<PAGE>
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K/A
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (date of earliest event reported)
April 23, 1998
AMBANC HOLDING CO., INC.
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(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware 0-27306 14-1783770
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(State or other (Commission (IRS Employer
jurisdiction of File No.) Identification
incorporation) Number)
11 Division Street, Amsterdam, New York 12010-4303
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(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (518) 842-7200
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N/A
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(Former name or former address, if changed since last Report)
<PAGE>
Item 5. Other Events
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On April 23, 1998, Ambanc Holding Co., Inc. ("Ambanc"), a Delaware
corporation, Amsterdam Savings Bank, FSB, a federally-chartered savings bank
and wholly-owned subsidiary of Ambanc, AFSALA Bancorp, Inc. ("AFSALA"), a
Delaware corporation, and Amsterdam Federal Bank, a federally-chartered
savings bank and wholly-owned subsidiary of AFSALA, entered into a
Reorganization and Merger Agreement ("Merger Agreement"), pursuant to which
AFSALA will merge with and into Ambanc through a tax-free, stock-for-stock
exchange, with Ambanc as the surviving corporation ("Merger"). Under the
terms of the Merger Agreement, upon consummation of the Merger all shares of
AFSALA common stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective
Time (as defined in the Merger Agreement) shall be converted into the right to
receive 1.07 shares of Ambanc common stock, for a total deal value of
approximately $30 million as of April 23, 1998. On April 23, 1998, Ambanc and
AFSALA issued a joint press release announcing the Merger, a copy of which is
included as Exhibit 99 hereto and incorporated by reference herein.
John M. Lisicki, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of
AFSALA will become the President and Chief Executive Officer of the combined
bank immediately following consummation of the Merger, and President and Chief
Executive Officer of Ambanc no later than January 1, 1999, following the
retirement of Robert J. Brittain, the current President and Chief Executive
Officer of Ambanc. In addition, four of AFSALA's current directors will
become directors of Ambanc and the resulting bank.
The Merger, which will be accounted for as a purchase, is expected to
close during the fourth quarter of 1998. The Merger Agreement has been
approved by the boards of directors of both companies. Consummation of the
Merger is subject to certain customary conditions, including, among others,
the adoption of the Merger Agreement by the Ambanc and AFSALA shareholders and
receipt of regulatory approvals. AFSALA has also granted Ambanc an option to
acquire up to 19.9 percent of AFSALA common stock, as further described below.
The preceding description of the Merger Agreement is qualified in its
entirety by reference to the copy of the Merger Agreement included as Exhibit
2.1 hereto, and which is incorporated by reference herein.
AFSALA and Ambanc also entered into a Stock Option Agreement dated April
23, 1998 (the "AFSALA Stock Option"). Under the AFSALA Stock Option, Ambanc
was granted an irrevocable option to purchase, under certain circumstances, up
to 344,500 shares, or 19.9 percent, of AFSALA common stock at $20.75 per
share. The number of shares and the purchase price are subject to adjustment
as described in the AFSALA Stock Option. Under certain circumstances, AFSALA
may be required to repurchase the AFSALA Stock Option or the shares acquired
pursuant to the exercise thereof. The AFSALA Stock Option was granted by
AFSALA as a condition of and inducement to Ambanc entering into the Merger
Agreement.
The preceding description of the AFSALA Stock Option is qualified in its
entirety by reference to the copy of the AFSALA Stock Option included as
Exhibit 2.2 hereto, and which is incorporated by reference herein.
Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits
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(c) Exhibits.
The Exhibits listed on the accompanying Exhibit Index are filed as part
of this Report and are incorporated herein by reference.
<PAGE>
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
AMBANC HOLDING CO., INC.
Date: April 28, 1998 By:/s/ Robert J. Brittain
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Robert J. Brittain, President
and Chief Executive Officer
<PAGE>
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
Exhibit
No. Description of Exhibit
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2.1 Reorganization and Merger Agreement dated April 23, 1998, by and
among Ambanc Holding Co., Inc., a Delaware corporation, and
Amsterdam Savings Bank, FSB, a federally-chartered savings bank
and wholly-owned subsidiary of Ambanc; and AFSALA Bancorp, Inc.,
a Delaware corporation, and Amsterdam Federal Bank, a federally-
chartered savings bank and wholly-owned subsidiary of AFSALA
Bancorp, Inc.
2.2 Stock Option Agreement dated April 23, 1998 by and between AFSALA
Bancorp, Inc. and Ambanc Holding Co., Inc.
99 Joint Press Release dated April 23, 1998 of Ambanc Holding Co.,
Inc. and AFSALA Bancorp, Inc.
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT 2.1
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REORGANIZATION AND MERGER AGREEMENT
By and Among
AMBANC HOLDING CO., INC.
AND
AMSTERDAM SAVINGS BANK, FSB
And
AFSALA BANCORP, INC.
AND
AMSTERDAM FEDERAL BANK
Dated as of April 23, 1998
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<PAGE>
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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ARTICLE I THE MERGER AND RELATED MATTERS . . . . . . . . . .2
1.1 Merger: Surviving Institution . . . . . . . . . . .2
1.2 Effective Time of the Merger. . . . . . . . . . . .2
1.3 Conversion of Shares. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
1.4 Surviving Corporation in the Acquisition Merger . .3
1.5 Authorization for Issuance of Ambanc Common Stock;
Exchange of Certificates. . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
1.6 No Fractional Shares. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
1.7 Shareholders' Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
1.8 Company Stock Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
1.9 Registration Statement; Prospectus/Proxy Statement.7
1.10 Cooperation; Regulatory Approvals . . . . . . . . .8
1.11 Closing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
1.12 Closing of Transfer Books . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
1.13 Bank Merger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
1.14 Option Agreement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
ARTICLE II REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF COMPANY
AND SAVINGS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.1 Organization, Good Standing, Authority, Insurance, Etc10
2.2 Capitalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.3 Ownership of Subsidiaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.4 Financial Statements and Reports . . . . . . . . . 12
2.5 Absence of Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
2.6 Prospectus/Proxy Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
2.7 No Broker's or Finder's Fees . . . . . . . . . . . 13
2.8 Litigation and Other Proceedings . . . . . . . . . 14
2.9 Compliance with Law. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
2.10 Corporate Actions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
2.11 Authority. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
2.12 Employment Arrangements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
2.13 Employee Benefits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
2.14 Information Furnished. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
2.15 Property and Assets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
2.16 Agreements and Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
2.17 Material Contract Defaults . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
2.18 Tax Matters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
2.19 Environmental Matters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
2.20 Loan Portfolio: Portfolio Management. . . . . . . 20
2.21 Real Estate Loans and Investments. . . . . . . . . 20
2.22 Derivatives Contracts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
2.23 Insurance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
ARTICLE III REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF AMBANC AND
THE BANK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
3.1 Organization, Good Standing, Authority, Insurance, Etc21
3.2 Capitalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
3.3 Ownership of Subsidiaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
3.4 Financial Statements and Reports . . . . . . . . . 22
3.5 Absence of Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
3.6 Prospectus/Proxy Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
3.7 No Broker's or Finder's Fees . . . . . . . . . . . 24
3.8 Compliance With Law. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
3.9 Corporate Actions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
3.10 Authority. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
3.11 Information Furnished. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
3.12 Litigation and Other Proceedings . . . . . . . . . 26
3.13 Agreements and Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
3.14 Tax Matters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
<PAGE>
3.15 Property and Assets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
3.16 Derivatives Contracts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
3.17 Insurance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
3.18 Employee Benefits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
3.19 Material Contract Defaults . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
3.20 Tax Matters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
3.21 Environmental Matters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
3.22 Loan Portfolio: Portfolio Management. . . . . . . 28
ARTICLE IV COVENANTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
4.1 Investigations; Access and Copies . . . . . . . . . 29
4.2 Conduct of Business Prior to Closing. . . . . . . . 29
4.3 No Solicitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
4.4 Shareholder Approval. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
4.5 Filing of Holding Company and Merger Applications . 32
4.6 Consents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
4.7 Resale Letter Agreements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
4.8 Publicity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
4.9 Cooperation Generally . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
4.10 Additional Financial Statements and Reports . . . . 32
4.11 Stock Listing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
4.12 Allowance for Loan and Real Estate Owned Losses . . 33
4.13 D&O Indemnification and Insurance . . . . . . . . . 33
4.14 Tax Treatment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
4.15 Update Disclosure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
4.16 Company's Employee Plans and Benefit Arrangements . 34
4.17 Amendment of Savings' Federal Stock Charter . . . . 35
4.18 Environmental Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
4.19 Advisory Board of Directors . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
4.20 Appointment of President and CEO. . . . . . . . . . 36
4.21 Approvals and Registration. . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
4.22 Notice of Adverse Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
4.23 Further Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
4.24 Further Transactions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
ARTICLE V CONDITIONS TO THE MERGER; TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT. 38
5.1 General Conditions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
5.2 Conditions to Obligations of Ambanc and Bank. . . . 39
5.3 Conditions to Obligations of Company and Savings. . 41
5.4 Termination of Agreement and Abandonment of Merger. 43
ARTICLE VI TERMINATION OF OBLIGATIONS; PAYMENT OF EXPENSES . . 46
6.1 Termination; Lack of Survival of Representations and Warranties46
6.2 Payment of Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
ARTICLE VII CERTAIN POST-MERGER AGREEMENTS . . . . . . . . . . 46
7.1 Reports to the SEC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
7.2 Employees.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
ARTICLE VIII GENERAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
8.1 Amendments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
8.2 Confidentiality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
8.3 Governing Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
8.4 Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
8.5 No Assignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
8.6 Headings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
8.7 Counterparts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
8.8 Construction and Interpretation . . . . . . . . . . 49
8.9 Entire Agreement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
8.10 Severability. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
8.11 No Third Party Beneficiaries. . . . . . . . . . . . 49
8.12 Enforcement of Agreement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
<PAGE>
Schedules:
Schedule I Disclosure Schedule for the Company and Savings
Schedule II Disclosure Schedule for Ambanc and the Bank
Schedule 4.2
Schedule 4.7
Schedule 4.16
Exhibits:
Exhibit 1.1(a) Bank Plan of Merger
Exhibit 1.14 Option Agreement
Exhibit 5.2(a) Form of Opinion of Counsel for the Company
Exhibit 5.3(a) Form of Opinion of Counsel for Ambanc
<PAGE>
REORGANIZATION AND MERGER AGREEMENT
==============================================================================
THIS REORGANIZATION AND MERGER AGREEMENT ("Agreement") is dated as of
April 23, 1998, by and among AMBANC HOLDING CO., INC., a Delaware corporation
("Ambanc"), and AMSTERDAM SAVINGS BANK, FSB, a Federally chartered savings
bank and wholly-owned subsidiary of Ambanc ("Bank"); and AFSALA BANCORP, INC.,
a Delaware corporation ("Company"), and AMSTERDAM FEDERAL BANK, a Federally
chartered savings bank and wholly-owned subsidiary of Company ("Savings").
WHEREAS, Ambanc, a unitary savings and loan holding company, with
principal offices in Amsterdam, New York, owns all of the issued and
outstanding capital stock of Bank, with its principal offices in Amsterdam,
New York.
WHEREAS, the Company, a non-diversified, unitary savings and loan holding
company, with its principal offices in Amsterdam, New York, owns all of the
issued and outstanding capital stock of Savings, with its principal offices in
Amsterdam, New York;
WHEREAS, Ambanc and the Company desire to combine their respective
holding companies through a tax-free exchange so that the respective
shareholders of both Ambanc and the Company will have an equity ownership in
the combined holding company;
WHEREAS, following the combination of Ambanc and the Company, it is
intended that Bank and Savings will be merged such that the resulting holding
company will retain the advantage of a unitary savings and loan holding
company status and that the resulting savings institution will achieve certain
economies of scale and efficiencies as a result of such subsequent merger;
WHEREAS, it is intended that to accomplish this result, the Company will
be acquired by means of a merger (the "Acquisition Merger") of the Company
with and into Ambanc, followed by the merger of Savings with and into the Bank
(the "Bank Merger"). The Acquisition Merger and the Bank Merger are
collectively referred to as the "Merger";
WHEREAS, it is intended that for federal income tax purposes, the Merger
shall qualify as a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368 of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") and this Agreement
shall constitute a plan of reorganization pursuant to Section 368 of the Code;
WHEREAS, as an inducement to and condition of Ambanc's willingness to
enter into this Agreement, the Company will grant to Ambanc, on the date after
the date of this Agreement, an option pursuant to the Stock Option Agreement,
the form of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 1.14 (the "Option Agreement");
and
WHEREAS, the Boards of Directors of Ambanc and the Company have
determined that this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby are in
the best interests of Ambanc and the Company, respectively, and their
respective Boards of Directors and have approved this Agreement and the Option
Agreement. Consummation of the Merger is subject to the prior approval of the
Office of Thrift Supervision ("OTS") and the approval of this Agreement by the
stockholders of Ambanc and the Company, among other conditions specified
herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual promises
hereinafter set forth, and of other good and valuable consideration, the
receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto,
intending to be legally bound, do hereby agree as follows:
<PAGE>
ARTICLE I
THE MERGER AND RELATED MATTERS
1.1 Merger: Surviving Institution. Subject to the terms and
------------------------------
conditions of this Agreement, and pursuant to the provisions of the Delaware
General Corporation Law ("DGCL"), the Home Owners Loan Act, as amended
("HOLA"), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the "Thrift
Regulations"), (a) at the Acquisition Merger Effective Time (as hereinafter
defined), the Company shall be merged with and into Ambanc pursuant to the
terms and conditions set forth herein, (b) the separate corporate existence of
the Company shall cease and Ambanc shall continue as the surviving corporation
(sometimes referred to herein as the "Surviving Corporation"), and (c)
thereafter, at the Bank Merger Effective Time (as hereinafter defined) Savings
shall be merged with and into the Bank pursuant to the terms and conditions
set forth herein and in a plan of merger set forth in Exhibit 1.1(b) (the
"Bank Plan of Merger"). The Acquisition Merger shall have the effects
specified in the DGCL and Section 1.4(e) hereof. Upon consummation of the
Bank Merger, the separate existence of Savings shall cease and the Bank shall
continue as the surviving institution of the Bank Merger. The name of the
Bank, as the surviving institution of the Bank Merger, shall be mutually
agreed upon. From and after the Bank Merger Effective Time, the Bank, as the
surviving institution of the Bank Merger, shall possess all of the properties
and rights and be subject to all of the liabilities and obligations of the
Bank and Savings, all as more fully described in the Thrift Regulations,
Section 1.13 hereof and the Bank Plan of Merger. Ambanc may at any time
change the method of effecting the Merger if and to the extent it deems such
change to be necessary, provided, however, that no such change shall (A) alter
or change the amount or kind of consideration to be issued to holders of
Company common stock as provided for in this Agreement, (B) adversely affect
the tax treatment to Company shareholders as a result of receiving the
consideration described in Section 1.3 herein or (C) materially impede or
delay receipt of any approval referred to in Section 5.1 hereof or the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
1.2 Effective Time of the Merger. As soon as practicable after each
-----------------------------
of the conditions set forth in Article V hereof have been satisfied or waived,
Ambanc and the Company will file, or cause to be filed, a certificate of
merger with appropriate authorities of Delaware for the Acquisition Merger and
articles of combination with the OTS for the Bank Merger, which certificate of
merger and articles of combination shall in each case be in the form required
by and executed in accordance with applicable provisions of Delaware law and
the Thrift Regulations, respectively. The Acquisition Merger shall become
effective at the time the certificate of merger is filed with the appropriate
authorities of Delaware (the "Acquisition Merger Effective Time"), which shall
be immediately following the Closing (as defined in Section 1.11 herein) and
on the same day as the Closing if practicable. The Bank Merger shall become
effective at the time the articles of combination for such merger are endorsed
by the OTS pursuant to Section 552.13(k) of the Thrift Regulations (the "Bank
Merger Effective Time"). The parties shall cause the Acquisition Merger to
become effective prior to the Bank Merger.
1.3 Conversion of Shares.
--------------------
(a)(i) At the Acquisition Merger Effective Time, by virtue of the
Acquisition Merger and without any action on the part of Ambanc or the Company
or the holders of shares of Ambanc or Company common stock, each outstanding
share of Company common stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the
Acquisition Merger Effective Time shall be converted into and represent solely
the right to receive without any action by the holder, 1.06 shares of common
stock, $.01 par value, of Ambanc (the "Ambanc Common Stock") (the "Exchange
Ratio"), subject to adjustment as provided in clause (a)(iv) of this Section
(the "Merger Consideration").
<PAGE>
(ii) Any shares of Company common stock which are owned or
held by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (except shares held in any
qualified plan of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or otherwise held in
a fiduciary capacity or in satisfaction of a debt previously contracted) or by
Ambanc or any of Ambanc's subsidiaries (other than in a fiduciary capacity) at
the Acquisition Merger Effective Time shall cease to exist, and the
certificates for such shares shall as promptly as practicable be canceled and
no shares of capital stock of Ambanc shall be issued or exchanged therefor.
(iii) At the Acquisition Merger Effective Time, the holders of
certificates representing shares of the Company's common stock (the "Company
Common Stock") shall cease to have any rights as stockholders of the Company,
except the right to receive the Merger Consideration as provided herein.
(iv) If the holders of Ambanc Common Stock shall have received
or shall have become entitled to receive, without payment therefor, during the
period commencing within five days prior to the date hereof and ending with
the Acquisition Merger Effective Time, additional shares of common stock or
other securities for their stock by way of a stock split, stock dividend,
reclassification, combination of shares, spinoff or similar corporate
rearrangement or Ambanc shall exchange Ambanc Common Stock for a different
number or kind of shares or securities ("Stock Adjustment"), then the amount
of Ambanc Common Stock to be exchanged at the Acquisition Merger Effective
Time for Company Common Stock shall be proportionately adjusted to take into
account such Stock Adjustment.
1.4 Surviving Corporation in the Acquisition Merger.
-----------------------------------------------
(a) The name of the Surviving Corporation shall be Ambanc
Holding Co., Inc.
(b) The Certificate of Incorporation of Ambanc as in effect
immediately prior to the Acquisition Merger Effective Time shall be the
Certificate of Incorporation of the Surviving Corporation, until amended as
provided therein or by law.
(c) The bylaws of Ambanc as in effect immediately prior to the
Acquisition Merger Effective Time shall thereafter be the bylaws of the
Surviving Corporation, until amended as provided therein or by law.
(d) The directors and officers of Ambanc immediately prior to
the Acquisition Merger Effective Time shall be the directors and officers,
respectively, of the Surviving Corporation following the Acquisition Merger,
until their successors shall be duly elected and qualified or otherwise duly
selected. In addition, the Surviving Corporation shall create four new
positions on its Board of Directors, on or prior to the Acquisition Merger
Effective Time, and shall appoint those four persons selected by the Company,
in consultation with Ambanc, to the Board of Directors of the Surviving
Corporation, for terms of office to be agreed upon, it being understood that
at least one of the four persons selected by the Company will include the
Company's current President and Chief Executive Officer. By January 1, 1999,
or sooner by mutual consent, Ambanc's Board of Directors shall appoint John M.
Lisicki as President and Chief Executive Officer of Ambanc. In addition,
Benjamin W. Ziskin and James J. Alescio shall become executive officers of the
Surviving Corporation with the titles, and under the terms and conditions, as
set forth in Section 4.16(d) of this Agreement.
<PAGE>
(e) From and after the Acquisition Merger Effective Time:
(i) The Surviving Corporation shall possess all assets and
property of every description, and every interest in the assets and property,
wherever located, and the rights, privileges, immunities, powers, franchises,
and authority, of a public as well as of a private nature, of each of Ambanc
and the Company, and all obligations belonging or due to each of Ambanc and
Company, all of which are vested in the Surviving Corporation without further
act or deed. Title to any real estate or any interest in the real estate
vested in Ambanc or the Company shall not revert or in any way be impaired by
reason of the Acquisition Merger.
(ii) The Surviving Corporation shall be liable for all the
obligations of each of Ambanc and the Company. Any claim existing, or action
or proceeding pending, by or against the Company or Ambanc, may be prosecuted
to judgment, with right of appeal, as if the Acquisition Merger had not taken
place, or the Surviving Corporation may be substituted in its place.
(iii) All the rights of creditors of each of the Company and
Ambanc are preserved unimpaired, and all liens upon the property of the
Company and Ambanc are preserved unimpaired, on only the property affected by
such liens immediately prior to the Acquisition Merger Effective Time.
1.5 Authorization for Issuance of Ambanc Common Stock; Exchange of
Certificates.
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(a) Ambanc shall reserve or will at Closing have available for
issuance or reissuance a sufficient number of shares of the Ambanc Common
Stock for the purpose of issuing or reissuing its shares of Ambanc Common
Stock to the Company's shareholders in accordance with this Article I,
including Section 1.8. Immediately prior to the Acquisition Merger Effective
Time, Ambanc shall make available for exchange or conversion, by transferring
to an exchange agent appointed by Ambanc (the "Exchange Agent") for the
benefit of the holders of Company Common Stock: (i) such number of whole
shares of Ambanc Common Stock as shall be issuable or reissuable in connection
with the payment of the aggregate Merger Consideration, and (ii) such funds as
may be payable in lieu of fractional shares of Ambanc Common Stock.
(b) After the Acquisition Merger Effective Time, holders of
certificates theretofore evidencing outstanding shares of Company Common Stock
(other than as provided in Section 1.3(a)(ii)), upon surrender of such
certificates to the Exchange Agent, shall be entitled to receive certificates
representing the number of whole shares of Ambanc Common Stock into which
shares of Company Common Stock theretofore represented by the certificates so
surrendered shall have been converted, as provided in Section 1.3 hereof and
cash payments in lieu of fractional shares as provided in Section 1.6 hereof.
As soon as practicable after the Acquisition Merger Effective Time but not
later than ten (10) business days thereafter, the Exchange Agent will send a
notice and transmittal form to each Company shareholder of record at the
Acquisition Merger Effective Time whose Company Common Stock shall have been
converted into Ambanc Common Stock advising such shareholder of the
effectiveness of the Acquisition Merger and the procedure for surrendering to
the Exchange Agent outstanding certificates formerly evidencing Company Common
Stock in exchange for new certificates for Ambanc Common Stock and for cash in
lieu of any fractional interest. Upon surrender, each certificate evidencing
Company common stock shall be canceled.
(c) Until surrendered as provided in this Section 1.5, each
outstanding certificate which, prior to the Acquisition Merger Effective Time,
represented Company Common Stock (other than shares canceled at the
Acquisition Merger Effective Time pursuant to Section 1.3(a)(ii) hereof) will
<PAGE>
be deemed for all purposes to evidence ownership of the number of shares of
Ambanc Common Stock into which the shares of Company common stock formerly
represented thereby were converted and the right to receive cash in lieu of
any fractional interest. However, until such outstanding certificates
formerly representing Company common stock are so surrendered, no dividend or
distribution payable to holders of record of Ambanc Common Stock shall be paid
to any holder of such outstanding certificates, but upon surrender of such
outstanding certificates by such holder there shall be paid to such holder the
amount of any dividends or distribution, without interest, theretofore paid
with respect to such whole shares of Ambanc Common Stock, but not paid to such
holder, and which dividends or distribution had a record date occurring on or
subsequent to the Acquisition Merger Effective Time and the amount of any
cash, without interest, payable to such holder in lieu of fractional shares
pursuant to Section 1.6 hereof. After the Acquisition Merger Effective Time,
there shall be no further registration of transfers on the records of the
Company of outstanding certificates formerly representing shares of Company
Common Stock and, if a certificate formerly representing such shares is
presented to Ambanc, it shall be forwarded to the Exchange Agent for
cancellation and exchanged for certificates representing shares of Ambanc
Common Stock as herein provided.
(d) All shares of Ambanc Common Stock and cash in lieu of any
fractional shares issued and paid upon the surrender for exchange of Company
Common Stock in accordance with the above terms and conditions shall be deemed
to have been issued in full satisfaction of all rights pertaining to such
shares of Company Common Stock.
(e) If any new certificate for Ambanc Common Stock is to be
issued in the name other than that in which the certificate surrendered in
exchange thereof is registered, it shall be a condition of the issuance
therefor that the certificate surrendered in exchange shall be properly
endorsed and otherwise in proper form for transfer and that the person
requesting such transfer pay to the Exchange Agent any transfer or other
taxes, if any, required by reason of the issuance of a new certificate for
shares of Ambanc Common Stock in any name other than that of the registered
holder of the certificate surrendered, or establish to the satisfaction of the
Exchange Agent that such tax has been paid or is not payable.
(f) In the event any certificate for Company Common Stock shall
have been lost, stolen or destroyed, the Exchange Agent shall issue in
exchange for such lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, upon the making of an
affidavit of that fact by the holder thereof, such shares of Ambanc Common
Stock and cash in lieu of fractional shares, if any, as may be required
pursuant hereto; provided, however, that Ambanc may, in its discretion and as
a condition precedent to the issuance thereof, require the owner of such lost,
stolen or destroyed certificate to deliver a bond in such sum as it may
reasonably direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against
Ambanc, the Company, the Exchange Agent or any other party with respect to the
certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed.
1.6 No Fractional Shares. Notwithstanding any term or provision
--------------------
hereof, no fractional shares of Ambanc Common Stock, and no certificates or
scrip therefor, or other evidence of ownership thereof, will be issued in
exchange for any shares of Company Common Stock; no dividend or distribution
with respect to Ambanc Common Stock shall be payable on or with respect to any
fractional share interests; and no such fractional share interest shall
entitle the owner thereof to vote or to any other rights of a shareholder of
Ambanc. In lieu of such fractional share interest, any holder of Company
common stock who would otherwise be entitled to a fractional share of Ambanc
Common Stock will, upon surrender of his certificate or certificates
representing Company Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the
<PAGE>
Acquisition Merger Effective Time, be paid the applicable cash value of such
fractional share interest, which shall be equal to the product of the fraction
multiplied by the average closing price of the Ambanc Common Stock as reported
on the Nasdaq Stock Market for the five trading days immediately preceding the
Acquisition Merger Effective Time. For the purposes of determining any such
fractional share interests, all shares of Company Common Stock owned by a
Company shareholder shall be combined so as to calculate the maximum number of
whole shares of Ambanc Common Stock issuable to such Company shareholder in
the Acquisition Merger.
1.7 Shareholders' Meeting. The Company and Ambanc shall, at the
---------------------
earliest practicable date after the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement (as hereinafter defined), hold a meeting of their shareholders (the
"Company Shareholders' Meeting" and "Ambanc Shareholders' Meeting,"
respectively) to submit for shareholder adoption this Agreement. The
affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the issued and
outstanding shares of Company Common Stock entitled to vote at the Company
Shareholders' Meeting and Ambanc Common Stock entitled to vote at the Ambanc
Shareholders' Meeting shall be required for adoption of the Acquisition Merger
and all such related matters.
1.8 Company Stock Options. At the Acquisition Merger Effective Time,
---------------------
each option outstanding under the Company's 1997 Stock Option Plan (the
"Company Option Plan"), whether or not then exercisable, shall continue
outstanding as an option to purchase, in place of the purchase of each share
of Company Common Stock, the number of shares (rounded to the nearest whole
share) of Ambanc Common Stock that would have been received by the optionee in
the Merger had the option been exercised in full (without regard to any
limitations contained therein on exercise) for shares of Company Common Stock
immediately prior to the Acquisition Merger upon the same terms and conditions
under the relevant option as were applicable immediately prior to the
Acquisition Merger Effective Time, except for appropriate pro rata adjustments
as to the relevant option price for shares of Ambanc Common Stock substituted
therefor so that the aggregate option exercise price of shares subject to an
option immediately following the assumption and substitution shall be the same
as the aggregate option exercise price for such shares immediately prior to
such assumption and substitution. Ambanc shall assume at the Acquisition
Merger Effective Time each such option and the Company Option Plan. It is
intended that the foregoing assumption shall be undertaken consistent with and
in a manner that will not constitute a "modification" under Section 424 of the
Code as to any stock option which is an "incentive stock option." Ambanc and
Company agree to take such actions as shall be necessary to give effect to the
foregoing.
At all times after the Acquisition Merger Effective Time, Ambanc shall
reserve for issuance such number of shares of Ambanc Common Stock as are
necessary so as to permit the exercise of options granted under the Company
Option Plan in the manner contemplated by this Agreement and the instruments
pursuant to which such options were granted. Ambanc shall make all filings
required under federal and state securities laws so as to permit the exercise
of such options and the sale of the shares received by the option holder upon
such exercise.
1.9 Registration Statement; Prospectus/Proxy Statement.
--------------------------------------------------
(a) For the purposes (i) of registering the Ambanc Common Stock
to be issued to holders of Company Common Stock in connection with the Merger
and the shares issuable under the Company Option Plan pursuant to Section 1.8
hereof with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and with applicable
<PAGE>
state securities authorities, and (ii) of holding the Company Shareholders'
Meeting and the Ambanc Shareholders' Meeting, the parties hereto shall
cooperate in the preparation of an appropriate registration statement (such
registration statement, together with all and any amendments and supplements
thereto, being herein referred to as the "Registration Statement"), including
the prospectus/proxy statement satisfying all applicable requirements of
applicable state laws, and of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"1933 Act") and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934
Act") and the rules and regulations thereunder (such prospectus/proxy
statement, together with any and all amendments or supplements thereto, being
herein referred to as the "Prospectus/Proxy Statement").
(b) Ambanc shall furnish such information concerning Ambanc and
the Ambanc Subsidiaries (as defined in Section 3.1 hereof) as is necessary in
order to cause the Prospectus/Proxy Statement, insofar as it relates to such
corporations, to comply with Section 1.9(a) hereof. Ambanc agrees promptly to
advise the Company if at any time prior to the Company Shareholders' Meeting
any information provided by Ambanc in the Prospectus/Proxy Statement becomes
incorrect or incomplete in any material respect and to provide the information
needed to correct such inaccuracy or omission. Ambanc shall promptly file
such supplemental information as may be necessary in order to cause such
Prospectus/Proxy Statement, insofar as it relates to Ambanc and the Ambanc
Subsidiaries, to comply with Section 1.9(a).
(c) The Company shall furnish Ambanc with such information
concerning the Company and the Company Subsidiaries (as defined in Section 2.1
hereof) as is necessary in order to cause the Prospectus/Proxy Statement,
insofar as it relates to such corporations, to comply with Section 1.9(a)
hereof. The Company agrees promptly to advise Ambanc if at any time prior to
the Company Shareholders' Meeting and the Ambanc Shareholders' Meeting any
information provided by the Company in the Prospectus/Proxy Statement becomes
incorrect or incomplete in any material respect and to provide Ambanc with the
information needed to correct such inaccuracy or omission. The Company shall
furnish Ambanc with such supplemental information as may be necessary in order
to cause the Prospectus/Proxy Statement, insofar as it relates to the Company
and the Company Subsidiaries, to comply with Section 1.9(a).
(d) Ambanc shall promptly file the Registration Statement with
the SEC and applicable state securities agencies. Ambanc shall use all
reasonable efforts to cause the Registration Statement to become effective
under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws at the earliest
practicable date. The Company authorizes Ambanc to utilize in the
Registration Statement the information concerning the Company and the Company
Subsidiaries provided to Ambanc for the purpose of inclusion in the
Prospectus/Proxy Statement. The Company shall promptly prepare its proxy
statement to be included in the Registration Statement of Ambanc. Ambanc
shall have the right to review and approve the form of proxy statement
included in the Registration Statement prior to its filing with the SEC and
prior to its mailing to Company shareholders. Ambanc shall advise the Company
promptly when the Registration Statement has become effective and of any
supplements or amendments thereto, and Ambanc shall furnish Company with
copies of all such documents. Prior to the Acquisition Merger Effective Time
or the termination of this Agreement, each party shall consult with the other
with respect to any material (including the Prospectus/Proxy Statement) that
might constitute a "prospectus" relating to the Merger within the meaning of
the 1933 Act.
<PAGE>
1.10 Cooperation; Regulatory Approvals. The parties shall cooperate
---------------------------------
and use reasonable best efforts to complete the transactions contemplated
hereunder as soon as practicable. Each party shall cause each of their
affiliates and subsidiaries to cooperate in the preparation and submission by
them, as promptly as reasonably practicable, of such applications, petitions,
and other documents and materials as any of them may reasonably deem necessary
or desirable to the OTS, Federal Trade Commission ("FTC"), Department of
Justice ("DOJ"), SEC, applicable Secretary of State, other regulatory
authorities, holders of the voting shares of Company Common Stock and Ambanc
Common Stock and any other persons for the purpose of obtaining any approvals
or consents necessary to consummate the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement. At the date hereof, none of the parties is aware of any reason
that the regulatory approvals required to be obtained by it would not be
obtained.
1.11 Closing. If (i) this Agreement and the Acquisition Merger have
-------
been duly approved by the shareholders of the Company and Ambanc and (ii) all
relevant conditions of this Agreement have been satisfied or waived, a closing
(the "Closing") shall take place as promptly as practicable thereafter at the
principal office of Ambanc, or at such other place as Ambanc and the Company
shall agree, at which the parties hereto will exchange certificates, opinions,
letters and other documents as required hereby and will make the filings
described in Section 1.2 hereof. Such Closing will take place as soon as
practicable as agreed by the parties, provided, however, that the Closing
shall be no more than 30 days after the satisfaction or waiver of all
conditions and/or obligations contained in Article V of this Agreement.
1.12 Closing of Transfer Books. At the Acquisition Merger Effective
-------------------------
Time, the transfer books for Company Common Stock shall be closed, and no
transfer of shares of Company Common Stock shall thereafter be made on such
books.
1.13 Bank Merger.
-----------
(a) At the Bank Merger Effective Time, each share of common
stock of Savings ("Savings Common Stock") issued and outstanding immediately
prior thereto shall, by virtue of the Bank Merger, be canceled. No new shares
of the capital stock or other securities or obligations of the Bank shall be
issued or be deemed issued with respect to or in exchange for such canceled
shares, and such canceled shares of Savings Common Stock shall not be
converted into any shares or other securities or obligations of the Bank.
(b) The charter and bylaws of the Bank as in effect immediately
prior to the Bank Merger Effective Time shall be the charter and bylaws of the
Bank, as the surviving institution of the Bank Merger, until amended as
provided therein or by law. As soon as practicable thereafter, the name of
the Bank shall be changed to a mutually agreed upon name reflecting the
integration of Savings with Bank.
(c) Except as otherwise provided herein, the directors and
officers of the Bank immediately prior to the Bank Merger Effective Time shall
be the directors and officers of the Bank, as the surviving institution of the
Bank Merger, until their successors shall be duly elected and qualified or
otherwise duly selected. In addition the Bank, as the surviving institution,
shall create four new positions on its Board of Directors and, on or prior to
the Bank Merger Effective Time, shall appoint those four persons selected by
Savings, in consultation with the Bank, to the Board of Directors of the
surviving institution of the Bank Merger, for terms of office to be agreed
upon, it being understood that at least one of the four persons selected by
Savings will include Savings current President and Chief Executive Officer.
Immediately upon the Bank Merger Effective Time, John M. Lisicki shall become
the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank. In addition, Benjamin
W. Ziskin and James J. Alescio shall become executive officers of the Bank, as
the surviving institution of the Bank Merger, with the titles, and under the
terms and conditions, as set forth in Section 4.16(d) of this Agreement.
<PAGE>
(d) The liquidation account established by Savings pursuant to
the plan of conversion adopted in connection with its conversion from mutual
to stock form shall continue to be maintained by the Bank after the Bank
Merger Effective Time for the benefit of those persons and entities who were
savings account holders of Savings on the appropriate dates for such
conversion and who continue from time to time to have rights therein.
1.14 Option Agreement. In connection with the execution of this
Agreement by the parties, Ambanc and the Company will execute on the date
after the date of this Agreement the Option Agreement attached as Exhibit
1.14.
ARTICLE II
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF COMPANY AND SAVINGS
The Company and Savings represent and warrant to Ambanc and the Bank
that, except as disclosed in Schedule I attached hereto and except that
Savings makes no representations or warranties regarding the Company:
2.1 Organization, Good Standing, Authority, Insurance, Etc. The
-------------------------------------------------------
Company is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and, in the case of
any Company Subsidiary which is a corporation, in good standing under the laws
of the state of their incorporation. Section 2.1 of Schedule I lists each
"subsidiary" of the Company and Savings (individually a "Company Subsidiary"
and collectively the "Company Subsidiaries") (unless otherwise noted herein
all references to a "Company Subsidiary" or to the "Company Subsidiaries"
shall include Savings). The word "Subsidiary" when used with respect to any
party means any bank, savings institution, corporation, partnership, limited
liability company or other organization, whether incorporated or
unincorporated, which is consolidated with such party for financial reporting
purposes. Each of the Company Subsidiaries is duly organized, validly
existing, and in good standing under the laws of the respective jurisdiction
under which it is organized, as set forth in Section 2.1 of Schedule I. The
Company and each Company Subsidiary has all requisite power and authority and
is duly qualified and licensed to own, lease and operate its properties and
conduct its business as it is now being conducted. The Company has delivered
to Ambanc a true, complete and correct copy of the certificate of
incorporation, charter, or other organizing document and of the bylaws, as in
effect on the date of this Agreement, of Company and each Company Subsidiary.
To the Company's knowledge, the Company and each Company Subsidiary is
qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing in
each jurisdiction in which qualification is necessary under applicable law,
except to the extent that any failures to so qualify would not, in the
aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the business, financial condition
or results of operations of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries, taken as
a whole. Savings is a member in good standing of the Federal Home Loan Bank
of New York and all eligible accounts issued by Savings are insured by the
Savings Association Insurance Fund ("SAIF") to the maximum extent permitted
under applicable law. Savings is a "domestic building and loan association"
as defined in Section 7701(a)(19) of the Code and is a "qualified thrift
lender" as defined in Section 10(m) of the HOLA and the Thrift Regulations.
The Company is registered as a savings and loan holding company under the
HOLA.
The minute books of the Company and the Company's Subsidiaries contain
complete and accurate records of all meetings and other corporate actions held
or taken by their respective shareholders and Boards of Directors (including
the committees of such Boards).
<PAGE>
2.2 Capitalization. The authorized capital stock of the Company
--------------
consists of (i) 3,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $.10 per share, of
which 1,378,440 shares were issued and outstanding as of the date of this
Agreement, and (ii) 500,000 shares of preferred stock, $.10 par value, of
which no shares were outstanding as of the date of this Agreement. All
outstanding shares of Company common stock are duly authorized, validly
issued, fully paid, nonassessable and free of preemptive rights. Except for
outstanding options to purchase 145,468 shares of Company common stock under
the Company Option Plan and the option to be granted pursuant to the Option
Agreement, as of the date of this Agreement, there are no options, convertible
securities, warrants, or other rights (preemptive or otherwise) to purchase or
acquire any of the Company's capital stock from the Company and no oral or
written agreement, contract, arrangement, understanding, plan or instrument of
any kind (collectively, "Stock Contract") to which the Company or any of its
affiliates is subject with respect to the issuance, voting or sale of issued
or unissued shares of the Company's capital stock. A true and complete copy
of the Company Option Plan, as in effect on the date of this Agreement, is
attached as Section 2.2 of Schedule I.
2.3 Ownership of Subsidiaries. Except as set forth in Section 2.3 of
-------------------------
Schedule I, all the outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Company
Subsidiaries are validly issued, fully paid, nonassessable and owned
beneficially and of record by the Company or a Company Subsidiary free and
clear of any lien, claim, charge, restriction or encumbrance (collectively,
"Encumbrance"). Except as set forth in Section 2.3 of Schedule I, all of the
outstanding capital stock or other ownership interests in all of the Company
Subsidiaries is owned either by the Company or Savings. Except as set forth
in Section 2.3 of Schedule I, there are no options, convertible securities,
warrants, or other rights (preemptive or otherwise) to purchase or acquire any
capital stock of any Company Subsidiary and no contracts to which the Company
or any of its affiliates is subject with respect to the issuance, voting or
sale of issued or unissued shares of the capital stock of any of the Company
Subsidiaries. Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary owns any
material investment of the capital stock or other equity securities (including
securities convertible or exchangeable into such securities) of or profit
participations in any entity (other than Company Subsidiaries) other than the
Federal Home Loan Bank of New York or except as set forth in Section 2.3 of
Schedule I.
2.4 Financial Statements and Reports.
-------------------------------
(a) No registration statement, proxy statement, schedule or
report filed by the Company or any Company Subsidiary with the SEC or the OTS
under the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act ("SEC Reports"), on the date of
effectiveness in the case of such registration statements, or on the date of
filing in the case of such reports or schedules, or on the date of mailing in
the case of such proxy statements, contained any untrue statement of a
material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Company and the
Company Subsidiaries have timely filed all reports and documents required to
be filed by them with the SEC, the OTS, or the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation (the "FDIC") under various securities and banking laws and
regulations for the last five years (or such shorter period as they may have
been subject to such filing requirements), except to the extent that all
failures to so file, in the aggregate, would not have a material adverse
effect on the business, financial condition or results of operations of the
Company and the Company Subsidiaries, taken as a whole. All such documents,
as finally amended, complied in all material respects with applicable
<PAGE>
requirements of law and, as of their respective date or the date as amended
and, with respect to the SEC Reports, did not contain any untrue statement of
a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading and, with respect to reports and
documents filed with banking regulatory agencies, were accurate in all
material respects. Except to the extent stated therein, all financial
statements and schedules included in the documents referred to in the
preceding sentences (or to be included in similar documents to be filed after
the date hereof) (i) are or will be (with respect to financial statements in
respect of periods ending after September 30, 1997) in accordance with the
Company's books and records and those of any of the Company Subsidiaries, and
(ii) present (and in the case of financial statements in respect of periods
ending after September 30, 1997, will present) fairly the consolidated balance
sheet and the consolidated statements of income, changes in stockholders'
equity and cash flows of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries as of the
dates and for the periods indicated in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles (except for the omission of notes to unaudited
statements, year end adjustments to interim results and changes to generally
accepted accounting principles). The audited consolidated financial
statements of the Company at September 30, 1997 and for the two years then
ended and the consolidated financial statements for all periods thereafter up
to the Closing reflect or will reflect, to the extent required by generally
accepted accounting principles, as the case may be, all liabilities (whether
accrued, absolute, contingent, unliquidated or otherwise, whether due or to
become due and regardless of when asserted), as of their respective dates, of
the Company and the Company Subsidiaries required to be reflected in such
financial statements according to generally accepted accounting principles and
contain or will contain, in the opinion of management, adequate reserves for
losses on loans and properties acquired in settlement of loans, taxes and all
other material accrued liabilities and for all reasonably anticipated material
losses, if any as of such date. There exists no set of circumstances that
could reasonably be expected to result in any liability or obligation material
to the Company or the Company Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except as
disclosed in the audited consolidated financial statements at September 30,
1997 or for transactions effected, actions occurring or omitted to be taken,
or claims made after September 30, 1997 (i) in the ordinary course of
business, or (ii) as permitted by this Agreement.
(b) The Company has delivered to Ambanc each SEC Report filed,
used or circulated by it with respect to periods since September 30, 1997
through the date of this Agreement and will promptly deliver each such SEC
Report filed, used or circulated after the date hereof, each in the form
(including exhibits and any amendments thereto) filed with the SEC or the OTS
(or, if not so filed, in the form used or circulated), including, without
limitation, its Annual Reports on Form 10-K and its Quarterly Reports on Form
10-Q.
2.5 Absence of Changes.
------------------
(a) Since September 30, 1997 there have been no material adverse
changes in the business, properties, financial condition, operations or assets
of the Company or any Company Subsidiary other than changes attributable to or
resulting from any change in law, regulation or generally accepted accounting
principles or regulatory accounting principles, which impair both the Company
and other comparably sized thrift institutions in a substantially similar
manner and other than changes attributable to or resulting from changes in
economic conditions applicable to depository institutions generally or in
general levels of interest rates affecting both the Company and other
comparably sized thrift institutions to a similar extent and in a similar
manner. Since September 30, 1997 to the date hereof, there has been no
occurrence, event or development of any nature existing, or to the knowledge
of the Company, threatened, which is reasonably expected to result in such a
change.
<PAGE>
(b) Since September 30, 1997, each of the Company and the
Company Subsidiaries has owned and operated their respective assets,
properties and businesses in the ordinary course of business and consistent
with past practice.
2.6 Prospectus/Proxy Statement. At the time the Prospectus/ Proxy
--------------------------
Statement is mailed to the shareholders of the Company for the solicitation of
proxies for the approvals referred to in Section 1.7 hereof and at all times
subsequent to such mailing up to and including the time of such approval, such
Prospectus/Proxy Statement (including any supplements thereto), with respect
to all information set forth therein relating to the Company (including the
Company Subsidiaries), its shareholders and representatives, Company common
stock and all other transactions contemplated hereby, will:
(a) Comply in all material respects with applicable provisions
of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations under such Act; and
(b) Not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit
to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order
to make the statements contained therein, in light of the circumstances under
which it is made, not misleading.
2.7 No Broker's or Finder's Fees. Except as set forth at Section 2.7
----------------------------
of Schedule I, no agent, broker, investment banker, person or firm acting on
behalf or under authority of the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries is
or will be entitled to any broker's or finder's fee or any other commission or
similar fee directly or indirectly in connection with the Merger or any other
transaction contemplated hereby, except the Company has engaged FinPro, Inc.
to provide financial advisory services and to deliver an opinion to the effect
that the consideration to be received by the Company shareholders in the
Merger is fair to the Company shareholders from a financial point of view. A
copy of the engagement agreement with FinPro, Inc. is attached to Section 2.7
of Schedule I.
2.8 Litigation and Other Proceedings. Except as set forth in Section
--------------------------------
2.8 of Schedule I and except for matters which would not have a material
adverse effect on the business, financial condition or results of operations
of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries taken as a whole, neither the
Company nor any Company Subsidiary is a defendant in, nor is any of its
property subject to, any pending, or, to the knowledge of the management of
the Company, threatened, claim, action, suit, investigation, or proceeding, or
subject to any judicial order, judgment or decree.
2.9 Compliance with Law.
-------------------
(a) To the knowledge of the Company, the Company and the Company
Subsidiaries are in compliance in all material respects with all material laws
and regulations applicable to their respective business or operations or with
respect to which compliance is a condition of engaging in the business
thereof, and neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has received
notice from any federal, state or local government or governmental agency of
any material violation of, and does not know of any material violations of,
any of the above.
<PAGE>
(b) To the knowledge of the Company, the Company and each of its
Subsidiaries have all material permits, licenses, certificates of authority,
orders and approvals of, and have made all material filings, applications and
registrations with, all federal, state, local and foreign governmental or
regulatory bodies that are required in order to permit them to carry on their
respective business as they are presently conducted.
2.10 Corporate Actions.
-----------------
(a) The Boards of Directors of the Company and Savings have duly
authorized their respective officers to execute and deliver (as applicable)
this Agreement, the Bank Plan of Merger and the Option Agreement and to take
all action necessary to consummate the Merger and the other transactions
contemplated hereby. The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and
directed the submission for shareholders' adoption of this Agreement, together
with the Option Agreement and any other action requiring such approvals. All
corporate authorization by the Board of Directors of the Company and Savings
required for the consummation of the Merger has been obtained or will be given
when required by applicable law.
(b) The Company's Board of Directors has taken all necessary
action to exempt this Agreement, the Bank Plan of Merger, the Option Agreement
and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby from, (i) any applicable
state takeover laws, (ii) any Delaware laws limiting or restricting the voting
rights of shareholders, (iii) any Delaware laws requiring a shareholder
approval vote in excess of the vote normally required in transactions of
similar type not involving a "related person," "interested shareholder" or
person or entity of similar type, and (iv) any provision in its or any of the
Company Subsidiaries' articles/certificate of incorporation, charter or bylaws
requiring a shareholder approval vote in excess of the vote normally required
in transactions of similar type not involving a "related person," interested
shareholder" or person or entity of similar type.
2.11 Authority. The execution, delivery and performance by the
---------
Company and Savings of their obligations under this Agreement and by the
Company of its obligations under the Option Agreement does not violate any of
the provisions of, or constitute a default under or give any person the right
to terminate or accelerate payment or performance under (i) subject to the
effectiveness of the amendment to Savings' Federal Stock Charter referred to
in Section 4.17 hereof (the "Charter Amendment"), the articles of
incorporation or bylaws of the Company, the articles of incorporation, charter
or bylaws of any Company Subsidiary, (ii) any regulatory restraint on the
acquisition of the Company or Savings or control thereof, (iii) any law, rule,
ordinance, or regulation or judgment, decree, order, award or governmental or
non-governmental permit or license to which it or any of the Company
Subsidiaries is subject or (iv) except as set forth in Section 2.11 of
Schedule I, any other material agreement, material lease, material contract,
note, mortgage, indenture, arrangement or other obligation or instrument
("Contract") to which the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries is a
party or is subject or by which any of their properties or assets is bound.
The parties acknowledge that the consummation of the Merger and the other
transactions contemplated hereby is subject to various regulatory approvals.
Subject to the approval and effectiveness of the Charter Amendment, the
Company and Savings, as applicable, have all requisite corporate power and
authority to enter into this Agreement and the Option Agreement and to perform
their respective obligations hereunder and thereunder, except, with respect to
this Agreement, and the Acquisition Merger, the approval of the Company's
shareholders of this Agreement and the Acquisition Merger required under
applicable law and the effectiveness of the Charter Amendment. Other than the
receipt of Governmental Approvals (as defined in Section 5.1(c)), the adoption
<PAGE>
by shareholders of this Agreement and the consents specified in Section 2.11
or 2.15 of Schedule I with respect to the Contracts, no consents or approvals
are required on behalf of Company or Savings in connection with the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the
Acquisition Merger, the Bank Plan of Merger and the Option Agreement. This
Agreement, the Bank Plan of Merger and the Option Agreement constitute the
valid and binding obligation of the Company and Savings, as applicable, and
each is enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may
be limited by applicable laws relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or creditors
rights generally and general principles of equity.
2.12 Employment Arrangements. Except as disclosed in Section 2.12 of
-----------------------
Schedule I, there are no employment, severance or other agreements, plans or
arrangements with any current or former directors, officers or employees of
Company or any Company Subsidiary which may not be terminated without penalty
(including any augmentation or acceleration of benefits) on 30 days or less
notice to such person. Except as disclosed in Section 2.12 of Schedule I, no
payments to directors, officers or employees of the Company or the Company
Subsidiaries resulting from the transactions contemplated hereby will cause
the imposition of excise taxes under Section 4999 of the Code or the
disallowance of a deduction to the Company or any Company Subsidiary pursuant
to Sections 162 or 280G of the Code. No later than 30 days prior to
consummation of the Merger, the Company shall furnish Ambanc for its review
(i) a computation of the amounts expected to be payable under the employment
and severance agreements disclosed in Section 2.12 of Schedule I as a result
of the Merger, and (ii) a schedule reasonably satisfactory to Ambanc
demonstrating that no "disqualified individual" within the meaning of Section
280G of the Code will be receiving payments in contravention of the
representation in the preceding sentence.
2.13 Employee Benefits.
-----------------
(a) Neither the Company nor any of the Company Subsidiaries
maintains any funded deferred compensation plans (including profit sharing,
pension, savings or stock bonus plans), unfunded deferred compensation
arrangements or employee benefit plans as defined in Section 3(3) of the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"), other
than any plans ("Employee Plans") set forth in Section 2.13 of Schedule I
(true and correct copies of which have been delivered to Ambanc). None of
Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries has incurred or reasonably expects
to incur any liability to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation except for
required premium payments which, to the extent due and payable, have been
paid. The Employee Plans intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the
Code are so qualified, and Company is not aware of any fact which would
adversely affect the qualified status of such plans. Except as set forth in
Section 2.13 of Schedule I, neither the Company nor any of the Company
Subsidiaries (a) provides health, medical, death or survivor benefits to any
former employee or beneficiary thereof, or (b) maintains any form of current
(exclusive of base salary and base wages) or deferred compensation, bonus,
stock option, stock appreciation right, benefit, severance pay, retirement,
incentive, group or individual health insurance, welfare or similar plan or
arrangement for the benefit of any single or class of directors, officers or
employees, whether active or retired (collectively "Benefit Arrangements").
Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary is a sponsor of or contributes
to any qualified or non-qualified defined benefit plan for employees, officers
or directors. No payments are more than 30 days past due on any Employee Plan
or Benefit Arrangement. With respect to each Employee Plan and Benefit
Arrangement of the Company or any Company Subsidiary, the Company will within
30 days of the date of this Agreement furnish to Ambanc (i) the net fair
market value of the assets held in any Benefit Arrangement, and (ii) the
amount of any contribution or other obligation paid, accrued, or payable, or
reasonably expected to be payable between the date of this Agreement and the
<PAGE>
Closing, including contributions by Company to its Employee Stock Ownership
Plan to repay its loan and contributions to its 401(k) Plan in accordance with
past practices (pro rated through the Closing), subject to applicable tax law
limitations. Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary will make any
contribution, or undertake any obligation to contribute any amount to any
Employee Plan or Benefit Arrangement other than the amounts which the Company
shall set forth in Section 2.13 of Schedule I and other than immaterial
amounts in the ordinary course of business and in accordance with past
practice.
(b) Except as set forth in Section 2.13 of Schedule I, all
Employee Plans and Benefit Arrangements which are in effect were in effect for
substantially all of calendar year 1997 and there has been no material
amendment thereof (other than amendments required to comply with applicable
law) or no material increase in the cost thereof or benefits payable
thereunder on or after September 30, 1997.
(c) To the Company's knowledge, each Employee Plan and Benefit
Arrangement (i) has been administered to date, and will be administered until
the Closing, in accordance with their terms and in compliance with the Code,
ERISA, and all other applicable rules and regulations, (ii) has, in a timely,
accurate, and proper manner, both filed all required government reports and
made all required employee communications, and (iii) between the date of this
Agreement and the Closing, will complete and file all such required reports.
To the Company's knowledge, no condition exists that could constitute grounds
for the termination of any Employee Plan under Section 4042 of ERISA; no
"prohibited transaction," as defined in Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975
of the Code, has occurred with respect to any Employee Plan, or any other
employee benefit plan maintained by Company or any Company Subsidiary which is
covered by Title I of ERISA, which could subject any person to liability under
Title I of ERISA or to the imposition of any tax under Section 4975 of the
Code nor has any Employee Plan subject to Part III of Subtitle B of Title I of
ERISA or Section 412 of the Code, or both, incurred any "accumulated funding
deficiency," as defined in Section 412 of the Code, whether or not waived; nor
has Company or any Company Subsidiary failed to make any contribution or pay
any amount due and owing as required by the terms of any Employee Plan or
Benefit Arrangement. To the Company's knowledge, neither Company nor any
Company Subsidiary has incurred or expects to incur, directly or indirectly,
any liability under Title IV of ERISA arising in connection with the
termination of, or a complete or partial withdrawal from, any plan covered or
previously covered by Title IV of ERISA which could constitute a liability of
Ambanc or any of its affiliates at or after the Acquisition Merger Effective
Time.
(d) On or before the date of this Agreement, the Company will
provide Ambanc with true and complete copies of the following documents where
applicable to any Employee Plan or Benefit Arrangement: (i) each plan document
or agreement, and any amendments thereto, and related trust agreements,
insurance contracts and policies, annuity contracts, and any other funding
arrangement; (ii) the most recent summary plan description and summary of
material modifications; (iii) for the three most recent plan years, Form 5500
Annual Return/Report and all actuarial and financial reports and appraisals;
and (iv) the most recent determination letter received from the Internal
Revenue Service, plus any open requests and all other rulings received from
any governmental agency. Within 60 days of the date hereof, the Company or
Savings shall provide Ambanc with documentation, reasonably satisfactory to
Ambanc, demonstrating that the requirements of Sections 401(k), 401(m), 404,
410, 412, 415, and 416 of the Code have been satisfied by each Employee Plan
that is intended to qualify under Section 401 of the Code.
2.14 Information Furnished. Any schedule, certificate or other
---------------------
document furnished (whether prior to or subsequent to the date of this
Agreement) or to be furnished in writing by or on behalf of Company to Ambanc
<PAGE>
pursuant to this Agreement will be accurate in all material respects and will
not omit any information necessary to make the information provided not
misleading. No information material to the Merger and which is necessary to
make the representations and warranties true, knowingly has been withheld from
Ambanc.
2.15 Property and Assets. To the knowledge of the Company, the
-------------------
Company and the Company Subsidiaries have marketable title to all of their
real property reflected in the financial statements at September 30, 1997,
referred to in Section 2.4 hereof, or acquired subsequent thereto, free and
clear of all encumbrances, except for (a) such items shown in such financial
statements or in the notes thereto, (b) liens for current real estate taxes
not yet delinquent, (c) customary title exceptions that have no material
adverse effect upon the value of such property, (d) property sold or
transferred in the ordinary course of business since the date of such
financial statements, and (e) pledges or liens incurred in the ordinary course
of business. Company and the Company Subsidiaries enjoy peaceful and
undisturbed possession under all material leases for the use of real property
under which they are the lessee; all of such leases are valid and binding and
in full force and effect and neither Company nor any Company Subsidiary is in
default in any material respect under any such lease. No consent of the
lessor of any material real property or material personal property lease is
required for consummation of the Merger except as set forth in Section 2.15 of
Schedule I. There has been no material physical loss, damage or destruction,
whether or not covered by insurance, affecting the real properties of Company
and the Company Subsidiaries since September 30, 1997, except such loss,
damage or destruction which does not have a material adverse effect on the
Company and the Company Subsidiaries, taken as a whole. All property and
assets material to their business and currently used by Company and the
Company Subsidiaries are, in all material respects, in good operating
condition and repair, normal wear and tear excepted.
2.16 Agreements and Instruments. Except as set forth in Section 2.16
--------------------------
of Schedule I or as reflected in the audited Company consolidated financial
statements as of September 30, 1997, neither the Company nor any Company
Subsidiary is a party to (a) any material agreement, arrangement or commitment
not made in the ordinary course of business, (b) any agreement, indenture or
other instrument relating to the borrowing of money by the Company or any
Company Subsidiary or the guarantee by the Company or any Company Subsidiary
of any such obligation (other than Federal Home Loan Bank advances with a
maturity of one year or less from the date hereof), (c) any agreements to make
loans or for the provision, purchase or sale of goods, services or property
between Company or any Company Subsidiary and any director or officer of
Company or Savings, or any member of the immediate family or affiliate of any
of the foregoing, (d) any agreements with or concerning any labor or employee
organization to which Company or any Company Subsidiary is a party, (e) any
agreements between Company or any Company Subsidiary and any five percent or
more shareholder of Company, and (f) any agreements, directives, orders, or
similar arrangements between or involving the Company or any Company
Subsidiary and any state or federal savings institution regulatory authority.
2.17 Material Contract Defaults. Neither the Company nor any Company
--------------------------
Subsidiary nor the other party thereto is in default in any respect under any
contract, agreement, commitment, arrangement, lease, insurance policy, or
other instrument to which the Company or a Company Subsidiary is a party or by
which its respective assets, business, or operations may be bound or affected
or under which it or its respective assets, business, or operations receives
benefits, and which default is reasonably expected to have either individually
or in the aggregate a material adverse effect on the Company and any Company
Subsidiary, taken as a whole, and there has not occurred any event that, with
<PAGE>
the lapse of time or the giving of notice or both, would constitute such a
default.
2.18 Tax Matters.
-----------
(a) The Company and each of the Company Subsidiaries have duly
and properly filed all federal, state, local and other tax returns required to
be filed by them and have made timely payments of all taxes shown thereon to
be due and payable, whether disputed or not; the current status of audits of
such returns by the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") and other applicable
agencies is as set forth in Section 2.18 of Schedule I; and there is no
agreement by the Company or any Company Subsidiary for the extension of time
or for the assessment or payment of any taxes payable. Neither the IRS nor,
except as set forth in Section 2.18 of Schedule I, any other taxing authority
is now asserting or, to the knowledge of Company, threatening to assert any
deficiency or claim for additional taxes (or interest thereon or penalties in
connection therewith), nor is the Company aware of any basis for any such
assertion or claim. The Company and each of the Company Subsidiaries have
complied in all material respects with applicable IRS backup withholding
requirements and have filed all appropriate information reporting returns for
all tax years for which the statute of limitations has not closed. The
Company and each Company Subsidiary have complied in all material respects
with all applicable state law sales and use tax collection and reporting
requirements.
(b) Adequate provision for any federal, state, local, or foreign
taxes due or to become due for the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries
for any period or periods through and including September 30, 1997, has been
made and is reflected on the September 30, 1997 audited Company consolidated
financial statements and has been or will be made in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles with respect to periods ending after September
30, 1997.
2.19 Environmental Matters. Except as set forth on Section 2.19 of
---------------------
Schedule I, to the knowledge of the Company, neither the Company nor any
Company Subsidiary owns or leases any properties affected by toxic waste,
radon gas or other hazardous conditions or constructed in part with the use of
asbestos. Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has knowledge of, nor
has the Company or any Company Subsidiary received written notice from any
governmental or regulatory body of, any conditions, activities, practices or
incidents which is reasonably likely to interfere with or prevent compliance
or continued compliance with hazardous substance laws or any regulation,
order, decree, judgment or injunction, issued, entered, promulgated or
approved thereunder, or which may give rise to any common law or legal
liability, or otherwise form the basis of any claim, action, suit, proceeding,
hearing or investigation based on or related to the manufacture, processing,
distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport, or handling, or
the emission, discharge, release or threatened release into the environment,
of any pollutant, contaminant or chemical, or industrial, toxic or hazardous
substance or waste. There is no civil, criminal or administrative claim,
action, suit, proceeding, hearing or investigation pending or, to Company's
knowledge, threatened against Company or any Company Subsidiary relating in
any way to such hazardous substance laws or any regulation, order, decree,
judgment or injunction issued, entered, promulgated or approved thereunder.
2.20 Loan Portfolio: Portfolio Management.
-------------------------------------
(a) All evidences of indebtedness reflected as assets in the
consolidated balance sheet of the Company as of September 30, 1997, or
acquired since such date, are (except with respect to those assets which are
no longer assets of the Company or any Company Subsidiary) binding obligations
<PAGE>
of the respective obligors named therein except as enforcement may be limited
by bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of
creditors rights generally, and except that the availability of equitable
remedies, including specific performance, is subject to the discretion of the
court before which any proceeding may be brought, and the payment of no
material amount thereof (either individually or in the aggregate with other
evidences of indebtedness) is subject to any defenses which have been asserted
or, to the knowledge of the Company threatened, against the Company or any
Company Subsidiary. All such indebtedness which is secured by an interest in
real property is, to the Company's knowledge, secured by a valid and perfected
mortgage lien having the priority specified in the loan documents. All loans
originated or purchased by Savings were at the time entered into and at all
times since have been in compliance in all material respects with all
applicable laws (including, without limitation, all consumer protection laws)
and regulations. Savings administers its loan and investment portfolios
(including, but not limited to, adjustments to adjustable mortgage loans) in
all material respects in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations
and the terms of applicable instruments. The records of Savings regarding all
loans outstanding on its books are accurate in all material respects and the
risk classification system has been established in accordance with the
requirements of the OTS.
(b) Section 2.20 of Schedule I sets forth a list, accurate and
complete in all material respects, of the aggregate amounts of loans,
extensions of credit and other assets of Savings and its subsidiaries that
have been adversely designated, criticized or classified by it as of December
31, 1997, separated by category of classification or criticism (the "Asset
Classification"); and no amounts of loans, extensions of credit or other
assets that have been adversely designated, classified or criticized as of the
date hereof by any representative of any government entity as "Special
Mention," "Substandard," "Doubtful," "Loss" or words of similar import are
excluded from the amounts disclosed in the Asset Classification, other than
amounts of loans, extensions of credit or other assets that were charged off
by it or any of the Company Subsidiaries before the date hereof.
2.21 Real Estate Loans and Investments. Except for properties
---------------------------------
acquired in settlement of loans, there are no facts, circumstances or
contingencies known to the Company or any Company Subsidiary which exist which
would require a material reduction under generally accepted accounting
principles in the present carrying value of any of the real estate
investments, joint ventures, construction loans, other investments or other
loans of the Company or any Company Subsidiary (either individually or in the
aggregate with other loans and investments).
2.22 Derivatives Contracts. Neither the Company nor any of its
---------------------
Subsidiaries is a party to or has agreed to enter into an exchange-traded or
over-the-counter swap, forward, future, option, cap, floor or collar financial
contract or any other contract not included on its balance sheet which is a
derivatives contract (including various combinations thereof) (each, a
"Derivatives Contract") or owns securities that are identified in Thrift
Bulletin No. 65 or otherwise referred to as structured notes (each, a
"Structured Note"), except for those Derivatives Contracts and Structured
Notes set forth in Section 2.22 of Schedule I, including a list, as
applicable, of any of its or any of its Subsidiaries' assets pledged as
security for a Derivatives Contract.
2.23 Insurance. The Company and the Company Subsidiaries have in
---------
effect insurance coverage which, in respect to amounts, types and risks
insured, is reasonably adequate for the business in which the Company and the
Company Subsidiaries are engaged. A schedule of all insurance policies in
effect as to the Company and the Company Subsidiaries (the "Insurance
<PAGE>
Policies") is as set forth on Section 2.23 of Schedule I (other than policies
pertaining to mortgage loans made in the ordinary course of business). All
Insurance Policies are in full force and effect, all premiums with respect
thereto covering all periods up to and including the date of this Agreement
have been paid, such premiums covering all periods from the date hereof up to
and including the Acquisition Merger Effective Date shall have been paid on or
before the Acquisition Merger Effective Date, to the extent then due and
payable (other than retrospective premiums which may be payable with respect
to worker's compensation insurance policies, adequate reserves for which are
reflected in the Company's financial statements). The Insurance Policies are
valid, outstanding and enforceable in accordance with their respective terms
and will not, except as set forth in Section 2.11 of Schedule I, in any way be
affected by, or terminated or lapsed solely by reason of, the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement. Neither the Company nor any Company
Subsidiary has been refused any insurance with respect to any material
properties, assets or operations, nor has any coverage been limited or
terminated by any insurance carrier to which it has applied for any such
insurance or with which it has carried insurance during the last three years.
ARTICLE III
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF AMBANC AND THE BANK
Ambanc and the Bank represent and warrant to Company and Savings that,
except as disclosed in Schedule II attached hereto, and except that Bank makes
no representations or warranties regarding Ambanc:
3.1 Organization, Good Standing, Authority, Insurance, Etc. Ambanc
------------------------------------------------------
is a corporation duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under
the laws of the State of Delaware. Each of the subsidiaries of Ambanc
(individually an "Ambanc Subsidiary" and collectively the "Ambanc
Subsidiaries") is duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under
the laws of the respective jurisdiction under which it is organized. Ambanc
and each Ambanc Subsidiary has all requisite power and authority and is duly
qualified and licensed to own, lease and operate its properties and conduct
its business as it is now being conducted. Ambanc has delivered to the
Company a true, complete and correct copy of the Certificate of Incorporation,
charter, or other organizing document and of the bylaws, as in effect on the
date of this Agreement, of Ambanc and each Ambanc Subsidiary. Ambanc and each
Ambanc Subsidiary is qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is
in good standing in each jurisdiction in which qualification is necessary
under applicable law, except to the extent that any failures to so qualify
would not, in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the business,
financial condition or results of operations of Ambanc and the Ambanc
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole. The Bank is a member in good standing of the
Federal Home Loan Bank of New York, and all eligible accounts issued by the
Bank are insured by the BIF to the maximum extent permitted under applicable
law. The Bank is a "domestic building and loan association" as defined in
Section 7701(a)(19) of the Code, and is a "qualified thrift lender" as defined
in Section 10(m) of the HOLA and the Thrift Regulations. Ambanc is duly
registered as a savings and loan holding company under the HOLA.
3.2 Capitalization. The authorized capital stock of Ambanc consists
--------------
of 15,000,000 shares of Ambanc common stock, par value $.01 per share, of
which 4,258,418 shares were issued and outstanding as of the date of this
Agreement and 5,000,000 shares of serial preferred stock, par value of $.01
per share, of which no shares were outstanding as of the date of this
Agreement. All issued shares of the capital stock of Ambanc and of each of
the Ambanc Subsidiaries have been fully paid, were duly authorized and validly
issued, are non-assessable, have been issued pursuant to an effective
<PAGE>
registration statement and current prospectus under the 1933 Act, or an
appropriate exemption from registration under the 1933 Act and were not issued
in violation of the preemptive rights of any shareholder. Ambanc is the
holder and beneficial owner of all of the issued and outstanding capital stock
of the Bank. No options covering capital stock of Ambanc or the Bank,
warrants to purchase or contracts to issue capital stock of Ambanc or the
Bank, or any other contracts, rights (including preemptive rights),
commitments or convertible securities entitling anyone to acquire from Ambanc
or any of the Ambanc Subsidiaries or obligating them to issue any capital
stock, or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital
stock, of Ambanc or the Bank are outstanding, in existence, or the subject of
an agreement, except for Ambanc common stock issuable upon the exercise of
employee stock options granted under the employee benefit plans of Ambanc.
All capital stock of its direct and indirect subsidiaries beneficially owned
by Ambanc or an Ambanc Subsidiary is held free and clear of any claims, liens,
encumbrances or security interests.
3.3 Ownership of Subsidiaries. All the outstanding shares of the
-------------------------
capital stock of the Ambanc Subsidiaries are validly issued, fully paid,
nonassessable and owned beneficially and of record by Ambanc or an Ambanc
Subsidiary free and clear of any Encumbrance. All of the outstanding capital
stock or other ownership interests in all of the Ambanc Subsidiaries is owned
either by Ambanc or the Bank. There are no options, convertible securities,
warrants, or other rights (preemptive or otherwise) to purchase or acquire any
capital stock of any Ambanc Subsidiary and no contracts to which Ambanc or any
of its affiliates is subject with respect to the issuance, voting or sale of
issued or unissued shares of the capital stock of any of the Ambanc
Subsidiaries.
3.4 Financial Statements and Reports.
--------------------------------
(a) No registration statement, proxy statement, schedule or report
filed by Ambanc or any Ambanc Subsidiary with the SEC or the OTS under the
1933 Act, or the 1934 Act, on the date of effectiveness in the case of such
registration statements, or on the date of filing in the case of such reports
or schedules, or on the date of mailing in the case of such proxy statements,
contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading. For the past five years (or such shorter period as they may
have been subject to such filing requirements), Ambanc and the Ambanc
Subsidiaries have timely filed all documents required to be filed by them with
the SEC, the OTS, or the FDIC under various securities and financial
institution laws and regulations, except to the extent that all failures to so
file, in the aggregate, would not have a material adverse effect on the
business, financial condition or results of operations of Ambanc and the
Ambanc Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; and all such documents, as finally
amended, complied in all material respects with applicable requirements of law
and, as of their respective date or the date as amended, did not contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Except to the
extent stated therein, all financial statements and schedules included in the
documents referred to in the preceding sentences (or to be included in similar
documents to be filed after the date hereof) (i) are or will be (with respect
to financial statements in respect of periods ending after December 31, 1997)
in accordance with Ambanc's books and records and those of any of its
Subsidiaries, and (ii) present (and in the case of financial statements in
respect of periods ending after December 31, 1997 will present) fairly the
consolidated statement of financial condition and the consolidated statements
of operations, stockholders' equity and cash flows of Ambanc and the Ambanc
Subsidiaries as of the dates and for the periods indicated in accordance with
<PAGE>
generally accepted accounting principles (except for the omission of notes to
unaudited statements, year end adjustments to interim results and changes in
generally accepted accounting principles). The audited consolidated financial
statements of Ambanc as of December 31, 1997 and for the three years then
ended and the consolidated financial statements for all periods thereafter up
to the Closing disclose or will disclose, to the extent required by generally
accepted accounting principles, as the case may be, all liabilities (whether
accrued, absolute, contingent, direct or indirect, unliquidated or otherwise,
whether due or due to become due and regardless of when asserted), as of their
respective dates, of Ambanc and the Ambanc Subsidiaries required to be
reflected in such financial statements according to generally accepted
accounting principles, other than liabilities which are not, in the aggregate,
material to Ambanc and the Ambanc Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and contain
or will contain in the opinion of management adequate reserves for losses on
loans and properties acquired in settlement of loans, taxes and all other
material accrued liabilities and for all reasonably anticipated material
losses, if any as of such date. There exists no set of circumstances that
could reasonably be expected to result in any liability or obligation material
to Ambanc or the Ambanc Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except as disclosed in
the audited consolidated financial statements at December 31, 1997, or for
transactions effected, actions occurring or omitted to be taken, or claims
made after December 31, 1997, (i) in the ordinary course of business, or (ii)
as permitted by this Agreement.
(b) Ambanc has delivered to the Company all periodic reports
filed with the SEC under the 1934 Act for periods since December 31, 1997
through the date hereof and will through Closing promptly deliver copies of
1934 Act reports for future periods.
3.5 Absence of Changes. Since December 31, 1997, there have been no
------------------
material adverse changes in the business, properties, financial condition,
operations or assets of Ambanc or any Ambanc Subsidiary, other than any
changes attributable to or resulting from any change in law, regulation or
generally accepted accounting principles or regulatory accounting principles,
which impairs both Ambanc and other comparably sized thrift institutions in a
substantially similar manner and other than changes attributable to or
resulting from changes in economic conditions applicable to depository
institutions generally or in general levels of interest rates affecting Ambanc
and comparably sized thrift institutions to a similar extent and in a similar
manner. Since December 31, 1997 to the date hereof, there has been no
occurrence, event or development of any nature existing, or to the knowledge
of Ambanc, threatened, which is reasonably expected to result in such a
change.
Since December 31, 1997 and through the date hereof, each of Ambanc
and the Ambanc Subsidiaries has owned and operated their respective assets,
properties and businesses in the ordinary course of business and consistent
with past practice.
3.6 Prospectus/Proxy Statement. At the time the Registration
--------------------------
Statement becomes effective and at the time the Prospectus/Proxy Statement is
mailed to the shareholders of the Company and Ambanc for the solicitation of
proxies for the approvals referred to in Section 1.7 hereof and at all times
subsequent to such mailings up to and including the times of such approval,
such Registration Statement and Prospectus/Proxy Statement (including any
amendments or supplements thereto), with respect to all information set forth
therein relating to Ambanc (including the Ambanc Subsidiaries), its
shareholders and representatives, Ambanc Common Stock, this Agreement, the
Merger and all other transactions contemplated hereby, will:
<PAGE>
(a) comply in all material respects with applicable provisions
of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations under such Acts;
and
(b) not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit
to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order
to make the statements contained therein, in light of the circumstances under
which it is made, not misleading.
3.7 No Broker's or Finder's Fees. No agent, broker, investment
----------------------------
banker, person or firm acting on behalf or under authority of Ambanc or any of
the Ambanc Subsidiaries is or will be entitled to any broker's or finder's fee
or any other commission or similar fee directly or indirectly in connection
with the Merger or any other transaction contemplated hereby, except Ambanc
has engaged Sandler O'Neill & Partners, L.P., an investment banking firm, to
provide financial advisory services to Ambanc.
3.8 Compliance With Law.
-------------------
(a) To the knowledge of Ambanc, Ambanc and the Ambanc
Subsidiaries are in compliance in all material respects with all material laws
and regulations applicable to their respective business or operations or with
respect to which compliance is a condition of engaging in the business
thereof, and neither Ambanc nor any Ambanc Subsidiary has received notice from
any federal, state or local government or governmental agency of any material
violation of, and does not know of any material violations of, any of the
above.
(b) To the knowledge of Ambanc, Ambanc and each of it
Subsidiaries have all material permits, licenses, certificates of authority,
orders and approvals of, and have made all material filings, applications and
registrations with, all federal, state, local and foreign governmental or
regulatory bodies that are required in order to permit it to carry on its
respective business as it is presently conducted.
3.9 Corporate Actions. The Boards of Directors of Ambanc and the
-----------------
Bank have duly authorized their respective officers to execute and deliver (as
applicable) this Agreement, the Bank Plan of Merger and the Option Agreement
and to take all action necessary to consummate the Merger and the other
transactions contemplated hereby. The Board of Directors of Ambanc has
authorized and directed the submission for shareholders' adoption of this
Agreement, together with the Option Agreement and any other action requiring
such approvals. All corporate authorizations by the Boards of Directors of
Ambanc and the Bank required for the consummation of the Merger have been
obtained, and no other corporate action is required to be taken.
3.10 Authority. The execution, delivery and performance of this
---------
Agreement and the Option Agreement by Ambanc and the Bank does not violate any
of the provisions of, or constitute a default under or give any person the
right to terminate or accelerate payment or performance under (i) the
certificate of incorporation or bylaws of Ambanc, the charter or bylaws of the
Bank, or the articles of incorporation or bylaws of any other Ambanc
Subsidiary, (ii) any regulatory restraint on the acquisition of the Company or
Savings or control thereof, (iii) any law, rule, ordinance or regulation or
judgment, decree, order, award or governmental or non-governmental permit or
license to which Ambanc or any of the Ambanc Subsidiaries is subject or (iv)
any other Contract to which Ambanc or any of the Ambanc Subsidiaries is a
party or is subject to or by which any of their properties or assets is bound
which default, termination or acceleration would have a material adverse
effect on the financial condition, business or results of operations of Ambanc
<PAGE>
and the Ambanc Subsidiaries, taken as a whole. The parties acknowledge that
the consummation of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby
is subject to various regulatory approvals. Ambanc and the Bank have all
requisite corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement and the
Option Agreement and to perform their obligations hereunder. Other than the
receipt of Governmental Approvals and shareholder approval, no consents or
approvals are required on behalf of Ambanc or any Ambanc Subsidiary in
connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, the Option Agreement or the Bank Plan of Merger. This Agreement,
the Option Agreement and the Bank Plan of Merger constitute the valid and
binding obligations of Ambanc and the Bank, and are enforceable in accordance
with their terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable laws
relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or creditors' rights generally and general
principles of equity.
3.11 Information Furnished. Any schedule, certificate or other
---------------------
document furnished (whether prior to or subsequent to the date of this
Agreement) or to be furnished in writing by or on behalf of Ambanc to Company
pursuant to this Agreement will be accurate in all material respects and will
not omit any information necessary to make the information provided not
misleading. No information material to the Merger and which is necessary to
make the representations and warranties true, knowingly has been withheld from
the Company.
3.12 Litigation and Other Proceedings. Except for matters which
--------------------------------
would not have a material adverse effect on the business, financial condition
or results of operations of Ambanc and the Ambanc Subsidiaries taken as a
whole, neither Ambanc nor any Ambanc Subsidiary is a defendant in, nor is any
of its property subject to, any pending, or, to the knowledge of the
management of Ambanc, threatened, claim, action, suit, investigation, or
proceeding, or subject to any judicial order, judgment or decree.
3.13 Agreements and Instruments. As of the date of this Agreement,
--------------------------
there are no agreements, directives, orders or similar arrangements between or
involving Ambanc or any Ambanc Subsidiary and any state or federal savings
institution regulatory authority.
3.14 Tax Matters. Ambanc and each of the Ambanc Subsidiaries have
-----------
duly and properly filed all federal, state, local and other tax returns
required to be filed by them and have made timely payments of all taxes shown
thereon to be due and payable, whether disputed or not; there is no agreement
by Ambanc or any Ambanc Subsidiary for the extension of time or for the
assessment or payment of any taxes payable. Neither the IRS nor any other
taxing authority is now asserting or, to the knowledge of Ambanc, threatening
to assert any deficiency or claim for additional taxes (or interest thereon or
penalties in connection therewith), nor is Ambanc aware of any basis for any
such assertion or claim. Ambanc and each of the Ambanc Subsidiaries have
complied in all material respects with applicable IRS backup withholding
requirements and have filed all appropriate information reporting returns for
all tax years for which the statute of limitations has not closed. Ambanc and
each Ambanc Subsidiary have complied in all material respects with all
applicable state law sales and use tax collection and reporting requirements.
3.15 Property and Assets. To the knowledge of Ambanc, Ambanc and the
-------------------
Ambanc Subsidiaries have marketable title to all of their real property
reflected in the financial statements at December 31, 1997, referred to in
Section 3.4 hereof, or acquired subsequent thereto, free and clear of all
encumbrances, except for (a) such items shown in such financial statements or
in the notes thereto, (b) liens for current real estate taxes not yet
<PAGE>
delinquent, (c) customary title exceptions that have no material adverse
effect upon the value of such property, (d) property sold or transferred in
the ordinary course of business since the date of such financial statements,
and (e) pledges or liens incurred in the ordinary course of business. Ambanc
and the Ambanc Subsidiaries enjoy peaceful and undisturbed possession under
all material leases for the use of real property under which they are the
lessee; all of such leases are valid and binding and in full force and effect
and neither Ambanc nor any Ambanc Subsidiary is in default in any material
respect under any such lease. There has been no material physical loss,
damage or destruction, whether or not covered by insurance, affecting the real
properties of Ambanc and the Ambanc Subsidiaries since December 31, 1997,
except such loss, damage or destruction which does not have a material adverse
effect on Ambanc and Ambanc Subsidiaries, taken as a whole. All property and
assets material to their business and currently used by Ambanc and Ambanc
Subsidiaries are, in all material respects, in good operating condition and
repair, normal wear and tear excepted.
3.16 Derivatives Contracts. Neither Ambanc nor any of the Ambanc
---------------------
Subsidiaries is a party to or has agreed to enter into an exchange-traded or
over-the-counter swap, forward, future, option, cap, floor or collar financial
contract or any other contract not included on its Balance Sheet which is a
derivatives contract (including various combinations thereof) (each, a
"Derivatives Contract") or owns securities that are identified in Thrift
Bulletin No. 65 or otherwise referred to as structured notes (each, a
"Structured Note"), except for those Derivatives Contracts and Structured
Notes set forth in Section 3.16 of Schedule II, including a list, as
applicable, of any of its or any of its Subsidiaries' assets pledged as
security for a Derivatives Contract.
3.17 Insurance. Ambanc and Ambanc Subsidiaries have in effect
---------
insurance coverage which, in respect to amounts, types and risks insured, is
reasonably adequate for the business in which Ambanc and Ambanc Subsidiaries
are engaged. All insurance policies in effect as to Ambanc and the Ambanc
Subsidiaries are in full force and effect, all premiums with respect thereto
covering all periods up to and including the date of this Agreement have been
paid, such premiums covering all periods from the date hereof up to and
including the Acquisition Merger Effective Date shall have been paid on or
before the Acquisition Merger Effective Date, to the extent then due and
payable (other than retrospective premiums which may be payable with respect
to workers' compensation insurance policies, adequate reserves for which are
reflected in Ambanc's financial statements). The insurance policies are
valid, outstanding and enforceable in accordance with their respective terms
and will not in any way be affected by, or terminated or lapsed solely by
reason of, the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Neither Ambanc
nor any Ambanc Subsidiary has been refused any insurance with respect to any
material properties, assets or operations, nor has any coverage been limited
or terminated by any insurance carrier to which it has applied for any such
insurance or with which it has carried insurance during the last three years.
3.18 Employee Benefits. To Ambanc's knowledge, each Employee Plan
-----------------
and Benefit Arrangement (i) has been administered to date, and will be
administered until the Closing, in accordance with their terms and in
compliance with the Code, ERISA, and all other applicable rules and
regulations, (ii) has, in a timely, accurate, and proper manner, both filed
all required government reports and made all required employee communications,
and (iii) between the date of this Agreement and the Closing, will complete
and file all such required reports. To Ambanc's knowledge, no condition
exists that could constitute grounds for the termination of any Employee Plan
under Section 4042 of ERISA; no "prohibited transaction," as defined in
Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect
<PAGE>
to any Employee Plan, or any other employee benefit plan maintained by Ambanc
or any Ambanc Subsidiary which is covered by Title I of ERISA, which could
subject any person to liability under Title I of ERISA or to the imposition of
any tax under Section 4975 of the Code nor has any Employee Plan subject to
Part III of Subtitle B of Title I of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code, or
both, incurred any "accumulated funding deficiency," as defined in Section 412
of the Code, whether or not waived; nor has Ambanc or any Ambanc Subsidiary
failed to make any contribution or pay any amount due and owing as required by
the terms of any Employee Plan or Benefit Arrangement. To Ambanc's knowledge,
neither Ambanc nor any Ambanc Subsidiary has incurred or expects to incur,
directly or indirectly, any liability under Title IV of ERISA arising in
connection with the termination of, or a complete or partial withdrawal from,
any plan covered or previously covered by Title IV of ERISA which could
constitute a liability of Ambanc or any of its affiliates at or after the
Acquisition Merger Effective Time.
3.19 Material Contract Defaults. Neither Ambanc nor any Ambanc
--------------------------
Subsidiary nor the other party thereto is in default in any respect under any
contract, agreement, commitment, arrangement, lease, insurance policy, or
other instrument to which Ambanc or an Ambanc Subsidiary is a party or by
which its respective assets, business, or operations may be bound or affected
or under which it or its respective assets, business, or operations receives
benefits, and which default is reasonably expected to have either individually
or in the aggregate a material adverse effect on Ambanc and any Ambanc
Subsidiary, taken as a whole, and there has not occurred any event that, with
the lapse of time or the giving of notice or both, would constitute such a
default.
3.20 Tax Matters. Adequate provision for any federal, state, local,
-----------
or foreign taxes due or to become due for Ambanc or any of the Ambanc
Subsidiaries for any period or periods through and including December 31,
1997, has been made and is reflected on the December 31, 1997 audited Ambanc
consolidated financial statements and has been or will be made in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles with respect to periods ending
after December 31, 1997.
3.21 Environmental Matters. Except as set forth on Section 3.21 of
---------------------
Schedule II, to the knowledge of Ambanc, neither Ambanc nor any Ambanc
Subsidiary owns or leases any properties affected by toxic waste, radon gas or
other hazardous conditions or constructed in part with the use of asbestos.
Neither Ambanc nor any Ambanc Subsidiary has knowledge of, nor has Ambanc or
any Ambanc Subsidiary received written notice from any governmental or
regulatory body of, any conditions, activities, practices or incidents which
is reasonably likely to interfere with or prevent compliance or continued
compliance with hazardous substance laws or any regulation, order, decree,
judgment or injunction, issued, entered, promulgated or approved thereunder,
or which may give rise to any common law or legal liability, or otherwise form
the basis of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing or investigation
based on or related to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use,
treatment, storage, disposal, transport, or handling, or the emission,
discharge, release or threatened release into the environment, of any
pollutant, contaminant or chemical, or industrial, toxic or hazardous
substance or waste. There is no civil, criminal or administrative claim,
action, suit, proceeding, hearing or investigation pending or, to Ambanc's
knowledge, threatened against Ambanc or any Ambanc Subsidiary relating in any
way to such hazardous substance laws or any regulation, order, decree,
judgment or injunction issued, entered, promulgated or approved thereunder.
<PAGE>
3.22 Loan Portfolio: Portfolio Management. All evidences of
-------------------------------------
indebtedness reflected as assets in the consolidated balance sheet of Ambanc
as of December 31, 1997, or acquired since such date, are (except with respect
to those assets which are no longer assets of Ambanc or any Ambanc Subsidiary)
binding obligations of the respective obligors named therein except as
enforcement may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar laws
affecting the enforcement of creditors rights generally, and except that the
availability of equitable remedies, including specific performance, is subject
to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding may be brought, and
the payment of no material amount thereof (either individually or in the
aggregate with other evidences of indebtedness) is subject to any defenses
which have been asserted or, to the knowledge of Ambanc threatened, against
Ambanc or any Ambanc Subsidiary. All such indebtedness which is secured by an
interest in real property is, to Ambanc's knowledge, secured by a valid and
perfected mortgage lien having the priority specified in the loan documents.
All loans originated or purchased by Bank were at the time entered into and at
all times since have been in compliance in all material respects with all
applicable laws (including, without limitation, all consumer protection laws)
and regulations. Bank administers its loan and investment portfolios
(including, but not limited to, adjustments to adjustable mortgage loans) in
all material respects in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations
and the terms of applicable instruments. The records of Bank regarding all
loans outstanding on its books are accurate in all material respects and the
risk classification system has been established in accordance with the
requirements of the OTS.
ARTICLE IV
COVENANTS
4.1 Investigations; Access and Copies. Between the date of this
---------------------------------
Agreement and the Acquisition Merger Effective Time, each party agrees to give
to the other party and its respective representatives and agents full access
(to the extent lawful) to all of the premises, books, records and employees of
it and its subsidiaries at all reasonable times, upon not less than three
days' prior notice, and to furnish and cause its subsidiaries to furnish to
the other party and its respective agents or representatives access to and
true and complete copies of such financial and operating data, all documents
with respect to matters to which reference is made in Articles II or III of
this Agreement or on any list, schedule or certificate delivered or to be
delivered in connection herewith, and such other documents, records, or
information with respect to the business and properties of it and its
subsidiaries as the other party or its respective agents or representative
shall from time to time reasonably request; provided, however, that any such
inspection (a) shall be conducted in such manner as not to interfere
unreasonably with the operation of the business of the entity inspected and
(b) shall not affect any of the representations and warranties hereunder.
Each party will also give prompt written notice to the other party of any
event or development (x) which, had it existed or been known on the date of
this Agreement, would have been required to be disclosed under this Agreement,
(y) which would cause any of its representations and warranties contained
herein to be inaccurate or otherwise materially misleading, or (z) which
materially relate to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Article V
of this Agreement.
4.2 Conduct of Business Prior to Closing. Between the date of this
------------------------------------
Agreement and the Acquisition Merger Effective Time, the parties agree:
(a) That the Company and the Company Subsidiaries shall conduct
their business only in the ordinary course, and maintain their books and
records in accordance with past practices and not to take any action that
would (i) adversely affect the ability to obtain the Governmental Approvals or
(ii) adversely affect the Company's ability to perform its obligations under
this Agreement or the Option Agreement;
<PAGE>
(b) That the Company shall not, without the prior written
consent of Ambanc: (i) declare, set aside or pay any dividend or make any
other distribution with respect to Company's capital stock, except for the
declaration and payment of regular quarterly cash dividends in an amount not
to exceed $.07 per share of Company common stock with respect to any full
calender quarter after the date hereof; (ii) reacquire any of Company's
outstanding shares of capital stock; (iii) except as set forth at Schedule
4.2(c) hereof, issue or sell or buy any shares of capital stock of the Company
or any Company Subsidiary, except shares of Company common stock issued
pursuant to the Company Option Plan and the Option Agreement; (iv) effect any
stock split, stock dividend or other reclassification of Company's common
stock; or (v) grant any options or issue any warrants exercisable for or
securities convertible or exchangeable into capital stock of Company or any
Company Subsidiary or grant any stock appreciation or other rights with
respect to shares of capital stock of Company or of any Company Subsidiary;
(c) That Company and the Company Subsidiaries shall not, without
the prior written consent of Ambanc: (i) except as set forth at Schedule
4.2(c) hereof, sell or dispose of any significant assets of the Company or of
any Company Subsidiary other than in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practices; (ii) merge or consolidate the Company or any
Company Subsidiary with or, except as set forth at Schedule 4.2(c) hereof,
otherwise acquire any other entity, or file any applications or make any
contract with respect to branching by Savings (whether de novo, purchase, sale
or relocation) or acquire or construct, or enter into any agreement to acquire
or construct, any interest in real property (other than with respect to
security interests in properties securing loans and properties acquired in
settlement of loans in the ordinary course) or improvements to real property
in the aggregate in excess of $50,000; (iii) change the articles or
certificate of incorporation, charter documents or other governing instruments
of the Company or any Company Subsidiary, except as provided in this Agreement
or as required by law; (iv) grant to any executive officer, director or
employee of the Company or any Company Subsidiary any increase in annual
compensation, or any bonus type payment except for normal individual increases
in compensation to employees in the ordinary course of business consistent
with past practice (including, but not limited to, the payment of bonuses for
which such expense has previously been accrued) and except as set forth on
Schedule 4.2(c); (v) adopt any new or amend or terminate any existing Employee
Plans or Benefit Arrangements of any type except as contemplated herein or as
set forth at Schedule 4.2(c); (vi) except as set forth on Schedule 4.2(c) or
Schedule 4.16(d) hereof, authorize severance pay or other benefits for any
officer, director or employee of Company or any Company Subsidiary; (vii)
incur any material indebtedness or obligation or enter into or extend any
material agreement or lease, except in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practices; (viii) engage in any lending activities other
than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices; (ix)
except as set forth at Schedule 4.2(c) hereof, form any new subsidiary or
cause or permit a material change in the activities presently conducted by any
Company Subsidiary or make additional investments in subsidiaries; (x)
purchase any debt securities or derivative securities, including CMO or REMIC
products, that are defined as "high risk mortgage securities" under OTS Thrift
Bulletin No. 52 dated January 10, 1992 as revised or purchase any Derivatives
Contracts or Structured Notes; (xi) except as set forth at Schedule 4.2(c)
hereof, purchase any equity securities other than Federal Home Loan Bank
stock; (xii) make any investment which would cause Savings to not be a
qualified thrift lender under Section 10(m) of the HOLA, or not to be a
"domestic building and loan association" as defined in Section 7701(a)(19) of
the Code; (xiii) make any loan with a principal balance of $500,000 or more;
(xiv) authorize capital expenditures other than in the ordinary course of
business; (xv) adopt or implement any change in its accounting principles,
practices or methods other than as may be required by generally accepted
accounting principles or by a regulatory authority or adopt or implement any
change in its methods of accounting for Federal income tax purposes; or
(xvi) make any loan in which participation interests therein are to be sold to
<PAGE>
other persons or entities or acquire a participation interest in a loan
originated by another person or entity in excess of $250,000. The limitations
contained in this Section 4.2(c) shall also be deemed to constitute
limitations as to the making of any commitment with respect to any of the
matters set forth in this Section 4.2(c). Notwithstanding the foregoing,
Savings may engage in any of the foregoing activities exclusively with the
Bank.
4.3 No Solicitation. The Company will not authorize any officer,
---------------
director, employee, investment banker, financial consultant, attorney,
accountant or other representative of Company or any Company Subsidiary,
directly or indirectly, to initiate contact with any person or entity in an
effort to solicit, initiate or encourage any "Takeover Proposal" (as such term
is defined below). Except as the fiduciary duties of the Company Board of
Directors may otherwise require under applicable law (as determined in
consultation with Company legal counsel), the Company will not authorize any
officer, director, employee, investment banker, financial consultant,
attorney, accountant or other representative of the Company or any Company
Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, (A) to cooperate with, or furnish or cause
to be furnished any non-public information concerning its business, properties
or assets to, any person or entity in connection with any Takeover Proposal;
(B) to negotiate any Takeover Proposal with any person or entity; or (C) to
enter into any agreement, letter of intent or agreement in principle as to any
Takeover Proposal. The Company will promptly give written notice to Ambanc
upon becoming aware of any Takeover Proposal, such notice to contain, at a
minimum, the identity of the persons submitting the Takeover Proposal, a copy
of any written inquiry or other communication, the terms of any Takeover
Proposal and any information requested or discussions sought to be initiated.
As used in this Agreement with respect to the Company, "Takeover Proposal"
shall mean any bona fide proposal, other than as contemplated by this
Agreement, for a merger or other business combination involving the Company or
Savings or for the acquisition of a 10% or greater equity interest in Company
or Savings, or for the acquisition of a substantial portion of the assets of
Company or Savings (other than loans or securities sold in the ordinary
course).
4.4 Shareholder Approval. Subject to Section 1.7 herein, the Company
--------------------
and Ambanc shall call the meeting of its shareholders to be held for the
purpose of adopting this Agreement, as referred to in Section 1.7 hereof, as
soon as practicable, but in no event later than sixty (60) days after the
Registration Statement becomes effective under the 1933 Act. In connection
with such meeting, the Company Board of Directors and Ambanc Board of
Directors shall favorably recommend adoption of this Agreement, except as the
fiduciary duties of the Company's Board of Directors and Ambanc's Board of
Directors under applicable law may otherwise require or unless the Company is
unable to obtain the opinion set forth in Section 5.3(h) hereof. The Company
shall use its best efforts to solicit from its shareholders proxies in favor
of approval and to take all other action necessary or helpful to secure a vote
of the holders of the shares of Company common stock in favor of the Merger,
except as the fiduciary duties of the Boards of Directors under applicable law
may otherwise require.
4.5 Filing of Holding Company and Merger Applications. Ambanc shall
-------------------------------------------------
use its best efforts promptly to prepare, submit and file within 75 days of
the date hereof a holding company application to the OTS pursuant to 12 C.F.R.
Section 574.3 for acquisition of control of Company and Savings and a merger
application to the OTS pursuant to the Bank Merger Act and 12 C.F.R. 563.22(a)
for the Bank Merger and any other applications required to be filed in
connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.
<PAGE>
4.6 Consents. Company and Savings will use their best efforts to
--------
obtain the consent or approval of each person whose consent or approval shall
be required in order to permit Company or Savings, as the case may be, to
consummate the Merger.
4.7 Resale Letter Agreements. After execution of this Agreement, (i)
------------------------
Company shall use its best efforts to cause to be delivered to Ambanc from
each person who may be deemed to be an "affiliate" of Company within the
meaning of Rule 145 under the 1933 Act, a written letter agreement in the form
attached at Schedule 4.7 regarding restrictions on resale of the shares of
Ambanc Common Stock received by such persons in the Merger and upon exercise
of options received under Section 1.8 hereof subsequent to the Acquisition
Merger Effective Time to ensure compliance with applicable resale restrictions
imposed under the federal securities laws and (ii) neither Ambanc nor the
Company (including the Company Subsidiaries) shall take any action which would
materially impede or delay consummation of the Merger, or prevent the
transactions contemplated hereby from qualifying as a reorganization within
the meaning of Section 368 of the Code; provided that nothing hereunder shall
limit the ability of Ambanc to exercise its rights under the Option Agreement.
4.8 Publicity. Between the date of this Agreement and the
---------
Acquisition Merger Effective Time, neither Ambanc, Company or any of their
subsidiaries shall, without the prior approval of the other, issue or make, or
authorize any of its directors, employees, officers or agents to issue or
make, any press release, disclosure or statement to the press or any third
party with respect to the Merger or the transactions contemplated hereby,
except as required by law. The parties shall cooperate when issuing or making
any press release, disclosure or statement with respect to Merger or the
transactions contemplated hereby, except as required by law or by applicable
stock exchange rules.
4.9 Cooperation Generally. Except as otherwise contemplated hereby,
---------------------
between the date of this Agreement and the Acquisition Merger Effective Time,
Ambanc, Company and their subsidiaries shall use their best efforts, and take
all actions necessary or appropriate, to consummate the Merger and the other
transactions contemplated by this Agreement at the earliest practicable date.
Ambanc and the Bank, on one hand, and the Company and the Company
Subsidiaries, on the other hand, agree not to knowingly take any action that
would (i) adversely affect their respective ability to obtain the Governmental
Approvals or (ii) adversely affect their respective ability to perform their
obligations under this Agreement.
4.10 Additional Financial Statements and Reports. As soon as
-------------------------------------------
reasonably practicable after they become publicly available, the Company shall
furnish to Ambanc and Ambanc shall furnish to the Company, respectively, its
balance sheet and related statements of operations, cash flows and
stockholders' equity for all periods prior to the Closing. Such financial
statements will be prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles applied on a consistent basis and fairly present the financial
condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company or Ambanc, as
the case may be (subject, in the case of unaudited financial statements, to
(a) normal year-end audit adjustments, (b) any other adjustments described
therein and (c) the absence of notes which, if presented, would not differ
materially from those included in its most recent audited consolidated balance
sheet), and all of such financial statements will be prepared in conformity
with the requirements of Form 10-Q or Form 10-K, as the case may be, under the
1934 Act.
<PAGE>
4.11 Stock Listing. Ambanc agrees to use its best efforts to cause
-------------
to be listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market, subject to official notice of
issuance, the shares of Ambanc Common Stock to be issued in the Merger and the
shares issuable in accordance with Section 1.8 hereto.
4.12 Allowance for Loan and Real Estate Owned Losses. At the request
-----------------------------------------------
of Ambanc and in an amount specified by Ambanc, immediately prior to the
Acquisition Merger Effective Time, the Company and Savings shall establish
such additional provisions for loan and real estate owned losses as may be
necessary in the reasonable, good faith determination of Ambanc, after
consultation with the Company and Savings, to conform the Company's and
Savings' loan and real estate owned allowance practices and methods to those
of Ambanc and the Bank (as such practices and methods are to be applied to
Company and Savings from and after the Acquisition Merger Effective Time);
provided, however, that Company and Savings shall not be required to take such
action until: (i) Company and Savings provide to Ambanc a written statement
dated the date of Closing certified by the Chairman of the Board, the
President and the Chief Financial Officer of the Company and Savings, that the
conditions in Sections 5.1 and 5.2 to be satisfied by the Company or Savings
or both of them have been satisfied by either or both of them or,
alternatively, setting forth in detail the circumstances that have prevented
such conditions from being satisfied (the "Reliance Certificate"), and Ambanc
and Bank provide to Company and Savings a Reliance Certificate relating to the
satisfaction of the conditions in Sections 5.1 and 5.3; and (ii) Ambanc and
the Bank, after reviewing the Reliance Certificate, provide the Company and
Savings a written waiver of any right either entity may have to terminate the
Agreement which waiver shall contain an express condition precedent that
Company and Savings have established such additional provisions for loan and
real estate losses as requested by Ambanc pursuant to this Section 4.12; and
provided further that the Company shall not be required to take any action
that is not consistent with generally accepted accounting principles and
applicable SEC and OTS regulations. No additional provision for loan and real
estate owned losses taken by Savings pursuant to this Section 4.12 shall be
deemed in and of itself to be a breach or violation of any representation,
warranty, covenant, condition or other provision of this Agreement.
4.13 D&O Indemnification and Insurance. For a period of six (6)
---------------------------------
years following the Acquisition Merger Effective Time Ambanc and Bank shall
indemnify, and advance expenses in matters that may be subject to
indemnification to, persons who served as directors and officers of Company or
Savings or any other Company Subsidiaries on or before the Acquisition Merger
Effective Time with respect to liabilities and claims (and related expenses,
including fees and disbursements of counsel) made against them resulting from
their service as such prior to the Acquisition Merger Effective Time in
accordance with and subject to the requirements and other provisions of the
Certificate of Incorporation or Charter and Bylaws of Company and Savings as
in effect on the date of this Agreement and applicable provisions of law.
Ambanc shall cause the persons serving as officers and directors of the
Company immediately prior to the Acquisition Merger Effective Time to be
covered for a period of 18 months from the Acquisition Merger Effective Time
by the directors' and officers' liability insurance policy maintained by the
Company (provided that Ambanc may substitute therefor policies of at least the
same coverage and amounts containing terms and conditions which are not
materially less advantageous than such policy) with respect to acts or
omissions occurring prior to the Acquisition Merger Effective Time which were
committed by such officers and directors in their capacity as such; provided,
however, that in no event shall Ambanc be required to expend more than 150% of
the amount currently expended by the Company on an annual basis to maintain or
procure insurance coverage for such 18 month period pursuant hereto. This
Section 4.13 shall be construed as an agreement as to which the directors and
officers of Company and Savings referred to herein are intended to be third
party beneficiaries and shall be enforceable by such persons and their heirs
and representatives.
<PAGE>
4.14 Tax Treatment. Ambanc and Company shall use their best efforts
-------------
to cause the Merger to qualify as a reorganization under Section 368(a)(1) of
the Code. The Company agrees to consent to the form of representation letter
provided by Silver, Freedman & Taff, L.L.P. or other tax advisor for purposes
of issuing its federal tax opinion pursuant to Section 5.1(e) of this
Agreement no later than thirty (30) days prior to the Closing.
4.15 Update Disclosure. From and after the date hereof until the
-----------------
Acquisition Merger Effective Time, the parties hereto shall promptly update
Schedules I and II hereto by notice to the other party to reflect any matters
which have occurred from and after the date hereof which, if existing on the
date hereof, would have been required to be described therein and which, in
the case of all such updates other than the last such update prior to the
Acquisition Merger Effective Time, reflect a material change from the
information provided in Schedule I or Schedule II, as applicable, as of the
date hereof; provided, however, that no such update shall affect the
conditions to the obligation of either party to consummate the transactions
contemplated hereby, and any and all changes reflected in any such update
shall be considered in determining whether such conditions have been
satisfied.
4.16 Company's Employee Plans and Benefit Arrangements.
-------------------------------------------------
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, if Ambanc so
requests, the Company and any Company Subsidiary shall develop a plan and
timetable for terminating each Employee Plan and Benefit Arrangement as of the
date of Closing. The Company shall be solely responsible for all costs,
expenses, and other obligations whatsoever arising out of or resulting from
termination of any Employee Plan or Benefit Arrangement. Neither the Company
nor any Company Subsidiary will establish any new benefit plan or arrangement
for directors, officers, or employees, or amend any Employee Plan or Benefit
Arrangement without Ambanc's prior written approval, except as otherwise
provided in this Agreement. In its discretion, Ambanc may merge any of the
Employee Plans or Benefit Arrangements of the Company or any Company
Subsidiary with similar plans of Ambanc or the Bank, subject to Ambanc or the
Bank complying with the obligations set forth in subparagraphs (c), (d) and
(e) below.
(b) With respect to any Employee Plan or Benefit Arrangement
that provides for vesting of benefits, there shall be no discretionary
acceleration of vesting, except as set forth at Section 4.2(c) of Schedule I
or Schedule 4.16(b), except in connection with the termination of any Employee
Plan or Benefit Arrangement.
(c) Ambanc shall assume the obligations of and honor the terms of,
and provide substantially identical benefits as set forth in, Savings
Restricted Stock Plan and, subject to the provisions of Section 1.8, the
Company Option Plan, and all provisions for vested benefits or other vested
amounts earned or accrued through the Acquisition Merger Effective Time under
the Employee Plans and Benefit Arrangements.
(d) Ambanc shall assume the obligations of and honor in
accordance with their terms, and provide substantially identical benefits as
set forth in, the employment, severance and supplemental retirement plan
agreements and policies set forth at Schedule 4.16(d). Alternatively and at
the sole election of Messrs. Lisicki, Ziskin and Alescio, respectively, such
persons may elect to waive their respective rights to a termination payment as
a result of a change in control under their existing employment contracts and
become a party to an employment contract with Ambanc and/or the Bank in the
form set forth at Schedule 4.16(d) and with the titles and benefits set forth
therein, which compensation and benefits shall not be less than that payable
<PAGE>
under such persons' current employment agreements. The supplemental
retirement plan for Messrs. Lisicki and Ziskin may be amended to permit
vesting of benefits on an annual basis.
(e) The Company's Employee Stock Ownership Plan (the "Company
ESOP") shall be terminated in accordance with its terms as of the Acquisition
Merger Effective Time.
(f) This Section 4.16(e) shall be construed as an agreement as
to which the officers and employees of Company and Savings referred to herein
are intended to be third party beneficiaries and shall be enforceable by such
persons and their heirs and representatives.
4.17 Amendment of Savings' Federal Stock Charter. Company and
--------------------------------------------
Savings will take all actions necessary to effectuate an amendment to Section
8 of Savings' Federal Stock Charter to make inapplicable to Ambanc and Bank
the restrictions therein, provided that Company and Savings may make such
amendment contingent upon consummation of the Merger.
4.18 Environmental Reports. Ambanc, at its expense, shall undertake
---------------------
within 15 days of the date hereof to order, and shall within 40 days (subject
to extension with the consent of the Company) after ordering, receive, a Phase
I Environmental Risk Report (as contemplated in OTS Thrift Bulletin #16)
("Report") on (i) all commercial real estate owned by, (ii) all offices and
premises used as facilities by, and (iii) all properties which serve as
security for any commercial real estate loan having an original principal
balance of $500,000 or more of the Company and Savings. Failure to order such
Report on any particular properties within such 15 day period shall constitute
a waiver of such condition with respect to such property. In the event that
Ambanc believes in good faith that such Report indicates a reasonable
likelihood that the costs to cleanup, remove, remediate, or take any other
action necessary to bring any such property or properties into material
compliance with Company's or any Company Subsidiary's obligations under any
environmental laws exceed $250,000 in the aggregate, Ambanc shall, within 15
days of its receipt of such Report, provide Company with written notice to
that effect. Ambanc shall thereafter undertake to order within 15 days of
receipt of such Report and shall within 30 days of ordering receive a Phase II
Environmental Report (as contemplated in OTS Thrift Bulleting #16) to confirm
such belief. Failure to order such Phase II report ("Phase II Report") on any
particular properties within such 15 day period shall constitute a waiver of
such condition with respect to such property. Ambanc shall within seven days
of receipt of such Phase II Report either deliver written notice to Company of
its termination of this Agreement in that the aggregate costs to cleanup,
remove, remediate or take such other action necessary to bring such properties
into material compliance with the Company's or any Company Subsidiary's
obligations under any environmental laws will exceed $250,000 determined in
good faith and that Ambanc shall elect to terminate this Agreement, or Ambanc
shall deliver in writing notice of its waiver of the condition contained at
Section 5.2(i) hereof. Failure to deliver such written notice of its
termination of the Agreement shall constitute waiver of this condition as
provided at Section 5.2(i). Ambanc shall deliver complete copies of all Phase
I and Phase II reports to Company within five days of receipt of any such
reports. The contents of such reports shall remain confidential whether or
not the Merger is consummated.
4.19 Advisory Board of Directors. Promptly after the Acquisition
---------------------------
Merger Effective Time, the board of directors of Ambanc shall create a special
committee of the board for the purpose of providing an orderly transition to a
smaller board of directors. In addition, on or immediately following the
Acquisition Merger Effective Time, Ambanc shall create an advisory board of
<PAGE>
directors and shall appoint three persons selected by the Company, in
consultation with Ambanc, to the advisory board of directors. Advisory
directors shall be paid an advisory director board fee in an amount to be
determined.
4.20 Appointment of President and CEO. By January 1, 1999, or sooner
--------------------------------
by mutual consent, Ambanc's Board of Directors shall appoint John M. Lisicki
as President and Chief Executive Officer of Ambanc, at no less than the total
value of the salary, board fees and other benefits he is receiving from the
Company and Savings as of the date of the Closing. Additionally, immediately
upon the Bank Merger Effective Time, Ambanc and the Bank's Board of Directors
shall appoint John M. Lisicki as President and Chief Executive officer of the
Bank, as the surviving institution, at no less than the total value of the
salary, board fees and other benefits he is receiving from the Company and
Savings as of the date of the Closing. Payment by Ambanc shall offset payment
obligations by the Bank and vice versa, such that the total payment due Mr.
Lisicki shall not be less than his total salary, board fees and other benefits
from the Company and Savings as of the Closing. This Section 4.20 shall be
construed as an agreement as to which Mr. Lisicki is intended to be a third
party beneficiary and shall be enforceable by such person and his heirs and
representatives.
4.21 Approvals and Registration. Ambanc will use its best efforts to
--------------------------
prepare and file (a) with the SEC, the Registration Statement, (b) with the
OTS, an application of Ambanc as a savings and loan holding company to acquire
Savings, and (c) with the Nasdaq Stock Market, an application for the listing
of the shares of Ambanc Common Stock issuable upon the Acquisition Merger,
subject to official notice of issuance. Ambanc covenants and agrees that all
information furnished by Ambanc for inclusion in the Registration Statement,
the Prospectus/Proxy Statement, and all applications and submissions for the
required consents and approvals will comply in all material respects with the
provisions of applicable law, including the 1933 Act and 1934 Act and the
rules and regulations of the SEC and OTS, and will not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact and will not omit to state any material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements contained
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading. Ambanc will furnish to the investment bankers advising the
Company such information as they may reasonably request for purposes of the
fairness opinion referred to in Section 5.3(h).
4.22 Notice of Adverse Changes. Ambanc will promptly advise the
-------------------------
Company in writing of (a) any event occurring subsequent to the date of this
Agreement which would render any representation or warranty of Ambanc
contained in this Agreement or the Ambanc Schedules, if made on or as of the
date of such event or the Closing Date, untrue or inaccurate in any material
respect, (b) any material adverse change in the financial condition or results
of operations of Ambanc or any Ambanc subsidiary, (c) any inability or
perceived inability of Ambanc to perform or comply with the terms or
conditions of this Agreement, (d) the institution or threat of institution of
material litigation or administrative proceeding involving Ambanc or its
assets which, if determined adversely to Ambanc, would have a material adverse
effect on Ambanc and Ambanc subsidiaries taken as a whole or the Merger, (e)
any governmental complaint, investigation, or hearing or communication
indicating that such litigation or administrative proceeding is contemplated,
(f) any written notice of, or other communication relating to, a default or
event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would become a default,
received by Ambanc subsequent to the date hereof and prior to the Acquisition
Merger Effective Time, under any agreement, indenture or instrument to which
Ambanc is a party or is subject and which is material to the business,
operation or condition (financial or otherwise) of Ambanc and the Ambanc
Subsidiaries taken as a whole, and (g) any written notice or other
<PAGE>
communication from any third party alleging that the consent of such third
party is or may be required in connection with the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement including the Merger. Ambanc agrees that the delivery of
such notice shall not constitute a waiver by the Company of any of the
provisions of this Agreement.
4.23 Further Actions. Ambanc will: (a) execute and deliver such
---------------
instruments and take such other actions as the Company may reasonably require
to carry out the intent of this Agreement; (b) use all reasonable efforts to
obtain consents of all third parties and governmental bodies necessary or
reasonably desirable for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement; (c) diligently support this Agreement in any proceeding before
any regulatory authority whose approval of any of the transactions
contemplated hereby is required or reasonably desirable or before any court in
which litigation in respect thereof is pending; and (d) use its best efforts
so that the other conditions precedent to the obligations of the Company and
Savings set forth in Section 5.3 hereof are satisfied.
4.24 Further Transactions.
--------------------
(a) Ambanc continually evaluates possible acquisitions and may,
prior to the Acquisition Merger Effective Time, enter into one or more
agreements providing for, and may consummate the acquisition by it of another
bank, association, bank holding company, savings and loan holding company or
other company (or the assets thereof) for consideration that may include
Ambanc Common Stock. In addition, prior to the Acquisition Merger Effective
Time, Ambanc may, depending on market conditions and other factors, otherwise
determine to issue equity-linked or other securities for financing purposes.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, Ambanc will not take any action that would (i)
prevent the transactions contemplated hereby from qualifying as a
reorganization within the meaning of Section 368 of the Code or (ii)
materially impede or delay receipt of any required consent or approval or the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(b) If Ambanc or any of its successors or assigns (i) shall
consolidate with or merge into any other corporation or entity and shall not
be the continuing or surviving corporation or entity of such consolidation or
merger, or (ii) shall transfer all or substantially all of its properties and
assets to any individual, corporation or other entity, then in each such case,
Ambanc or such successor or assign shall take such actions as shall be
necessary for the successors or assigns of Ambanc to assume the obligations of
Ambanc set forth in this Article IV.
ARTICLE V
CONDITIONS TO THE MERGER; TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT
5.1 General Conditions. The obligations of Ambanc, the Bank, the
------------------
Company and Savings to effect the Acquisition Merger and the Bank Merger shall
be subject to the following conditions:
(a) Stockholder Approval and Effectiveness of Charter Amendment.
-----------------------------------------------------------
The holders of the outstanding shares of Company Common Stock and Ambanc
Common Stock shall have approved this Agreement and the Acquisition Merger as
specified in Section 1.7 hereof or as otherwise required by applicable law and
the Charter Amendment shall be effective under applicable law.
<PAGE>
(b) No Proceedings. No order, decree or injunction shall have
--------------
been entered and remain in force restraining or prohibiting the Merger in any
legal, administrative, arbitration, investigatory or other proceedings
(collectively, "Proceedings").
(c) Government Approvals. To the extent required by applicable
--------------------
law or regulation, all approvals of or filings with any governmental authority
(collectively, "Governmental Approvals"), including without limitation those
of the OTS, the FDIC, the Federal Trade Commission, DOJ, the SEC, and any
state securities or Blue Sky authorities, shall have been obtained or made and
any waiting periods shall have expired in connection with the consummation of
the Merger. All other statutory or regulatory requirements for the valid
consummation of the Merger and related transactions shall have been satisfied.
(d) Registration Statement. The Registration Statement shall
----------------------
have been declared effective and shall not be subject to a stop order of the
SEC and, if the offer and sale of Ambanc Common Stock in the Merger pursuant
to this Agreement is subject to the Blue Sky laws of any state, shall not be
subject to a stop order of any state securities commissioner.
(e) Federal Tax Opinion. Receipt of an opinion of Silver,
-------------------
Freedman & Taff, L.L.P., in form and content reasonably satisfactory to Ambanc
and the Company, to the effect that (i) the Acquisition Merger will
constitute a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code,
(ii) the exchange in the Acquisition Merger of Company Common Stock for Ambanc
Common Stock will not give rise to gain or loss to shareholders of the Company
with respect to such exchange (except to the extent of any cash received),
(iii) neither the Company nor Ambanc will recognize gain or loss as a
consequence of the Acquisition Merger or the Bank Merger, (iv) the basis of
the Ambanc Common Stock (including any fractional share for which cash is
received) will equal the basis of the Company Common Stock for which it is
exchanged, and (v) the holding period of such Ambanc Common Stock (including
any fractional share for which cash is received) will include the holding
period of the Company Common Stock for which it is exchanged, assuming that
such Company Common Stock is a capital asset in the hands of the holder
thereof at the Acquisition Merger Effective Time. In addition, no condition
or set of facts or circumstances shall exist at the Acquisition Merger
Effective Time which will either preclude any of the parties to this Agreement
from satisfying the terms or conditions of, or assumptions made in, the tax
opinion referred to in this Section 5.1(e), as the case may be, or result in
any of the factual assumptions contained in such tax opinion being untrue.
5.2 Conditions to Obligations of Ambanc and Bank. The obligations of
--------------------------------------------
Ambanc and Bank to effect the Merger and the transactions contemplated herein
shall be subject to the following additional conditions to the extent not
waived:
(a) Opinion of Counsel for Company. Ambanc shall have received
------------------------------
from Malizia, Spidi, Sloane & Fisch, P.C. an opinion dated as of the Closing
covering the matters to be set forth in Exhibit 5.2(a).
(b) Required Consents. In addition to Governmental Approvals,
-----------------
Company and Savings shall have obtained all necessary third party consents or
approvals required by or in connection with the Merger, the absence of which
would materially and adversely affect Company and the Company Subsidiaries,
taken as a whole. In this connection, the Company and Savings shall use their
reasonable best efforts to obtain consents from all lessors to their
respective real estate leases that may be required for consummation of the
Merger.
<PAGE>
(c) Company Accountants' Letter. Ambanc at its expense shall
---------------------------
have received from KPMG Peat Marwick LLP letters dated the date of mailing the
Prospectus/Proxy Statement and the date of the Closing to the effect that: (i)
with respect to the Company they are independent accountants within the
meaning of the 1933 Act and 1934 Act and the applicable rules and regulations
thereunder, (ii) it is their opinion that the audited consolidated financial
statements of the Company included in or incorporated by reference into the
Prospectus/Proxy Statement comply as to form in all material respects with the
applicable accounting requirements of the 1933 Act and 1934 Act and the
applicable published accounting rules and regulations thereunder, (iii) on the
basis of such procedures as are set forth therein but without performing an
examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards nothing
has come to their attention which would cause them to believe that (A) any
unaudited interim consolidated financial statements appearing in the
Prospectus/Proxy Statement do not comply as to form in all material respects
with the applicable accounting requirements of the 1933 Act and 1934 Act and
the published rules and regulations thereunder; (B) said unaudited interim
consolidated financial statements are not stated on a basis substantially
consistent with that of the audited financial statements; (C) (1) at the date
of the latest available consolidated financial statements of the Company and
at a specific date not more than five (5) business days prior to the date of
each such letter there has been, except as specified in such letter, any
increase in the outstanding capital stock, or indebtedness for borrowed money
of the Company (other than deposits and Federal Home Loan Bank advances with a
maturity of one year or less) or any decrease in the stockholders' equity
thereof as compared with amounts shown in the latest statement of consolidated
financial condition included in the Prospectus/Proxy Statement, or (2) for the
period from the date of the latest audited consolidated financial statements
of the Company included in or incorporated by reference into the
Prospectus/Proxy Statement to a specific date not more than five (5) business
days prior to the date of each such letter, there were, except as specified in
such letter, any decreases, as compared with the corresponding period in the
preceding year, in consolidated net income for Company excluding expenses
associated with the Merger, or any increase, as compared with the
corresponding period in the preceding year, in the provision for loan losses
for Company, (iv) they have performed certain specific procedures as a result
of which they determined that certain information of an accounting, financial
or statistical nature included in the Prospectus/Proxy Statement and requested
by Ambanc and agreed upon by such accountants, which is expressed in dollars
(or percentages obtained from such dollar amounts) and obtained from
accounting records of the Company's accounting system or which has been
derived directly from such accounting records by analysis or computation is in
agreement with such records or computations made therefrom (excluding any
questions of legal interpretation), and (v) on the basis of such procedures as
are set forth in such letter, nothing came to their attention with respect to
the Company which would cause them to believe that the pro forma financial
statements had not been properly compiled on the pro forma basis described
therein.
(d) No Material Adverse Change. Between the date of this
--------------------------
Agreement and the date of Closing, there shall not have occurred any material
adverse change in the financial condition, business, results of operations or
assets of Company and the Company Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, other than
any such change attributable to or resulting from any change in law,
regulation or generally accepted accounting principles which impairs both
Savings and other comparably sized thrift institutions in a substantially
similar manner, and other than any such change attributable to or resulting
from changes in economic conditions applicable to depository institutions
generally or in general levels of interest rates affecting both Savings and
other comparably sized thrift institutions to a similar extent and in a
similar manner. No payments made or expenses incurred in accordance with
<PAGE>
Section 4.16 hereof or otherwise contemplated by this Agreement shall be
deemed to constitute a material adverse change under this Section 5.2(d).
(e) Representations and Warranties to be True; Fulfillment of
---------------------------------------------------------
Covenants and Conditions. The representations and warranties of the Company
- ------------------------
and Savings shall be true in all material respects at the Acquisition Merger
Effective Time with the same effect as though made at the Acquisition Merger
Effective Time (or on the date when made in the case of any representation or
warranty which specifically relates to an earlier date) except for events or
occurrences arising after the date of this Agreement, which individually or
collectively, are not reasonably likely to result in a material adverse effect
on the business, financial condition or results of operations of the Company
and the Company Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; Company and Savings shall have
performed all obligations and complied with each covenant, in all material
respects, and all conditions under this Agreement on their parts to be
performed or complied with at or prior to the Acquisition Merger Effective
Time; and Company shall have delivered to Ambanc a certificate, dated the
Acquisition Merger Effective Time and signed by its chief executive officer
and chief financial officer, to such effect.
(f) No Litigation. Neither the Company nor any Company
-------------
Subsidiary shall be a party to any pending litigation, reasonably probable of
being determined adversely to the Company or any Company Subsidiary, which
would have a material adverse effect on the business, financial condition or
results of operations of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries, taken as a
whole.
(g) Regulatory Approval. All Governmental Approvals required
-------------------
hereunder to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby shall have been
obtained without the imposition of any conditions which Ambanc reasonably and
in good faith determine to be unduly burdensome upon the conduct of the
business of Ambanc or the Bank.
(h) Affiliates Letters. Ambanc shall have received the letter
------------------
agreements from all affiliates of the Company as contemplated in Section
4.7(i) herein.
(i) Environmental Reports. Ambanc shall not have exercised its
---------------------
right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 4.19.
(j) Execution of Option Agreement. Company shall have granted
-----------------------------
to Ambanc the option referred to in the Option Agreement not later than April
22, 1998.
5.3 Conditions to Obligations of Company and Savings. The
------------------------------------------------
obligations of Company and Savings to effect the Acquisition Merger and the
transactions contemplated herein shall be subject to the following additional
conditions:
(a) Opinion of Counsel for Ambanc. The Company shall have
-----------------------------
received from Silver, Freedman & Taff, L.L.P., special counsel to Ambanc, an
opinion dated as of the Closing covering the matters to be set forth in
Exhibit 5.3(a).
<PAGE>
(b) Representations and Warranties to be True; Fulfillment of
---------------------------------------------------------
Covenants and Conditions. The representations and warranties of Ambanc and
- ------------------------
the Bank shall be true in all material respects at the Acquisition Merger
Effective Time with the same effect as though made at the Acquisition Merger
Effective Time (or on the date when made in the case of any representation or
warranty which specifically relates to an earlier date); Ambanc and the Bank
shall have performed all obligations and complied with each covenant, in all
material respects, and all conditions under this Agreement on their parts to
be performed or complied with at or prior to the Acquisition Merger Effective
Time; and Ambanc shall have delivered to Company a certificate, dated the
Acquisition Merger Effective Time and signed by its chief executive officer
and chief financial officer, to such effect.
(c) Ambanc Common Stock. A certificate or certificates for the
-------------------
required number of whole shares of Ambanc Common Stock, as determined pursuant
to Section 1.3 hereof, and cash for fractional share interests, as so
determined, shall have been delivered to the Exchange Agent.
(d) Required Consents. In addition to Governmental Approvals,
-----------------
Ambanc and the Bank shall have obtained all necessary third party consents or
approvals in connection with the Merger, the absence of which would materially
and adversely affect Ambanc and the Ambanc Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(e) Nasdaq Stock Market Listing. The shares of Ambanc Common
---------------------------
Stock issuable pursuant to this Agreement shall have been approved for listing
on the Nasdaq Stock Market, subject to official notice of issuance.
(f) No Material Adverse Change. Between the date of this
--------------------------
Agreement and the date of Closing, there shall not have occurred any material
adverse change in the financial condition, business, results of operations or
assets of Ambanc and the Ambanc Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, other than any
such change attributable to or resulting from any change in law, regulation or
generally accepted accounting principles which impairs both the Bank and other
comparably sized thrift institutions in a substantially similar manner, other
than any such change attributable to or resulting from changes in economic
conditions applicable to depository institutions generally or in general
levels of interest rates affecting both the Bank and other comparably sized
thrift institutions to similar extent and in a similar manner.
(g) No Litigation. Neither Ambanc nor any Ambanc subsidiary
-------------
shall be a party to any pending litigation, reasonably probable of being
determined adversely to Ambanc or any Ambanc Subsidiary, which would have a
material adverse effect on the business, financial condition or results of
operations of Ambanc and the Ambanc Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(h) Fairness Opinion. The Company shall have received, as of
----------------
the date of Prospectus/Proxy Statement or as of a date not more than five
business days prior thereto, the favorable written opinion of its investment
banking firm regarding the fairness from a financial point of view of the
consideration to be received by the shareholders of the Company in the
Acquisition Merger.
<PAGE>
(i) Absence of Regulatory Agreements. Neither Ambanc nor any of
--------------------------------
the Ambanc Subsidiaries, including the Bank, shall be a party to any agreement
or memorandum of understanding with, or commitment letter to, or board of
directors resolution submitted to or similar undertaking made to, or be
subject to any order or directive by, or be a recipient of any supervisory
letter from, any governmental authority which restricts materially the conduct
of Ambanc's business or has a material adverse effect upon the Acquisition
Merger or upon the financial condition of Ambanc and the Ambanc Subsidiaries
taken as a whole, and neither Ambanc nor the Ambanc Subsidiaries shall have
been advised by any governmental or regulatory authority that such authority
is contemplating issuing or requesting, or considering the appropriateness of
issuing or requesting, any of the foregoing.
5.4 Termination of Agreement and Abandonment of Merger. This
--------------------------------------------------
Agreement may be terminated at any time before the Acquisition Merger
Effective Time, whether before or after approval thereof by shareholders of
Company and Ambanc, as provided below:
(a) Mutual Consent. By mutual consent of the parties, evidenced
--------------
by their written agreement.
(b) Closing Delay. At the election of either party, evidenced
-------------
by written notice, if the Closing shall not have occurred on or before January
31, 1999, or such later date as shall have been agreed to in writing by the
parties; provided, however, that the right to terminate under this Section
5.4(b) shall not be available to any party whose failure to perform an
obligation hereunder has been the cause of, or has resulted in, the failure of
the Closing to occur on or before such date.
(c) Conditions to Ambanc Performance Not Met. By Ambanc upon
----------------------------------------
delivery of written notice of termination to Company if any event occurs which
renders impossible the satisfaction in any material respect one or more of the
conditions to the obligations of Ambanc and the Bank to effect the Merger set
forth in Sections 5.1 and 5.2 and noncompliance is not waived by Ambanc,
provided, however, that the right to terminate under this Section 5.4(c) shall
not be available to Ambanc where Ambanc's or Bank's failure to perform an
obligation hereunder has been the cause of, or has resulted in, the failure of
the Closing to occur on or before such date.
(d) Conditions to Company Performance Not Met. By the Company
-----------------------------------------
upon delivery of written notice of termination to Ambanc if any event occurs
which renders impossible of satisfaction in any material respect one or more
of the conditions to the obligations of Company and Savings to effect the
Merger set forth in Sections 5.1 and 5.3 and noncompliance is not waived by
Company, provided, however, that the right to terminate under this Section
5.4(d) shall not be available to the Company where the Company's or Savings'
failure to perform an obligation hereunder has been the cause of, or has
resulted in, the failure of the Closing to occur on or before such date.
(e) Decline in Stock Price. By the Company if it determines
----------------------
by a vote of the majority of the members of its Board of Directors, and
notifies Ambanc, at any time during the five (5) day period commencing two (2)
business days after the Determination Date and if both of the following
conditions are satisfied:
(i) the Average Closing Price of Ambanc Common Stock is less
than $15.70 (adjusted as set forth in the last sentence of this Section
5.4(e)); and
<PAGE>
(ii) (x) the number obtained by dividing the Average
Closing Price on the Determination Date by the Starting Price (such number
being referred to herein as the "Ambanc Ratio") shall be less than (y) the
number obtained by dividing the Index Price on the Determination Date by the
Index Price on the Starting Date and subtracting 0.20 from the quotient in
this clause (ii)(y) (such number being referred to herein as the "Index
Ratio");
If the Company elects to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this
Section 5.4(e), it shall give notice to Ambanc within the aforementioned five
(5) day period, provided such notice may be withdrawn at any time. During the
five (5) day period commencing with its receipt of such notice, Ambanc shall
have the option of adjusting the Exchange Ratio to equal the lesser of (i) a
number equal to a quotient (rounded to the nearest one-thousandth), the
numerator of which is the product of $15.70 multiplied by the Exchange Ratio
(as then in effect) and the denominator of which is the Average Closing Price,
and (ii) a number equal to a quotient (rounded to the nearest one-thousandth),
the numerator of which is the Index Ratio multiplied by the Exchange Ratio (as
then in effect) and the denominator of which is the Ambanc Ratio. If Ambanc
makes an election contemplated by the preceding sentence, within such five-day
period, it shall give prompt written notice to the Company of such election
and the revised Exchange Ratio, whereupon no termination shall have occurred
pursuant to this Section 5.4(e) and this Agreement shall remain in effect in
accordance with its terms (except as the Exchange Ratio shall have been so
modified), and any references in this Agreement to "Exchange Ratio" shall
thereafter be deemed to refer to the Exchange Ratio as adjusted pursuant to
this Section 5.4(e).
For purposes of this Section 5.4(e), the following terms shall have the
meaning indicated:
"Average Closing Price" shall mean the average of the per share closing
prices of the Ambanc Common Stock as reported on the NASDAQ National Market
for the 20 consecutive trading days ending on the Determination Date as
reported by The Wall Street Journal, expressed in decimal figures carried to
five figures.
"Determination Date" means the tenth (10th) trading day prior to the
Closing Date.
"Index Group" means the 19 financial institution companies listed below,
the common stock of all of which shall be publicly traded and as to which
there shall not have been a publicly announced proposal since the Starting
Date and before the Determination Date for any such company to be acquired or
for such company to acquire another company or companies in transactions with
a value exceeding 25% of the acquiror's market capitalization. In the event
that any such company is removed from the Index Group, the weights (which
shall be determined based upon the number of outstanding shares of common
stock) shall be redistributed proportionately for purposes of determining the
Index Price. The 19 financial institution companies and the weights
attributed to them are as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Financial Institution Shares Outstanding Weighting %
Holding Company As of 12/31/97
<S> <C> <C>
Ameriana Bancorp 3,233,207 3.89%
Catskill Financial Corp. 4,775,732 5.75
First Defiance Financial 8,527,683 10.27
First Federal Bancshares of AR 4,896,063 5.89
FSF Financial Corp. 3,045,575 3.67
FFLC Bancorp Inc. 3,747,173 4.51
Fidelity Financial of Ohio 5,592,665 6.73
First Mutual Bancorp Inc. 3,507,070 4.22
Bayonne Bancshares Inc. 9,088,581 10.94
FirstSpartan Financial Corp. 4,430,000 5.33
Home Bancorp of Elgin Inc. 6,855,799 8.25
Home Bancorp 2,385,325 2.87
Monterey Bay Bancorp Inc. 3,229,679 3.89
Peekskill Financial Corp. 3,126,915 3.76
SFS Bancorp Inc. 1,208,472 1.45
Teche Holding Co. 3,437,530 4.14
Western Ohio Financial Corp. 2,352,236 2.83
Warwick Community Bancorp 6,606,548 7.95
Yonkers Financial Corp. 3,020,763 3.64
-------
100.00%
</TABLE>
"Index Price," on a given date, means the weighted average (weighted
in accordance with the Weighing Factors above, which were calculated with
reference to the outstanding shares listed above) of the closing prices on
such date of the common stock of the companies comprising the Index Group.
"Starting Date" means April 22, 1998.
"Starting Price" means $19.625 per share.
If Ambanc or any company belonging to the Index Group declares or effects
a stock dividend, reclassification, recapitalization, split-up, combination,
exchange of shares or similar transaction between the Starting Date and the
Determination Date, the prices for the common stock of such company shall be
appropriately adjusted for the purposes of applying this Section 5.4(e).
ARTICLE VI
TERMINATION OF OBLIGATIONS; PAYMENT OF EXPENSES
6.1 Termination; Lack of Survival of Representations and Warranties.
---------------------------------------------------------------
In the event of the termination and abandonment of this Agreement pursuant to
Sections 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 or 5.4 of this Agreement, this Agreement shall become
void and have no effect, except that (i) the provisions of Sections 2.7 and
3.7 (Brokers and Finders), 4.8 (Publicity), this Section 6.1, 6.2 (Expenses)
and 8.2 (Confidentiality) of this Agreement shall survive any such termination
and abandonment, and (ii) a termination pursuant to Sections 5.4(c) or 5.4(d)
of this Agreement shall not relieve the breaching party from liability for an
uncured intentional and willful breach of a representation, warranty,
covenant, or agreement giving rise to such termination.
The representations, warranties, covenants and agreements of the parties
set forth in this Agreement shall not survive the Acquisition Merger Effective
Time, and shall be terminated and extinguished at the Acquisition Merger
Effective Time, and from and after the Acquisition Merger Effective Time none
of the parties hereto shall have any liability to the other on account of any
breach or failure of any of those representations, warranties and agreements;
provided, however, that the foregoing clause shall not (i) apply to agreements
and covenants of the parties which by their terms are intended to be performed
after the Acquisition Merger Effective Time, and (ii) shall not relieve any
person of liability for fraud, deception or intentional misrepresentation.
<PAGE>
6.2 Payment of Expenses. Each of the parties hereto shall bear and
-------------------
pay all costs and expenses incurred by it or on its behalf in connection with
the transactions contemplated hereunder.
ARTICLE VII
CERTAIN POST-MERGER AGREEMENTS
7.1 Reports to the SEC. Ambanc shall continue to file all reports
------------------
and data with the SEC necessary to permit the shareholders of Company who may
be deemed "underwriters" (within the meaning of Rule 145 under the 1933 Act)
of Company Common Stock to sell the Ambanc Common Stock received by them in
connection with the Merger pursuant to Rules 144 and 145(d) under such Act if
they would otherwise be so entitled.
7.2 Employees. Employees of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries
---------
who become employees of Ambanc or an Ambanc Subsidiary after the Acquisition
Merger Effective Time shall be eligible to participate in all benefit plans
sponsored by Ambanc or any Ambanc Subsidiary to the same extent as other
similarly situated Ambanc or any Ambanc Subsidiary employees, (i) with full
credit for prior service with the Company or Company Subsidiaries for purposes
of vesting, eligibility for participation and other purposes other than
determining the amount of benefit accruals under any defined benefit plan,
(ii) without any waiting periods, evidence of insurability, or application of
any pre-existing condition limitations, and (iii) with full credit for claims
arising prior to the Acquisition Merger Effective Time for purposes of
deductibles, out-of-pocket maximums, benefit maximums and all other similar
limitations for the applicable plan year during which the Merger is
consummated. Ambanc shall honor all accrued vacation leave for the employees
of Company and the Company Subsidiaries following the Acquisition Merger
Effective Time. Except as otherwise provided herein, the Company's health and
dental insurance plans shall not be terminated by reason of the Merger but
shall continue thereafter as plans of the Surviving Corporation until such
time as the employees of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries are
integrated into Ambanc's or other applicable Ambanc Subsidiary's health and
dental insurance plans. Ambanc and the Ambanc Subsidiaries shall take such
steps as are necessary or required to integrate the employees of the Company
and the Company Subsidiaries in such plans as soon as practicable after the
Acquisition Merger Effective Time.
ARTICLE VIII
GENERAL
8.1 Amendments. Subject to applicable law, this Agreement may be
----------
amended, whether before or after any relevant approval of shareholders, by an
agreement in writing executed in the same manner as this Agreement and
authorized or ratified by the Boards of Directors of the parties hereto,
provided that, after the adoption of the Agreement by the shareholders of the
Company, no such amendment without further shareholder approval may reduce the
amount or change the form of the consideration to be received by the Company
shareholders in the Merger.
8.2 Confidentiality. All information disclosed hereafter by any
---------------
party to this Agreement to any other party to this Agreement, including,
without limitation, any information obtained pursuant to Section 4.1 hereof,
shall be kept confidential by such other party and shall not be used by such
other party otherwise than as herein contemplated except to the extent that
(i) it was known by such other party when received, (ii) it is or hereafter
becomes lawfully obtainable from other sources, (iii) it is necessary or
appropriate to disclose to the OTS, the FDIC or any other regulatory authority
having jurisdiction over the parties or their subsidiaries or as may otherwise
be required by law, or (iv) to the extent such duty as to confidentiality is
waived by the other party. In the event of the termination of this Agreement,
each party shall use all reasonable efforts to return upon request to the
other parties all documents (and reproductions thereof) received from such
other parties (and, in the case of reproductions, all such reproductions made
by the receiving party) that include information not within the exceptions
contained in the first sentence of this Section 8.2.
8.3 Governing Law. This Agreement and the legal relations between
-------------
the parties shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of
the State of Delaware without taking into account a provision regarding choice
of law, except to the extent certain matters may be governed by federal law by
reason of preemption.
8.4 Notices. Any notices or other communications required or
-------
permitted hereunder shall be sufficiently given if sent by registered mail or
certified mail, postage prepaid, addressed, if to Ambanc or Bank, to
Ambanc Holding Co., Inc.
11 Division Street
Amsterdam, New York 12010-4303
Attention: Robert J. Brittain
President and Chief Executive Officer
with a copy to:
Silver, Freedman & Taff, L.L.P.
1100 New York Avenue, N.W.
Suite 700 E
Washington, DC 20005
Attention: James S. Fleischer, P.C.
and if to Company or Savings, to
AFSALA Bancorp, Inc.
161 Church Street
Amsterdam, New York 12010
Attention: John M. Lisicki
President and Chief Executive Officer
with a copy to:
Malizia, Spidi, Sloane & Fisch, P.C.
1301 K Street, N.W.
Suite 700 East
Washington, D.C. 20005
Attention: John J. Spidi
or such other address as shall be furnished in writing by any such party, and
any such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been given two
business days after the date of such mailing (except that the notice of change
of address shall not be deemed to have been given until received by the
addressee). Notices may also be sent by telegram, telex, facsimile
transmission or hand delivery and in such event shall be deemed to have been
given as of the date received.
8.5 No Assignment. This Agreement may not be assigned by any of the
-------------
parties hereto, by operation of law or otherwise, without the prior written
consent of the other parties. Subject to the preceding sentence, this
Agreement will be binding upon, inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by
the parties and their respective successors and assigns.
<PAGE>
8.6 Headings. The description heading of the several Articles and
--------
Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and do not
constitute a part of this Agreement.
8.7 Counterparts. This Agreement may be extended in one or more
------------
counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement and
shall become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each
of the parties hereto and delivered to each of the other parties hereto.
8.8 Construction and Interpretation. Except as the context otherwise
-------------------------------
requires, (a) all references herein to any state or federal regulatory agency
shall also be deemed to refer to any predecessor or successor agency, and (b)
all references to state and federal statutes or regulations shall also be
deemed to refer to any successor statute or regulation.
8.9 Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with the schedules,
----------------
lists, exhibits and certificates required to be delivered hereunder, and any
amendment hereafter executed and delivered in accordance with Section 8.1,
constitutes the entire agreement of the parties, and supersedes any prior
written or oral agreement or understanding among any of the parties hereto
pertaining to the Merger, except for the Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure
Agreement between the Company and Ambanc dated February 12, 1998, which shall
remain in full force and effect. This Agreement is not intended to confer
upon any other persons any rights or remedies hereunder except as expressly
set forth herein.
8.10 Severability. Whenever possible, each provision of this
------------
Agreement shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid
under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be
prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision will be
ineffective only to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without
invalidating the remainder of such provision or the remaining provisions of
the Agreement.
8.11 No Third Party Beneficiaries. Nothing in this Agreement shall
----------------------------
entitle any person (other than the Company, Savings, Ambanc or the Bank and
their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby) to any claim, cause
of action, remedy or right of any kind, except as otherwise expressly provided
herein.
8.12 Enforcement of Agreement. The parties hereto agree that
------------------------
irreparable damage would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this
Agreement was not performed in accordance with its specific terms or was
otherwise breached. It is accordingly agreed that the parties shall be
entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent breaches of this Agreement
and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions hereof in any court of
the United States or any state having jurisdiction, this being in addition to
any other remedy to which they are entitled at law or in equity.
<PAGE>
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has caused this Agreement to be
executed on its behalf by its officers thereunder duly authorized, all as of
the date set forth above.
AMBANC HOLDING CO., INC. AFSALA BANCORP, INC.
By: /s/ Robert J. Brittain By: /s/ John M. Liscki
------------------------ ------------------------------
Name: Robert J. Brittain Name: John M. Lisicki
Title: President and Chief Title: President and Chief
Executive Officer Executive Officer
AMSTERDAM SAVINGS BANK, FSB AMSTERDAM FEDERAL BANK
By: /s/ Robert J. Brittain By: /s/ John M. Liscki
------------------------ --------------------------
Name: Robert J. Brittain Name: John M. Lisicki
Title: President and Chief Title: President and Chief
Executive Officer Executive Officer
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT 2.2
STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT, dated as of April 24, 1998, between Ambanc
Holding Co., Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Grantee"), and AFSALA Bancorp,
Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Issuer").
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, Grantee and Issuer have entered into a Reorganization and Merger
Agreement (the "Merger Agreement");
WHEREAS, as an inducement to the willingness of Grantee to continue to
pursue the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, Issuer has
agreed to grant Grantee the Option (as hereinafter defined); and
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of Issuer has approved the grant of the
Option and the Merger Agreement prior to the date hereof;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual
covenants and agreements set forth herein and in the Merger Agreement, the
parties hereto agree as follows:
1. (a) Issuer hereby grants to Grantee an unconditional, irrevocable
option (the "Option") to purchase, subject to the terms hereof, up to an
aggregate of 344,500 fully paid and nonassessable shares of the common stock,
par value $.10 per share, of Issuer ("Common Stock") at a price per share
equal to the last reported sale price per share of Common Stock as reported on
the Nasdaq Stock Market on April 22, 1998; provided, however, that in the
event Issuer issues or agrees to issue any shares of Common Stock (other than
shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to stock options granted prior to the
date hereof) at a price less than such price per share (as adjusted pursuant
to subsection (b) of Section 5), such price shall be equal to such lesser
price (such price, as adjusted if applicable, the "Option Price"); provided,
further, that in no event shall the number of shares for which this Option is
exercisable exceed 19.9% of the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock.
The number of shares of Common Stock that may be received upon the exercise of
the Option and the Option Price are subject to adjustment as herein set forth.
(b) In the event that any additional shares of Common Stock are issued
or otherwise become outstanding after the date of this Agreement (other than
pursuant to this Agreement and other than pursuant to an event described in
Section 5(a) hereof), the number of shares of Common Stock subject to the
Option shall be increased so that, after such issuance, such number together
with any shares of Common Stock previously issued pursuant hereto, equals
19.9% of the number of shares of Common Stock then issued and outstanding
without giving effect to any shares subject or issued pursuant to the Option.
Nothing contained in this Section l(b) or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be
deemed to authorize Issuer to issue shares in breach of any provision of the
Merger Agreement.
2. (a) The Holder (as hereinafter defined) may exercise the Option, in
whole or part, if, but only if, both an Initial Triggering Event (as
hereinafter defined) and a Subsequent Triggering Event (as hereinafter
defined) shall have occurred prior to the occurrence of an Exercise
Termination Event (as hereinafter defined), provided that the Holder shall
have sent the written notice of such exercise (as provided in subsection (e)
of this Section 2) within six (6) months following such Subsequent Triggering
Event (or such later period as provided in Section 10). Each of the following
shall be an Exercise Termination Event: (i) the Effective Time of the Merger;
(ii) termination of the Merger Agreement in accordance with the provisions
thereof if such termination occurs prior to the occurrence of an Initial
<PAGE>
Triggering Event except a termination by Grantee pursuant to Section 5.4(c)
due to a breach of the Company's covenants at Sections 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.6 or
4.9 or the condition at Section 5.2(e) of the Merger Agreement (but only if
the breach giving rise to the termination was willful) (each, a "Listed
Termination"); or (iii) the passage of eighteen (18) months (or such longer
period as provided in Section 10) after termination of the Merger Agreement if
such termination follows the occurrence of an Initial Triggering Event or is a
Listed Termination. The term "Holder" shall mean the holder or holders of the
Option. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, (i) the
Option may not be exercised at any time when Grantee shall be in material
breach of any of its covenants or agreements contained in the Merger Agreement
such that Issuer shall be entitled to terminate the Merger Agreement as a
result of a material breach.
(b) The term "Initial Triggering Event" shall mean any of the following
events or transactions occurring on or after the date hereof:
(i) Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary (as defined in Rule 1-02
of Regulation S-X promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"SEC")) (an "Issuer Subsidiary"), without having received Grantee's prior
written consent, shall have entered into an agreement to engage in an
Acquisition Transaction (as hereinafter defined) with any person (the term
"person" for purposes of this Agreement having the meaning assigned thereto in
Sections 3(a)(9) and 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the "1934 Act"), and the rules and regulations thereunder) other than
Grantee or any of its Subsidiaries (each a "Grantee Subsidiary") or the Board
of Directors of Issuer (the "Issuer Board") shall have recommended that the
shareholders of Issuer approve or accept any Acquisition Transaction other
than as contemplated by the Merger Agreement. For purposes of this Agreement,
(a) "Acquisition Transaction" shall mean (x) a merger or consolidation, or any
similar transaction, involving Issuer or any Issuer Subsidiary (other than
mergers, consolidations or similar transactions involving solely Issuer and/or
one or more wholly-owned (except for directors' qualifying shares and a de
minimis number of other shares) Subsidiaries of the Issuer, provided, any such
transaction is not entered into in violation of the terms of the Merger
Agreement), (y) a purchase, lease or other acquisition of all or any
substantial part of the assets or deposits of Issuer or any Issuer Subsidiary,
or (z) a purchase or other acquisition (including by way of merger,
consolidation, share exchange or otherwise) of securities representing 10% or
more of the voting power of Issuer or any Issuer Subsidiary and
(b) "Subsidiary" shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 12b-2 under the 1934
Act;
(ii) Any person other than the Grantee or any Grantee Subsidiary
shall have acquired beneficial ownership or the right to acquire beneficial
ownership of 10% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (the term
"beneficial ownership" for purposes of this Agreement having the meaning
assigned thereto in Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act, and the rules and
regulations thereunder);
(iii) The shareholders of Issuer shall have voted and failed to
adopt the Merger Agreement at a meeting which has been held for that purpose
or any adjournment or postponement thereof, or such meeting shall not have
been held in violation of the Merger Agreement or shall have been canceled
prior to termination of the Merger Agreement if, prior to such meeting (or if
such meeting shall not have been held or shall have been canceled, prior to
such termination), it shall have been publicly announced that any person
(other than Grantee or any of its Subsidiaries) shall have made, or publicly
disclosed an intention to make, a proposal to engage in an Acquisition
Transaction;
(iv) The Issuer Board shall have withdrawn or modified (or publicly
announced its intention to withdraw or modify) in any manner adverse in any
respect to Grantee its recommendation that the shareholders of Issuer approve
<PAGE>
the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, or Issuer or any Issuer
Subsidiary shall have authorized, recommended, proposed (or publicly announced
its intention to authorize, recommend or propose) an agreement to engage in an
Acquisition Transaction with any person other than Grantee or a Grantee
Subsidiary;
(v) Any person other than Grantee or any Grantee Subsidiary shall
have filed with the SEC a registration statement or tender offer materials
with respect to a potential exchange or tender offer that would constitute an
Acquisition Transaction (or filed a preliminary proxy statement with the SEC
with respect to a potential vote by its shareholders to approve the issuance
of shares to be offered in such an exchange offer);
(vi) Issuer shall have willfully breached any covenant or
obligation contained in the Merger Agreement in anticipation of engaging in an
Acquisition Transaction, and following such breach Grantee would be entitled
to terminate the Merger Agreement (whether immediately or after the giving of
notice or passage of time or both); or
(vii) Any person other than Grantee or any Grantee Subsidiary shall
have filed an application or notice with the Office of Thrift Supervision (the
"OTS") or other federal or state bank regulatory or antitrust authority, which
application or notice has been accepted for processing, for approval to engage
in an Acquisition Transaction.
(c) The term "Subsequent Triggering Event" shall mean any of the
following events or transactions occurring after the date hereof:
(i) The acquisition by any person (other than Grantee or any
Grantee Subsidiary) of beneficial ownership of 25% or more of the then
outstanding Common Stock; or
(ii) The occurrence of the Initial Triggering Event described in
clause (i) of subsection (b) of this Section 2, except that the percentage
referred to in clause (z) of the second sentence thereof shall be 25%.
(d) Issuer shall notify Grantee promptly in writing of the occurrence of
any Initial Triggering Event or Subsequent Triggering Event (together, a
"Triggering Event"), it being understood that the giving of such notice by
Issuer shall not be a condition to the right of the Holder to exercise the
Option.
(e) In the event the Holder is entitled to and wishes to exercise the
Option (or any portion thereof), it shall send to Issuer a written notice (the
date of which being herein referred to as the "Notice Date") specifying (i)
the total number of shares it will purchase pursuant to such exercise and (ii)
a place and date not earlier than three business days nor later than 60
business days from the Notice Date for the closing of such purchase (the
"Closing Date"); provided, that if prior notification to or approval of the
OTS or any other regulatory or antitrust agency is required in connection with
such purchase, the Holder shall promptly file the required notice or
application for approval, shall promptly notify Issuer of such filing, and
shall expeditiously process the same and the period of time that otherwise
would run pursuant to this sentence shall run instead from the date on which
any required notification periods have expired or been terminated or such
approvals have been obtained and any requisite waiting period or periods shall
have passed. Any exercise of the Option shall be deemed to occur on the
Notice Date relating thereto.
(f) At the closing referred to in subsection (e) of this Section 2, the
Holder shall (i) pay to Issuer the aggregate purchase price for the shares of
Common Stock purchased pursuant to the exercise of the Option in immediately
available funds by wire transfer to a bank account designated by Issuer and
(ii) present and surrender this Agreement to Issuer at its principal executive
<PAGE>
offices, provided that the failure or refusal of the Issuer to designate such
a bank account or accept surrender of this Agreement shall not preclude the
Holder from exercising the Option.
(g) At such closing, simultaneously with the delivery of immediately
available funds as provided in subsection (f) of this Section 2, Issuer shall
deliver to the Holder a certificate or certificates representing the number of
shares of Common Stock purchased by the Holder and, if the Option should be
exercised in part only, a new Option evidencing the rights of the Holder
thereof to purchase the balance of the shares purchasable hereunder.
(h) Certificates for Common Stock delivered at a closing hereunder may
be endorsed with a restrictive legend that shall read substantially as
follows:
"The transfer of the shares represented by this certificate is
subject to certain provisions of an agreement, dated as of April 23, 1998,
between the registered holder hereof and Issuer and to resale restrictions
arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. A copy of such
agreement is on file at the principal office of Issuer and will be provided to
the holder hereof without charge upon receipt by Issuer of a written request
therefor."
It is understood and agreed that: (i) the reference to the resale restrictions
of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") in the above legend
shall be removed by delivery of substitute certificate(s) without such
reference if the Holder shall have delivered to Issuer a copy of a letter from
the staff of the SEC, or an opinion of counsel, in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to Issuer, to the effect that such legend is not
required for purposes of the 1933 Act; (ii) the reference to the provisions of
this Agreement in the above legend shall be removed by delivery of substitute
certificate(s) without such reference if the shares have been sold or
transferred in compliance with the provisions of this Agreement and under
circumstances that do not require the retention of such reference in the
opinion of counsel to the Holder; and (iii) the legend shall be removed in its
entirety if the conditions in the preceding clauses (i) and (ii) are both
satisfied. In addition, such certificates shall bear any other legend as may
be required by law.
(i) Upon the giving by the Holder to Issuer of the written notice of
exercise of the Option provided for under subsection (e) of this Section 2 and
the tender of the applicable purchase price in immediately available funds,
the Holder shall be deemed subject to the receipt of any necessary regulatory
approvals to be the holder of record of the shares of Common Stock issuable
upon such exercise, notwithstanding that the stock transfer books of Issuer
shall then be closed or that certificates representing such shares of Common
Stock shall not then be actually delivered to the Holder. Issuer shall pay
all expenses, and any and all United States federal, state and local taxes and
other charges that may be payable in connection with the preparation, issue
and delivery of stock certificates under this Section 2 in the name of the
Holder or its assignee, transferee or designee.
3. Issuer agrees: (i) that it shall at all times maintain, free from
preemptive rights, sufficient authorized but unissued or treasury shares of
Common Stock so that the Option may be exercised without additional
authorization of Common Stock after giving effect to all other options,
warrants, convertible securities and other rights to purchase Common Stock;
(ii) that it will not, by amendment of its certificate of incorporation or
through reorganization, consolidation, merger, dissolution or sale of assets,
or by any other voluntary act, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or
performance of any of the covenants, stipulations or conditions to be observed
or performed hereunder by Issuer; (iii) promptly to take all action as may
from time to time be required (including (x) complying with all applicable
premerger notification, reporting and waiting period requirements specified in
<PAGE>
15 U.S.C. Section 18a and regulations promulgated thereunder and (y) in the
event, under the Savings and Loan Holding Company Act ("SLHCA"), or the Change
in Bank Control Act of 1978, as amended, or any state or other federal banking
law, prior approval of or notice to the OTS or to any state or other federal
regulatory authority is necessary before the Option may be exercised,
cooperating fully with the Holder in preparing such applications or notices
and providing such information to the OTS or such state or other federal
regulatory authority as they may require) in order to permit the Holder to
exercise the Option and Issuer duly and effectively to issue shares of Common
Stock pursuant hereto; and (iv) promptly to take all action provided herein to
protect the rights of the Holder against dilution.
4. This Agreement (and the Option granted hereby) are exchangeable,
without expense, at the option of the Holder, upon presentation and surrender
of this Agreement at the principal office of Issuer, for other Agreements
providing for Options of different denominations entitling the holder thereof
to purchase, on the same terms and subject to the same conditions as are set
forth herein, in the aggregate the same number of shares of Common Stock
purchasable hereunder. The terms "Agreement" and "Option" as used herein
include any Agreements and related Options for which this Agreement (and the
Option granted hereby) may be exchanged. Upon receipt by Issuer of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of
this Agreement, and (in the case of loss, theft or destruction) of reasonably
satisfactory indemnification, and upon surrender and cancellation of this
Agreement, if mutilated, Issuer will execute and deliver a new Agreement of
like tenor and date. Any such new Agreement executed and delivered shall
constitute an additional contractual obligation on the part of Issuer, whether
or not the Agreement so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated shall at any time
be enforceable by anyone.
5. In addition to the adjustment in the number of shares of Common Stock
that are purchasable upon exercise of the Option pursuant to Section 1 of this
Agreement, the number of shares of Common Stock purchasable upon the exercise
of the Option and the Option Price shall be subject to adjustment from time to
time as provided in this Section 5.
(a) In the event of any change in, or distributions in respect of, the
Common Stock by reason of stock dividends, split-ups, mergers,
recapitalizations, combinations, subdivisions, conversions, exchanges of
shares or the like, the type and number of shares of Common Stock purchasable
upon exercise hereof shall be appropriately adjusted and proper provision
shall be made so that, in the event that any additional shares of Common Stock
are to be issued or otherwise become outstanding as a result of any such
change (other than pursuant to an exercise of the Option), the number of
shares of Common Stock that remain subject to the Option shall be increased so
that, after such issuance and together with shares of Common Stock previously
issued pursuant to the exercise of the Option (as adjusted on account of any
of the foregoing changes in the Common Stock), it equals 19.9% of the number
of shares of Common Stock then issued and outstanding.
(b) Whenever the number of shares of Common Stock purchasable upon
exercise hereof is adjusted as provided in this Section 5, the Option Price
shall be adjusted by multiplying the Option Price by a fraction, the numerator
of which shall be equal to the number of shares of Common Stock purchasable
prior to the adjustment and the denominator of which shall be equal to the
number of shares of Common Stock purchasable after the adjustment.
6. Upon the occurrence of a Subsequent Triggering Event that occurs
prior to an Exercise Termination Event, Issuer shall, at the request of
Grantee delivered within twelve (12) months (or such later period as provided
in Section 10) of such Subsequent Triggering Event (whether on its own behalf
or on behalf of any subsequent holder of this Option (or part thereof) or any
of the shares of Common Stock issued pursuant hereto), promptly prepare, file
and keep current a registration statement under the 1933 Act covering any
<PAGE>
shares issued and issuable pursuant to this Option and shall use its
reasonable best efforts to cause such registration statement to become
effective and remain current in order to permit the sale or other disposition
of any shares of Common Stock issued upon total or partial exercise of this
Option ("Option Shares") in accordance with any plan of disposition requested
by Grantee. Issuer will use its reasonable best efforts to cause such
registration statement promptly to become effective and then to remain
effective for such period not in excess of 180 days from the day such
registration statement first becomes effective or such shorter time as may be
reasonably necessary to effect such sales or other dispositions. Grantee
shall have the right to demand two such registrations. The Issuer shall bear
the costs of such registrations (including, but not limited to, Issuer's
attorneys' fees, printing costs and filing fees, except for underwriting
discounts or commissions, brokers' fees and the fees and disbursements of
Grantee's counsel related thereto). The foregoing notwithstanding, if, at the
time of any request by Grantee for registration of Option Shares as provided
above, Issuer is in registration with respect to an underwritten public
offering by Issuer of shares of Common Stock, and if in the good faith
judgment of the managing underwriter or managing underwriters, or, if none,
the sole underwriter or underwriters, of such offering the offer and sale of
the Option Shares would interfere with the successful marketing of the shares
of Common Stock offered by Issuer, the number of Option Shares otherwise to be
covered in the registration statement contemplated hereby may be reduced;
provided, however, that after any such required reduction the number of Option
Shares to be included in such offering for the account of the Holder shall
constitute at least 25% of the total number of shares to be sold by the Holder
and Issuer in the aggregate; and provided further, however, that if such
reduction occurs, then Issuer shall file a registration statement for the
balance as promptly as practicable thereafter as to which no reduction
pursuant to this Section 6 shall be permitted or occur and the Holder shall
thereafter be entitled to one additional registration and the twelve (12)
month period referred to in the first sentence of this section shall be
increased to twenty-four (24) months. Each such Holder shall provide all
information reasonably requested by Issuer for inclusion in any registration
statement to be filed hereunder. If requested by any such Holder in
connection with such registration, Issuer shall become a party to any
underwriting agreement relating to the sale of such shares, but only to the
extent of obligating itself in respect of representations, warranties,
indemnities and other agreements customarily included in such underwriting
agreements for Issuer. Upon receiving any request under this Section 6 from
any Holder, Issuer agrees to send a copy thereof to any other person known to
Issuer to be entitled to registration rights under this Section 6, in each
case by promptly mailing the same, postage prepaid, to the address of record
of the persons entitled to receive such copies. Notwithstanding anything to
the contrary contained herein, in no event shall the number of registrations
that Issuer is obligated to effect be increased by reason of the fact that
there shall be more than one Holder as a result of any assignment or division
of this Agreement.
7. (a) At any time after the occurrence of a Repurchase Event (as
defined below) (i) at the request of the Holder, delivered prior to an
Exercise Termination Event (or such later period as provided in Section 10),
Issuer (or any successor thereto) shall repurchase the Option from the Holder
at a price (the "Option Repurchase Price") equal to the amount by which
(A) the market/offer price (as defined below) exceeds (B) the Option Price,
multiplied by the number of shares for which this Option may then be exercised
and (ii) at the request of the owner of Option Shares from time to time (the
"Owner"), delivered prior to an Exercise Termination Event (or such later
period as provided in Section 10), Issuer (or any successor thereto) shall
repurchase such number of the Option Shares from the Owner as the Owner shall
designate at a price (the "Option Share Repurchase Price") equal to the
market/offer price multiplied by the number of Option Shares so designated.
The term "market/offer price" shall mean the highest of (i) the price per
share of Common Stock at which a tender or exchange offer therefor has been
<PAGE>
made, (ii) the price per share of Common Stock to be paid by any third party
pursuant to an agreement with Issuer, (iii) the highest closing price for
shares of Common Stock within the six-month period immediately preceding the
date the Holder gives notice of the required repurchase of this Option or the
Owner gives notice of the required repurchase of Option Shares, as the case
may be, or (iv) in the event of a sale of all or any substantial part of
Issuer's assets or deposits, the sum of the net price paid in such sale for
such assets or deposits and the current market value of the remaining net
assets of Issuer as determined by a nationally recognized investment banking
firm selected by the Holder or the Owner, as the case may be, and reasonably
acceptable to Issuer, divided by the number of shares of Common Stock of
Issuer outstanding at the time of such sale. In determining the market/offer
price, the value of consideration other than cash shall be determined by a
nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the Holder or Owner,
as the case may be, and reasonably acceptable to Issuer.
(b) The Holder and the Owner, as the case may be, may exercise its right
to require Issuer to repurchase the Option and any Option Shares pursuant to
this Section 7 by surrendering for such purpose to Issuer, at its principal
office, a copy of this Agreement or certificates for Option Shares, as
applicable, accompanied by a written notice or notices stating that the Holder
or the Owner, as the case may be, elects to require Issuer to repurchase this
Option and/or the Option Shares in accordance with the provisions of this
Section 7. As promptly as practicable, and in any event within five business
days after the surrender of the Option and/or certificates representing Option
Shares and the receipt of such notice or notices relating thereto, Issuer
shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Holder the Option Repurchase
Price and/or to the Owner the Option Share Repurchase Price therefor or the
portion thereof that Issuer is not then prohibited under applicable law and
regulation from so delivering.
(c) To the extent that Issuer is prohibited under applicable law or
regulation, or as a consequence of administrative policy, from repurchasing
the Option and/or the Option Shares in full, Issuer shall immediately so
notify the Holder and/or the Owner and thereafter deliver or cause to be
delivered, from time to time, to the Holder and/or the Owner, as appropriate,
the portion of the Option Repurchase Price and the Option Share Repurchase
Price, respectively, that it is no longer prohibited from delivering, within
five business days after the date on which Issuer is no longer so prohibited;
provided, however, that if Issuer at any time after delivery of a notice of
repurchase pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section 7 is prohibited under
applicable law or regulation, or as a consequence of administrative policy,
from delivering to the Holder and/or the Owner, as appropriate, the Option
Repurchase Price and the Option Share Repurchase Price, respectively, in full
(and Issuer hereby undertakes to use its reasonable best efforts to obtain all
required regulatory and legal approvals and to file any required notices as
promptly as practicable in order to accomplish such repurchase), the Holder or
Owner may revoke its notice of repurchase of the Option and/or the Option
Shares whether in whole or to the extent of the prohibition, whereupon, in the
latter case, Issuer shall promptly (i) deliver to the Holder and/or the Owner,
as appropriate, that portion of the Option Repurchase Price and/or the Option
Share Repurchase Price that Issuer is not prohibited from delivering; and (ii)
deliver, as appropriate, either (A) to the Holder, a new Agreement evidencing
the right of the Holder to purchase that number of shares of Common Stock
obtained by multiplying the number of shares of Common Stock for which the
surrendered Agreement was exercisable at the time of delivery of the notice of
repurchase by a fraction, the numerator of which is the Option Repurchase
Price less the portion thereof theretofore delivered to the Holder and the
denominator of which is the Option Repurchase Price, and/or (B) to the Owner,
a certificate for the Option Shares it is then so prohibited from
repurchasing. If an Exercise Termination Event shall have occurred prior to
the date of the notice by Issuer described in the first sentence of this
subsection (c), or shall be scheduled to occur at any time before the
expiration of a period ending on the thirtieth day after such date, the Holder
<PAGE>
shall nonetheless have the right to exercise the Option until the expiration
of such 30-day period.
(d) For purposes of this Section 7, a "Repurchase Event" shall be deemed
to have occurred upon the occurrence of any of the following events or
transactions after the date hereof:
(i) the acquisition by any person (other than Grantee or any
Grantee Subsidiary) of beneficial ownership of 50% or more of the then
outstanding Common Stock; or
(ii) the consummation of any Acquisition Transaction described in
Section 2(b)(i) hereof, except that the percentage referred to in clause (z)
shall be 50%.
8. (a) In the event that prior to an Exercise Termination Event, Issuer
shall enter into an agreement (i) to consolidate with or merge into any
person, other than Grantee or a Grantee Subsidiary, or engage in a plan of
exchange with any person, other than Grantee or a Grantee Subsidiary and
Issuer shall not be the continuing or surviving corporation of such
consolidation or merger or the acquirer in such plan of exchange, (ii) to
permit any person, other than Grantee or a Grantee Subsidiary, to merge into
Issuer or be acquired by Issuer in a plan of exchange and Issuer shall be the
continuing or surviving or acquiring corporation, but, in connection with such
merger or plan of exchange, the then outstanding shares of Common Stock shall
be changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other person
or cash or any other property or the then outstanding shares of Common Stock
shall after such merger or plan of exchange represent less than 50% of the
outstanding shares and share equivalents of the merged or acquiring company,
or (iii) to sell or otherwise transfer all or a substantial part of its or the
Issuer Subsidiary's assets or deposits to any person, other than Grantee or a
Grantee Subsidiary, then, and in each such case, the agreement governing such
transaction shall make proper provision so that the Option shall, upon the
consummation of any such transaction and upon the terms and conditions set
forth herein, be converted into, or exchanged for, an option (the "Substitute
Option"), at the election of the Holder, of either (x) the Acquiring
Corporation (as hereinafter defined) or (y) any person that controls the
Acquiring Corporation.
(b) The following terms have the meanings indicated:
(i) "Acquiring Corporation" shall mean (i) the continuing or
surviving person of a consolidation or merger with Issuer (if other than
Issuer), (ii) the acquiring person in a plan of exchange in which Issuer is
acquired, (iii) the Issuer in a merger or plan of exchange in which Issuer is
the continuing or surviving or acquiring person, and (iv) the transferee of
all or a substantial part of Issuer's assets or deposits (or the assets or
deposits of the Issuer Subsidiary).
(ii) "Substitute Common Stock" shall mean the common stock issued
by the issuer of the Substitute Option upon exercise of the Substitute Option.
(iii) "Assigned Value" shall mean the market/offer price, as
defined in Section 7.
(iv) "Average Price" shall mean the average closing price of a
share of the Substitute Common Stock for one year immediately preceding the
consolidation, merger or sale in question, but in no event higher than the
closing price of the shares of Substitute Common Stock on the day preceding
such consolidation, merger or sale; provided that if Issuer is the issuer of
the Substitute Option, the Average Price shall be computed with respect to a
share of common stock issued by the person merging into Issuer or by any
company which controls or is controlled by such person, as the Holder may
elect.
<PAGE>
(c) The Substitute Option shall have the same terms as the Option,
provided that if the terms of the Substitute Option cannot, for legal reasons,
be the same as the Option, such terms shall be as similar as possible and in
no event less advantageous to the Holder. The issuer of the Substitute Option
shall also enter into an agreement with the then Holder or Holders of the
Substitute Option in substantially the same form as this Agreement (after
giving effect for such purpose to the provisions of Section 9), which
agreement shall be applicable to the Substitute Option.
(d) The Substitute Option shall be exercisable for such number of shares
of Substitute Common Stock as is equal to the Assigned Value multiplied by the
number of shares of Common Stock for which the Option was exercisable
immediately prior to the event described in the first sentence of Section
8(a), divided by the Average Price. The exercise price of the Substitute
Option per share of Substitute Common Stock shall then be equal to the Option
Price multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of
shares of Common Stock for which the Option was exercisable immediately prior
to the event described in the first sentence of Section 8(a) and the
denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Substitute Common Stock
for which the Substitute Option is exercisable.
(e) In no event, pursuant to any of the foregoing paragraphs, shall the
Substitute Option be exercisable for more than 19.9% of the shares of
Substitute Common Stock outstanding prior to exercise of the Substitute
Option. In the event that the Substitute Option would be exercisable for more
than 19.9% of the shares of Substitute Common Stock outstanding prior to
exercise but for this clause (e), the issuer of the Substitute Option (the
"Substitute Option Issuer") shall make a cash payment to Holder equal to the
excess of (i) the value of the Substitute Option without giving effect to the
limitation in this clause (e) over (ii) the value of the Substitute Option
after giving effect to the limitation in this clause (e). This difference in
value shall be determined by a nationally recognized investment banking firm
selected by the Holder.
(f) Issuer shall not enter into any transaction described in subsection
(a) of this Section 8 unless the Acquiring Corporation and any person that
controls the Acquiring Corporation assume in writing all the obligations of
Issuer hereunder.
9. (a) At the request of the holder of the Substitute Option (the
"Substitute Option Holder"), the issuer of the Substitute Option (the
"Substitute Option Issuer") shall repurchase the Substitute Option from the
Substitute Option Holder at a price (the "Substitute Option Repurchase Price")
equal to the amount by which (i) the Highest Closing Price (as hereinafter
defined) exceeds (ii) the exercise price of the Substitute Option, multiplied
by the number of shares of Substitute Common Stock for which the Substitute
Option may then be exercised, and at the request of the owner (the "Substitute
Share Owner") of shares of Substitute Common Stock (the "Substitute Shares"),
the Substitute Option Issuer shall repurchase the Substitute Shares at a price
(the "Substitute Share Repurchase Price") equal to the Highest Closing Price
multiplied by the number of Substitute Shares so designated. The term
"Highest Closing Price" shall mean the highest closing price for shares of
Substitute Common Stock within the six-month period immediately preceding the
date the Substitute Option Holder gives notice of the required repurchase of
the Substitute Option or the Substitute Share Owner gives notice of the
required repurchase of the Substitute Shares, as applicable.
(b) The Substitute Option Holder and the Substitute Share Owner, as the
case may be, may exercise its respective rights to require the Substitute
Option Issuer to repurchase the Substitute Option and the Substitute Shares
pursuant to this Section 9 by surrendering for such purpose to the Substitute
Option Issuer, at its principal office, the agreement for such Substitute
Option (or, in the absence of such an agreement, a copy of this Agreement)
and/or certificates for Substitute Shares accompanied by a written notice or
<PAGE>
notices stating that the Substitute Option Holder or the Substitute Share
Owner, as the case may be, elects to require the Substitute Option Issuer to
repurchase the Substitute Option and/or the Substitute Shares in accordance
with the provisions of this Section 9. As promptly as practicable and in any
event within five business days after the surrender of the Substitute Option
and/or certificates representing Substitute Shares and the receipt of such
notice or notices relating thereto, the Substitute Option Issuer shall deliver
or cause to be delivered to the Substitute Option Holder the Substitute Option
Repurchase Price and/or to the Substitute Share Owner the Substitute Share
Repurchase Price therefor or the portion thereof which the Substitute Option
Issuer is not then prohibited under applicable law and regulation from so
delivering.
(c) To the extent that the Substitute Option Issuer is prohibited under
applicable law or regulation, or as a consequence of administrative policy,
from repurchasing the Substitute Option and/or the Substitute Shares in part
or in full, the Substitute Option Issuer shall immediately so notify the
Substitute Option Holder and/or the Substitute Share Owner and thereafter
deliver or cause to be delivered, from time to time, to the Substitute Option
Holder and/or the Substitute Share Owner, as appropriate, the portion of the
Substitute Option Repurchase Price and/or the Substitute Share Repurchase
Price, respectively, which it is no longer prohibited from delivering, within
five (5) business days after the date on which the Substitute Option Issuer is
no longer so prohibited; provided, however, that if the Substitute Option
Issuer is at any time after delivery of a notice of repurchase pursuant to
subsection (b) of this Section 9 prohibited under applicable law or
regulation, or as a consequence of administrative policy, from delivering to
the Substitute Option Holder and/or the Substitute Share Owner, as
appropriate, the Substitute Option Repurchase Price and the Substitute Share
Repurchase Price, respectively, in full (and the Substitute Option Issuer
shall use its reasonable best efforts to receive all required regulatory and
legal approvals as promptly as practicable in order to accomplish such
repurchase), the Substitute Option Holder and/or Substitute Share Owner may
revoke its notice of repurchase of the Substitute Option or the Substitute
Shares either in whole or to the extent of prohibition, whereupon, in the
latter case, the Substitute Option Issuer shall promptly (i) deliver to the
Substitute Option Holder or Substitute Share Owner, as appropriate, that
portion of the Substitute Option Repurchase Price or the Substitute Share
Repurchase Price that the Substitute Option Issuer is not prohibited from
delivering; and (ii) deliver, as appropriate, either (A) to the Substitute
Option Holder, a new Substitute Option evidencing the right of the Substitute
Option Holder to purchase that number of shares of the Substitute Common Stock
obtained by multiplying the number of shares of the Substitute Common Stock
for which the surrendered Substitute Option was exercisable at the time of
delivery of the notice of repurchase by a fraction, the numerator of which is
the Substitute Option Repurchase Price less the portion thereof theretofore
delivered to the Substitute Option Holder and the denominator of which is the
Substitute Option Repurchase Price, and/or (B) to the Substitute Share Owner,
a certificate for the Substitute Option Shares it is then so prohibited from
repurchasing. If an Exercise Termination Event shall have occurred prior to
the date of the notice by the Substitute Option Issuer described in the first
sentence of this subsection (c), or shall be scheduled to occur at any time
before the expiration of a period ending on the thirtieth day after such date,
the Substitute Option Holder shall nevertheless have the right to exercise the
Substitute Option until the expiration of such 30-day period.
10. The 30-day, 6-month, 12-month, 18-month or 24-month periods for
exercise of certain rights under Sections 2, 6, 7, 9, 12 and 14 shall be
extended: (i) to the extent necessary to obtain all regulatory approvals for
the exercise of such rights (for so long as the Holder, Owner, Substitute
Option Holder or Substitute Share Owner, as the case may be, is using
commercially reasonable efforts to obtain such regulatory approvals), and for
<PAGE>
the expiration of all statutory waiting periods; and (ii) to the extent
necessary to avoid liability under Section 16(b) of the 1934 Act by reason of
such exercise.
11. Issuer hereby represents and warrants to Grantee as follows:
(a) Issuer has full corporate power and authority to execute and deliver
this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. The
execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby have been duly and validly authorized by the
Issuer Board prior to the date hereof and no other corporate proceedings on
the part of Issuer are necessary to authorize this Agreement or to consummate
the transactions so contemplated. This Agreement has been duly and validly
executed and delivered by Issuer.
(b) Issuer has taken all necessary corporate action to authorize and
reserve and to permit it to issue, and at all times from the date hereof
through the termination of this Agreement in accordance with its terms will
have reserved for issuance upon the exercise of the Option, that number of
shares of Common Stock equal to the maximum number of shares of Common Stock
at any time and from time to time issuable hereunder, and all such shares,
upon issuance pursuant thereto, will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully
paid, nonassessable, and will be delivered free and clear of all claims,
liens, encumbrance and security interests and not subject to any preemptive
rights.
12. Neither of the parties hereto may assign any of its rights or
obligations under this Agreement or the Option created hereunder to any other
person, without the express written consent of the other party, except that in
the event a Subsequent Triggering Event shall have occurred prior to an
Exercise Termination Event, Grantee, subject to the express provisions hereof,
may assign in whole or in part its rights and obligations hereunder; provided,
however, that until the date 15 days following the date on which the OTS has
approved an application by Grantee to acquire the shares of Common Stock
subject to the Option, Grantee may not assign its rights under the Option
except in (i) a widely dispersed public distribution, (ii) a private
placement in which no one party acquires the right to purchase in excess of 2%
of the voting shares of Issuer, (iii) an assignment to a single party (e.g., a
broker or investment banker) for the purpose of conducting a widely dispersed
public distribution on Grantee's behalf or (iv) any other manner approved by
the OTS.
13. Each of Grantee and Issuer will use its reasonable best efforts to
make all filings with, and to obtain consents of, all third parties and
governmental authorities necessary to the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, including, without limitation, applying to the
OTS under the SLHCA for approval to acquire the shares issuable hereunder, but
Grantee shall not be obligated to apply to applicable banking authorities for
approval to acquire the shares of Common Stock issuable hereunder until such
time, if ever, as it deems appropriate to do so.
14. (a) Grantee may, at any time following a Repurchase Event and prior
to the occurrence of an Exercise Termination Event (or such later period as
provided in Section 10), relinquish the Option (together with any Option
Shares issued to and then owned by Grantee) to Issuer in exchange for a cash
fee equal to the Surrender Price; provided, however, that Grantee may not
exercise its rights pursuant to this Section 14 if Issuer has repurchased the
Option (or any portion thereof) or any Option Shares pursuant to Section 7.
The "Surrender Price" shall be equal to $1.4 million (i) plus, if applicable,
Grantee's purchase price with respect to any Option Shares and (ii) minus, if
applicable, the excess of (B) the net cash amounts, if any, received by
Grantee pursuant to the arms' length sale of Option Shares (or any other
securities into which such Option Shares were converted or exchanged) to any
unaffiliated party, over (B) Grantee's purchase price of such Option Shares.
<PAGE>
(b) Grantee may exercise its right to relinquish the Option and any
Option Shares pursuant to this Section 14 by surrendering to Issuer, at its
principal office, a copy of this Agreement together with certificates for
Option Shares, if any, accompanied by a written notice stating (i) that
Grantee elects to relinquish the Option and Option Shares, if any, in
accordance with the provisions of this Section 14 and (ii) the Surrender
Price. The Surrender Price shall be payable in immediately available funds
on or before the second business day following receipt of such notice by
Issuer.
(c) To the extent that Issuer is prohibited under applicable law or
regulation, or as a consequence of administrative policy, from paying the
Surrender Price to Grantee in full, Issuer shall immediately so notify Grantee
and thereafter deliver or cause to be delivered, from time to time, to
Grantee, the portion of the Surrender Price that it is no longer prohibited
from paying, within five business days after the date on which Issuer is no
longer so prohibited; provided, however, that if Issuer at any time after
delivery of a notice of surrender pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section 14
is prohibited under applicable law or regulation, or as a consequence of
administrative policy, from paying to Grantee the Surrender Price in full, (i)
Issuer shall (A) use its reasonable best efforts to obtain all required
regulatory and legal approvals and to file any required notices as promptly as
practicable in order to make such payments, (B) within five days of the
submission or receipt of any documents relating to any such regulatory and
legal approvals, provide Grantee with copies of the same, and (c) keep Grantee
advised of both the status of any such request for regulatory and legal
approvals, as well as any discussions with any relevant regulatory or other
third party reasonably related to the same and (ii) Grantee may revoke such
notice of surrender by delivery of a notice of revocation to Issuer and, upon
delivery of such notice of revocation, the Exercise Termination Date shall be
extended to a date six months from the date on which the Exercise Termination
Date would have occurred if not for the provisions of this Section 14(c)
(during which period Grantee may exercise any of its rights hereunder,
including any and all rights pursuant to this Section 14).
15. The parties hereto acknowledge that damages would be an inadequate
remedy for a breach of this Agreement by either party hereto and that the
obligations of the parties hereto shall be enforceable by either party hereto
through injunctive or other equitable relief. In connection therewith both
parties waive the posting of any bond or similar requirement.
16. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction contained in this
Agreement is held by a court or a federal or state regulatory agency of
competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of
the terms, provisions and covenants and restrictions contained in this
Agreement shall remain in full force and effect, and shall in no way be
affected, impaired or invalidated. If for any reason such court or regulatory
agency determines that the Holder is not permitted to acquire, or Issuer is
not permitted to repurchase pursuant to Section 7, the full number of shares
of Common Stock provided in Section l(a) hereof (as adjusted pursuant to
Section l(b) or Section 5 hereof), it is the express intention of Issuer to
allow the Holder to acquire or to require Issuer to repurchase such lesser
number of shares as may be permissible, without any amendment or modification
hereof.
17. All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications
hereunder shall be deemed to have been duly given when delivered in person, by
fax, telecopy, or by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return
receipt requested) at the respective addresses of the parties set forth in the
Merger Agreement.
18. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with
the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflict of law
<PAGE>
principles thereof (except to the extent that mandatory provisions of Federal
law are applicable).
19. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which shall constitute one
and the same agreement.
20. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, each of the parties
hereto shall bear and pay all costs and expenses incurred by it or on its
behalf in connection with the transactions contemplated hereunder, including
fees and expenses of its own financial consultants, investment bankers,
accountants and counsel.
21. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein or in the Merger
Agreement, this Agreement contains the entire agreement between the parties
with respect to the transactions contemplated hereunder and supersedes all
prior arrangements or understandings with respect thereof, written or oral.
The terms and conditions of this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and
be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and
permitted assignees. Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, is
intended to confer upon any party, other than the parties hereto, and their
respective successors except as assignees, any rights, remedies, obligations
or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement, except as expressly
provided herein.
22. Capitalized terms used in this Agreement and not defined herein
shall have the meanings assigned thereto in the Merger Agreement.
<PAGE>
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has caused this Agreement to be
executed on its behalf by its officers thereunto duly authorized, all as of
the date first above written.
AMBANC HOLDING CO., INC. AFSALA BANCORP, INC.
By: /s/ Robert J. Brittain By: /s/ John M. Liscki
------------------------ -----------------------------
Name: Robert J. Brittain Name: John M. Lisicki
Title: President and Chief Title: President and Chief
Executive Officer Executive Officer
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT 99
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Ambanc Holding Co, Inc., Robert J. Brittain, President and Chief Executive
Officer
(518) 842-7200
AFSALA Bancorp, Inc., John M. Lisicki, Chairman, President and Chief Executive
Officer
(518) 842- 5700
AMBANC HOLDING CO., INC. TO MERGE WITH AFSALA BANCORP, INC.
Amsterdam, NY - (April 23, 1998) Ambanc Holding Co., Inc. and AFSALA
Bancorp, Inc., announced they have signed a definitive agreement to merge
AFSALA Bancorp, Inc. with Ambanc Holding Co., Inc. The transaction will be a
tax-free, stock for stock exchange of 1.07 shares of Ambanc common stock for
all outstanding shares of AFSALA, for a total value of approximately $30
million. Pending regulatory and shareholder approval, the acquisition is
expected to be completed in the fourth quarter, 1998. In connection with the
merger, AFSALA has approved an option to Ambanc to purchase 19.9% of its
common stock, excercisable under certain circumstances.
AFSALA Bancorp, Inc., which is headquartered in Amsterdam, New York has
assets of $166 million, and deposits of $139 million. John M. Lisicki,
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of AFSALA Bancorp will become
the President and Chief Executive Officer of the combined bank immediately
following the consummation of the merger, and President and Chief Executive
Officer of the holding company no later than January 1, 1999, following the
retirement of Robert J. Brittain, the current President of Ambanc Holding Co.
The combined bank will be renamed at a later date.
As a result of the merger, Ambanc will have approximately $670 million in
assets, $470 million in deposits, and 18 offices. "A partnership between
Ambanc and AFSALA presents tremendous opportunities," says President and CEO
of Ambanc, Robert Brittain. "This merger will allow us to provide even
greater access to our complete line of bank products and services and will
strengthen our position as the dominant bank in terms of total deposits. In
addition, this merger will resolve our management succession issues, allowing
me to retire knowing that a capable and experienced executive, and an
Amsterdam native, will be guiding Ambanc into the 21st century."
AFSALA Chairman, President and CEO, John M. Lisicki, stated, "We've built
a successful franchise and are pleased to partner with such a strong local
organization. The coming together of these two companies - companies that
have enjoyed a long tradition of success and respect in the communities that
they serve - provides a win/win situation for customers and shareholders. We
believe that the shareholders of the company become the owners of a premier
franchise in our market area and I am pleased and honored in accepting the
challenge of leading this combined entity. We will work hard at finding ways
to combine operating systems, integrate businesses, cut costs and coordinate
activities, without harming employee morale or disrupting customer
relationships. I believe this to be an exciting opportunity for both
companies and I am looking forward to the process of increasing franchise
value."
<PAGE>
Ambanc's common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Stock Market under the
symbol "AHCI". AFSALA's common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Stock Market
under the symbol "AFED".
-End-
