EX-3.1 2 ex_419146.htm EXHIBIT 3.1 ex_419146.htm

Exhibit 3.1

 

 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

§

ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT
 

§

OF THE

STATE OF LOUISIANA

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ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
 

§

OF

PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE

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BUSINESS FIRST BANCSHARES, INC.

 

 

BE IT KNOWN, that on this 1st day of September 2022,

 

BEFORE ME, the undersigned Notary Public, duly appointed and commissioned in the State and Parish aforesaid,

 

PERSONALLY CAME AND APPEARED David R. Melville, III, President and Chief Executive Officer of Business First Bancshares, Inc. (the “Company”),

 

WHO DECLARED UNTO ME, Notary, in the presence of the undersigned competent witnesses, as follows:

 

 

1.

At a duly called meeting of the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”) held on August 18, 2022, the Board adopted by resolution an amendment to Article III of the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation (the “Articles of Incorporation”) of the Company.

 

 

2.

In connection with the foregoing, the Articles of Incorporation of the Company are hereby amended by adding the language set forth below to the end of Article III:

 

“Designation of the 7.50% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A.

 

There shall be a series of the Preferred Stock (as defined herein) with the following terms, preferences, limitations, and relative rights, in addition to those otherwise expressed in these Articles of Incorporation or any amendment thereto:

 

1.    Designation and Number of Shares. There is hereby created out of the authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock a series of Preferred Stock designated as the “7.50% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A” (hereinafter called “Series A Preferred Stock”); the authorized number of shares that shall constitute such series shall be 72,010 shares, no par value per share; and such shares shall have a liquidation preference of $1,000 per share. The number of shares constituting the Series A Preferred Stock may be increased from time to time by resolution of the Board or a duly authorized committee of the Board in accordance with the Articles of Incorporation (as then in effect), the Bylaws (as then in effect), and applicable law up to the maximum number of shares of Preferred Stock authorized to be issued under the Articles of Incorporation (as then in effect) less all shares at the time authorized of any other series of preferred stock or decreased from time to time by a resolution of the Board or a duly authorized committee of the Board in accordance with the Articles of Incorporation (as then in effect), the Bylaws (as then in effect), and applicable law but not below the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock then outstanding. Shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be dated the date of issue, which date shall be referred to herein as the “original issue date.” Shares of outstanding Series A Preferred Stock that are redeemed, purchased, or otherwise acquired by the Company shall be cancelled and shall revert to authorized but unissued shares of the Preferred Stock, undesignated as to series. The Company shall have the authority to issue fractional shares of Series A Preferred Stock.

 

 
 

 

2.    Definitions. As used herein with respect to the Series A Preferred Stock:

 

“Appropriate Federal Banking Agency” means the “appropriate Federal banking agency” with respect to the Company as defined in Section 3(q) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. Section 1813(q)), or any successor provision.

 

“Articles of Incorporation” means the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, as amended, and as it may be amended or restated from time to time.

 

“Benchmark” means, initially, Three-Month Term SOFR; provided that if the Company or its designee determines on or prior to the Reference Time that a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred with respect to Three-Month Term SOFR or the then-current Benchmark, then “Benchmark” means the applicable Benchmark Replacement.

 

“Benchmark Replacement” means the Interpolated Benchmark with respect to the then-current Benchmark, plus the Benchmark Replacement Adjustment for such Benchmark; provided that if (a) the Company or its designee cannot determine the Interpolated Benchmark as of the Benchmark Replacement Date or (b) the then-current Benchmark is Three-Month Term SOFR and a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred with respect to Three-Month Term SOFR (in which event no Interpolated Benchmark with respect to Three-Month Term SOFR shall be determined), then “Benchmark Replacement” means the first alternative set forth in the order below that can be determined by the Company or its designee as of the Benchmark Replacement Date:

 

(i)    Compounded SOFR;

 

(ii)    the sum of: (a) the alternate rate that has been selected or recommended by the Relevant Governmental Body as the replacement for the then-current Benchmark for the applicable Corresponding Tenor and (b) the Benchmark Replacement Adjustment;

 

(iii)    the sum of: (a) the ISDA Fallback Rate and (b) the Benchmark Replacement Adjustment;

 

(iv)    the sum of: (a) the alternate rate that has been selected by the Company as the replacement for the then-current Benchmark for the applicable Corresponding Tenor giving due consideration to any industry-accepted rate as a replacement for the then- current Benchmark for U.S. dollar-denominated floating rate securities at such time and (b) the Benchmark Replacement Adjustment.

 

“Benchmark Replacement Adjustment” means the first alternative set forth in the order below that can be determined by the Company or its designee as of the Benchmark Replacement Date:

 

(a)    the spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment (which may be a positive or negative value or zero) that has been selected or recommended by the Relevant Governmental Body for the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement;

 

(b)    if the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement is equivalent to the ISDA Fallback Rate, then the ISDA Fallback Adjustment;

 

(c)    the spread adjustment (which may be a positive or negative value or zero) that has been selected by the Company or its designee giving due consideration to any industry- accepted spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of the then-current Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement for U.S. dollar-denominated floating rate securities at such time.

 

 
 

 

“Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes” means, with respect to any Benchmark Replacement any technical, administrative or operational changes (including changes to the definition of “Dividend Period”, timing and frequency of determining rates with respect to each Dividend Period and making payments of dividends, rounding of amounts or tenors, and other administrative matters) that the Company or its designee decides may be appropriate to reflect the adoption of such Benchmark Replacement in a manner substantially consistent with market practice (or, if the Company or its designee decides that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or if the Company or its designee determines that no market practice for use of the Benchmark Replacement exists, in such other manner as the Company or its designee determines is reasonably necessary).

 

“Benchmark Replacement Date” means the earliest to occur of the following events with respect to the then-current Benchmark:

 

(a)    in the case of clause 1 of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event,” the relevant Reference Time in respect of any determination;

 

(b)    in the case of clause 2 or 3 of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event,” the later of (a) the date of the public statement or publication of information referenced therein and (b) the date on which the administrator of the Benchmark permanently or indefinitely ceases to provide the Benchmark; or

 

(c)    in the case of clause 4 of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event,” the date of the public statement or publication of information referenced therein.

 

For the avoidance of doubt, for purposes of the definitions of Benchmark Replacement Date and Benchmark Transition Event, references to the Benchmark also include any reference rate underlying the Benchmark (for example, if the Benchmark becomes Compounded SOFR, references to the Benchmark would include SOFR).

 

For the avoidance of doubt, if the event giving rise to the Benchmark Replacement Date occurs on the same day as, but earlier than, the Reference Time in respect of any determination, the Benchmark Replacement Date will be deemed to have occurred prior to the Reference Time for such determination.

 

“Benchmark Transition Event” means the occurrence of one or more of the following events with respect to the then-current Benchmark:

 

(a)    if the Benchmark is Three-Month Term SOFR, (i) the Relevant Governmental Body has not selected or recommended a forward-looking term rate for a tenor of three months based on SOFR, (ii) the development of a forward-looking term rate for a tenor of three months based on SOFR that has been recommended or selected by the Relevant Governmental Body is not complete or (iii) the Company determines that the use of a forward-looking rate for a tenor of three months based on SOFR is not administratively feasible;

 

(b)    a public statement or publication of information by or on behalf of the administrator of the Benchmark announcing that such administrator has ceased or will cease to provide the Benchmark, permanently or indefinitely, provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide the Benchmark;

 

 
 

 

(c)    a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of the Benchmark, the central bank for the currency of the Benchmark, an insolvency official with jurisdiction over the administrator for the Benchmark, a resolution authority with jurisdiction over the administrator for the Benchmark or a court or an entity with similar insolvency or resolution authority over the administrator for the Benchmark, which states that the administrator of the Benchmark has ceased or will cease to provide the Benchmark permanently or indefinitely, provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide the Benchmark; or

 

(d)    a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of the Benchmark announcing that the Benchmark is no longer representative.

 

“Business Day” means any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, that is neither a legal holiday nor a day on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law or regulation to close in The City of New York.

 

“Bylaws” means the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, as they may be amended or restated from time to time.

 

“Common Stock” means any and all shares of common stock of the Company, par value $1.00 per share.

 

“Compounded SOFR” means the compounded average of SOFRs for the applicable Corresponding Tenor, with the rate, or methodology for this rate, and conventions for this rate being established by the Company or its designee in accordance with:

 

(a)    the rate, or methodology for this rate, and conventions for this rate selected or recommended by the Relevant Governmental Body for determining Compounded SOFR; provided that:

 

(b)    if, and to the extent that, the Company or its designee determines that Compounded SOFR cannot be determined in accordance with clause (1) above, then the rate, or methodology for this rate, and conventions for this rate that have been selected by the Company or its designee giving due consideration to any industry-accepted market practice for U.S. dollar-denominated floating rate securities at such time.

 

For the avoidance of doubt, the calculation of Compounded SOFR shall exclude the Benchmark Replacement Adjustment (if applicable) and the spread of 470.0 basis points per annum.

 

“Corresponding Tenor” with respect to a Benchmark Replacement means a tenor (including overnight) having approximately the same length (disregarding business day adjustment) as the applicable tenor for the then-current Benchmark.

 

“Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Website” means the website of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York at http://www.newyorkfed.org, or any successor source.

 

 
 

 

“Interpolated Benchmark” with respect to the Benchmark means the rate determined for the Corresponding Tenor by interpolating on a linear basis between: (a) the Benchmark for the longest period (for which the Benchmark is available) that is shorter than the Corresponding Tenor and (b) the Benchmark for the shortest period (for which the Benchmark is available) that is longer than the Corresponding Tenor.

 

“ISDA” means the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. or any successor.

 

“ISDA Definitions” means the 2006 ISDA Definitions published by the ISDA, as amended or supplemented from time to time, or any successor definitional booklet for interest rate derivatives published from time to time.

 

“ISDA Fallback Adjustment” means the spread adjustment (which may be a positive or negative value or zero) that would apply for derivatives transactions referencing the ISDA Definitions to be determined upon the occurrence of an index cessation event with respect to the Benchmark for the applicable tenor.

 

“ISDA Fallback Rate” means the rate that would apply for derivatives transactions referencing the ISDA Definitions to be effective upon the occurrence of an index cessation date with respect to the Benchmark for the applicable tenor excluding the applicable ISDA Fallback Adjustment.

 

“Preferred Stock” means any and all series of preferred stock of the Company, including the Series A Preferred Stock.

 

“Reference Time” with respect to any determination of the Benchmark means (1) if the Benchmark is Three-Month Term SOFR, the time determined by the Company or its designee after giving effect to the Three-Month Term SOFR Conventions, and (2) if the Benchmark is not Three-Month Term SOFR, the time determined by the Company or its designee after giving effect to the Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes.

 

“Relevant Governmental Body” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and/or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or a committee officially endorsed or convened by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and/or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or any successor thereto.

 

“SOFR” means the secured overnight financing rate published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, as the administrator of the Benchmark (or a successor administrator) on the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Website.

 

“Term SOFR” means the forward-looking term rate based on SOFR that has been selected or recommended by the Relevant Governmental Body.

 

“Term SOFR Administrator” means any entity designated by the Relevant Governmental Body as the administrator of Term SOFR (or a successor administrator).

 

“Three-Month Term SOFR” means the rate for Term SOFR for a tenor of three months that is published by the Term SOFR Administrator at the Reference Time for any dividend period, as determined by the Company or its designee after giving effect to the Three- Month Term SOFR Conventions.

 

 
 

 

“Three-Month Term SOFR Conventions” means any determination, decision or election with respect to any technical, administrative or operational matter (including with respect to the manner and timing of the publication of Three-Month Term SOFR, or changes to the definition of “dividend period,” timing and frequency of determining Three-Month Term SOFR with respect to each dividend period and making dividend payments, rounding of amounts or tenors, and other administrative matters) that the Company or its designee decides may be appropriate to reflect the use of Three-Month Term SOFR as the Benchmark in a manner substantially consistent with market practice (or, if the Company or its designee decides that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or if the Company or its designee determines that no market practice for the use of Three-Month Term SOFR exists, in such other manner as the Company or its designee determines is reasonably necessary).

 

“Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement” means the Benchmark Replacement excluding the Benchmark Replacement Adjustment.

 

3.    Ranking. The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall rank:

 

(a) senior, as to dividends and upon liquidation, dissolution, and winding-up of the Company, to the Common Stock and to any other class or series of capital stock of the Company now or hereafter authorized, issued, or outstanding that, by its terms, does not expressly provide that such class or series ranks pari passu with the Series A Preferred Stock or senior to the Series A Preferred Stock as to dividends and upon liquidation, dissolution, and winding-up of the Company, as the case may be (collectively, “Series A Junior Securities”);

 

(b) on a parity, as to dividends and upon liquidation, dissolution, and winding-up of the Company, with any class or series of capital stock of the Company now or hereafter authorized, issued, or outstanding that, by its terms, expressly provides that such class or series ranks pari passu with the Series A Preferred Stock as to dividends and upon liquidation, dissolution, and winding-up of the Company, as the case may be (collectively, “Series A Parity Securities”); and

 

(c) junior, as to dividends and upon liquidation, dissolution, and winding-up of the Company, to any other class or series of capital stock of the Company now or hereafter authorized, issued, or outstanding that, by its terms, expressly provides that such class or series ranks senior to the Series A Preferred Stock as to dividends and upon liquidation, dissolution, and winding-up of the Company, as the case may be.

 

The Company may authorize and issue additional shares of Series A Junior Securities and Series A Parity Securities from time to time without the consent of the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock.

 

4.    Dividends.

 

(a) Holders of Series A Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive, only when, as, and if declared by the Board or a duly authorized committee of the Board, on each Dividend Payment Date (as defined below), out of assets legally available for the payment of dividends thereof, non-cumulative cash dividends based on the liquidation preference of the Series A Preferred Stock of $1,000 per share. Dividends on each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall accrue at a rate equal to (i) 7.50% per annum on the liquidation preference of $1,000 per share for each Dividend Period (as defined below) from the original issue date of the Series A Preferred Stock to, but excluding, August 31, 2027 or the date of earlier redemption (the “Fixed Rate Period”) and (ii) the Benchmark plus a spread of 470.0 basis points per annum on the liquidation preference of $1,000 per share for each Dividend Period from and including August 31, 2027 to, but excluding, the date of earlier redemption (the “Floating Rate Period”); provided, however, that if the Benchmark is less than zero, the Benchmark shall be deemed to be zero, in each case, only when, as and if declared. In the event the Company issues additional shares of the Series A Preferred Stock after the original issue date, dividends on such shares may accrue from the original issue or any other date specified by the Board or a duly authorized committee of the Board at the time such additional shares are issued.

 

 
 

 

(b) If declared by the Board or a duly authorized committee of the Board, dividends will be payable on the Series A Preferred Stock quarterly in arrears on February 28, May 31, August 31, and November 30 of each year, beginning on November 30, 2022 (each such day a “Dividend Payment Date”) based on a liquidation preference of $1,000 per share. In the event that any Dividend Payment Date during the Fixed Rate Period falls on a day that is not a Business Day, the dividend payment due on that date shall be postponed to the next day that is a Business Day, and no additional dividends shall accrue as a result of that postponement. In the event that any Dividend Payment Date during the Floating Rate Period falls on a day that is not a Business Day, the dividend payment due on that date shall be postponed to the next day that is a Business Day and dividends shall accrue to, but excluding, the date dividends are paid. However, if the postponement would cause the day to fall in the next calendar month during the Floating Rate Period, the Dividend Payment Date shall instead be brought forward to the immediately preceding Business Day.

 

(c) Dividends will be payable to holders of record of Series A Preferred Stock as they appear on the Company’s stock register on the applicable record date, which shall be the 15th calendar day before the applicable Dividend Payment Date, or such other record date, not less than 15 calendar days nor more than 30 calendar days before the applicable Dividend Payment Date, as such record date shall be fixed by the Board or a duly authorized committee of the Board.

 

(d) A “Dividend Period” is the period from and including a Dividend Payment Date to, but excluding, the next succeeding Dividend Payment Date or any earlier redemption date, except that the initial Dividend Period will commence on and include the original issue date of Series A Preferred Stock and continue to, but excluding, the next Dividend Payment Date. Dividends payable on Series A Preferred Stock during the Fixed Rate Period will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. Dividends payable on Series A Preferred Stock during the Floating Rate Period will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year and the number of days elapsed during the Floating Rate Period. Dollar amounts resulting from the calculation will be rounded to the nearest cent, with one-half cent being rounded upward. Dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock will cease to accrue on the redemption date, if any, with respect to the Series A Preferred Stock redeemed, unless the Company defaults in the payment of the redemption price of the Series A Preferred Stock called for redemption.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing paragraph, if the Company or its designee determines on or prior to the relevant Reference Time that a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred with respect to the then-current Benchmark, then the provisions set forth in Section 8 will thereafter apply to all determinations of the dividend rate on the Series A Preferred Stock for each Dividend Period during the Floating Rate Period.

 

Absent manifest error, the Company’s (or its designee’s) determination of the dividend rate for each Dividend Period during the Floating Rate Period for the Series A Preferred Stock will be binding and conclusive. The Company’s (or its designee’s) determination of any dividend rate, and its calculation of the amount of dividends for each Dividend Period during the Floating Rate Period, will be maintained on file at the Company’s principal offices, will be made available to any holder of the Series A Preferred Stock upon request and will be provided to the transfer agent.

 

 
 

 

If the then-current Benchmark is Three-Month Term SOFR, the Company or its designee will have the right to establish the Three-Month Term SOFR Conventions, and any of the foregoing provisions concerning the calculation of the dividend rate and the payment of dividends during the Floating Rate Period are inconsistent with any of the Three-Month Term SOFR Conventions determined by the Company or its designee, then the relevant Three-Month Term SOFR Conventions will apply. Furthermore, if the Company or its designee determines that a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred with respect to the then-current Benchmark at any time when the Series A Preferred Stock is outstanding, then the foregoing provisions concerning the calculation of the dividend rate and the payment of dividends during the Floating Rate Period will be modified in accordance with Section 8.

 

(e) Dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock will not be cumulative. If the Board or a duly authorized committee of the Board does not declare a dividend, in full or otherwise, on the Series A Preferred Stock in respect of a Dividend Period, then such unpaid dividends shall cease to accrue and shall not be payable on the applicable Dividend Payment Date or be cumulative, and the Company will have no obligation to pay (and the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock will have no right to receive) dividends accrued for such Dividend Period after the Dividend Payment Date for such Dividend Period, whether or not the Board or a duly authorized committee of the Board declares a dividend for any future Dividend Period with respect to the Series A Preferred Stock, the Common Stock, or any other class or series of the Company’s Preferred Stock. No interest, or sum of money in lieu of interest, shall be payable in respect of any dividend not declared.

 

(f) Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock shall not be declared, paid, or set aside for payment to the extent such act would cause the Company to fail to comply with the laws and regulations applicable to it, including applicable capital adequacy rules of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”) or, as and if applicable, the capital adequacy rules or regulations of any Appropriate Federal Banking Agency.

 

(g) So long as any share of Series A Preferred Stock remains outstanding, unless the full dividends for the most recently completed Dividend Period on all outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock have been declared and paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof has been set aside:

 

(i)    No dividend or distribution shall be declared, paid or set aside for payment, and no distribution shall be declared or made or set aside for payment, on any Series A Junior Securities, other than (i) a dividend payable solely in Series A Junior Securities or (ii) any dividend in connection with the implementation of a shareholders’ rights plan, or the issuance of rights, stock, or other property under any such plan, or the redemption or repurchase of any rights under any such plan;

 

(ii)    No shares of Series A Junior Securities shall be repurchased, redeemed, or otherwise acquired for consideration by the Company, directly or indirectly, other than (i) as a result of a reclassification of Series A Junior Securities for or into other Series A Junior Securities, (ii) the exchange or conversion of one share of Series A Junior Securities for or into another share of Series A Junior Securities, (iii) through the use of the proceeds of a substantially contemporaneous sale of other shares of Series A Junior Securities, (iv) purchases, redemptions, or other acquisitions of shares of Series A Junior Securities in connection with any employment contract, benefit plan, or other similar arrangement with or for the benefit of employees, officers, directors, or consultants, (v) purchases of shares of Series A Junior Securities pursuant to a contractually binding requirement to buy Series A Junior Securities existing prior to the preceding Dividend Period, including under a contractually binding stock repurchase plan, or (vi) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of Series A Junior Securities pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such stock or the security being converted or exchanged; nor shall any monies be paid to or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of any such securities by the Company; and

 

 
 

 

(iii)    No shares of Series A Parity Securities shall be repurchased, redeemed, or otherwise acquired for consideration by the Company, directly or indirectly, other than (i) pursuant to pro rata offers to purchase all, or a pro rata portion, of the Series A Preferred Stock and such Series A Parity Securities, if any, (ii) as a result of a reclassification of Series A Parity Securities for or into other Series A Parity Securities, (iii) the exchange or conversion of one share of Series A Parity Securities for or into another share of Series A Parity Securities or Series A Junior Securities, (iv) through the use of the proceeds of a substantially contemporaneous sale of other shares of Series A Parity Securities, (v)purchases of shares of Series A Parity Securities pursuant to a contractually binding requirement to buy Series A Parity Securities existing prior to the preceding Dividend Period, including under a contractually binding stock repurchase plan, or (vi) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of Series A Parity Securities pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such stock or the security being converted or exchanged; nor shall any monies be paid to or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of any such securities by the Company.

 

(h) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if dividends are not paid in full, or set aside for payment in full, on any Dividend Payment Date, upon the shares of Series A Preferred Stock and any Series A Parity Securities, all dividends declared upon shares of Series A Preferred Stock and any Series A Parity Securities for such Dividend Payment Date shall be declared on a pro rata basis in proportion to the respective amounts of undeclared and unpaid dividends for the Series A Preferred Stock and all Series A Parity Securities on such Dividend Payment Date. To the extent a dividend period with respect to any Series A Parity Securities coincides with more than one Dividend Period, for purposes of the immediately preceding sentence the Board shall treat such dividend period as two or more consecutive dividend periods, none of which coincides with more than one Dividend Period, or shall treat such dividend period(s) with respect to any Series A Parity Securities and Dividend Period(s) for purposes of the immediately preceding sentence in any other manner that it deems to be fair and equitable in order to achieve ratable payments of dividends on such Series A Parity Securities and the Series A Preferred Stock. To the extent a Dividend Period coincides with more than one dividend period with respect to any Series A Parity Securities, for purposes of the first sentence of this paragraph the Board shall treat such Dividend Period as two or more consecutive Dividend Periods, none of which coincides with more than one dividend period with respect to such Series A Parity Securities, or shall treat such Dividend Period(s) and dividend period(s) with respect to any Series A Parity Securities for purposes of the first sentence of this paragraph in any other manner that it deems to be fair and equitable in order to achieve ratable payments of dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock and such Series A Parity Securities. For the purposes of this paragraph, the term “dividend period” as used with respect to any Series A Parity Securities means such dividend periods as are provided for in the terms of such Series A Parity Securities.

 

(i) Subject to the foregoing, dividends (payable in cash, stock, or otherwise), as may be determined by the Board or a duly authorized committee of the Board, may be declared and paid on the Common Stock and any other class or series of capital stock ranking equally with or junior to Series A Preferred Stock from time to time out of any assets legally available for such payment, and the holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to participate in any such dividend.

 

 
 

 

5.    Liquidation.

 

(a) Upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, or winding-up of the Company, holders of Series A Preferred Stock are entitled to receive out of the assets of the Company available for distribution to shareholders, after satisfaction of liabilities and obligations to creditors, if any, and subject to the rights of holders of any securities then outstanding ranking senior to or on parity with Series A Preferred Stock with respect to distributions of assets, before any distribution or payment out of the assets of the Company is made to holders of Common Stock or any Series A Junior Securities, a liquidating distribution in the amount of the liquidation preference of $1,000 per share plus any declared and unpaid dividends prior to the payment of the liquidating distribution, without accumulation of any dividends that have not been declared prior to the payment of the liquidating distribution. After payment of the full amount of such liquidating distribution, the holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to any further participation in any distribution of assets of the Company.

 

(b) In any such liquidating distribution, if the assets of the Company are not sufficient to pay the liquidation preferences (as defined below) in full to all holders of Series A Preferred Stock and all holders of any Series A Parity Securities, the amounts paid to the holders of Series A Preferred Stock and to the holders of all Series A Parity Securities will be paid pro rata in accordance with the respective aggregate liquidation preferences of those holders. In any such distribution, the “liquidation preference” of any holder of Series A Preferred Stock or any Series A Parity Securities means the amount otherwise payable to such holder in such distribution (assuming no limitation on the Company’s assets available for such distribution), including any declared but unpaid dividends (and, in the case of any holder of stock other than the Series A Preferred Stock on which dividends accrue on a cumulative basis, an amount equal to any unpaid, accrued, cumulative dividends, whether or not declared, as applicable). If the liquidation preference has been paid in full to all holders of Series A Preferred Stock and any Series A Parity Securities, the holders of the Company’s Series A Junior Securities shall be entitled to receive all remaining assets of the Company according to their respective rights and preferences.

 

(c) For purposes of this Section 5, neither the sale, conveyance, exchange, or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets or business of the Company for cash, securities, or other property, nor the merger or consolidation of the Company with any other entity, including a merger or consolidation in which the holders of Series A Preferred Stock receive cash, securities, or property for their shares, shall constitute a liquidation, dissolution, or winding- up of the Company.

 

6.    Redemption.

 

(a) Series A Preferred Stock is not subject to any mandatory redemption, sinking fund, or other similar provision. Series A Preferred Stock is not redeemable prior to the fifth anniversary of the original issue date. Shares of Series A Preferred Stock then outstanding will be redeemable at the option of the Company, in whole or in part, from time to time, on any Dividend Payment Date on or after the fifth anniversary of the original issue date at a redemption price equal to $1,000 per share, plus any declared and unpaid dividends, without accumulation of any undeclared dividends, to, but excluding, the date of redemption. Holders of Series A Preferred Stock will have no right to require the redemption or repurchase of Series A Preferred Stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing, within 90 days following the occurrence of a Regulatory Capital Treatment Event (as defined below), the Company, at its option, may redeem, at any time, all (but not less than all) of the shares of the Series A Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, at a redemption price equal to $1,000 per share, plus any declared and unpaid dividends, without accumulation of any undeclared dividends, upon notice given as provided in sub-section (b) below. Any declared but unpaid dividends payable on a redemption date that occurs subsequent to the record date for a Dividend Period shall not be paid to the holder entitled to receive the redemption price on the redemption date, but rather shall be paid to the holder of record of the redeemed shares on such record date relating to the Dividend Payment Date as provided in Section 4(c) above. In all cases, the Company may not redeem shares of the Series A Preferred Stock without having received the prior approval of the Federal Reserve or any successor Appropriate Federal Banking Agency if then required under capital rules applicable to the Company.

 

 
 

 

A “Regulatory Capital Treatment Event” means the good faith determination by the Board or a duly authorized committee of the Board that, as a result of (i) any amendment to, or change in, the laws, rules, or regulations of the United States or any political subdivision of or in the United States (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any agency or instrumentality of the United States, including the Federal Reserve and other federal banking agencies) that is enacted or becomes effective after the initial issuance of any share of the Series A Preferred Stock; (ii) any proposed change in those laws, rules, or regulations that is announced after the initial issuance of any share of the Series A Preferred Stock; or (iii) any official administrative decision or judicial decision or administrative action or other official pronouncement interpreting or applying those laws, rules, or regulations or policies with respect thereto that is announced after the initial issuance of any share of the Series A Preferred Stock, there is more than an insubstantial risk that the Company will not be entitled to treat the full liquidation value of $1,000 per share of the Series A Preferred Stock then outstanding as “Tier 1 Capital” (or its equivalent) for purposes of the capital adequacy rules of the Federal Reserve (or, as and if applicable, the capital adequacy rules or regulations of any successor Appropriate Federal Banking Agency), as then in effect and applicable, for as long as any share of the Series A Preferred Stock is outstanding.

 

(b) If shares of Series A Preferred Stock are to be redeemed, the notice of redemption shall be given to the holders of record of Series A Preferred Stock to be redeemed 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 Company’s stock register not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption thereof (provided that, if the shares of Series A Preferred Stock are held in book-entry form through The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), the Company may give such notice in any manner permitted by DTC). Each notice of redemption will include a statement setting forth (i) the redemption date; (ii) the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to be redeemed and, if less 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; and (iv) that dividends on the shares to be redeemed will cease to accrue on the redemption date. If notice of redemption of any shares of Series A Preferred Stock has been duly given and if the funds necessary for such redemption have been set aside by the Company for the benefit of the holders of any shares of Series A Preferred Stock so called for redemption, then, on and after the redemption date, dividends will cease to accrue on such shares of Series A Preferred Stock; such shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall no longer be deemed outstanding; and all rights of the holders of such shares will terminate, except the right to receive the redemption price described in sub-section (a) above, without interest.

 

(c) In case of any redemption of only part of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, the shares to be redeemed shall be selected (1) pro rata, (2) by lot, or (3) in such other manner as the Company may determine to be equitable and permitted by DTC and the rules of any national securities exchange on which the Series A Preferred Stock is listed.

 

 
 

 

7.    Voting Rights.

 

(a) Except as provided below and as determined by the Board or a duly authorized committee of the Board or as expressly required by law, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no voting power, and no right to vote on any matter at any time, either as a separate series or class or together with any other series or class of shares of capital stock, and shall not be entitled to call a meeting of such holders for any purpose, nor shall they be entitled to participate in any meeting of the holders of the Common Stock.

 

(b) So long as any shares of Series A Preferred Stock remain outstanding, the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of at least two-thirds of all of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, voting separately as a class, shall be required to:

 

(i)    authorize, create, or issue, or increase the authorized amount of, shares of any class or series of capital stock ranking senior to the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to payment of dividends or the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the Company, or issue any obligation or security convertible into or exchangeable for, or evidencing the right to purchase, any such class or series of the Company’s capital stock;

 

(ii)    amend, alter, or repeal the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation (including this Articles of Amendment), whether by merger, consolidation, or otherwise, so as to materially and adversely affect the powers, preferences, privileges, or rights of Series A Preferred Stock, taken as a whole; provided, however, that any amendment to authorize, create, or issue, or increase the authorized amount of, any Series A Junior Securities or any Series A Parity Securities, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for Series A Junior Securities or Series A Parity Securities will not be deemed to materially and adversely affect the powers, preferences, privileges, or rights of Series A Preferred Stock; or

 

(iii)     complete a binding share exchange or reclassification involving the Series A Preferred Stock, or complete the sale, conveyance, exchange, or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets or business of the Company or consolidate with or merge into any other corporation, unless, in any case, the shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding at the time of such consolidation or merger or sale either (i) remain outstanding or (ii) are converted into or exchanged for preference securities of the surviving entity or any entity controlling the surviving entity having such rights, preferences, privileges, and powers (including voting powers), taken as a whole, as are not materially less favorable to the holders thereof than the rights, preferences, privileges, and powers (including voting powers) of the Series A Preferred Stock, taken as a whole.

 

The foregoing voting provisions will not apply if, at or prior to the time when the act with respect to which such vote would otherwise be required shall be effected, all outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have been redeemed or called for redemption upon proper notice and sufficient funds shall have been set aside by the Company for the benefit of the holders of Series A Preferred Stock to effect such redemption.

 

 
 

 

(d) The rules and procedures for calling and conducting any meeting of the holders of Series A Preferred Stock (including, without limitation, the fixing of a record date in connection therewith), the solicitation and use of proxies at such a meeting, the obtaining of written consents, and any other aspect or matter with regard to such meeting or such consents shall be governed by any rules that the Board or any duly authorized committee of the Board, in its discretion, may adopt from time to time, which rules and procedures shall conform to the requirements of the Articles of Incorporation (as then in effect), the Bylaws (as then in effect), and applicable law and the rules of any national securities exchange on which the Series A Preferred Stock is listed or traded at the time.

 

8.    Effect of Benchmark Transition Event. If the Company or its designee determines that a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred on or prior to the Reference Time in respect of any determination of the Benchmark on any date, then the Benchmark Replacement will replace the then-current Benchmark for all purposes relating to the Series A Preferred Stock during the Floating Rate Period in respect of such determination on such date and all determinations on all subsequent dates, and the dividend rate on the Series A Preferred Stock for each Dividend Period during the Floating Rate Period will thereafter be an annual rate equal to the sum of the Benchmark Replacement and the spread of 470.0 per annum. In connection with the implementation of a Benchmark Replacement, the Company or its designee will have the right to make Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes from time to time.

 

9.    Determinations and Decisions. The Company or its designee is expressly authorized to make certain determinations, decisions and elections hereunder, including with respect to the use of Three-Month Term SOFR as the Benchmark for the Floating Rate Period and under Section 8. Any determination, decision or election that may be made by the Company or its designee hereunder, including any determination with respect to a tenor, rate or adjustment or of the occurrence or non-occurrence of an event, circumstance or date and any decision to take or refrain from taking any action or any selection: (x) will be conclusive and binding on the holders of the Series A Preferred stock and the transfer agent for the Series A Preferred Stock absent manifest error; (y) will be made in its sole discretion of the Company or its designee; and (z) notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, shall become effective without consent from the holders of the Series A Preferred Stock, the transfer agent or any other party. If the Company or its designee fails to make any determination, decision or election that it is required to make hereunder, then the Company will make that determination, decision or election on the same basis as described above.

 

10.    Conversion Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not have any rights to convert such shares into shares of any other class or series of securities of the Company.

 

11.    Preemptive Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock will have no preemptive rights with respect to any shares of the Company’s capital stock or any of its other securities convertible into or carrying rights or options to purchase or otherwise acquire any such capital stock or any interest therein, regardless of how any such securities may be designated, issued, or granted.

 

12.    Certificates. The Company may at its option issue shares of Series A Preferred Stock with or without certificates.

 

13.    Transfer Agent. The Company shall appoint a transfer agent for the Series A Preferred Stock. The Company may, in its sole discretion, remove the transfer agent in accordance with the agreement between the Company and the transfer agent; provided that the Company shall appoint a successor transfer agent who shall accept such appointment prior to the effectiveness of such removal.

 

 
 

 

14.    Registrar. The Company shall appoint a registrar for the Series A Preferred Stock. The Company may, in its sole discretion, remove the registrar in accordance with the agreement between the Company and the registrar; provided that the Company shall appoint a successor registrar who shall accept such appointment prior to the effectiveness of such removal.

 

15.    Transfer; Restricted Legend. The shares of Series A Preferred Stock are “restricted securities” under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and accordingly, may be resold, pledged or otherwise transferred only in compliance with the registration requirements of federal and state securities laws or if exemptions from the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws are available to it. The certificates or other instruments representing the shares of Series A Preferred Stock will bear a restrictive legend in substantially the following form:

 

THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED, HYPOTHECATED, SOLD OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF UNLESS A REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS SHALL HAVE BECOME EFFECTIVE WITH REGARD THERETO, OR AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS IS AVAILABLE IN CONNECTION WITH SUCH OFFER OR SALE.

 

16.    No Other Rights. The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not have any rights, preferences, privileges, or voting powers or relative, participating, optional, or other special rights, or qualifications, limitations, or restrictions thereof, other than as set forth herein or in the Articles of Incorporation, or as provided by applicable law.”

 

 

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

 
 

 

THIS DONE AND PASSED in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on the date first set forth above in the presence of the undersigned competent witnesses who sign with me, Notary, and the said appearer, after due reading of the whole.

 

WITNESSES:

  

APPEARER:
     
     
 

 

    

David R. Melville, III

President and Chief Executive Officer
Name:      
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  Name:    
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    Notary Public  
  My Commission Expires: _______________