Attached files

file filename
8-K - FORM 8-K RESULTS OF ANNUAL SHAREHOLDERS MEETING - MIDSOUTH BANCORP INCform8k_asm.htm

AMENDED AND RESTATED
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
OF
MIDSOUTH BANCORP, INC.
(As Amended through May 26, 2011 and Restated Solely for Purposes of Item 601(b)(3) of Regulation S-K)

ARTICLE I

Name

The name of the Corporation is “MidSouth Bancorp, Inc.”

ARTICLE II

Purpose

The Corporation’s purpose is to engage in any lawful activity for which corporations may be formed under the Business Corporation Law of Louisiana.

ARTICLE III

Capital

A. Authorized Stock. The Corporation shall have the authority to issue 35,000,000 shares of capital stock, of which 30,000,000 shares shall be Common Stock, $0.10 par value per share, and 5,000,000 shares shall be Preferred Stock, no par value per share.
 
B. Preferred Stock. Shares of Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series. Authority is hereby vested in the Board of Directors of the Corporation to amend these Articles of Incorporation from time to time to fix the preferences, limitations and relative rights as between the Preferred Stock and the Common Stock and to fix variations in the preferences, limitations and relative rights as between different series of Preferred Stock.
 
C. Authorization of Issuance of Common or Preferred Stock. Any issuance of Common or Preferred Stock must be authorized by a majority of Continuing Directors, as defined in these Articles of Incorporation, in addition to a majority of the members of the Board of Directors present at a meeting of directors.
 
D. Total Voting Power. For purposes of these Articles of Incorporation, “Total Voting Power” means the total number of votes that shareholders (and holders of any bonds, debentures or other obligations granted voting rights by the Corporation pursuant to La. R.S. 12:75(H)) are entitled to cast with respect to the election of directors or, if such term is used in reference to any other particular matter properly brought before the shareholders for a vote, means the total number of such votes that are entitled to be cast with respect to such matter.
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
    E. Designated Preferred Stock.

(1) Designation and Number of Shares.  There is hereby created out of the authorized and unissued shares of preferred stock of the Corporation a series of preferred stock designated as the “Fixed Rate Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series “A” (the “Designated Preferred Stock”).  The authorized number of shares of Designated Preferred Stock shall be 20,000.

(2) Standard Provisions.  The Standard Provisions contained in Annex A that immediately follows this Section E are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety and shall be deemed to be part of this Section E of Article III of the Articles of Incorporation.

(3) Definitions.  The following terms are used in this Section E (including the Standard Provisions in Annex A hereto) and are defined below:

(a) “Common Stock” means the common stock, par value $.10 per share, of the Corporation.

(b) “Dividend Payment Date” means February 15, May 15, August 15 and November 15 of each year.

(c) “Junior Stock” means the Common Stock and any other class or series of stock of the Corporation the terms of which expressly provide that it ranks junior to Designated Preferred Stock as to dividend rights and/or as to rights on liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.

(d) “Liquidation Amount” means $1,000 per share of Designated Preferred Stock.

(e) “Minimum Amount” means $5,000,000.

(f) “Parity Stock” means any class or series of stock of the Corporation (other than Designated Preferred Stock) the terms of which do not expressly provide that such class or series will rank senior or junior to Designated Preferred Stock as to dividend rights and/or as to rights on liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation (in each case without regard to whether dividends accrue cumulatively or non-cumulatively).

(g) “Signing Date” means the Original Issue Date.

(4) Certain Voting Matters.  Holders of shares of Designated Preferred Stock will be entitled to one vote for each such share on any matter on which holders of Designated Preferred Stock are entitled to vote, including any action by written consent.

ANNEX A TO SECTION E OF ARTICLE III - STANDARD PROVISIONS

Section 1. General Matters. Each share of Designated Preferred Stock shall be identical in all respects to every other share of Designated Preferred Stock. The Designated Preferred Stock
 
 
 
-2-
 
 
 
 
shall be perpetual, subject to the provisions of Section 5 of these Standard Provisions that form a part of Article IIIE of the Articles of Incorporation. The Designated Preferred Stock shall rank equally with Parity Stock and shall rank senior to Junior Stock with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets in the event of any dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation.

Section 2. Standard Definitions. As used herein with respect to Designated Preferred Stock:

(a)           “Applicable Dividend Rate” means (i) during the period from the Original Issue Date to, but excluding, the first day of the first Dividend Period commencing on or after the fifth anniversary of the Original Issue Date, 5% per annum and (ii) from and after the first day of the first Dividend Period commencing on or after the fifth anniversary of the Original Issue Date, 9% per annum.

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

(c)           “Business Combination” means a merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange or similar transaction that requires the approval of the Corporation’s stockholders.

(d)           “Business Day” means any day except Saturday, Sunday and any day on which banking institutions in the State of New York generally are authorized or required by law or other governmental actions to close.

(e)           “Bylaws” means the bylaws of the Corporation, as they may be amended from time to time.

(f)           “Certificate of Designations” means the Certificate of Designations or comparable instrument relating to the Designated Preferred Stock, of which these Standard Provisions form a part, as it may be amended from time to time.

(g)           “Charter” means the Corporation’s certificate or articles of incorporation, articles of association, or similar organizational document.

(h)           “Dividend Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(a).

(i)           “Dividend Record Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(a).

(j)           “Liquidation Preference” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(a).

(k)           “Original Issue Date” means the date on which shares of Designated Preferred Stock are first issued.

(l)           “Preferred Director” has the meaning set forth in Section 7(b).
 
 
 
-3-
 
 

 
(m)           “Preferred Stock” means any and all series of preferred stock of the Corporation, including the Designated Preferred Stock.

(n)           “Qualified Equity Offering” means the sale and issuance for cash by the Corporation to persons other than the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries after the Original Issue Date of shares of perpetual Preferred Stock, Common Stock or any combination of such stock, that, in each case, qualify as and may be included in Tier 1 capital of the Corporation at the time of issuance under the applicable risk-based capital guidelines of the Corporation’s Appropriate Federal Banking Agency (other than any such sales and issuances made pursuant to agreements or arrangements entered into, or pursuant to financing plans which were publicly announced, on or prior to October 13, 2008).

(o)           “Share Dilution Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(b).

(p)           “Standard Provisions” mean these Standard Provisions that form a part of the Certificate of Designations relating to the Designated Preferred Stock.

(q)           “Successor Preferred Stock” has the meaning set forth in Section 5(a).

(r)           “Voting Parity Stock” means, with regard to any matter as to which the holders of Designated Preferred Stock are entitled to vote as specified in Sections 7(a) and 7(b) of these Standard Provisions that form a part of the Certificate of Designations, any and all series of Parity Stock upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable with respect to such matter.

Section 3. Dividends.

(a) Rate. Holders of Designated Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, on each share of Designated Preferred Stock if, as and when declared by the Board of Directors or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors, but only out of assets legally available therefor, cumulative cash dividends with respect to each Dividend Period (as defined below) at a rate per annum equal to the Applicable Dividend Rate on (i) the Liquidation Amount per share of Designated Preferred Stock and (ii) the amount of accrued and unpaid dividends for any prior Dividend Period on such share of Designated Preferred Stock, if any. Such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from the Original Issue Date, shall compound on each subsequent Dividend Payment Date (i.e., no dividends shall accrue on other dividends unless and until the first Dividend Payment Date for such other dividends has passed without such other dividends having been paid on such date) and shall be payable quarterly in arrears on each Dividend Payment Date, commencing with the first such Dividend Payment Date to occur at least 20 calendar days after the Original Issue Date. In the event that any Dividend Payment Date would otherwise fall on a day that is not a Business Day, the dividend payment due on that date will be postponed to the next day that is a Business Day and no additional dividends will accrue as a result of that postponement. The period from and including any Dividend Payment Date to, but excluding, the next Dividend Payment Date is a “Dividend Period”, provided that the initial
 
 
 
-4-
 
 
 
 
Dividend Period shall be the period from and including the Original Issue Date to, but excluding, the next Dividend Payment Date.

Dividends that are payable on Designated Preferred Stock in respect of any Dividend Period shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. The amount of dividends payable on Designated Preferred Stock on any date prior to the end of a Dividend Period, and for the initial Dividend Period, shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months, and actual days elapsed over a 30-day month.

Dividends that are payable on Designated Preferred Stock on any Dividend Payment Date will be payable to holders of record of Designated Preferred Stock as they appear on the stock register of the Corporation on the applicable record date, which shall be the 15th calendar day immediately preceding such Dividend Payment Date or such other record date fixed by the Board of Directors or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors that is not more than 60 nor less than 10 days prior to such Dividend Payment Date (each, a “Dividend Record Date”). Any such day that is a Dividend Record Date shall be a Dividend Record Date whether or not such day is a Business Day.

Holders of Designated Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to any dividends, whether payable in cash, securities or other property, other than dividends (if any) declared and payable on Designated Preferred Stock as specified in this Section 3 (subject to the other provisions of the Certificate of Designations).

(b) Priority of Dividends. So long as any share of Designated Preferred Stock remains outstanding, no dividend or distribution shall be declared or paid on the Common Stock or any other shares of Junior Stock (other than dividends payable solely in shares of Common Stock) or Parity Stock, subject to the immediately following paragraph in the case of Parity Stock, and no Common Stock, Junior Stock or Parity Stock shall be, directly or indirectly, purchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired for consideration by the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries unless all accrued and unpaid dividends for all past Dividend Periods, including the latest completed Dividend Period (including, if applicable as provided in Section 3(a) above, dividends on such amount), on all outstanding shares of Designated Preferred Stock have been or are contemporaneously declared and paid in full (or have been declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof has been set aside for the benefit of the holders of shares of Designated Preferred Stock on the applicable record date). The foregoing limitation shall not apply to (i) redemptions, purchases or other acquisitions of shares of Common Stock or other Junior Stock in connection with the administration of any employee benefit plan in the ordinary course of business (including purchases to offset the Share Dilution Amount (as defined below) pursuant to a publicly announced repurchase plan) and consistent with past practice, provided that any purchases to offset the Share Dilution Amount shall in no event exceed the Share Dilution Amount; (ii) purchases or other acquisitions by a broker-dealer subsidiary of the Corporation solely for the purpose of market-making, stabilization or customer facilitation transactions in Junior Stock or Parity Stock in the ordinary course of its business; (iii) purchases by a broker-dealer subsidiary of the Corporation of capital stock of the Corporation for resale pursuant to an offering by the Corporation of such capital stock underwritten by such broker-dealer subsidiary; (iv) any dividends or distributions of rights or Junior Stock in connection with a stockholders’
 
 
 
-5-
 
 
 
 
rights plan or any redemption or repurchase of rights pursuant to any stockholders’ rights plan; (v) the acquisition by the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries of record ownership in Junior Stock or Parity Stock for the beneficial ownership of any other persons (other than the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries), including as trustees or custodians; and (vi) the exchange or conversion of Junior Stock for or into other Junior Stock or of Parity Stock for or into other Parity Stock (with the same or lesser aggregate liquidation amount) or Junior Stock, in each case, solely to the extent required pursuant to binding contractual agreements entered into prior to the Signing Date or any subsequent agreement for the accelerated exercise, settlement or exchange thereof for Common Stock. “Share Dilution Amount” means the increase in the number of diluted shares outstanding (determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, and as measured from the date of the Corporation’s consolidated financial statements most recently filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission prior to the Original Issue Date) resulting from the grant, vesting or exercise of equity-based compensation to employees and equitably adjusted for any stock split, stock dividend, reverse stock split, reclassification or similar transaction.

When dividends are not paid (or declared and a sum sufficient for payment thereof set aside for the benefit of the holders thereof on the applicable record date) on any Dividend Payment Date (or, in the case of Parity Stock having dividend payment dates different from the Dividend Payment Dates, on a dividend payment date falling within a Dividend Period related to such Dividend Payment Date) in full upon Designated Preferred Stock and any shares of Parity Stock, all dividends declared on Designated Preferred Stock and all such Parity Stock and payable on such Dividend Payment Date (or, in the case of Parity Stock having dividend payment dates different from the Dividend Payment Dates, on a dividend payment date falling within the Dividend Period related to such Dividend Payment Date) shall be declared pro rata so that the respective amounts of such dividends declared shall bear the same ratio to each other as all accrued and unpaid dividends per share on the shares of Designated Preferred Stock (including, if applicable as provided in Section 3(a) above, dividends on such amount) and all Parity Stock payable on such Dividend Payment Date (or, in the case of Parity Stock having dividend payment dates different from the Dividend Payment Dates, on a dividend payment date falling within the Dividend Period related to such Dividend Payment Date) (subject to their having been declared by the Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors out of legally available funds and including, in the case of Parity Stock that bears cumulative dividends, all accrued but unpaid dividends) bear to each other. If the Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors determines not to pay any dividend or a full dividend on a Dividend Payment Date, the Corporation will provide written notice to the holders of Designated Preferred Stock prior to such Dividend Payment Date.

Subject to the foregoing, and not otherwise, such dividends (payable in cash, securities or other property) as may be determined by the Board of Directors or any duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors may be declared and paid on any securities, including Common Stock and other Junior Stock, from time to time out of any funds legally available for such payment, and holders of Designated Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to participate in any such dividends.

Section 4. Liquidation Rights.
 
 
 
-6-
 
 

 
(a)  Voluntary or Involuntary Liquidation. In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, holders of Designated Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive for each share of Designated Preferred Stock, out of the assets of the Corporation or proceeds thereof (whether capital or surplus) available for distribution to stockholders of the Corporation, subject to the rights of any creditors of the Corporation, before any distribution of such assets or proceeds is made to or set aside for the holders of Common Stock and any other stock of the Corporation ranking junior to Designated Preferred Stock as to such distribution, payment in full in an amount equal to the sum of (i) the Liquidation Amount per share and (ii) the amount of any accrued and unpaid dividends (including, if applicable as provided in Section 3(a) above, dividends on such amount), whether or not declared, to the date of payment (such amounts collectively, the “Liquidation Preference”).

(b)   Partial Payment. If in any distribution described in Section 4(a) above the assets of the Corporation or proceeds thereof are not sufficient to pay in full the amounts payable with respect to all outstanding shares of Designated Preferred Stock and the corresponding amounts payable with respect of any other stock of the Corporation ranking equally with Designated Preferred Stock as to such distribution, holders of Designated Preferred Stock and the holders of such other stock shall share ratably in any such distribution in proportion to the full respective distributions to which they are entitled.

(c)  Residual Distributions. If the Liquidation Preference has been paid in full to all holders of Designated Preferred Stock and the corresponding amounts payable with respect of any other stock of the Corporation ranking equally with Designated Preferred Stock as to such distribution has been paid in full, the holders of other stock of the Corporation shall be entitled to receive all remaining assets of the Corporation (or proceeds thereof) according to their respective rights and preferences.

(d)  Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets Not Liquidation. For purposes of this Section 4, the merger or consolidation of the Corporation with any other corporation or other entity, including a merger or consolidation in which the holders of Designated Preferred Stock receive cash, securities or other property for their shares, or the sale, lease or exchange (for cash, securities or other property) of all or substantially all of the assets of the Corporation, shall not constitute a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.

Section 5. Redemption.

(a)  Optional Redemption. Except as provided below, the Designated Preferred Stock may not be redeemed prior to the first Dividend Payment Date falling on or after the third anniversary of the Original Issue Date. On or after the first Dividend Payment Date falling on or after the third anniversary of the Original Issue Date, the Corporation, at its option, subject to the approval of the Appropriate Federal Banking Agency, may redeem, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, out of funds legally available therefor, the shares of Designated Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, upon notice given as provided in Section 5(c) below, at a redemption price equal to the sum of (i) the Liquidation Amount per share and (ii) except as
 
 
 
-7-
 
 
 
 
otherwise provided below, any accrued and unpaid dividends (including, if applicable as provided in Section 3(a) above, dividends on such amount) (regardless of whether any dividends are actually declared) to, but excluding, the date fixed for redemption.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, prior to the first Dividend Payment Date falling on or after the third anniversary of the Original Issue Date, the Corporation, at its option, subject to the approval of the Appropriate Federal Banking Agency, may redeem, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, the shares of Designated Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, upon notice given as provided in Section 5(c) below, at a redemption price equal to the sum of (i) the Liquidation Amount per share and (ii) except as otherwise provided below, any accrued and unpaid dividends (including, if applicable as provided in Section 3(a) above, dividends on such amount) (regardless of whether any dividends are actually declared) to, but excluding, the date fixed for redemption; provided that (x) the Corporation (or any successor by Business Combination) has received aggregate gross proceeds of not less than the Minimum Amount (plus the “Minimum Amount” as defined in the relevant certificate of designations for each other outstanding series of preferred stock of such successor that was originally issued to the United States Department of the Treasury (the “Successor Preferred Stock”) in connection with the Troubled Asset Relief Program Capital Purchase Program) from one or more Qualified Equity Offerings (including Qualified Equity Offerings of such successor), and (y) the aggregate redemption price of the Designated Preferred Stock (and any Successor Preferred Stock) redeemed pursuant to this paragraph may not exceed the aggregate net cash proceeds received by the Corporation (or any successor by Business Combination) from such Qualified Equity Offerings (including Qualified Equity Offerings of such successor).

The redemption price for any shares of Designated Preferred Stock shall be payable on the redemption date to the holder of such shares against surrender of the certificate(s) evidencing such shares to the Corporation or its agent. Any declared but unpaid dividends payable on a redemption date that occurs subsequent to the Dividend 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 Dividend Record Date relating to the Dividend Payment Date as provided in Section 3 above.

(b) No Sinking Fund. The Designated Preferred Stock will not be subject to any mandatory redemption, sinking fund or other similar provisions. Holders of Designated Preferred Stock will have no right to require redemption or repurchase of any shares of Designated Preferred Stock.

(c)   Notice of Redemption. Notice of every redemption of shares of Designated Preferred Stock shall be given by first class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the holders of record of the shares to be redeemed at their respective last addresses appearing on the books 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 Subsection 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 Designated Preferred Stock designated for redemption shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other shares of Designated Preferred Stock.
 
 
 
-8-
 
 
 
 
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if shares of Designated Preferred Stock are issued in book-entry form through The Depository Trust Corporation or any other similar facility, notice of redemption may be given to the holders of Designated Preferred Stock at such time and in any manner permitted by such facility. Each notice of redemption given to a holder shall state: (1) the redemption date; (2) the number of shares of Designated 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; (3) the redemption price; and (4) the place or places where certificates for such shares are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price.

(d)  Partial Redemption. In case of any redemption of part of the shares of Designated Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, the shares to be redeemed shall be selected either pro rata or in such other manner as the Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee thereof may determine to be fair and equitable. Subject to the provisions hereof, the Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee thereof shall have full power and authority to prescribe the terms and conditions upon which shares of Designated Preferred Stock shall be redeemed from time to time. If fewer than all the shares represented by any certificate are redeemed, a new certificate shall be issued representing the unredeemed shares without charge to the holder thereof.

(e)  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 deposited by the Corporation, in trust for the pro rata benefit of the holders of the shares called for redemption, with a bank or trust company doing business in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, and having a capital and surplus of at least $500 million and selected by the Board of Directors, so as to be and continue to be available solely therefor, then, notwithstanding that any certificate for any share so called for redemption has not been surrendered for cancellation, on and after the redemption date dividends shall cease to accrue on all shares so called for redemption, all shares so called for redemption shall no longer be deemed outstanding 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, without interest. Any funds unclaimed at the end of three years from the redemption date shall, to the extent permitted by law, be released to the Corporation, after which time the holders of the shares so called for redemption shall look only to the Corporation for payment of the redemption price of such shares.

(f)  Status of Redeemed Shares. Shares of Designated Preferred Stock that are redeemed, repurchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation shall revert to authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock (provided that any such cancelled shares of Designated Preferred Stock may be reissued only as shares of any series of Preferred Stock other than Designated Preferred Stock).

Section 6.  Conversion. Holders of Designated Preferred Stock shares shall have no right to exchange or convert such shares into any other securities.

Section 7. Voting Rights.
 
 
 
-9-
 
 

 
(a)  General. The holders of Designated Preferred Stock shall not have any voting rights except as set forth below or as otherwise from time to time required by law.

(b)  Preferred Stock Directors. Whenever, at any time or times, dividends payable on the shares of Designated Preferred Stock have not been paid for an aggregate of six quarterly Dividend Periods or more, whether or not consecutive, the authorized number of directors of the Corporation shall automatically be increased by two and the holders of the Designated Preferred Stock shall have the right, with holders of shares of any one or more other classes or series of Voting Parity Stock outstanding at the time, voting together as a class, to elect two directors (hereinafter the “Preferred Directors” and each a “Preferred Director”) to fill such newly created directorships at the Corporation’s next annual meeting of stockholders (or at a special meeting called for that purpose prior to such next annual meeting) and at each subsequent annual meeting of stockholders until all accrued and unpaid dividends for all past Dividend Periods, including the latest completed Dividend Period (including, if applicable as provided in Section 3(a) above, dividends on such amount), on all outstanding shares of Designated Preferred Stock have been declared and paid in full at which time such right shall terminate with respect to the Designated Preferred Stock, except as herein or by law expressly provided, subject to revesting in the event of each and every subsequent default of the character above mentioned; provided that it shall be a qualification for election for any Preferred Director that the election of such Preferred Director shall not cause the Corporation to violate any corporate governance requirements of any securities exchange or other trading facility on which securities of the Corporation may then be listed or traded that listed or traded companies must have a majority of independent directors. Upon any termination of the right of the holders of shares of Designated Preferred Stock and Voting Parity Stock as a class to vote for directors as provided above, the Preferred Directors shall cease to be qualified as directors, the term of office of all Preferred Directors then in office shall terminate immediately and the authorized number of directors shall be reduced by the number of Preferred Directors elected pursuant hereto. Any Preferred Director may be removed at any time, with or without cause, and any vacancy created thereby may be filled, only by the affirmative vote of the holders a majority of the shares of Designated Preferred Stock at the time outstanding voting separately as a class together with the holders of shares of Voting Parity Stock, to the extent the voting rights of such holders described above are then exercisable. If the office of any Preferred Director becomes vacant for any reason other than removal from office as aforesaid, the remaining Preferred Director may choose a successor who shall hold office for the unexpired term in respect of which such vacancy occurred.

(c)  Class Voting Rights as to Particular Matters. So long as any shares of Designated Preferred Stock are outstanding, in addition to any other vote or consent of stockholders required by law or by the Charter, the vote or consent of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the shares of Designated Preferred Stock at the time outstanding, voting as a separate class, given in person or by proxy, either in writing without a meeting or by vote at any meeting called for the purpose, shall be necessary for effecting or validating:

(i)  Authorization of Senior Stock. Any amendment or alteration of the Certificate of Designations for the Designated Preferred Stock or the Charter to authorize or create or increase the authorized amount of, or any issuance of, any shares of, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares of, any class or series of capital stock of the
 
 
 
-10-
 
 
 
 
Corporation ranking senior to Designated Preferred Stock with respect to either or both the payment of dividends and/or the distribution of assets on any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation;

(ii)  Amendment of Designated Preferred Stock. Any amendment, alteration or repeal of any provision of the Certificate of Designations for the Designated Preferred Stock or the Charter (including, unless no vote on such merger or consolidation is required by Section 7 (c)(iii) below, any amendment, alteration or repeal by means of a merger, consolidation or otherwise) so as to adversely affect the rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers of the Designated Preferred Stock; or (iii) Share Exchanges, Reclassifications, Mergers and Consolidations. Any consummation of a binding share exchange or reclassification involving the Designated Preferred Stock, or of a merger or consolidation of the Corporation with another corporation or other entity, unless in each case (x) the shares of Designated Preferred Stock remain outstanding or, in the case of any such merger or consolidation with respect to which the Corporation is not the surviving or resulting entity, are converted into or exchanged for preference securities of the surviving or resulting entity or its ultimate parent, and (y) such shares remaining outstanding or such preference securities, as the case may be, have such rights, preferences, privileges and voting powers, and limitations and restrictions thereof, taken as a whole, as are not materially less favorable to the holders thereof than the rights, preferences, privileges and voting powers, and limitations and restrictions thereof, of Designated Preferred Stock immediately prior to such consummation, taken as a whole; provided, however, that for all purposes of this Section 7(c), any increase in the amount of the authorized Preferred Stock, including any increase in the authorized amount of Designated Preferred Stock necessary to satisfy preemptive or similar rights granted by the Corporation to other persons prior to the Signing Date, or the creation and issuance, or an increase in the authorized or issued amount, whether pursuant to preemptive or similar rights or otherwise, of any other series of Preferred Stock, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any other series of Preferred Stock, ranking equally with and/or junior to Designated Preferred Stock with respect to the payment of dividends (whether such dividends are cumulative or non-cumulative) and the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation will not be deemed to adversely affect the rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers, and shall not require the affirmative vote or consent of, the holders of outstanding shares of the Designated Preferred Stock.

(d)  Changes after Provision for Redemption. No vote or consent of the holders of Designated Preferred Stock shall be required pursuant to Section 7(c) above if, at or prior to the time when any such vote or consent would otherwise be required pursuant to such Section, all outstanding shares of the Designated Preferred Stock shall have been redeemed, or shall have been called for redemption upon proper notice and sufficient funds shall have been deposited in trust for such redemption, in each case pursuant to Section 5 above.

(e)  Procedures for Voting and Consents. The rules and procedures for calling and conducting any meeting of the holders of Designated 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 a meeting or such consents shall be governed by any rules of the Board of Directors or any
 
 
 
-11-
 
 
 
 
duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors, in its discretion, may adopt from time to time which rules and procedures shall conform to the requirements of the Charter, the Bylaws, and applicable law and the rules of any national securities exchange or other trading facility on which Designated Preferred Stock is listed or traded at the time.

Section 8. Record Holders. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Corporation and the transfer agent for Designated Preferred Stock may deem and treat the record holder of any share of Designated Preferred Stock as the true and lawful owner thereof for all purposes, and neither the Corporation nor such transfer agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.

Section 9.  Notices. All notices or communications in respect of Designated Preferred Stock shall be sufficiently given if given in writing and delivered in person or by first class mail, postage prepaid, or if given in such other manner as may be permitted in this Certificate of Designations, in the Charter or Bylaws or by applicable law. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if shares of Designated Preferred Stock are issued in book-entry form through The Depository Trust Corporation or any similar facility, such notices may be given to the holders of Designated Preferred Stock in any manner permitted by such facility.

Section 10.  No Preemptive Rights. No share of Designated Preferred Stock shall have any rights of preemption whatsoever as to any securities of the Corporation, or any warrants, rights or options issued or granted with respect thereto, regardless of how such securities, or such warrants, rights or options, may be designated, issued or granted.

Section 11. Replacement Certificates. The Corporation shall replace any mutilated certificate at the holder’s expense upon surrender of that certificate to the Corporation. The Corporation shall replace certificates that become destroyed, stolen or lost at the holder’s expense upon delivery to the Corporation of reasonably satisfactory evidence that the certificate has been destroyed, stolen or lost, together with any indemnity that may be reasonably required by the Corporation.

Section 12.  Other Rights. The shares of Designated 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 Charter or as provided by applicable law.

ARTICLE IV

Directors

A. Number of Directors. The Board of Directors shall consist of such number of persons as shall be designated from time to time in the By-laws of the Corporation, provided that no decrease in the number of directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.
 
B. Classification. The Board of Directors shall be divided, with respect to the time during which they shall hold office, into three classes as nearly equal in number as possible, with
 
 
 
-12-
 
 
 
 
the initial term of office of the Class I directors expiring at the annual meeting of shareholders to be held in 1994, of the Class II directors expiring at the next succeeding annual meeting of shareholders, and of the Class III directors expiring at the second succeeding annual meeting, with all such directors to hold office until their successors are elected and qualified. Any increase or decrease in the number of directors shall be apportioned by the Board of Directors so that all classes of directors shall be as nearly equal in number as possible. At each annual meeting of shareholders, directors chosen to succeed those whose terms then expire shall be elected to hold office for a term expiring at the annual meeting of shareholders held in the third year following the year of their election and until their successors are duly elected and qualified.
 
C. Definition of Continuing Directors. “Continuing Directors” shall mean the persons who (1) are members of the Board of Directors of the Corporation on March 3, 1993 or (2) become members of the Board of Directors after March 3, 1993 upon the nomination of the Board of Directors at a time when a majority of the members are Continuing Directors.
 
D. Vacancies. Any vacancy on the Board of Directors (including any vacancy resulting from an increase in the authorized number of directors, from the removal of a director or from a failure of the shareholders to elect the full number of authorized directors) may, notwithstanding any resulting absence of a quorum of directors, be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of all of the Continuing Directors remaining in office, provided that the shareholders shall have the right to fill the vacancy at any special meeting called for such purpose prior to any such action by the Board of Directors. A director elected pursuant to this section shall serve until the next shareholders’ meeting held for the election of directors of the class to which he or she shall have been appointed and until his or her successor is elected and qualified.
 
E. Removal. Any director may be removed at any time, but only for cause, at a special meeting of shareholders called for such purpose, by the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than 80% of the Total Voting Power. At the same meeting at which the shareholders remove one or more directors, a successor or successors may be elected for the unexpired term of the director or directors removed. Except as set forth in this Article IV(E), directors shall not be subject to removal.
 
F. Removed and Reserved.
 
G. Tender Offers and Other Extraordinary Transactions. The Board of Directors, when evaluating a tender offer or an offer to make a tender or exchange offer or to effect a merger, consolidation or share exchange may, in exercising its judgment in determining what is in the best interests of the Corporation and its shareholders, consider the following factors and any other factors that it deems relevant: (1) not only the consideration being offered in the proposed transaction, in relation to the then current market price for the outstanding capital stock of the Corporation, but also the market price for the capital stock of the Corporation over a period of years, the estimated price that might be achieved in a negotiated sale of the Corporation as a whole or in part or through orderly liquidation, the premiums over market price for the securities of other corporations in similar transactions, current political, economic and other factors bearing on securities prices and the Corporation’s financial condition and future
 
 
 
-13-
 
 
 
 
prospects; (2) the social and economic effects of such transaction on the Corporation, its subsidiaries, or their employees, customers, creditors and the communities in which the Corporation and its subsidiaries do business; (3) the business and financial condition and earnings prospects of the acquiring party or parties, including, but not limited to, debt service and other existing or likely financial obligations of the acquiring party or parties, and the possible effect of such condition upon the Corporation and its subsidiaries and the communities in which the Corporation and its subsidiaries do business; and (4) the competence, experience, and integrity of the acquiring party or parties and its or their management. Notwithstanding any provision of this Article IV(G), this Article is not intended to confer any rights on any subsidiary of the Corporation, or on any of the Corporation’s or its subsidiaries’ employees, customers, creditors or other members of the communities in which it or they do business.
 
H. Board Nominations. Unless otherwise permitted by applicable law, only persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Article IV(H) shall be eligible for election as directors.  Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors of the Corporation may be made at a meeting of shareholders by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or by any shareholder of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting for the election of directors who meets the eligibility requirements and has complied with the procedures set forth in this Article IV(H).  The following requirements must be satisfied in order for a shareholder or shareholder group to be entitled to nominate a person for election to the Board of Directors of the Corporation:

(1) The nominating shareholder individually, or the nominating shareholder group in the aggregate, must hold at least 3% of the total voting power of the Corporation’s securities that are entitled to be voted on the election of directors at the annual (or a special meeting in lieu of the annual) meeting of shareholders or on a written consent in lieu of such meeting, on the date the nominating shareholder or nominating shareholder group provides the Corporation with notice of such nomination;

(2) The nominating shareholder or each member of the nominating shareholder group must have held the amount of securities that are used for purposes of satisfying the minimum ownership requirement of paragraph (1) above continuously for at least three years as of the date the notice of such nomination is transmitted to the Corporation and must continue to hold that amount of securities through the date of the subject election of directors;

(3) The nominating shareholder or each member of the nominating shareholder group must provide proof of ownership of the amount of securities that are used for purposes of satisfying the ownership and holding period requirements of paragraphs (1) and (2) of above.  If the nominating shareholder or each member of the nominating shareholder group is not the registered holder of the securities, the nominating shareholder or each member of the nominating shareholder group must provide proof of ownership in the form of one or more written statements from the registered holder of the nominating shareholder’s securities (or the brokers or banks through which those securities are held) verifying that, as of a date within seven calendar days prior to transmitting the notice of such nomination to the Corporation, the nominating shareholder or each member of the nominating shareholder group, continuously held
 
 
 
-14-
 
 
 
 
the amount of securities being used to satisfy the ownership threshold for a period of at least three years;

(4) The nominating shareholder or each member of the nominating shareholder group must provide a statement, on the date the notice of such nomination is transmitted to the Corporation, that the nominating shareholder or each member of the nominating shareholder group intends to continue to hold the amount of securities that are used for purposes of satisfying the minimum ownership requirement of paragraph (1) above through the date of the meeting;

(5) The nominating shareholder or each member of the nominating shareholder group must provide a statement, on the date the notice of such nomination is transmitted to the Corporation, regarding the nominating shareholder’s or group’s intent with respect to continued ownership of the registrant’s securities after the election;

(6) The nominating shareholder (or where there is a nominating shareholder group, each member of the nominating shareholder group) must not be holding any of the Corporation’s securities with the purpose, or with the effect, of changing control of the Corporation;

(7) There must not be an agreement with the Corporation regarding the nomination of the nominee with the nominee or the nominating shareholder (or where there is a nominating shareholder group, any member of the nominating shareholder group);

(8) The nominee’s candidacy or, if elected, board membership would not violate controlling federal law, state law, foreign law, or rules of a national securities exchange or national securities association (other than rules regarding director independence) or, in the case that the nominee’s candidacy or, if elected, board membership would violate such laws or rules, such violation could not be cured within 14 calendar days of the date of notice of such potential violation delivered by the Corporation to the nominating shareholder or shareholder group;

(9) The nominee must meet the objective criteria for “independence” of the national securities exchange or national securities association rules applicable to the Corporation, if any;

(10) The nominating shareholder or nominating shareholder group must provide its nomination to the Corporation no earlier than 150 calendar days, and no later than 120 calendar days, before the anniversary of the date that the Corporation mailed its proxy materials for the prior year’s annual meeting, except that, if the Corporation did not hold an annual meeting during the prior year, or if the date of the meeting has changed by more than 30 calendar days from the prior year, or if the registrant is holding a special meeting or conducting an election of directors by written consent, then the nominating shareholder or nominating shareholder group must transmit the nomination to the Corporation a reasonable time before the Corporation mails its proxy materials; and

(11) The nominating shareholder or nominating shareholder group provides the following information and certifications on the date the notice of such nomination is transmitted to the Corporation: (a) the name of the shareholder making such nomination, or if a group, the name of each shareholder in such nominating group; (b) the business address, or if none, residence of the
 
 
 
-15-
 
 
 
 
nominating shareholder or members of a nominating group; (c) a statement that the nominee, if elected, consents to serve on the Board of Directors; (d) the disclosures regarding the nominee that would be required with respect to a director nominee required by Schedule 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or any successor schedule thereto; (e) a description of any agreements, arrangements or relationships between the nominating shareholder or nominating group giving the notice and the nominee; (f) a statement regarding whether the nominating shareholder or any member of the nominating group has been involved in any litigation adverse to the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries within the past ten years and, if so, a description of such litigation; and (g) a statement that, to the best of the nominating shareholder’s or nominating group’s knowledge, such nominee meets the Corporation’s director qualification standards then in effect.

I. Directors Elected by Preferred Shareholders. Notwithstanding anything in these Articles of Incorporation to the contrary, whenever the holders of Preferred Stock, or any series thereof, shall have the right, voting separately as a class, to elect one or more directors of the Corporation, the provisions of these Articles of Incorporation (as they may be duly amended from time to time) fixing the rights and preferences of such Preferred Stock shall govern with respect to the nomination, election, term, removal, vacancies or other related matters with respect to such directors.

ARTICLE V

Limitation of Liability and Indemnification

A. Limitation of Liability. No director or officer of the Corporation shall be liable to the Corporation or to its shareholders for monetary damages for breach of his or her fiduciary duty as a director or officer, provided that the foregoing provision shall not eliminate or limit the liability of a director or officer for (1) any breach of the director’s or officer’s duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its shareholders; (2) acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; (3) liability for unlawful distributions of the Corporation’s assets to, or redemption or repurchase of the Corporation’s shares from, shareholders of the Corporation, under and to the extent provided in La.R.S. 12:92(D); or (4) any transaction from which the director or officer derived an improper personal benefit.
 
B. Authorization of Further Actions. The Board of Directors may (1) cause the Corporation to enter into contracts with its directors and officers providing for the limitation of liability set forth in this Article to the full extent permitted by law, (2) adopt By-laws or resolutions, or cause the Corporation to enter into contracts, providing for indemnification of directors and officers of the Corporation and other persons (including but not limited to directors and officers of the Corporation’s direct and indirect subsidiaries) to the full extent permitted by law, and (3) cause the Corporation to exercise the powers set forth in La. R.S. 12:83(F), notwithstanding that some or all of the members of the Board of Directors acting with respect to the foregoing may be parties to such contracts or beneficiaries of such By-laws or resolutions or the exercise of such powers.
 
 
 
-16-
 
 

 
C. Subsidiaries. The Board of Directors may cause the Corporation to approve for its direct and indirect subsidiaries limitation of liability and indemnification provisions comparable to the foregoing, notwithstanding that some or all of the directors of the Corporation are also directors or officers of such subsidiaries.
 
D. Amendment of Article V. Any amendment or repeal of this Article shall not adversely affect any elimination or limitation of liability or right to indemnification under this Article with respect to any action or inaction occurring prior to the time of such amendment or repeal.
 
ARTICLE VI

Special Meetings of Shareholders

Special meetings of shareholders, for any purpose or purposes, may be called by directors or officers of the Corporation in any manner set forth in the By-laws. In addition, at any time, upon the written request of any shareholder or group of shareholders holding in the aggregate at least 80% of the Total Voting Power, the Secretary of the Corporation shall call a special meeting of shareholders to be held at the registered office of the Corporation at such time as the Secretary may fix, not less than 15 nor more than 60 days after the receipt of said request, and if the Secretary shall neglect or refuse to fix such time or to give notice of the meeting, the shareholder or shareholders making the request may do so. Such requests must state the specific purpose or purposes of the proposed special meeting, and the business to be conducted thereat shall be limited to such purpose or purposes. Except as set forth in this Article VI, shareholders of the Corporation shall not have the right to call or have called special meetings of the shareholders.

ARTICLE VII

Reversion

Cash, property or share dividends, shares issuable to shareholders in connection with a reclassification of stock, and the redemption price of redeemed shares, that are not claimed by the shareholders entitled thereto within one year after the dividend or redemption price became payable or the shares became issuable, despite reasonable efforts by the Corporation to pay the dividend or redemption price or deliver the certificates for the shares to such shareholders within such time, shall, at the expiration of such time, revert in full ownership to the Corporation, and the Corporation’s obligation to pay such dividend or redemption price or issue such shares, as the case may be, shall thereupon cease; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may, at any time, for any reason satisfactory to it, but need not, authorize (1) payment of the amount of any cash or property dividend or redemption price or (2) issuance of any shares, ownership of which has reverted to the Corporation pursuant to this Article, to the person or entity who or which would be entitled thereto had such reversion not occurred.
 
 
 
-17-
 
 

 
ARTICLE VIII

By-laws

A. Adoption, Amendment and Repeal. By-laws of the Corporation may be adopted only by a majority vote of all of the Continuing Directors. By-laws may be amended or repealed only by a majority vote of all of the Continuing Directors or by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 80% of the Total Voting Power at any annual or special meeting of shareholders, the notice of which expressly states that the proposed amendment or repeal is to be considered at the meeting.
 
B. New Matters. Any purported amendment to the By-laws which would add thereto a matter not covered in the By-laws prior to such purported amendment shall be deemed to constitute the adoption of a By-law provision and not an amendment to the By-laws.
 
ARTICLE IX

Vote on Certain Transactions and Amendments to
Articles of Incorporation

A. Vote Required for Shareholder Action. If the Board of Directors has recommended any proposal presented to the shareholders, including but not limited to a proposal to approve a merger, consolidation, share exchange, disposition of all or substantially all of the Corporation’s assets, dissolution or an amendment to these Articles of Incorporation, by the affirmative vote of a majority of all of the Continuing Directors, then the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the voting power present shall be required to approve a merger, consolidation, share exchange, disposition of all or substantially all of the Corporation’s assets, dissolution or an amendment to these Articles of Incorporation and the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast shall be required to approve any other proposal. Otherwise, the affirmative vote of 80% of the Total Voting Power shall be required to constitute shareholder approval of any matter presented to the shareholders.
 
B. Business Combinations and Control Share Acquisitions. The provisions of La. R.S. 12:132 et seq. and La. R.S. 12:135 et seq. shall apply in addition to any action required by these Articles of Incorporation.
 
 


 
 
-18-