights.
(a) General. The holders of Series D Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any matter except as set forth in paragraph 7(b) below or as required by Delaware law.
(b) Special Voting Right.
(i) Voting Right. If and whenever dividends on the Series D Preferred Stock or any other class or series of preferred stock that ranks on parity with Series D Preferred Stock as to payment of dividends, and upon which voting rights equivalent to those granted by this Section 7(b) have been conferred and are exercisable, have not been paid in an aggregate amount equal, as to any class or series, to at least six quarterly Dividend Periods (whether consecutive or not), the number of directors constituting the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall be increased by two, and the holders of the Series D Preferred Stock (together with holders of any other class of the Corporation’s authorized preferred stock having equivalent voting rights, whether or not the holders of the such preferred stock would be entitled to vote for the election of directors if such default in dividends did not exist), shall have the right, voting separately as a single class without regard to series, to the exclusion of the holders of common stock, to elect two directors of the Corporation to fill such newly created directorships (and to fill any vacancies in the terms of such directorships), provided that the election of such directors must not cause the Corporation to violate the corporate governance requirements of the New York Stock Exchange (or other exchange on which the Corporation’s securities may be listed) that listed companies must have a majority of independent directors and further provided that the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall at no time include more than two such directors. Each such director elected by the holders of shares of Series D Preferred Stock and any other class or series of preferred stock that ranks on parity with the Series D Preferred Stock as to payment of dividends is a “Preferred Director”.
(ii) Election. The election of the Preferred Directors will take place at any annual meeting of stockholders or any special meeting of the holders of Series D Preferred Stock and any other class or series of our stock that ranks on parity with Series D Preferred Stock as to payment of dividends and for which dividends have not been paid, called as provided herein. At any time after the special voting power has vested pursuant to Section 7(b)(i) above, the secretary of the Corporation may, and upon the written request of any holder of Series D Preferred Stock (addressed to the secretary at the Corporation’s principal office) must (unless such request is received less than 90 days before the date fixed for the next annual or special meeting of the stockholders, in which event such election shall be held at such next annual or special meeting of stockholders), call a special meeting of the holders of Series D Preferred Stock and any other class or series of preferred stock that ranks on parity with Series D Preferred Stock as to payment of dividends and for which dividends have not been paid for the election of the two directors to be
elected by them as provided in Section 7(b)(iii) below. The Preferred Directors shall each be entitled to one vote per director on any matter.
(iii) Notice of Special Meeting. Notice for a special meeting will be given in a similar manner to that provided in the Corporation’s by-laws for a special meeting of the stockholders. If the secretary of the Corporation does not call a special meeting within 20 days after receipt of any such request, then any holder of Series D Preferred Stock may (at our expense) call such meeting, upon notice as provided in this Section 7(b)(iii), and for that purpose will have access to the stock register of the Corporation. The Preferred Directors elected at any such special meeting will hold office until the next annual meeting of our stockholders unless they have been previously terminated or removed pursuant to Section 7(b)(iv). In case any vacancy in the office of a Preferred Director occurs (other than prior to the initial election of the Preferred Directors), the vacancy may be filled by the written consent of the Preferred Director remaining in office, or if none remains in office, by the vote of the holders of the Series D Preferred Stock (together with holders of any other class of the Corporation’s authorized preferred stock having equivalent voting rights, whether or not the holders of such preferred stock would be entitled to vote for the election of directors if such default in dividends did not exist) to serve until the next annual meeting of the stockholders.
(iv) Termination; Removal. Whenever full dividends have been paid regularly on the Series D Preferred Stock and any other class or series of preferred stock that ranks on parity with Series D Preferred Stock as to payment of dividends, if any, for at least four quarterly Dividend Periods, then the right of the holders of Series D Preferred Stock to elect the Preferred Directors will cease (but subject always to the same provisions for the vesting of the special voting rights in the case of any similar non-payment of dividends in respect of future Dividend Periods). The terms of office of the Preferred Directors will immediately terminate, and the number of directors constituting the board of directors will be reduced accordingly. Any Preferred Director may be removed at any time without cause by the holders of record of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Series D Preferred Stock (together with holders of any other class of the Corporation’s authorized preferred stock having equivalent voting rights, whether or not the holders of such preferred stock would be entitled to vote for the election of directors if such default in dividends did not exist) when they have the voting rights described in this Section 7(b).
Section 8. Preemption and Conversion. The holders of Series D Preferred Stock shall not have any rights of preemption or rights to convert such Series D Preferred Stock into shares of any other class of capital stock of the Corporation.
Section 9. Rank. Notwithstanding anything set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation or this Certificate of Designations to the contrary, the Board of Directors of the Corporation, the Committee or any authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, without the vote of the holders of the Series D Preferred Stock, may authorize and issue additional shares of Junior Stock, Parity Stock or any class or series of Senior Stock or any other securities ranking senior to the Series D Preferred Stock as to dividends and the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation.
Section 10. Repurchase. Subject to the limitations imposed herein, the Corporation may purchase and sell Series D Preferred Stock from time to time to such extent, in such manner, and upon such terms as the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation may determine; provided, however, that the Corporation shall not use any of its funds for any such purchase when there are reasonable grounds to believe that the Corporation is, or by such purchase would be, rendered insolvent.
Section 11. Unissued or Reacquired Shares. Shares of Series D Preferred Stock not issued or which have been issued and converted, redeemed or otherwise purchased or acquired by the Corporation shall be restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock without designation as to series.
Section 12. No Sinking Fund. Shares of Series D Preferred Stock are not subject to the operation of a sinking fund.
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS
OF
FLOATING RATE NON-CUMULATIVE PREFERRED STOCK, SERIES E
OF
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION
Pursuant to Section 151 of the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
Bank of America Corporation, a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), does hereby certify that:
1. At a meeting duly convened and held on July 26, 2006, the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) duly adopted resolutions (a) authorizing the issuance and sale by the Corporation of one or more series of the Corporation’s preferred stock, and (b) appointing a Committee (the “Committee”) of the Board to act on behalf of the Board in establishing the number of authorized shares, the dividend rate and other powers, designations, preferences and rights of the preferred stock.
2. Thereafter, on October 30, 2006, the Committee duly adopted the following resolution by written consent:
“RESOLVED, that the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, of the Corporation’s Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series E, including those established by the Board and the number of authorized shares and dividend rate established hereby, are authorized and approved as set forth in Exhibit A hereto, which is incorporated herein by reference.”
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Designations is executed on behalf of the Corporation by its duly authorized officer this 3rd day of November, 2006.
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION | ||
/s/ TERESA M. BRENNER | ||
Name: | Teresa M. Brenner | |
Title: | Associate General Counsel |
EXHIBIT A
TO
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS
OF
FLOATING RATE NON-CUMULATIVE PREFERRED STOCK, SERIES E
OF
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION
Section 1. Designation. The designation of the series of preferred stock shall be “Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series E” (the “Series E Preferred Stock”). Each share of Series E Preferred Stock shall be identical in all respects to every other share of Series E Preferred Stock. Series E Preferred Stock will rank equally with Parity Stock, if any, will rank senior to Junior Stock and will rank junior to Senior Stock, if any, with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation.
Section 2. Number of Shares. The number of authorized shares of Series E Preferred Stock shall be 85,100. That number from time to time may be increased (but not in excess of the total number of authorized shares of preferred stock) or decreased (but not below the number of shares of Series E Preferred Stock then outstanding) by further resolution duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation, the Committee or any other duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation and by the filing of a certificate pursuant to the provisions of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware stating that such increase or reduction, as the case may be, has been so authorized. The Corporation shall have the authority to issue fractional shares of Series E Preferred Stock.
Section 3. Definitions. As used herein with respect to Series E Preferred Stock:
“Business Day” means each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday on which banking institutions are not authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to close in New York, New York or in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“Calculation Agent” shall mean The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., or such other bank or entity as may be appointed by the Corporation to act as calculation agent for the Series E Preferred Stock.
“Depositary Company” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(d) hereof.
“Dividend Determination Date” shall have the meaning set forth below in the definition of “Three-Month LIBOR.”
“Dividend Payment Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) hereof.
“Dividend Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) hereof.
“DTC” means The Depository Trust Company, together with its successors and assigns.
“Junior Stock” means the Corporation’s common stock and any other class or series of stock of the Corporation now existing or hereafter authorized over which Series E Preferred Stock has preference or priority in the payment of dividends or in the distribution of assets on any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.
“London Banking Day” means any day on which commercial banks are open for general business (including dealings in deposits in U.S. dollars) in London, England.
“Parity Stock” means (a) the Corporation’s 7% Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, Series B, (b) the Corporation’s 6.204% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series D and (c) any other class or series of stock of the Corporation hereafter authorized that ranks on a par with the Series E Preferred Stock in the payment of dividends and in the distribution of assets on any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.
“Senior Stock” means any class or series of stock of the Corporation now existing or hereafter authorized which has preference or priority over the Series E Preferred Stock as to the payment of dividends or in the distribution of assets on any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.
“Series E Preferred Stock” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1 hereof.
“Telerate Page 3750” means the display page so designated on the Moneyline/Telerate Service (or any other page as may replace that page on that service, or any other service as may be nominated as the information vendor, for the purpose of displaying rates or prices comparable to the London Interbank Offered Rate for U.S. dollar deposits).
“Three-Month LIBOR” means, with respect to any Dividend Period, the offered rate (expressed as a percentage per annum) for deposits in U.S. dollars for a three-month period commencing on the first day of that Dividend Period that appears on Telerate Page 3750 as of 11:00 a.m. (London time) on the second London Banking Day immediately preceding the first day of that Dividend Period (the “Dividend Determination Date”). If such rate does not appear on Telerate Page 3750, Three-Month LIBOR will be determined on the basis of the rates at which deposits in U.S. dollars for a three-month period commencing on the first day of that Dividend Period and in a principal amount of not less than $1,000,000 are offered to prime banks in the London interbank market by four major banks in the London interbank market selected by the Corporation, at approximately 11:00 A.M., London time on the second London Banking Day immediately preceding the first day of that Dividend Period. The Calculation Agent will request the principal London office of each of such banks to provide a quotation of its rate. If at least two such quotations are provided, Three-Month LIBOR with respect to that Dividend Period will be the arithmetic mean (rounded upward if necessary to the nearest .00001 of 1%) of such quotations. If fewer than two quotations are provided, Three-Month LIBOR with respect to that Dividend Period will be the arithmetic mean (rounded upward if necessary to the nearest .00001 of 1%) of the rates quoted by three major banks in New York City selected by the Corporation, at approximately 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the first day of that Dividend Period for loans in U.S. dollars to leading European banks for a three-month period commencing on the first day of that Dividend Period and in a principal amount of not less than $1,000,000. However, if fewer than three banks selected by the Corporation to provide quotations are not quoting as described above, Three-Month LIBOR for that Dividend Period will be the same as Three-Month LIBOR as determined for the previous Dividend Period, or in the case of the first Dividend Period, the most
recent rate that could have been determined in accordance with the first sentence of this paragraph had Series E Preferred Stock been outstanding. The calculation agent’s establishment of Three-Month LIBOR and calculation of the amount of dividends for each Dividend Period will be on file at the principal offices of the Corporation, will be made available to any holder of Series E Preferred Stock upon request and will be final and binding in the absence of manifest error.
Section 4. Dividends.
(a) Rate. Holders of Series E Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, if, as and when declared by the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, but only out of assets legally available therefor, non-cumulative cash dividends on the liquidation preference of $25,000 per share of Series E Preferred Stock, and no more, payable quarterly in arrears on each February 15, May 15, August 15 and November 15; provided, however, if any such day is not a Business Day, then payment of any dividend otherwise payable on that date will be made on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day, unless that day falls in the next calendar year, in which case payment of such dividend will occur on the immediately preceding Business Day (in either case, without any interest or other payment in respect of such delay) (each such day on which dividends are payable a “Dividend Payment Date”). The period from and including the date of issuance of the Series E Preferred Stock or any Dividend Payment Date to but excluding the next Dividend Payment Date is a “Dividend Period.” Dividends on each share of Series E Preferred Stock will accrue on the liquidation preference of $25,000 per share at a rate per annum equal to the greater of (i) Three-Month LIBOR plus a spread of 0.35% and (ii) 4.00%. The record date for payment of dividends on the Series E Preferred Stock shall be the last Business Day of the calendar month immediately preceding the month during which the Dividend Payment Date falls. The amount of dividends payable shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year and the actual number of days elapsed in a Dividend Period.
(b) Non-Cumulative Dividends. Dividends on shares of Series E Preferred Stock shall be non-cumulative. To the extent that any dividends payable on the shares of Series E Preferred Stock on any Dividend Payment Date are not declared and paid, in full or otherwise, on such Dividend Payment Date, then such unpaid dividends shall not cumulate and shall cease to accrue and be payable and the Corporation shall have no obligation to pay, and the holders of Series E Preferred Stock shall have no right to receive, dividends accrued for such Dividend Period after the Dividend Payment Date for such Dividend Period or interest with respect to such dividends, whether or not dividends are declared for any subsequent Dividend Period with respect to Series E Preferred Stock, Parity Stock, Junior Stock or any other class or series of authorized preferred stock of the Corporation.
(c) Priority of Dividends. So long as any share of Series E Preferred Stock remains outstanding, (i) no dividend shall be declared or paid or set aside for payment and no distribution shall be declared or made or set aside for payment on any Junior Stock, other than a dividend payable solely in shares of Junior Stock, (ii) no shares of Junior Stock shall be repurchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired for consideration by the Corporation, directly or indirectly (other than as a result of a reclassification of Junior Stock for or into other Junior Stock, or the exchange or conversion of one share of Junior Stock for or into another share of Junior Stock, and other than through the use of the proceeds of a substantially contemporaneous sale of other shares of Junior Stock), nor shall any monies be paid to or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of
any such Junior Stock by the Corporation and (iii) no shares of Parity Stock shall be repurchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired for consideration by the Corporation otherwise than pursuant topro rata offers to purchase all, or apro rata portion, of the Series E Preferred Stock and such Parity Stock except by conversion into or exchange for Junior Stock, in each case unless full dividends on all outstanding shares of Series E Preferred Stock for the then-current Dividend Period have been paid in full or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set aside. The foregoing limitations do not apply to purchases or acquisitions of the Corporation’s Junior Stock pursuant to any employee or director incentive or benefit plan or arrangement (including any employment, severance or consulting agreement) of the Corporation or any subsidiary of the Corporation heretofore or hereafter adopted. Subject to the succeeding sentence, for so long as any shares of Series E Preferred Stock remain outstanding, no dividends shall be declared or paid or set aside for payment on any Parity Stock for any period unless full dividends on all outstanding shares of Series E Preferred Stock for the then-current Dividend Period have been paid in full or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set aside. To the extent the Corporation declares dividends on the Series E Preferred Stock and on any Parity Stock but cannot make full payment of such declared dividends, the Corporation will allocate the dividend payments on a pro rate basis among the holders of the shares of Series E Preferred Stock and the holders of any Parity Stock. For purposes of calculating thepro rata allocation of partial dividend payments, the Corporation will allocate dividend payments based on the ratio between the then-current dividend payments due on the shares of Series E Preferred Stock and the aggregate of the current and accrued dividends due on the Parity Stock. No interest will be payable in respect of any dividend payment on shares of Series E Preferred Stock that may be in arrears. Subject to the foregoing, and not otherwise, such dividends (payable in cash, stock or otherwise) as may be determined by the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation may be declared and paid on any Junior Stock from time to time out of any assets legally available therefor, and the shares of Series E Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to participate in any such dividend.
Section 5. Liquidation Rights.
(a) Liquidation. In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, holders of Series E Preferred Stock shall be entitled, out of assets legally available therefor, before any distribution or payment out of the assets of the Corporation may be made to or set aside for the holders of any Junior Stock and subject to the rights of the holders of any class or series of securities ranking senior to or on parity with Series E Preferred Stock upon liquidation and the rights of the Corporation’s depositors and other creditors, to receive in full a liquidating distribution in the amount of the liquidation preference of $25,000 per share, plus any dividends which have been declared but not yet paid, without accumulation of any undeclared dividends, to the date of liquidation. The holders of Series E Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to any further payments in the event of any such voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation other than what is expressly provided for in this Section 5.
(b) Partial Payment. If the assets of the Corporation are not sufficient to pay in full the liquidation preference plus any dividends which have been declared but not yet paid to all holders of Series E Preferred Stock and all holders of any Parity Stock, the amounts paid to the holders of Series E Preferred Stock and to the holders of all Parity Stock shall bepro rata in accordance with
the respective aggregate liquidation preferences plus any dividends which have been declared but not yet paid of Series E Preferred Stock and all such Parity Stock.
(c) Residual Distributions. If the liquidation preference plus any dividends which have been declared but not yet paid has been paid in full to all holders of Series E Preferred Stock and all holders of any Parity Stock, the holders of Junior Stock shall be entitled to receive all remaining assets of the Corporation according to their respective rights and preferences.
(d) Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets Not Liquidation. For purposes of this Section 5, the sale, conveyance, exchange or transfer (for cash, shares of stock, securities or other consideration) of all or substantially all of the property and assets of the Corporation shall not be deemed a voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, nor shall the merger, consolidation or any other business combination transaction of the Corporation into or with any other corporation or person or the merger, consolidation or any other business combination transaction of any other corporation or person into or with the Corporation be deemed to be a voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation.
Section 6. Redemption.
(a) Optional Redemption. The Corporation, at the option of its Board of Directors or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, may redeem out of funds legally available therefor, in whole or in part, the shares of Series E Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, at any time on any Dividend Payment Date on or after the Dividend Payment Date on November 15, 2011, upon notice given as provided in Section 6(b) below. The redemption price for shares of Series E Preferred Stock shall be $25,000 per share plus dividends that have been declared but not paid.
(b) Notice of Redemption. Notice of every redemption of shares of Series E Preferred Stock shall be mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the holders of record of such shares to be redeemed at their respective last addresses appearing on the stock register of the Corporation. Such mailing shall be at least 30 days and not more than 60 days before the date fixed for redemption. Any notice mailed as provided in this Section 6(b) shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the holder receives such notice, but failure duly to give such notice by mail, or any defect in such notice or in the mailing thereof, to any holder of shares of Series E Preferred Stock designated for redemption shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other shares of Series E Preferred Stock. Each notice shall state (i) the redemption date; (ii) the number of shares of Series E Preferred Stock to be redeemed and, if fewer than all the shares held by such holder are to be redeemed, the number of such shares to be redeemed from such holder; (iii) the redemption price; (iv) the place or places where the certificates for such shares are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price; and (v) that dividends on the shares to be redeemed will cease to accrue on the redemption date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Series E Preferred Stock is held in book-entry form through DTC, the Corporation may give such notice in any manner permitted by DTC.
(c) Partial Redemption. In case of any redemption of only part of the shares of Series E Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, the shares of Series E Preferred Stock to be redeemed shall be selected eitherpro rata from the holders of record of Series E Preferred Stock in proportion to the number of Series E Preferred Stock held by such holders or by lot or in such other manner as
the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation may determine to be fair and equitable. Subject to the provisions of this Section 6, the Board of Directors of the Corporation, the Committee or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors shall have full power and authority to prescribe the terms and conditions upon which shares of Series E Preferred Stock shall be redeemed from time to time.
(d) Effectiveness of Redemption. If notice of redemption has been duly given and if on or before the redemption date specified in the notice all funds necessary for the redemption have been set aside by the Corporation, separate and apart from its other assets, in trust for thepro rata benefit of the holders of the shares called for redemption, so as to be and continue to be available therefor, or deposited by the Corporation with a bank or trust company selected by the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors (the “Depositary Company”) in trust for thepro rata benefit of the holders of the shares called for redemption, then, notwithstanding that any certificate for any share so called for redemption has not been surrendered for cancellation, on and after the redemption date all shares so called for redemption shall cease to be outstanding, all dividends with respect to such shares shall cease to accrue after such redemption date, and all rights with respect to such shares shall forthwith on such redemption date cease and terminate, except only the right of the holders thereof to receive the amount payable on such redemption from such bank or trust company at any time after the redemption date from the funds so deposited, without interest. The Corporation shall be entitled to receive, from time to time, from the Depositary Company any interest accrued on such funds, and the holders of any shares called for redemption shall have no claim to any such interest. Any funds so deposited and unclaimed at the end of three years from the redemption date shall, to the extent permitted by law, be released or repaid to the Corporation, and in the event of such repayment to the Corporation, the holders of record of the shares so called for redemption shall be deemed to be unsecured creditors of the Corporation for an amount equivalent to the amount deposited as stated above for the redemption of such shares and so repaid to the Corporation, but shall in no event be entitled to any interest.
Section 7. Voting Rights.
(a) General. The holders of Series E Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any matter except as set forth in paragraph 7(b) below or as required by Delaware law.
(b) Special Voting Right.
(i) Voting Right.If and whenever dividends on the Series E Preferred Stock or any other class or series of preferred stock that ranks on parity with Series E Preferred Stock as to payment of dividends, and upon which voting rights equivalent to those granted by this Section 7(b) have been conferred and are exercisable, have not been paid in an aggregate amount equal, as to any class or series, to at least six quarterly Dividend Periods (whether consecutive or not), the number of directors constituting the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall be increased by two, and the holders of the Series E Preferred Stock (together with holders of any class of the Corporation’s authorized preferred stock having equivalent voting rights, whether or not the holders of the such preferred stock would be entitled to vote for the election of directors if such default in dividends did not exist), shall have the right, voting separately as a single class without regard to series, to the exclusion of the holders of common stock, to elect two directors of the Corporation to fill such newly created directorships (and to fill any vacancies in the terms of
such directorships), provided that the election of such directors must not cause the Corporation to violate the corporate governance requirements of the New York Stock Exchange (or other exchange on which the Corporation’s securities may be listed) that listed companies must have a majority of independent directors and further provided that the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall at no time include more than two such directors. Each such director elected by the holders of shares of Series E Preferred Stock and any other class or series of preferred stock that ranks on parity with the Series E Preferred Stock as to payment of dividends is a “Preferred Director.”
(ii) Election.The election of the Preferred Directors will take place at any annual meeting of stockholders or any special meeting of the holders of Series E Preferred Stock and any other class or series of our stock that ranks on parity with Series E Preferred Stock as to payment of dividends and for which dividends have not been paid, called as provided herein. At any time after the special voting power has vested pursuant to Section 7(b)(i) above, the secretary of the Corporation may, and upon the written request of any holder of Series E Preferred Stock (addressed to the secretary at the Corporation’s principal office) must (unless such request is received less than 90 days before the date fixed for the next annual or special meeting of the stockholders, in which event such election shall be held at such next annual or special meeting of stockholders), call a special meeting of the holders of Series E Preferred Stock and any other class or series of preferred stock that ranks on parity with Series E Preferred Stock as to payment of dividends and for which dividends have not been paid for the election of the two directors to be elected by them as provided in Section 7(b)(iii) below. The Preferred Directors shall each be entitled to one vote per director on any matter.
(iii) Notice of Special Meeting. Notice for a special meeting will be given in a similar manner to that provided in the Corporation’s by-laws for a special meeting of the stockholders. If the secretary of the Corporation does not call a special meeting within 20 days after receipt of any such request, then any holder of Series E Preferred Stock may (at our expense) call such meeting, upon notice as provided in this Section 7(b)(iii), and for that purpose will have access to the stock register of the Corporation. The Preferred Directors elected at any such special meeting will hold office until the next annual meeting of our stockholders unless they have been previously terminated or removed pursuant to Section 7(b)(iv). In case any vacancy in the office of a Preferred Director occurs (other than prior to the initial election of the Preferred Directors), the vacancy may be filled by the written consent of the Preferred Director remaining in office, or if none remains in office, by the vote of the holders of the Series E Preferred Stock (together with holders of any other class of the Corporation’s authorized preferred stock having equivalent voting rights, whether or not the holders of such preferred stock would be entitled to vote for the election of directors if such default in dividends did not exist) to serve until the next annual meeting of the stockholders.
(iv) Termination; Removal. Whenever full dividends have been paid regularly on the Series E Preferred Stock and any other class or series of preferred stock that ranks on parity with Series E Preferred Stock as to payment of dividends, if any, for at least four quarterly Dividend Periods, then the right of the holders of Series E Preferred Stock to elect the Preferred Directors will cease (but subject always to the same provisions for the vesting of the special voting rights in the case of any similar non-payment of dividends in respect of future Dividend Periods). The terms of office of the Preferred Directors will immediately terminate and the number of directors constituting the board of directors will be reduced accordingly. Any Preferred Director may be removed at any
time without cause by the holders of record of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Series E Preferred Stock (together with holders of any other class of the Corporation’s authorized preferred stock having equivalent voting rights, whether or not the holders of such preferred stock would be entitled to vote for the election of directors if such default in dividends did not exist) when they have the voting rights described in this Section 7(b).
Section 8. Preemption and Conversion. The holders of Series E Preferred Stock shall not have any rights of preemption or rights to convert such Series E Preferred Stock into shares of any other class of capital stock of the Corporation.
Section 9. Rank. Notwithstanding anything set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation or this Certificate of Designations to the contrary, the Board of Directors of the Corporation, the Committee or any authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, without the vote of the holders of the Series E Preferred Stock, may authorize and issue additional shares of Junior Stock, Parity Stock or any class or series of Senior Stock or any other securities ranking senior to the Series E Preferred Stock as to dividends and the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation.
Section 10. Repurchase. Subject to the limitations imposed herein, the Corporation may purchase and sell Series E Preferred Stock from time to time to such extent, in such manner, and upon such terms as the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation may determine; provided, however, that the Corporation shall not use any of its funds for any such purchase when there are reasonable grounds to believe that the Corporation is, or by such purchase would be, rendered insolvent.
Section 11. Unissued or Reacquired Shares. Shares of Series E Preferred Stock not issued or which have been issued and converted, redeemed or otherwise purchased or acquired by the Corporation shall be restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock without designation as to series.
Section 12. No Sinking Fund. Shares of Series E Preferred Stock are not subject to the operation of a sinking fund.
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS
OF
FLOATING RATE NON-CUMULATIVE PREFERRED STOCK, SERIES F
OF
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION
Pursuant to Section 151 of the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
Bank of America Corporation, a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), does hereby certify that:
1. At a meeting duly convened and held on April 26, 2006, the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) duly adopted resolutions (a) authorizing the issuance and sale by the Corporation of one or more series of the Corporation’s preferred stock, and (b) appointing a Committee (the “Committee”) of the Board to act on behalf of the Board in establishing the number of authorized shares, the dividend rate and other powers, designations, preferences and rights of the preferred stock.
2. Thereafter, on February 12, 2007, the Committee duly adopted the following resolution by written consent:
“RESOLVED, that the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, of the Corporation’s Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series F, including those established by the Board and the number of authorized shares and dividend rate established hereby, are authorized and approved as set forth in Exhibit A hereto, which is incorporated herein by reference.”
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Designations is executed on behalf of the Corporation by its duly authorized officer this 15th day of February, 2007.
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION | ||
/s/ TERESA M. BRENNER | ||
Name: | Teresa M. Brenner | |
Title: | Associate General Counsel |
EXHIBIT A
TO
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS
OF
FLOATING RATE NON-CUMULATIVE PREFERRED STOCK, SERIES F
OF
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION
Section 1. Designation. The designation of the series of preferred stock shall be “Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series F” (the “Series F Preferred Stock”). Each share of Series F Preferred Stock shall be identical in all respects to every other share of Series F Preferred Stock. Series F Preferred Stock will rank equally with Parity Stock, if any, will rank senior to Junior Stock and will rank junior to Senior Stock, if any, with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation.
Section 2. Number of Shares. The number of authorized shares of Series F Preferred Stock shall be 7,001. That number from time to time may be increased (but not in excess of the total number of authorized shares of preferred stock) or decreased (but not below the number of shares of Series F Preferred Stock then outstanding) by further resolution duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation, the Committee or any other duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation and by the filing of a certificate pursuant to the provisions of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware stating that such increase or reduction, as the case may be, has been so authorized. The Corporation shall have the authority to issue fractional shares of Series F Preferred Stock.
Section 3. Definitions. As used herein with respect to Series F Preferred Stock:
“Business Day” means each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday on which banking institutions are not authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to close in New York, New York or in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“Calculation Agent” shall mean The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., or such other bank or entity as may be appointed by the Corporation to act as calculation agent for the Series F Preferred Stock.
“Depositary Company” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(d) hereof.
“Dividend Determination Date” shall have the meaning set forth below in the definition of “Three-Month LIBOR.”
“Dividend Payment Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) hereof.
“Dividend Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) hereof.
“DTC” means The Depository Trust Company, together with its successors and assigns.
“Junior Stock” means the Corporation’s common stock and any other class or series of stock of the Corporation now existing or hereafter authorized over which Series F Preferred Stock has preference or priority in the payment of dividends or in the distribution of assets on any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.
“London Banking Day” means any day on which commercial banks are open for general business (including dealings in deposits in U.S. dollars) in London, England.
“Parity Stock” means (a) the Corporation’s 7% Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, Series B, (b) the Corporation’s 6.204% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series D, (c) the Corporation’s Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series E, (d) the Corporation’s Adjustable Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series G and (e) any other class or series of stock of the Corporation hereafter authorized that ranks on a par with the Series F Preferred Stock in the payment of dividends or in the distribution of assets on any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.
“Senior Stock” means any class or series of stock of the Corporation now existing or hereafter authorized which has preference or priority over the Series F Preferred Stock as to the payment of dividends or in the distribution of assets on any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.
“Series F Preferred Stock” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1 hereof.
“Telerate Page 3750” means the display page so designated on the Moneyline/Telerate Service (or any other page as may replace that page on that service, or any other service as may be nominated as the information vendor, for the purpose of displaying rates or prices comparable to the London Interbank Offered Rate for U.S. dollar deposits).
“Three-Month LIBOR” means, with respect to any Dividend Period, the offered rate (expressed as a percentage per annum) for deposits in U.S. dollars for a three-month period commencing on the first day of that Dividend Period that appears on Telerate Page 3750 as of 11:00 a.m. (London time) on the second London Banking Day immediately preceding the first day of that Dividend Period (the “Dividend Determination Date”). If such rate does not appear on Telerate Page 3750, Three-Month LIBOR will be determined on the basis of the rates at which deposits in U.S. dollars for a three-month period commencing on the first day of that Dividend Period and in a principal amount of not less than $1,000,000 are offered to prime banks in the London interbank market by four major banks in the London interbank market selected by the Corporation, at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time on the second London Banking Day immediately preceding the first day of that Dividend Period. The Calculation Agent will request the principal London office of each of such banks to provide a quotation of its rate. If at least two such quotations are provided, Three-Month LIBOR with respect to that Dividend Period will be the arithmetic mean (rounded upward if necessary to the nearest .00001 of 1%) of such
quotations. If fewer than two quotations are provided, Three-Month LIBOR with respect to that Dividend Period will be the arithmetic mean (rounded upward if necessary to the nearest .00001 of 1%) of the rates quoted by three major banks in New York City selected by the Corporation, at approximately 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the first day of that Dividend Period for loans in U.S. dollars to leading European banks for a three-month period commencing on the first day of that Dividend Period and in a principal amount of not less than $1,000,000. However, if fewer than three banks selected by the Corporation to provide quotations are not quoting as described above, Three-Month LIBOR for that Dividend Period will be the same as Three-Month LIBOR as determined for the previous Dividend Period, or in the case of the first Dividend Period, the most recent rate that could have been determined in accordance with the first sentence of this paragraph had Series F Preferred Stock been outstanding. The Calculation Agent’s establishment of Three-Month LIBOR and calculation of the amount of dividends for each Dividend Period will be on file at the principal offices of the Corporation, will be made available to any holder of Series F Preferred Stock upon request and will be final and binding in the absence of manifest error.
Section 4. Dividends.
(a) Rate. Holders of Series F Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, if, as and when declared by the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, but only out of assets legally available therefor, non-cumulative cash dividends on the liquidation preference of $100,000 per share of Series F Preferred Stock, and no more, payable quarterly in arrears on each March 15, June 15, September 15 and December 15; provided, however, if any such day is not a Business Day, then payment of any dividend otherwise payable on that date will be made on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day, unless that day falls in the next calendar year, in which case payment of such dividend will occur on the immediately preceding Business Day (in either case, without any interest or other payment in respect of such delay) (each such day on which dividends are payable a “Dividend Payment Date”). The period from and including the date of issuance of the Series F Preferred Stock or any Dividend Payment Date to but excluding the next Dividend Payment Date is a “Dividend Period.” Dividends on each share of Series F Preferred Stock will accrue on the liquidation preference of $100,000 per share for each Dividend Period (1) from the date of issuance to, but excluding, the Dividend Payment Date in March 2012 (if issued prior to that date) at a rate per annum equal to Three-Month LIBOR plus a spread of 0.40% and (2) thereafter at a rate per annum equal to the greater of (i) Three-Month LIBOR plus a spread of 0.40% and (ii) 4.00%. The record date for payment of dividends on the Series F Preferred Stock shall be the last Business Day of the calendar month immediately preceding the month during which the Dividend Payment Date falls. The amount of dividends payable shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year and the actual number of days elapsed in a Dividend Period.
(b) Non-Cumulative Dividends. Dividends on shares of Series F Preferred Stock shall be non-cumulative. To the extent that any dividends payable on the shares of Series F Preferred Stock on any Dividend Payment Date are not declared and paid, in full or otherwise, on such Dividend Payment Date, then such unpaid dividends shall not cumulate and shall cease to accrue and be payable and the Corporation shall have no obligation to pay, and the holders of Series F Preferred Stock shall have no right to receive, dividends accrued for such Dividend Period after the Dividend Payment Date for such Dividend Period or interest with respect to such
dividends, whether or not dividends are declared for any subsequent Dividend Period with respect to Series F Preferred Stock, Parity Stock, Junior Stock or any other class or series of authorized preferred stock of the Corporation.
(c) Priority of Dividends. So long as any share of Series F Preferred Stock remains outstanding, (i) no dividend shall be declared or paid or set aside for payment and no distribution shall be declared or made or set aside for payment on any Junior Stock, other than a dividend payable solely in shares of Junior Stock, (ii) no shares of Junior Stock shall be repurchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired for consideration by the Corporation, directly or indirectly (other than as a result of a reclassification of Junior Stock for or into other Junior Stock, or the exchange or conversion of one share of Junior Stock for or into another share of Junior Stock, and other than through the use of the proceeds of a substantially contemporaneous sale of other shares of Junior Stock), nor shall any monies be paid to or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of any such Junior Stock by the Corporation and (iii) no shares of Parity Stock shall be repurchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired for consideration by the Corporation otherwise than pursuant topro rata offers to purchase all, or apro rata portion, of the Series F Preferred Stock and such Parity Stock except by conversion into or exchange for Junior Stock, in each case unless full dividends on all outstanding shares of Series F Preferred Stock for the then-current Dividend Period have been paid in full or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set aside. The foregoing limitations do not apply to purchases or acquisitions of the Corporation’s Junior Stock pursuant to any employee or director incentive or benefit plan or arrangement (including any employment, severance or consulting agreement) of the Corporation or any subsidiary of the Corporation heretofore or hereafter adopted. Subject to the succeeding sentence, for so long as any shares of Series F Preferred Stock remain outstanding, no dividends shall be declared or paid or set aside for payment on any Parity Stock for any period unless full dividends on all outstanding shares of Series F Preferred Stock for the then-current Dividend Period have been paid in full or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set aside. To the extent the Corporation declares dividends on the Series F Preferred Stock and on any Parity Stock but cannot make full payment of such declared dividends, the Corporation will allocate the dividend payments on apro rata basis among the holders of the shares of Series F Preferred Stock and the holders of any Parity Stock. For purposes of calculating thepro rata allocation of partial dividend payments, the Corporation will allocate dividend payments based on the ratio between the then-current dividend payments due on the shares of Series F Preferred Stock and the aggregate of the current and accrued dividends due on the Parity Stock. No interest will be payable in respect of any dividend payment on shares of Series F Preferred Stock that may be in arrears. Subject to the foregoing, and not otherwise, such dividends (payable in cash, stock or otherwise) as may be determined by the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation may be declared and paid on any Junior Stock from time to time out of any assets legally available therefor, and the shares of Series F Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to participate in any such dividend.
Section 5. Liquidation Rights.
(a) Liquidation. In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, holders of Series F Preferred Stock shall be entitled, out of assets legally available therefor, before any distribution or payment out of the assets of the Corporation may be made to or set aside for the holders of any Junior Stock and
subject to the rights of the holders of any class or series of securities ranking senior to or on parity with Series F Preferred Stock upon liquidation and the rights of the Corporation’s depositors and other creditors, to receive in full a liquidating distribution in the amount of the liquidation preference of $100,000 per share, plus any dividends which have been declared but not yet paid, without accumulation of any undeclared dividends, to the date of liquidation. The holders of Series F Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to any further payments in the event of any such voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation other than what is expressly provided for in this Section 5.
(b) Partial Payment. If the assets of the Corporation are not sufficient to pay in full the liquidation preference plus any dividends which have been declared but not yet paid to all holders of Series F Preferred Stock and all holders of any Parity Stock, the amounts paid to the holders of Series F Preferred Stock and to the holders of all Parity Stock shall bepro rata in accordance with the respective aggregate liquidation preferences plus any dividends which have been declared but not yet paid of Series F Preferred Stock and all such Parity Stock.
(c) Residual Distributions. If the liquidation preference plus any dividends which have been declared but not yet paid has been paid in full to all holders of Series F Preferred Stock and all holders of any Parity Stock, then the holders of Junior Stock shall be entitled to receive all remaining assets of the Corporation according to their respective rights and preferences.
(d) Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets Not Liquidation. For purposes of this Section 5, the sale, conveyance, exchange or transfer (for cash, shares of stock, securities or other consideration) of all or substantially all of the property and assets of the Corporation shall not be deemed a voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, nor shall the merger, consolidation or any other business combination transaction of the Corporation into or with any other corporation or person or the merger, consolidation or any other business combination transaction of any other corporation or person into or with the Corporation be deemed to be a voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation.
Section 6. Redemption.
(a) Optional Redemption. The Corporation, at the option of its Board of Directors or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, may redeem out of funds legally available therefor, in whole or in part, the shares of Series F Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, at any time on or after the later of March 15, 2012 and the date of original issuance of the Series F Preferred Stock, upon notice given as provided in Section 6(b) below. The redemption price for shares of Series F Preferred Stock shall be $100,000 per share plus dividends that have been declared but not paid plus accrued and unpaid dividends for the then-current Dividend Period to the redemption date.
(b) Notice of Redemption. Notice of every redemption of shares of Series F Preferred Stock shall be mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the holders of record of such shares to be redeemed at their respective last addresses appearing on the stock register of the Corporation. Such mailing shall be at least 15 days and not more than 60 days
before the date fixed for redemption. Any notice mailed as provided in this Section 6(b) shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the holder receives such notice, but failure duly to give such notice by mail, or any defect in such notice or in the mailing thereof, to any holder of shares of Series F Preferred Stock designated for redemption shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other shares of Series F Preferred Stock. Each notice shall state (i) the redemption date; (ii) the number of shares of Series F Preferred Stock to be redeemed and, if fewer than all the shares held by such holder are to be redeemed, the number of such shares to be redeemed from such holder; (iii) the redemption price; (iv) the place or places where the certificates for such shares are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price; and (v) that dividends on the shares to be redeemed will cease to accrue on the redemption date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Series F Preferred Stock is held in book-entry form through DTC, the Corporation may give such notice in any manner permitted by DTC.
(c) Partial Redemption. In case of any redemption of only part of the shares of Series F Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, the shares of Series F Preferred Stock to be redeemed shall be selected eitherpro rata from the holders of record of Series F Preferred Stock in proportion to the number of Series F Preferred Stock held by such holders or by lot or in such other manner as the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation may determine to be fair and equitable. Subject to the provisions of this Section 6, the Board of Directors of the Corporation, the Committee or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors shall have full power and authority to prescribe the terms and conditions upon which shares of Series F Preferred Stock shall be redeemed from time to time.
(d) Effectiveness of Redemption. If notice of redemption has been duly given and if on or before the redemption date specified in the notice all funds necessary for the redemption have been set aside by the Corporation, separate and apart from its other assets, in trust for thepro rata benefit of the holders of the shares called for redemption, so as to be and continue to be available therefor, or deposited by the Corporation with a bank or trust company selected by the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors (the “Depositary Company”) in trust for thepro rata benefit of the holders of the shares called for redemption, then, notwithstanding that any certificate for any share so called for redemption has not been surrendered for cancellation, on and after the redemption date all shares so called for redemption shall cease to be outstanding, all dividends with respect to such shares shall cease to accrue after such redemption date, and all rights with respect to such shares shall forthwith on such redemption date cease and terminate, except only the right of the holders thereof to receive the amount payable on such redemption from such bank or trust company at any time after the redemption date from the funds so deposited, without interest. The Corporation shall be entitled to receive, from time to time, from the Depositary Company any interest accrued on such funds, and the holders of any shares called for redemption shall have no claim to any such interest. Any funds so deposited and unclaimed at the end of three years from the redemption date shall, to the extent permitted by law, be released or repaid to the Corporation, and in the event of such repayment to the Corporation, the holders of record of the shares so called for redemption shall be deemed to be unsecured creditors of the Corporation for an amount equivalent to the amount deposited as stated above for the redemption of such shares and so repaid to the Corporation, but shall in no event be entitled to any interest.
Section 7. Voting Rights. The holders of the Series F Preferred Stock will have no voting rights and will not be entitled to elect any directors, except as expressly provided by law.
Section 8. Preemption and Conversion. The holders of Series F Preferred Stock shall not have any rights of preemption or rights to convert such Series F Preferred Stock into shares of any other class of capital stock of the Corporation.
Section 9. Rank. Notwithstanding anything set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation or this Certificate of Designations to the contrary, the Board of Directors of the Corporation, the Committee or any authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, without the vote of the holders of the Series F Preferred Stock, may authorize and issue additional shares of Junior Stock, Parity Stock or any class or series of Senior Stock or any other securities ranking senior to the Series F Preferred Stock as to dividends and the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation.
Section 10. Repurchase. Subject to the limitations imposed herein, the Corporation may purchase and sell Series F Preferred Stock from time to time to such extent, in such manner, and upon such terms as the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation may determine; provided, however, that the Corporation shall not use any of its funds for any such purchase when there are reasonable grounds to believe that the Corporation is, or by such purchase would be, rendered insolvent.
Section 11. Unissued or Reacquired Shares. Shares of Series F Preferred Stock not issued or which have been issued and converted, redeemed or otherwise purchased or acquired by the Corporation shall be restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock without designation as to series.
Section 12. No Sinking Fund. Shares of Series F Preferred Stock are not subject to the operation of a sinking fund.
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS
OF
ADJUSTABLE RATE NON-CUMULATIVE PREFERRED STOCK, SERIES G
OF
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION
Pursuant to Section 151 of the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
Bank of America Corporation, a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), does hereby certify that:
1. At a meeting duly convened and held on April 26, 2006, the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) duly adopted resolutions (a) authorizing the issuance and sale by the Corporation of one or more series of the Corporation’s preferred stock, and (b) appointing a Committee (the “Committee”) of the Board to act on behalf of the Board in establishing the number of authorized shares, the dividend rate and other powers, designations, preferences and rights of the preferred stock.
2. Thereafter, on February 12, 2007, the Committee duly adopted the following resolution by written consent:
“RESOLVED, that the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, of the Corporation’s Adjustable Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series G, including those established by the Board and the number of authorized shares and dividend rate established hereby, are authorized and approved as set forth in Exhibit A hereto, which is incorporated herein by reference.”
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Designations is executed on behalf of the Corporation by its duly authorized officer this 15th day of February, 2007.
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION | ||
/s/ TERESA M. BRENNER | ||
Name: | Teresa M. Brenner | |
Title: | Associate General Counsel |
EXHIBIT A
TO
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS
OF
ADJUSTABLE RATE NON-CUMULATIVE PREFERRED STOCK, SERIES G
OF
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION
Section 13. Designation. The designation of the series of preferred stock shall be “Adjustable Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series G” (the “Series G Preferred Stock”). Each share of Series G Preferred Stock shall be identical in all respects to every other share of Series G Preferred Stock. Series G Preferred Stock will rank equally with Parity Stock, if any, will rank senior to Junior Stock and will rank junior to Senior Stock, if any, with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation.
Section 14. Number of Shares. The number of authorized shares of Series G Preferred Stock shall be 8,501. That number from time to time may be increased (but not in excess of the total number of authorized shares of preferred stock) or decreased (but not below the number of shares of Series G Preferred Stock then outstanding) by further resolution duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation, the Committee or any other duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation and by the filing of a certificate pursuant to the provisions of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware stating that such increase or reduction, as the case may be, has been so authorized. The Corporation shall have the authority to issue fractional shares of Series G Preferred Stock.
Section 15. Definitions. As used herein with respect to Series G Preferred Stock:
“Business Day” means each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday on which banking institutions are not authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to close in New York, New York or in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“Calculation Agent” shall mean The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., or such other bank or entity as may be appointed by the Corporation to act as calculation agent for the Series G Preferred Stock.
“Depositary Company” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(d) hereof.
“Dividend Determination Date” shall have the meaning set forth below in the definition of “Three-Month LIBOR.”
“Dividend Payment Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) hereof.
“Dividend Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) hereof.
“DTC” means The Depository Trust Company, together with its successors and assigns.
“Junior Stock” means the Corporation’s common stock and any other class or series of stock of the Corporation now existing or hereafter authorized over which Series G Preferred Stock has preference or priority in the payment of dividends or in the distribution of assets on any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.
“London Banking Day” means any day on which commercial banks are open for general business (including dealings in deposits in U.S. dollars) in London, England.
“Parity Stock” means (a) the Corporation’s 7% Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, Series B, (b) the Corporation’s 6.204% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series D, (c) the Corporation’s Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series E, (d) the Corporation’s Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series F and (e) any other class or series of stock of the Corporation hereafter authorized that ranks on a par with the Series G Preferred Stock in the payment of dividends or in the distribution of assets on any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.
“Senior Stock” means any class or series of stock of the Corporation now existing or hereafter authorized which has preference or priority over the Series G Preferred Stock as to the payment of dividends or in the distribution of assets on any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.
“Series G Preferred Stock” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1 hereof.
“Telerate Page 3750” means the display page so designated on the Moneyline/Telerate Service (or any other page as may replace that page on that service, or any other service as may be nominated as the information vendor, for the purpose of displaying rates or prices comparable to the London Interbank Offered Rate for U.S. dollar deposits).
“Three-Month LIBOR” means, with respect to any Dividend Period, the offered rate (expressed as a percentage per annum) for deposits in U.S. dollars for a three-month period commencing on the first day of that Dividend Period that appears on Telerate Page 3750 as of 11:00 a.m. (London time) on the second London Banking Day immediately preceding the first day of that Dividend Period (the “Dividend Determination Date”). If such rate does not appear on Telerate Page 3750, Three-Month LIBOR will be determined on the basis of the rates at which deposits in U.S. dollars for a three-month period commencing on the first day of that Dividend Period and in a principal amount of not less than $1,000,000 are offered to prime banks in the London interbank market by four major banks in the London interbank market selected by the Corporation, at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time on the second London Banking Day immediately preceding the first day of that Dividend Period. The Calculation Agent will request the principal London office of each of such banks to provide a quotation of its rate. If at least two such quotations are provided, Three-Month LIBOR with respect to that Dividend Period will be the arithmetic mean (rounded upward if necessary to the nearest .00001 of 1%) of such
quotations. If fewer than two quotations are provided, Three-Month LIBOR with respect to that Dividend Period will be the arithmetic mean (rounded upward if necessary to the nearest .00001 of 1%) of the rates quoted by three major banks in New York City selected by the Corporation, at approximately 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the first day of that Dividend Period for loans in U.S. dollars to leading European banks for a three-month period commencing on the first day of that Dividend Period and in a principal amount of not less than $1,000,000. However, if fewer than three banks selected by the Corporation to provide quotations are not quoting as described above, Three-Month LIBOR for that Dividend Period will be the same as Three-Month LIBOR as determined for the previous Dividend Period, or in the case of the first Dividend Period, the most recent rate that could have been determined in accordance with the first sentence of this paragraph had Series G Preferred Stock been outstanding. The Calculation Agent’s establishment of Three-Month LIBOR and calculation of the amount of dividends for each Dividend Period will be on file at the principal offices of the Corporation, will be made available to any holder of Series G Preferred Stock upon request and will be final and binding in the absence of manifest error.
Section 16. Dividends.
(a) Rate. Holders of Series G Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, if, as and when declared by the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, but only out of assets legally available therefor, non-cumulative cash dividends on the liquidation preference of $100,000 per share of Series G Preferred Stock, and no more, payable as follows: (i) if the Series G Preferred Stock is issued prior to March 15, 2012, semi-annually in arrears on each March 15 and September 15 through March 15, 2012; and (ii) from and including the later of March 15, 2012 and the date of issuance, quarterly in arrears on each March 15, June 15, September 15 and December 15; provided, however, if any such day is not a Business Day, then payment of any dividend otherwise payable on that date will be made on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day, unless that day falls in the next calendar year, in which case payment of such dividend will occur on the immediately preceding Business Day (in either case, without any interest or other payment in respect of such delay) (each such day on which dividends are payable a “Dividend Payment Date”). The period from and including the date of issuance of the Series G Preferred Stock or any Dividend Payment Date to but excluding the next Dividend Payment Date is a “Dividend Period.” Dividends on each share of Series G Preferred Stock will accrue on the liquidation preference of $100,000 per share for each Dividend Period (1) from the date of issuance to, but excluding, the Dividend Payment Date in March 2012 (if issued prior to that date) at a rate per annum equal to 5.63% and (2) thereafter at a rate per annum equal to the greater of (x) Three-Month LIBOR plus a spread of 0.40% and (y) 4.00%. The record date for payment of dividends on the Series G Preferred Stock shall be the last Business Day of the calendar month immediately preceding the month during which the Dividend Payment Date falls. The amount of dividends payable shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year and the actual number of days elapsed in a Dividend Period.
(b) Non-Cumulative Dividends. Dividends on shares of Series G Preferred Stock shall be non-cumulative. To the extent that any dividends payable on the shares of Series G Preferred Stock on any Dividend Payment Date are not declared and paid, in full or otherwise, on such Dividend Payment Date, then such unpaid dividends shall not cumulate and shall cease to accrue and be payable and the Corporation shall have no obligation to pay, and the holders of
Series G Preferred Stock shall have no right to receive, dividends accrued for such Dividend Period after the Dividend Payment Date for such Dividend Period or interest with respect to such dividends, whether or not dividends are declared for any subsequent Dividend Period with respect to Series G Preferred Stock, Parity Stock, Junior Stock or any other class or series of authorized preferred stock of the Corporation.
(c) Priority of Dividends. So long as any share of Series G Preferred Stock remains outstanding, (i) no dividend shall be declared or paid or set aside for payment and no distribution shall be declared or made or set aside for payment on any Junior Stock, other than a dividend payable solely in shares of Junior Stock, (ii) no shares of Junior Stock shall be repurchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired for consideration by the Corporation, directly or indirectly (other than as a result of a reclassification of Junior Stock for or into other Junior Stock, or the exchange or conversion of one share of Junior Stock for or into another share of Junior Stock, and other than through the use of the proceeds of a substantially contemporaneous sale of other shares of Junior Stock), nor shall any monies be paid to or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of any such Junior Stock by the Corporation and (iii) no shares of Parity Stock shall be repurchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired for consideration by the Corporation otherwise than pursuant topro rata offers to purchase all, or apro rata portion, of the Series G Preferred Stock and such Parity Stock except by conversion into or exchange for Junior Stock, in each case unless full dividends on all outstanding shares of Series G Preferred Stock for the then-current Dividend Period have been paid in full or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set aside. The foregoing limitations do not apply to purchases or acquisitions of the Corporation’s Junior Stock pursuant to any employee or director incentive or benefit plan or arrangement (including any employment, severance or consulting agreement) of the Corporation or any subsidiary of the Corporation heretofore or hereafter adopted. Subject to the succeeding sentence, for so long as any shares of Series G Preferred Stock remain outstanding, no dividends shall be declared or paid or set aside for payment on any Parity Stock for any period unless full dividends on all outstanding shares of Series G Preferred Stock for the then-current Dividend Period have been paid in full or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set aside. To the extent the Corporation declares dividends on the Series G Preferred Stock and on any Parity Stock but cannot make full payment of such declared dividends, the Corporation will allocate the dividend payments on apro rata basis among the holders of the shares of Series G Preferred Stock and the holders of any Parity Stock. For purposes of calculating thepro rata allocation of partial dividend payments, the Corporation will allocate dividend payments based on the ratio between the then-current dividend payments due on the shares of Series G Preferred Stock and the aggregate of the current and accrued dividends due on the Parity Stock. No interest will be payable in respect of any dividend payment on shares of Series G Preferred Stock that may be in arrears. Subject to the foregoing, and not otherwise, such dividends (payable in cash, stock or otherwise) as may be determined by the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation may be declared and paid on any Junior Stock from time to time out of any assets legally available therefor, and the shares of Series G Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to participate in any such dividend.
Section 17. Liquidation Rights.
(a) Liquidation. In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, holders of Series G Preferred Stock shall be entitled, out of assets legally available therefor, before any distribution or payment out of the assets of the Corporation may be made to or set aside for the holders of any Junior Stock and subject to the rights of the holders of any class or series of securities ranking senior to or on parity with Series G Preferred Stock upon liquidation and the rights of the Corporation’s depositors and other creditors, to receive in full a liquidating distribution in the amount of the liquidation preference of $100,000 per share, plus any dividends which have been declared but not yet paid, without accumulation of any undeclared dividends, to the date of liquidation. The holders of Series G Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to any further payments in the event of any such voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation other than what is expressly provided for in this Section 5.
(b) Partial Payment. If the assets of the Corporation are not sufficient to pay in full the liquidation preference plus any dividends which have been declared but not yet paid to all holders of Series G Preferred Stock and all holders of any Parity Stock, the amounts paid to the holders of Series G Preferred Stock and to the holders of all Parity Stock shall bepro rata in accordance with the respective aggregate liquidation preferences plus any dividends which have been declared but not yet paid of Series G Preferred Stock and all such Parity Stock.
(c) Residual Distributions. If the liquidation preference plus any dividends which have been declared but not yet paid has been paid in full to all holders of Series G Preferred Stock and all holders of any Parity Stock, then the holders of Junior Stock shall be entitled to receive all remaining assets of the Corporation according to their respective rights and preferences.
(d) Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets Not Liquidation. For purposes of this Section 5, the sale, conveyance, exchange or transfer (for cash, shares of stock, securities or other consideration) of all or substantially all of the property and assets of the Corporation shall not be deemed a voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, nor shall the merger, consolidation or any other business combination transaction of the Corporation into or with any other corporation or person or the merger, consolidation or any other business combination transaction of any other corporation or person into or with the Corporation be deemed to be a voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation.
Section 18. Redemption.
(a) Optional Redemption. The Corporation, at the option of its Board of Directors or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, may redeem out of funds legally available therefor, in whole or in part, the shares of Series G Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, at any time on or after the later of March 15, 2012 and the date of original issuance of the Series G Preferred Stock, upon notice given as provided in Section 6(b) below. The redemption price for shares of Series G Preferred Stock shall be $100,000 per share plus
dividends that have been declared but not paid plus accrued and unpaid dividends for the then-current Dividend Period to the redemption date.
(b) Notice of Redemption. Notice of every redemption of shares of Series G Preferred Stock shall be mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the holders of record of such shares to be redeemed at their respective last addresses appearing on the stock register of the Corporation. Such mailing shall be at least 15 days and not more than 60 days before the date fixed for redemption. Any notice mailed as provided in this Section 6(b) shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the holder receives such notice, but failure duly to give such notice by mail, or any defect in such notice or in the mailing thereof, to any holder of shares of Series G Preferred Stock designated for redemption shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other shares of Series G Preferred Stock. Each notice shall state (i) the redemption date; (ii) the number of shares of Series G Preferred Stock to be redeemed and, if fewer than all the shares held by such holder are to be redeemed, the number of such shares to be redeemed from such holder; (iii) the redemption price; (iv) the place or places where the certificates for such shares are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price; and (v) that dividends on the shares to be redeemed will cease to accrue on the redemption date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Series G Preferred Stock is held in book-entry form through DTC, the Corporation may give such notice in any manner permitted by DTC.
(c) Partial Redemption. In case of any redemption of only part of the shares of Series G Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, the shares of Series G Preferred Stock to be redeemed shall be selected eitherpro rata from the holders of record of Series G Preferred Stock in proportion to the number of Series G Preferred Stock held by such holders or by lot or in such other manner as the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation may determine to be fair and equitable. Subject to the provisions of this Section 6, the Board of Directors of the Corporation, the Committee or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors shall have full power and authority to prescribe the terms and conditions upon which shares of Series G Preferred Stock shall be redeemed from time to time.
(d) Effectiveness of Redemption. If notice of redemption has been duly given and if on or before the redemption date specified in the notice all funds necessary for the redemption have been set aside by the Corporation, separate and apart from its other assets, in trust for thepro rata benefit of the holders of the shares called for redemption, so as to be and continue to be available therefor, or deposited by the Corporation with a bank or trust company selected by the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors (the “Depositary Company”) in trust for thepro rata benefit of the holders of the shares called for redemption, then, notwithstanding that any certificate for any share so called for redemption has not been surrendered for cancellation, on and after the redemption date all shares so called for redemption shall cease to be outstanding, all dividends with respect to such shares shall cease to accrue after such redemption date, and all rights with respect to such shares shall forthwith on such redemption date cease and terminate, except only the right of the holders thereof to receive the amount payable on such redemption from such bank or trust company at any time after the redemption date from the funds so deposited, without interest. The Corporation shall be entitled to receive, from time to time, from the Depositary Company any
interest accrued on such funds, and the holders of any shares called for redemption shall have no claim to any such interest. Any funds so deposited and unclaimed at the end of three years from the redemption date shall, to the extent permitted by law, be released or repaid to the Corporation, and in the event of such repayment to the Corporation, the holders of record of the shares so called for redemption shall be deemed to be unsecured creditors of the Corporation for an amount equivalent to the amount deposited as stated above for the redemption of such shares and so repaid to the Corporation, but shall in no event be entitled to any interest.
Section 19. Voting Rights. The holders of the Series G Preferred Stock will have no voting rights and will not be entitled to elect any directors, except as expressly provided by law.
Section 20. Preemption and Conversion. The holders of Series G Preferred Stock shall not have any rights of preemption or rights to convert such Series G Preferred Stock into shares of any other class of capital stock of the Corporation.
Section 21. Rank. Notwithstanding anything set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation or this Certificate of Designations to the contrary, the Board of Directors of the Corporation, the Committee or any authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, without the vote of the holders of the Series G Preferred Stock, may authorize and issue additional shares of Junior Stock, Parity Stock or any class or series of Senior Stock or any other securities ranking senior to the Series G Preferred Stock as to dividends and the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation.
Section 22. Repurchase. Subject to the limitations imposed herein, the Corporation may purchase and sell Series G Preferred Stock from time to time to such extent, in such manner, and upon such terms as the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation may determine; provided, however, that the Corporation shall not use any of its funds for any such purchase when there are reasonable grounds to believe that the Corporation is, or by such purchase would be, rendered insolvent.
Section 23. Unissued or Reacquired Shares. Shares of Series G Preferred Stock not issued or which have been issued and converted, redeemed or otherwise purchased or acquired by the Corporation shall be restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock without designation as to series.
Section 24. No Sinking Fund. Shares of Series G Preferred Stock are not subject to the operation of a sinking fund.
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS
OF
8.20% NON-CUMULATIVE PREFERRED STOCK, SERIES H
OF
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION
Pursuant to Section 151 of the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
Bank of America Corporation, a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), does hereby certify that:
1. At meetings duly convened and held on December 11, 2007, January 23, 2008 and April 23, 2008, the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) duly adopted resolutions (a) authorizing the issuance and sale by the Corporation of one or more series of the Corporation’s preferred stock, and (b) appointing a Special Committee (the “Committee”) of the Board to act on behalf of the Board in establishing the number of authorized shares, the dividend rate and other powers, designations, preferences and rights of the preferred stock.
2. Thereafter, on May 21, 2008, the Committee duly adopted the following resolution by written consent:
“RESOLVED, that the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, of the Corporation’s 8.20% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series H, including those established by the Board and the number of authorized shares and dividend rate established hereby, are authorized and approved as set forth in the Certificate of Designations attached hereto as Exhibit A, which is incorporated herein and made a part of these resolutions by reference.”
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Designations is executed on behalf of the Corporation by its duly authorized officer this 22nd day of May, 2008.
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION | ||
/s/ TERESA M. BRENNER | ||
Name: | Teresa M. Brenner | |
Title: | Associate General Counsel |
EXHIBIT A
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS
OF
8.20% NON-CUMULATIVE PREFERRED STOCK, SERIES H
OF
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION
Section 1. Designation. The designation of the series of preferred stock shall be “8.20% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series H” (the “Series H Preferred Stock”). Each share of Series H Preferred Stock shall be identical in all respects to every other share of Series H Preferred Stock. Series H Preferred Stock will rank equally with Parity Stock, if any, will rank senior to Junior Stock and will rank junior to Senior Stock, if any, with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation.
Section 2. Number of Shares. The number of authorized shares of Series H Preferred Stock shall be 124,200. That number from time to time may be increased (but not in excess of the total number of authorized shares of preferred stock) or decreased (but not below the number of shares of Series H Preferred Stock then outstanding) by further resolution duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation, the Committee or any other duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation and by the filing of a certificate pursuant to the provisions of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware stating that such increase or reduction, as the case may be, has been so authorized. The Corporation shall have the authority to issue fractional shares of Series H Preferred Stock.
Section 3. Definitions. As used herein with respect to Series H Preferred Stock:
“Business Day” means each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday on which banking institutions are not authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to close in New York, New York or in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“Depositary Company” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(d) hereof.
“Dividend Payment Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) hereof.
“Dividend Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) hereof.
“DTC” means The Depository Trust Company, together with its successors and assigns.
“Junior Stock” means the Corporation’s common stock and any other class or series of stock of the Corporation now existing or hereafter authorized over which Series H Preferred
Stock has preference or priority in the payment of dividends or in the distribution of assets on any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.
“Parity Stock” means (a) the Corporation’s 7% Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, Series B, (b) the Corporation’s 6.204% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series D, (c) the Corporation’s Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series E, (d) the Corporation’s Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series F (if and when issued and outstanding), (e) the Corporation’s Adjustable Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series G (if and when issued and outstanding), (f) the Corporation’s 6.625% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series I, (g) the Corporation’s 7.25% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series J, (h) the Corporation’s Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series K, (i) the Corporation’s 7.25% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Convertible Preferred Stock, Series L, (j) the Corporation’s Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series M, and (k) any other class or series of stock of the Corporation hereafter authorized that ranks on a par with the Series H Preferred Stock in the payment of dividends and in the distribution of assets on any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.
“Senior Stock” means any class or series of stock of the Corporation now existing or hereafter authorized which has preference or priority over the Series H Preferred Stock as to the payment of dividends or in the distribution of assets on any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.
“Series H Preferred Stock” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1 hereof.
Section 4. Dividends.
(a) Rate. Holders of Series H Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, if, as and when declared by the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, but only out of assets legally available therefor, non-cumulative cash dividends at a rate per annum equal to 8.20% on the liquidation preference of $25,000 per share of Series H Preferred Stock, and no more, payable quarterly in arrears on each February 1, May 1, August 1 and November 1; provided, however, if any such day is not a Business Day, then payment of any dividend otherwise declared and payable on that date will be made on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day, unless that day falls in the next calendar year, in which case payment of such dividend will occur on the immediately preceding Business Day (in either case, without any interest or other payment in respect of such delay) (each such day on which dividends are payable a “Dividend Payment Date”). The period from, and including, the date of issuance of the Series H Preferred Stock or any Dividend Payment Date to, but excluding, the next Dividend Payment Date is a “Dividend Period.” Dividends on each share of Series H Preferred Stock will accrue on the liquidation preference of $25,000 per share at a rate per annum equal to 8.20%. The record date for payment of dividends on the Series H Preferred Stock shall be the fifteenth day of the calendar month immediately preceding the month during which the Dividend Payment Date falls. The amount of dividends payable shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.
(b) Non-Cumulative Dividends. Dividends on shares of Series H Preferred Stock shall be non-cumulative. To the extent that any dividends payable on the shares of Series H
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Preferred Stock on any Dividend Payment Date are not declared and paid, in full or otherwise, on such Dividend Payment Date, then such unpaid dividends shall not cumulate and shall cease to accrue and be payable and the Corporation shall have no obligation to pay, and the holders of Series H Preferred Stock shall have no right to receive, dividends accrued for such Dividend Period after the Dividend Payment Date for such Dividend Period or interest with respect to such dividends, whether or not dividends are declared for any subsequent Dividend Period with respect to Series H Preferred Stock, Parity Stock, Junior Stock or any other class or series of authorized preferred stock of the Corporation.
(c) Priority of Dividends. So long as any share of Series H Preferred Stock remains outstanding, (i) no dividend shall be declared or paid or set aside for payment and no distribution shall be declared or made or set aside for payment on any Junior Stock, other than a dividend payable solely in shares of Junior Stock, (ii) no shares of Junior Stock shall be repurchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired for consideration by the Corporation, directly or indirectly (other than as a result of a reclassification of Junior Stock for or into other Junior Stock, or the exchange or conversion of one share of Junior Stock for or into another share of Junior Stock, and other than through the use of the proceeds of a substantially contemporaneous sale of other shares of Junior Stock), nor shall any monies be paid to or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of any such Junior Stock by the Corporation and (iii) no shares of Parity Stock shall be repurchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired for consideration by the Corporation otherwise than pursuant topro rata offers to purchase all, or apro rata portion, of the Series H Preferred Stock and such Parity Stock except by conversion into or exchange for Junior Stock, in each case unless full dividends on all outstanding shares of Series H Preferred Stock for the then-current Dividend Period have been paid in full or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set aside. The foregoing limitations do not apply to purchases or acquisitions of the Corporation’s Junior Stock pursuant to any employee or director incentive or benefit plan or arrangement (including any employment, severance or consulting agreement) of the Corporation or any subsidiary of the Corporation heretofore or hereafter adopted. Subject to the succeeding sentence, for so long as any shares of Series H Preferred Stock remain outstanding, no dividends shall be declared or paid or set aside for payment on any Parity Stock for any period unless full dividends on all outstanding shares of Series H Preferred Stock for the then-current Dividend Period have been paid in full or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set aside. To the extent the Corporation declares dividends on the Series H Preferred Stock and on any Parity Stock but cannot make full payment of such declared dividends, the Corporation will allocate the dividend payments on apro rata basis among the holders of the shares of Series H Preferred Stock and the holders of any Parity Stock then outstanding. For purposes of calculating thepro rata allocation of partial dividend payments, the Corporation will allocate dividend payments based on the ratio between the then-current dividend payments due on the shares of Series H Preferred Stock and the aggregate of the current and accrued dividends due on the outstanding Parity Stock. No interest will be payable in respect of any dividend payment on shares of Series H Preferred Stock that may be in arrears. Subject to the foregoing, and not otherwise, such dividends (payable in cash, stock or otherwise) as may be determined by the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation may be declared and paid on any Junior Stock from time to time out of any assets legally available therefor, and the shares of Series H Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to participate in any such dividend.
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Section 5. Liquidation Rights.
(a) Liquidation. In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, holders of Series H Preferred Stock shall be entitled, out of assets legally available therefor, before any distribution or payment out of the assets of the Corporation may be made to or set aside for the holders of any Junior Stock and subject to the rights of the holders of any class or series of securities ranking senior to or on parity with Series H Preferred Stock upon liquidation and the rights of the Corporation’s depositors and other creditors, to receive in full a liquidating distribution in the amount of the liquidation preference of $25,000 per share, plus any dividends which have been declared but not yet paid, without accumulation of any undeclared dividends, to the date of liquidation. The holders of Series H Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to any further payments in the event of any such voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation other than what is expressly provided for in this Section 5.
(b) Partial Payment. If the assets of the Corporation are not sufficient to pay in full the liquidation preference plus any dividends which have been declared but not yet paid to all holders of Series H Preferred Stock and all holders of any Parity Stock, the amounts paid to the holders of Series H Preferred Stock and to the holders of all Parity Stock shall bepro rata in accordance with the respective aggregate liquidation preferences plus any dividends which have been declared but not yet paid of Series H Preferred Stock and all such Parity Stock.
(c) Residual Distributions. If the liquidation preference plus any dividends which have been declared but not yet paid has been paid in full to all holders of Series H Preferred Stock and all holders of any Parity Stock, the holders of Junior Stock shall be entitled to receive all remaining assets of the Corporation according to their respective rights and preferences.
(d) Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets Not Liquidation. For purposes of this Section 5, the sale, conveyance, exchange or transfer (for cash, shares of stock, securities or other consideration) of all or substantially all of the property and assets of the Corporation shall not be deemed a voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, nor shall the merger, consolidation or any other business combination transaction of the Corporation into or with any other corporation or person or the merger, consolidation or any other business combination transaction of any other corporation or person into or with the Corporation be deemed to be a voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation.
Section 6. Redemption.
(a) Optional Redemption. The Corporation, at the option of its Board of Directors or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, may redeem out of funds legally available therefor, in whole or in part, the shares of Series H Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, at any time on any Dividend Payment Date on or after the Dividend Payment Date on May 1, 2013, upon notice given as provided in Section 6(b) below. The redemption price for shares of Series H Preferred Stock shall be $25,000 per share plus dividends that have been declared but not paid.
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(b) Notice of Redemption. Notice of every redemption of shares of Series H Preferred Stock shall be mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the holders of record of such shares to be redeemed at their respective last addresses appearing on the stock register of the Corporation. Such mailing shall be at least 30 days and not more than 60 days before the date fixed for redemption. Any notice mailed as provided in this Section 6(b) shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the holder receives such notice, but failure duly to give such notice by mail, or any defect in such notice or in the mailing thereof, to any holder of shares of Series H Preferred Stock designated for redemption shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other shares of Series H Preferred Stock. Each notice shall state (i) the redemption date; (ii) the number of shares of Series H Preferred Stock to be redeemed and, if fewer than all the shares held by such holder are to be redeemed, the number of such shares to be redeemed from such holder; (iii) the redemption price; (iv) the place or places where the certificates for such shares are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price; and (v) that dividends on the shares to be redeemed will cease to accrue on the redemption date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Series H Preferred Stock is held in book-entry form through DTC, the Corporation may give such notice in any manner permitted by DTC.
(c) Partial Redemption. In case of any redemption of only part of the shares of Series H Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, the shares of Series H Preferred Stock to be redeemed shall be selected eitherpro rata from the holders of record of Series H Preferred Stock in proportion to the number of Series H Preferred Stock held by such holders or by lot or in such other manner as the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation may determine to be fair and equitable. Subject to the provisions of this Section 6, the Board of Directors of the Corporation, the Committee or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors shall have full power and authority to prescribe the terms and conditions upon which shares of Series H Preferred Stock shall be redeemed from time to time.
(d) Effectiveness of Redemption. If notice of redemption has been duly given and if on or before the redemption date specified in the notice all funds necessary for the redemption have been set aside by the Corporation, separate and apart from its other assets, in trust for thepro rata benefit of the holders of the shares called for redemption, so as to be and continue to be available therefor, or deposited by the Corporation with a bank or trust company selected by the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors (the “Depositary Company”) in trust for thepro rata benefit of the holders of the shares called for redemption, then, notwithstanding that any certificate for any share so called for redemption has not been surrendered for cancellation, on and after the redemption date all shares so called for redemption shall cease to be outstanding, all dividends with respect to such shares shall cease to accrue after such redemption date, and all rights with respect to such shares shall forthwith on such redemption date cease and terminate, except only the right of the holders thereof to receive the amount payable on such redemption from such bank or trust company at any time after the redemption date from the funds so deposited, without interest. The Corporation shall be entitled to receive, from time to time, from the Depositary Company any interest accrued on such funds, and the holders of any shares called for redemption shall have no claim to any such interest. Any funds so deposited and unclaimed at the end of three years from the redemption date shall, to the extent permitted by law, be released or repaid to the
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Corporation, and in the event of such repayment to the Corporation, the holders of record of the shares so called for redemption shall be deemed to be unsecured creditors of the Corporation for an amount equivalent to the amount deposited as stated above for the redemption of such shares and so repaid to the Corporation, but shall in no event be entitled to any interest.
Section 7. Voting Rights.
(a) General.The holders of Series H Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any matter except as set forth in paragraph 7(b) below or as required by Delaware law.
(b) Special Voting Right.
(i) Voting Right.If and whenever dividends on the Series H Preferred Stock or any other class or series of preferred stock that ranks on parity with Series H Preferred Stock as to payment of dividends, and upon which voting rights equivalent to those granted by this Section 7(b)(i) have been conferred and are exercisable, have not been paid, as to any class or series, for the equivalent of at least six quarterly Dividend Periods (whether consecutive or not), the number of directors constituting the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall be increased by two, and the holders of the Series H Preferred Stock (together with holders of any class of the Corporation’s authorized preferred stock having equivalent voting rights, whether or not the holders of the such preferred stock would be entitled to vote for the election of directors if such default in dividends did not exist), shall have the right, voting separately as a single class without regard to series, to the exclusion of the holders of common stock, to elect two directors of the Corporation to fill such newly created directorships (and to fill any vacancies in the terms of such directorships), provided that the election of such directors must not cause the Corporation to violate the corporate governance requirements of the New York Stock Exchange (or other exchange on which the Corporation’s securities may be listed) that listed companies must have a majority of independent directors and further provided that the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall at no time include more than two such directors. Each such director elected by the holders of shares of Series H Preferred Stock and any other class or series of preferred stock that ranks on parity with the Series H Preferred Stock as to payment of dividends and having equivalent voting rights is a “Preferred Director.”
(ii) Election.The election of the Preferred Directors will take place at any annual meeting of stockholders or any special meeting of the holders of Series H Preferred Stock and any other class or series of our stock that ranks on parity with Series H Preferred Stock as to payment of dividends and having equivalent voting rights and for which dividends have not been paid, called as provided herein. At any time after the special voting power has vested pursuant to Section 7(b)(i) above, the secretary of the Corporation may, and upon the written request of any holder of Series H Preferred Stock (addressed to the secretary at the Corporation’s principal office) must (unless such request is received less than 90 days before the date fixed for the next annual or special meeting of the stockholders, in which event such election shall be held at such next annual or special meeting of stockholders), call a special meeting of the holders of Series H Preferred Stock and any other class or series of preferred stock that ranks on parity with Series H Preferred Stock as to payment of dividends and having equivalent voting rights and for which dividends have not been paid for the election of the two directors to be elected by them as
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provided in Section 7(b)(iii) below. The Preferred Directors shall each be entitled to one vote per director on any matter.
(iii) Notice of Special Meeting. Notice for a special meeting will be given in a similar manner to that provided in the Corporation’s by-laws for a special meeting of the stockholders. If the secretary of the Corporation does not call a special meeting within 20 days after receipt of any such request, then any holder of Series H Preferred Stock may (at our expense) call such meeting, upon notice as provided in this Section 7(b)(iii), and for that purpose will have access to the stock register of the Corporation. The Preferred Directors elected at any such special meeting will hold office until the next annual meeting of our stockholders unless they have been previously terminated or removed pursuant to Section 7(b)(iv). In case any vacancy in the office of a Preferred Director occurs (other than prior to the initial election of the Preferred Directors), the vacancy may be filled by the written consent of the Preferred Director remaining in office, or if none remains in office, by the vote of the holders of the Series H Preferred Stock (together with holders of any other class of the Corporation’s authorized preferred stock having equivalent voting rights, whether or not the holders of such preferred stock would be entitled to vote for the election of directors if such default in dividends did not exist) to serve until the next annual meeting of the stockholders.
(iv) Termination; Removal. Whenever full dividends have been paid regularly on the Series H Preferred Stock and any other class or series of preferred stock that ranks on parity with Series H Preferred Stock as to payment of dividends, if any, for at least four quarterly Dividend Periods, then the right of the holders of Series H Preferred Stock to elect the Preferred Directors will cease (but subject always to the same provisions for the vesting of the special voting rights in the case of any similar non-payment of dividends in respect of future Dividend Periods). The terms of office of the Preferred Directors will immediately terminate and the number of directors constituting the Board of Directors will be reduced accordingly. Any Preferred Director may be removed at any time without cause by the holders of record of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Series H Preferred Stock (together with holders of any other class of the Corporation’s authorized preferred stock having equivalent voting rights, whether or not the holders of such preferred stock would be entitled to vote for the election of directors if such default in dividends did not exist) when they have the voting rights described in this Section 7(b).
Section 8. Preemptive Rights and Conversion. The holders of Series H Preferred Stock shall not have any preemptive rights or rights to convert such Series H Preferred Stock into shares of any other class of capital stock of the Corporation.
Section 9. Rank. Notwithstanding anything set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation or this Certificate of Designations to the contrary, the Board of Directors of the Corporation, the Committee or any authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, without the vote of the holders of the Series H Preferred Stock, may authorize and issue additional shares of Junior Stock, Parity Stock or any class or series of Senior Stock or any other securities ranking senior to the Series H Preferred Stock as to dividends and the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation.
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Section 10. Repurchase. Subject to the limitations imposed herein, the Corporation may purchase and sell Series H Preferred Stock from time to time to such extent, in such manner, and upon such terms as the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors of the Corporation may determine; provided, however, that the Corporation shall not use any of its funds for any such purchase when there are reasonable grounds to believe that the Corporation is, or by such purchase would be, rendered insolvent.
Section 11. Unissued or Reacquired Shares. Shares of Series H Preferred Stock not issued or which have been redeemed or otherwise purchased or acquired by the Corporation shall be restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock without designation as to series.
Section 12. No Sinking Fund. Shares of Series H Preferred Stock are not subject to the operation of a sinking fund.
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