GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
CECIL BANCORP, INC.
Dated as of November 30, 2006
GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
This GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (the
“Guarantee”), dated as of November 30, 2006, is
executed and delivered by Cecil Bancorp, Inc., a bank holding
company incorporated in Maryland (the “Guarantor”), and
Wilmington Trust Company, a Delaware banking corporation, as
trustee (the “Guarantee Trustee”), for the benefit of
the Holders (as defined herein) from time to time of the Capital
Securities (as defined herein) of Cecil Bancorp Capital Trust II, a
Delaware statutory trust (the “Issuer”).
WHEREAS, pursuant to an Amended
and Restated Declaration of Trust (the “Declaration”),
dated as of November 30, 2006, among the trustees named therein of
the Issuer, Cecil Bancorp, Inc., as sponsor, and the Holders from
time to time of undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the
Issuer, the Issuer is issuing on the date hereof securities, having
an aggregate liquidation amount of up to $7,000,000, designated the
Capital Securities (the “Capital Securities”);
and
WHEREAS, as incentive for the
Holders to purchase the Capital Securities, the Guarantor desires
irrevocably and unconditionally to agree, to the extent set forth
in this Guarantee, to pay to the Holders of Capital Securities the
Guarantee Payments (as defined herein) and to make certain other
payments on the terms and conditions set forth herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration
of the purchase by each Holder of the Capital Securities, which
purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit the Guarantor,
the Guarantor executes and delivers this Guarantee for the benefit
of the Holders.
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ARTICLE I
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DEFINITIONS AND
INTERPRETATION
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Section .1.
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Definitions
and Interpretation .
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In this Guarantee, unless the
context otherwise requires:
(a) capitalized terms used in
this Guarantee but not defined in the preamble above have the
respective meanings assigned to them in this Section
1.1;
(b) a term defined anywhere in
this Guarantee has the same meaning throughout;
(c) all references to “the
Guarantee” or “this Guarantee” are to this
Guarantee as modified, supplemented or amended from time to
time;
(d) all references in this
Guarantee to Articles and Sections are to Articles and Sections of
this Guarantee, unless otherwise specified;
(e) terms defined in the
Declaration as of the date of execution of this Guarantee have the
same meanings when used in this Guarantee, unless otherwise defined
in this Guarantee or unless the context otherwise requires;
and
(f) a reference to the singular
includes the plural and vice versa.
“Beneficiaries” means
any Person to whom the Issuer is or hereafter becomes indebted or
liable.
“Corporate Trust
Office” means the office of the Guarantee Trustee at which
the corporate trust business of the Guarantee Trustee shall, at any
particular time, be principally administered, which office at the
date of execution of this Guarantee is located at Rodney Square
North
1100 North Market Street,
Wilmington, DE 19890-0001.
“Covered Person”
means any Holder of Capital Securities.
“Debentures” means
the junior subordinated debentures of Cecil Bancorp, Inc.,
designated the Floating Rate Junior Subordinated Debt Securities
due 2037, held by the Institutional Trustee (as defined in the
Declaration) of the Issuer.
“Event of Default”
has the meaning set forth in Section 2.4.
“Guarantee Payments”
means the following payments or distributions, without duplication,
with respect to the Capital Securities, to the extent not paid or
made by the Issuer: (i) any accrued and unpaid Distributions (as
defined in the Declaration) which are required to be paid on such
Capital Securities to the extent the Issuer has funds available in
the Property Account (as defined in the Declaration) therefor at
such time, (ii) the Redemption Price (as defined in the Indenture)
to the extent the Issuer has funds available in the Property
Account therefor at such time, with respect to the Capital
Securities at maturity or any Capital Securities called for
redemption by the Issuer, (iii) the Special Redemption Price (as
defined in the Indenture) to the extent the Issuer has funds
available in the Property Account therefor at such time, with
respect to Capital Securities called for redemption upon the
occurrence of a Special Event (as defined in the Indenture), and
(iv) upon a voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution,
winding-up or termination of the Issuer (other than in connection
with the distribution of Debentures to the Holders of the Capital
Securities in exchange therefor as provided in the Declaration),
the lesser of (a) the aggregate of the liquidation amount and all
accrued and unpaid Distributions on the Capital Securities to the
date of payment, to the extent the Issuer has funds available in
the Property Account therefor at such time, and (b) the amount of
assets of the Issuer remaining available for distribution to
Holders in liquidation of the Issuer after satisfaction of
liabilities to creditors of the Issuer as required by applicable
law (in either case, the “Liquidation
Distribution”).
“Guarantee Trustee”
means Wilmington Trust Company, until a Successor Guarantee Trustee
has been appointed and has accepted such appointment pursuant to
the terms of this Guarantee and thereafter means each such
Successor Guarantee Trustee.
“Holder” means any
holder, as registered on the books and records of the Issuer, of
any Capital Securities; provided , however , that, in
determining whether the holders of the requisite percentage of
Capital Securities have given any request, notice, consent or
waiver hereunder, “Holder” shall not include the
Guarantor or any Affiliate of the Guarantor.
“Indemnified Person”
means the Guarantee Trustee (including in its individual capacity),
any Affiliate of the Guarantee Trustee, or any officers, directors,
shareholders, members, partners, employees, representatives,
nominees, custodians or agents of the Guarantee Trustee.
“Indenture” means the
Indenture, dated as of November 30, 2006, between the Guarantor and
Wilmington Trust Company, not in its individual capacity but solely
as trustee, and any indenture supplemental thereto pursuant to
which the Debentures are to be issued to the Institutional Trustee
of the Issuer.
“Liquidation
Distribution” has the meaning set forth in the definition of
“Guarantee Payments” herein.
“Majority in liquidation
amount of the Capital Securities” means Holder(s) of
outstanding Capital Securities, voting together as a class, but
separately from the holders of Common Securities, of more than 50%
of the aggregate liquidation amount (including the stated amount
that would be paid on redemption, liquidation or otherwise, plus
accrued and unpaid Distributions to, but excluding, the date upon
which the voting percentages are determined) of all Capital
Securities then outstanding.
“Obligations” means
any costs, expenses or liabilities (but not including liabilities
related to taxes) of the Issuer, other than obligations of the
Issuer to pay to holders of any Trust Securities the amounts due
such holders pursuant to the terms of the Trust
Securities.
“Officer’s
Certificate” means, with respect to any Person, a certificate
signed by one Authorized Officer of such Person. Any
Officer’s Certificate delivered with respect to compliance
with a condition or covenant provided for in this Guarantee shall
include:
(a) a statement that each officer
signing the Officer’s Certificate has read the covenant or
condition and the definitions relating thereto;
(b) a brief statement of the
nature and scope of the examination or investigation undertaken by
each officer in rendering the Officer’s
Certificate;
(c) a statement that each such
officer has made such examination or investigation as, in such
officer’s opinion, is necessary to enable such officer to
express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or
condition has been complied with; and
(d) a statement as to whether, in
the opinion of each such officer, such condition or covenant has
been complied with.
“Person” means a
legal person, including any individual, corporation, estate,
partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company,
limited liability company, trust, unincorporated association, or
government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any
other entity of whatever nature.
“Responsible Officer”
means, with respect to the Guarantee Trustee, any officer within
the Corporate Trust Office of the Guarantee Trustee with direct
responsibility for the administration of any matters relating to
this Guarantee, including any vice president, any assistant vice
president, any secretary, any assistant secretary, the treasurer,
any assistant treasurer, any trust officer or other officer of the
Corporate Trust Office of the Guarantee Trustee customarily
performing functions similar to those performed by any of the above
designated officers and also means, with respect to a particular
corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such matter is
referred because of that officer’s knowledge of and
familiarity with the particular subject.
“Successor Guarantee
Trustee” means a successor Guarantee Trustee possessing the
qualifications to act as Guarantee Trustee under Section
3.1.
“Trust Securities”
means the Common Securities and the Capital Securities.
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ARTICLE II
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POWERS, DUTIES
AND RIGHTS OF THE GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
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Section .1.
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Powers and
Duties of the Guarantee Trustee .
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(a) This Guarantee shall be held
by the Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of the Holders of the
Capital Securities, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer
this Guarantee to any Person except a Holder of Capital Securities
exercising his or her rights pursuant to Section 4.4(b) or to a
Successor Guarantee Trustee on acceptance by such Successor
Guarantee Trustee of its appointment to act as Successor Guarantee
Trustee. The right, title and interest of the Guarantee Trustee
shall automatically vest in any Successor Guarantee Trustee, and
such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective whether or
not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered
pursuant to the appointment of such Successor Guarantee
Trustee.
(b) If an Event of Default
actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee
has occurred and is continuing, the Guarantee Trustee shall enforce
this Guarantee for the benefit of the Holders of the Capital
Securities.
(c) The Guarantee Trustee, before
the occurrence of any Event of Default and after the curing or
waiving of all Events of Default that may have occurred, shall
undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth
in this Guarantee, and no implied covenants shall be read into this
Guarantee against the Guarantee Trustee. In case an Event of
Default has occurred (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to
Section 2.4(b)) and is actually known to a Responsible Officer of
the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of
the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee, and use the
same degree of care and skill in its exercise thereof, as a prudent
person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct
of his or her own affairs.
(d) No provision of this
Guarantee shall be construed to relieve the Guarantee Trustee from
liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure
to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that:
(i) prior to the occurrence of
any Event of Default and after the curing or waiving of all Events
of Default that may have occurred:
(A) the duties and obligations of
the Guarantee Trustee shall be determined solely by the express
provisions of this Guarantee, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not
be liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations
as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee, and no implied
covenants or obligations shall be read into this Guarantee against
the Guarantee Trustee; and
(B) in the absence of bad faith
on the part of the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee may
conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the
correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any
certificates or opinions furnished to the Guarantee Trustee and
conforming to the requirements of this Guarantee; but in the case
of any such certificates or opinions furnished to the Guarantee
Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the
same to determine whether or not on their face they conform to the
requirements of this Guarantee;
(ii) the Guarantee Trustee shall
not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a
Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be
proved that such Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee or
the Guarantee Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent
facts upon which such judgment was made;
(iii) the Guarantee Trustee shall
not be liable with respect to any action taken or omitted to be
taken by it in good faith in accordance with the written direction
of the Holders of not less than a Majority in liquidation amount of
the Capital Securities relating to the time, method and place of
conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee
Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the
Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee; and
(iv) no provision of this
Guarantee shall require the Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its
own funds or otherwise incur personal financial liability in the
performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its
rights or powers, if the Guarantee Trustee shall have reasonable
grounds for believing that the repayment of such funds is not
reasonably assured to it under the terms of this Guarantee, or
security and indemnity, reasonably satisfactory to the Guarantee
Trustee, against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured
to it.
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Section .1.
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Certain
Rights of the Guarantee Trustee .
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(a) Subject to the provisions of
Section 2.1:
(i) The Guarantee Trustee may
conclusively rely, and shall be fully protected in acting or
refraining from acting upon, any resolution, certificate,
statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction,
consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of
indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be
genuine and to have been signed, sent or presented by the proper
party or parties.
(ii) Any direction or act of the
Guarantor contemplated by this Guarantee shall be sufficiently
evidenced by an Officer’s Certificate.
(iii) Whenever, in the
administration of this Guarantee, the Guarantee Trustee shall deem
it desirable that a matter be proved or established before taking,
suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee
(unless other evidence is herein specifically prescribed) may, in
the absence of bad faith on its part, request and conclusively rely
upon an Officer’s Certificate of the Guarantor which, upon
receipt of such request, shall be promptly delivered by the
Guarantor.
(iv) The Guarantee Trustee shall
have no duty to see to any recording, filing or registration of any
instrument or other writing (or any rerecording, refiling or
reregistration thereof).
(v) The Guarantee Trustee may
consult with counsel of its selection, and the advice or opinion of
such counsel with respect to legal matters shall be full and
complete authorization and protection in respect of any action
taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in
accordance with such advice or opinion. Such counsel may be counsel
to the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates and may include any of
its employees. The Guarantee Trustee shall have the right at any
time to seek instructions concerning the administration of this
Guarantee from any court of competent jurisdiction.
(vi) The Guarantee Trustee shall
be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers
vested in it by this Guarantee at the request or direction of any
Holder, unless such Holder shall have provided to the Guarantee
Trustee such security and indemnity, reasonably satisfactory to the
Guarantee Trustee, against the costs, expenses (including
attorneys’ fees and expenses and the expenses of the
Guarantee Trustee’s agents, nominees or custodians) and
liabilities that might be incurred by it in complying with such
request or direction, including such reasonable advances as may be
requested by the Guarantee Trustee; provided ,
however , that nothing contained in this Section 2.2(a)(vi)
shall be taken to relieve the Guarantee Trustee, upon the
occurrence of an Event of Default, of its obligation to exercise
the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee.
(vii) The Guarantee Trustee shall
not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters
stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument,
opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond,
debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or
document, but the Guarantee Trustee, in its discretion, may make
such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as
it may see fit.
(viii) The Guarantee Trustee may
execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties
hereunder either directly or by or through agents, nominees,
custodians or attorneys, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be
responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any
agent or attorney appointed with due care by it
hereunder.
(ix) Any action taken by the
Guarantee Trustee or its agents hereunder shall bind the Holders of
the Capital Securities, and the signature of the Guarantee Trustee
or its agents alone shall be sufficient and effective to perform
any such action. No third party shall be required to inquire as to
the authority of the Guarantee Trustee to so act or as to its
compliance with any of the terms and provisions of this Guarantee,
both of which shall be conclusively evidenced by the Guarantee
Trustee’s or its agent’s taking such action.
(x) Whenever in the
administration of this Guarantee the Guarantee Trustee shall deem
it desirable to receive instructions with respect to enforcing any
remedy or right or taking any other action hereunder, the Guarantee
Trustee (A) may request instructions from the Holders of a Majority
in liquidation amount of the Capital Securities, (B) may refrain
from enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action
until such instructions are received and (C) shall be protected in
conclusively relying on or acting in accordance with such
instructions.
(xi) The Guarantee Trustee shall
not be liable for any action taken, suffered, or omitted to be
taken by it in good faith and reasonably believed by it to be
authorized or within the discretion or rights or powers conferred
upon it by this Guarantee.
(b) No provision of this
Guarantee shall be deemed to impose any duty or obligation on the
Guarantee Trustee to perform any act or acts or exercise any right,
power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it, in any
jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal or in which the Guarantee
Trustee shall be unqualified or incompetent in accordance with
applicable law to perform any such act or acts or to exercise any
such right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or
authority available to the Guarantee Trustee shall be construed to
be a duty.
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Section .1.
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Not
Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Guarantee
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The recitals contained in this
Guarantee shall be taken as the statements of the Guarantor, and
the Guarantee Trustee does not assume any responsibility for their
correctness. The Guarantee Trustee makes no representation as to
the validity or sufficiency of this Guarantee.