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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 FORM 8-K 

 

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

August 14, 2025

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)

 

Southside Bancshares, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

 

Texas 000-12247 75-1848732
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation)
(Commission File Number) (IRS Employer Identification No.)

 

1201 S. Beckham Avenue, Tyler, TX   75701
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (903) 531-7111

 

NA

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
   
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
   
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
   
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class   Trading Symbol   Name of each exchange on which registered
Common stock, $1.25 par value   SBSI   New York Stock Exchange

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).  
   
  Emerging growth company ¨
     
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨

 

 

 

 

 

 

Item 1.01.Entry Into a Material Definitive Agreement.

 

On August 14, 2025, Southside Bancshares, Inc. (the “Company”) completed its previously-announced public offering (the “Offering”) of $150,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 7.00% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2035 (the “Notes”). The Notes were offered and sold pursuant to the Company’s registration statement on Form S-3ASR (Registration No. 333-271518) filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on April 28, 2023, and the base prospectus, dated April 28, 2023, contained therein, as supplemented by the preliminary prospectus supplement, filed with the Commission on August 7, 2025, and a final prospectus supplement, filed with the Commission on August 8, 2025, relating to the Notes. The Notes are intended to qualify as Tier 2 capital for regulatory purposes. The net proceeds of the Offering were approximately $147,750,000, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions but before deducting Offering expenses payable by the Company. The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering for general corporate purposes, which may include, but are not limited to, the redemption of all or less than all of the Company’s outstanding 3.875% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2030 (the “2030 Subordinated Notes”) on November 15, 2025, repayment or refinancing of other outstanding indebtedness, repurchasing shares of the Company’s common stock, acquisitions of other companies and such other purposes indicated in the applicable pricing supplement.

 

The Notes were issued pursuant to the Indenture, dated as of August 14, 2025 (the “Base Indenture”), between the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture (the “Supplemental Indenture”), dated as of August 14, 2025 (as so supplemented, the “Indenture”), between the Company and the Trustee.

 

From and including the date of issuance to, but excluding, August 15, 2030, or earlier redemption date, the Notes will bear interest at an initial fixed rate of 7.00% per annum, payable semi-annually in arrears on February 15 and August 15 of each year, commencing on February 15, 2026. From and including August 15, 2030, to, but excluding, August 15, 2035, or earlier redemption date, the Notes will bear interest at a floating rate per annum equal to a benchmark rate, which is expected to be Three-Month Term SOFR (as defined in the Supplemental Indenture), plus 357 basis points, payable quarterly in arrears on February 15, May 15, August 15 and November 15 of each year, commencing on November 15, 2030. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the benchmark rate is less than zero, then the benchmark rate shall be deemed to be zero.

 

The Company may, at its option, redeem the Notes in whole or in part beginning with the interest payment date of August 15, 2030, and on any interest payment date thereafter. The Company may also redeem the Notes, in whole but not in part, upon the occurrence of a “Tax Event” or a “Tier 2 Capital Event” (as defined in the Supplemental Indenture) or the Company becoming required to register as an investment company pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The redemption price for any redemption is 100% of the principal amount of the Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon, to but excluding, the date of redemption. Any early redemption of the Notes will be subject to receipt of the approval of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to the extent required under applicable laws or regulations, including capital regulations. The Notes will not have the benefit of any sinking fund.

 

The Notes are unsecured, subordinated obligations of the Company and (i) rank junior to all of the Company’s existing and future senior indebtedness; (ii) rank equal in right of payment with any of the Company’s existing and future subordinated indebtedness, including the Company’s outstanding 2030 Subordinated Notes; (iii) rank senior to the Company’s existing junior subordinated debt securities and any of the Company’s future indebtedness the terms of which provide that such indebtedness ranks junior in right of payment of the Notes; (iv) are effectively subordinated to all of the Company’s secured indebtedness to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness; and (v) are structurally subordinated to all of the existing and future liabilities and obligations of the Company’s subsidiaries, including deposit liabilities and claims of other creditors of the Company’s bank subsidiary, Southside Bank.

 

The Indenture provides that the maturity of the Notes may only be accelerated upon the occurrence of certain events related to the bankruptcy or insolvency of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary, or certain events related to the insolvency of Southside Bank. There is no right of acceleration of the payment of principal of the Notes upon a default in the payment of principal of or interest on the Notes or in the performance of any of the Company’s covenants or agreements contained in the Notes, in the Indenture or any of the Company’s other obligations or liabilities.

 

 

 

 

The foregoing descriptions of the Base Indenture and the Supplemental Indenture do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of such documents. For a complete description of the Base Indenture and the Supplemental Indenture, which includes the form of the Notes, please refer to the Base Indenture, attached as Exhibit 4.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K, and the Supplemental Indenture, attached as Exhibit 4.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K, which are incorporated herein by reference. The form of the Notes is included in Exhibit 4.3 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

A copy of the opinion of Alston & Bird LLP, counsel to the Company, relating to the legality of the Notes is filed as Exhibit 5.1 hereto.

 

The Company is filing this Current Report on Form 8-K to file with the Commission certain items related to the Offering of the Notes that are to be incorporated by reference into its Registration Statement on Form S-3ASR (Registration No. 333-271518).

 

Item 2.03.Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.

 

The information set forth above under Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated by reference into this Item 2.03.

 

Item 9.01Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(D) Exhibits.  The following materials are furnished as exhibits to this Current Report on Form 8-K:

 

Exhibit
Number
  Description of Exhibit
4.1   Indenture, dated August 14, 2025, between Southside Bancshares, Inc. and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee.
4.2   First Supplemental Indenture, dated August 14, 2025, between Southside Bancshares, Inc. and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee.
4.3   Form of 7.00% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2035 (included in Exhibit 4.2).
5.1   Opinion of Alston & Bird LLP, counsel to the Company, as to the validity of the Notes.
23.1   Consent of Alston & Bird LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1 hereof).
104   Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within Inline XBRL document).

 

 

 

 

SIGNATURE

 

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 hereunto duly authorized.

 

    Southside Bancshares, Inc.
     
Date: August 14, 2025 By: /s/ JULIE N. SHAMBURGER
    Julie N. Shamburger, CPA
    Chief Financial Officer
    (Principal Financial Officer)

 

 

 

Exhibit 4.1

SOUTHSIDE BANCSHARES, INC.,
Issuer

and

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
Trustee

INDENTURE

Dated as of August 14, 2025

Subordinated Securities

Table of Contents

Article I DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION 1
Section 1.01 Definitions 1
Section 1.02 Compliance Certificates and Opinions 7
Section 1.03 Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee 8
Section 1.04 Acts of Holders; Record Dates 8
Section 1.05 Notices, Etc., to Trustee and Company 10
Section 1.06 Notice to Holders; Waiver 10
Section 1.07 Conflict with Trust Indenture Act 11
Section 1.08 Effect of Headings and Table of Contents 12
Section 1.09 Successors and Assigns 12
Section 1.10 Separability Clause 12
Section 1.11 Benefits of Indenture 12
Section 1.12 Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction 12
Section 1.13 Legal Holidays. 12
Section 1.14 Waiver of Jury Trial 12
Section 1.15 Force Majeure 13
Section 1.16 Severability; Entire Agreement 13
Section 1.17 U.S.A. Patriot Act 13
Article II SECURITY FORMS 13
Section 2.01 Forms Generally 13
Section 2.02 Form of Face of Security 14
Section 2.03 Form of Reverse of Security 16
Section 2.04 Form of Legend for Global Securities 19
Section 2.05 Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication 19
Article III THE SECURITIES 20
Section 3.01 Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series 20
Section 3.02 Denominations 22
Section 3.03 Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating 22
Section 3.04 Temporary Securities 24
Section 3.05 Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange 24
Section 3.06 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities 26
Section 3.07 Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved 26
Section 3.08 Persons Deemed Owners 27
Section 3.09 Cancellation 28
Section 3.10 Computation of Interest 28
Section 3.11 CUSIP Numbers 28
Article IV SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE 28
Section 4.01 Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture 28
Section 4.02 Application of Trust Money 29

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Article V REMEDIES 29
Section 5.01 Events of Default 29
Section 5.02 Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment 31
Section 5.03 Collection and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee 31
Section 5.04 Trustee May File Proofs of Claim 32
Section 5.05 Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities 32
Section 5.06 Application of Money Collected 33
Section 5.07 Limitation on Suits 33
Section 5.08 Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and Interest 34
Section 5.09 Restoration of Rights and Remedies 34
Section 5.10 Rights and Remedies Cumulative 34
Section 5.11 Delay or Omission Not Waiver 34
Section 5.12 Control by Holders 34
Section 5.13 Waiver of Past Defaults 35
Section 5.14 Undertaking for Costs 35
Section 5.15 Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws 36
Article VI THE TRUSTEE 36
Section 6.01 Duties of Trustee 36
Section 6.02 Rights of Trustee 37
Section 6.03 Individual Rights of Trustee 39
Section 6.04 Trustee’s Disclaimer 39
Section 6.05 Notice of Default 39
Section 6.06 Reports by Trustee to Holders 39
Section 6.07 Compensation and Indemnity 39
Section 6.08 Replacement of Trustee 40
Section 6.09 Successor Trustee by Merger, Etc. 41
Section 6.10 Eligibility; Disqualification 42
Section 6.11 Preferential Collection of Claims against Company 42
Article VII HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY 42
Section 7.01 Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders 42
Section 7.02 Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders 42
Section 7.03 Reports by Company 43
Article VIII CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE, TRANSFER OR LEASE 43
Section 8.01 When Company May Merge, Etc. 43
Section 8.02 Successor Substituted 44

ii

Article IX SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES 44
Section 9.01 Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders 44
Section 9.02 Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders 45
Section 9.03 Execution of Supplemental Indentures 46
Section 9.04 Effect of Supplemental Indentures 46
Section 9.05 Conformity with Trust Indenture Act 47
Section 9.06 Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures 47
Section 9.07 Subordination Unimpaired 47
Article X COVENANTS 47
Section 10.01 Payment of Securities 47
Section 10.02 Maintenance of Office or Agency 47
Section 10.03 Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust 48
Section 10.04 Compliance Certificate; Notice of Default 49
Section 10.05 Corporate Existence 49
Section 10.06 Waiver of Certain Covenants 49
Article XI REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES 50
Section 11.01 Applicability of Article 50
Section 11.02 Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee 50
Section 11.03 Selection of Securities to Be Redeemed 50
Section 11.04 Notice of Redemption 51
Section 11.05 Deposit of Redemption Price 51
Section 11.06 Securities Payable on Redemption Date 52
Section 11.07 Securities Redeemed in Part 52
Article XII SINKING FUNDS 52 
Section 12.01 Applicability of Article 52
Section 12.02 Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities 53
Section 12.03 Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund 53
Article XIII DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE 53
Section 13.01 Company’s Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance 53
Section 13.02 Defeasance and Discharge 54
Section 13.03 Covenant Defeasance 54
Section 13.04 Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance 55
Section 13.05 Deposited Money and U.S. Government Obligations to be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions 56
Section 13.06 Reinstatement 57

iii

Article XIV SUBORDINATION OF SECURITIES 57
Section 14.01 Securities Subordinate to Senior Indebtedness 57
Section 14.02 Payment Over of Proceeds Upon Dissolution, Etc. 57
Section 14.03 Prior Payment to Senior Indebtedness Upon Acceleration of Securities 58
Section 14.04 No Payment When Senior Indebtedness in Default 59
Section 14.05 Payment Permitted If No Default 59
Section 14.06 Subrogation to Rights of Holders of Senior Indebtedness 59
Section 14.07 Provisions Solely to Define Relative Rights 60
Section 14.08 Trustee to Effectuate Subordination 60
Section 14.09 No Waiver of Subordination Provisions 60
Section 14.10 Notice to Trustee 61
Section 14.11 Reliance on Judicial Order or Certificate of Liquidating Agent 61
Section 14.12 Trustee Not Fiduciary for Holders of Senior Indebtedness 61
Section 14.13 Rights of Trustee as Holder of Senior Indebtedness; Preservation of Trustee’s Rights 62
Section 14.14 Article Applicable to Paying Agents 62
Section 14.15 Certain Conversions Deemed Payment 62
Section 14.16 Trust Moneys Not Subordinated 62

iv

THIS INDENTURE, dated as of August 14, 2025, between Southside Bancshares, Inc., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of Texas (herein called the “Company”), having its principal office as of the date hereof at 1201 South Beckham Avenue, Tyler, Texas 75701, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, a national banking association, duly organized and existing under the laws of the United States, as Trustee (herein called the “Trustee”).

RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of its unsecured debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (herein called the “Securities”), to be issued in one or more series as in this Indenture provided.

All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Securities by the Holders thereof, it is mutually agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Securities or of series thereof, as follows:

Article I
DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

Section 1.01     Definitions.

For all purposes of this Indenture, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:

(1)            the terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to them in this Article and include the plural as well as the singular;

(2)            all other terms used herein which are defined in the Trust Indenture Act, either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them therein;

(3)            all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and, except as otherwise herein expressly provided, the term GAAP with respect to any computation required or permitted hereunder shall mean such accounting principles as are generally accepted at the date of such computation;

(4)            the words “Article” and “Section” refer to an Article and Section, respectively, of this Indenture;

(5)            the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision; and

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(6)            Certain terms used principally in Articles III, V, XII, XIII and XIV are defined in those Articles. “Act”, when used with respect to any Holder, has the meaning specified in Section 1.04.

“Affiliate” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

“Bankruptcy Default” has the meaning specified in Section 5.01.

“Bankruptcy Law” means Title 11, U.S. Code or any similar Federal, state or foreign law for the relief of debtors.

“Board of Directors” means either the board of directors of the Company or any duly authorized committee of that board.

“Business Day”, when used with respect to any Place of Payment, means each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a federal holiday or any day on which banking institutions in that Place of Payment are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to remain closed.

“Capital Lease Obligation” means, at any time any determination thereof is made, the amount of the liability in respect of a capital lease that would at such time be so required to be capitalized on the balance sheet in accordance with GAAP.

“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, from time to time constituted, created under the Exchange Act or, if at any time after the execution of this instrument such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties at such time.

“Company” means the Person named as the “Company” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Company” shall mean such successor Person.

“Company Request” or “Company Order” means a written request or order signed in the name of the Company by its Chief Executive Officer, its President, its Chief Financial Officer or a Vice President, and by its Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, its Secretary, or an Assistant Secretary, and delivered to the Trustee.

“Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be principally administered, which office at the date hereof is located at Rodney Square North, 1100 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19890, Attention: Southside Bancshares, Inc. Administrator, or such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Company, or the principal corporate trust office of any successor Trustee (or such other address as such successor Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Company).

2

“Corporation” means a corporation, association, company, joint-stock company or business trust.

“Covenant Defeasance” has the meaning specified in Section 13.03.

“Defaulted Interest” has the meaning specified in Section 3.07.

“Defeasance” has the meaning specified in Section 13.02.

“Defeasible Series” has the meaning specified in Section 13.01.

“Depositary” means, with respect to Securities of any series issuable in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities, a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act that is designated to act as Depositary for such Securities as contemplated by Section 3.01.

“Establishment Action” shall mean:

(i)             a resolution duly adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors establishing one or more series of Securities, authorizing the issuance of any Security and/or authorizing any other action that may be taken by the Company in connection with this Indenture or the Securities, or

(ii)            a resolution or action by a committee, officer or employee of the Company, establishing one or more series of Securities, authorizing the issuance of any Security and/or authorizing any other action that may be taken by the Company in connection with this Indenture or the Securities, in each case, pursuant to a resolution duly adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors.

“Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 5.01.

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, and any statute successor thereto.

“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as have been approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession.

“Global Security” means a Security that evidences all or part of the Securities of any series and is authenticated and delivered to, and registered in the name of, the Depositary for such Securities or a nominee thereof.

“Guaranty” means a guarantee (other than by endorsement of negotiable instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business), direct or indirect, in any manner (including, without limitation, letters of credit and reimbursement agreements in respect thereof), or all or any part of any Indebtedness.

3

“Hedging Obligations” means, with respect to any Person, the Obligations of such Person under interest rate swap agreements, interest rate cap agreements, and interest rate collar agreements, and other agreements or arrangements designed to protect such Person against fluctuations in interest rates.

“Holder” means a Person in whose name a Security is registered in the Security Register.

“Indebtedness” means, with respect to any Person, any indebtedness of such Person, whether or not contingent, in respect of borrowed money or evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures of similar instruments or letters of credit (or reimbursement agreements in respect thereof) or representing Capital Lease Obligations or the balance deferred and unpaid of the purchase price of any property or representing any Hedging Obligations, except any such balance that constitutes an accrued expense or trade payable and also includes, to the extent not otherwise included, the Guaranty of any indebtedness of such Person or any other Person.

“Indenture” means this instrument as originally executed or as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof, including, for all purposes of this instrument, and any such supplemental indenture, the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are deemed to be a part of and govern this instrument and any such supplemental indenture, respectively. The term “Indenture” shall also include the terms of particular series of Securities established as contemplated by Section 3.01.

“Interest”, when used with respect to an Original Issue Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity.

“Interest Payment Date”, when used with respect to any Security, means the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Security.

“Maturity”, when used with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due and payable as therein or herein provided, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise.

“Notice of Default” means a written notice of the kind specified in Section 5.01(4).

“Obligations” means any principal, premium, interest, penalties, fees, indemnifications, reimbursements, damages and other liabilities.

“Officers’ Certificate” means a certificate signed by the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer or a Vice President, and by the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary, or an Assistant Secretary, of the Company, and delivered to the Trustee.

“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of counsel, who may be counsel for the Company and who shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, or who may be other counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee.

4

“Original Issue Discount Security” means any Security which provides for an amount less than the principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.02.

“Outstanding”, when used with respect to Securities, means, as of the date of determination, all Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, except:

(1)            Securities theretofore cancelled by the Trustee or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation;

(2)            Securities for whose payment or redemption money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company) in trust or set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own Paying Agent) for the Holders of such Securities; provided that, if such Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made;

(3)            Securities as to which Defeasance has been effected pursuant to Section 13.02; and

(4)            Securities which have been paid pursuant to Section 3.06 or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, other than any such Securities in respect of which there shall have been presented to the Trustee proof satisfactory to it that such Securities are held by a protected purchaser in whose hands such Securities are valid obligations of the Company;

provided, however, that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of the Outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, (A) the principal amount of an Original Issue Discount Security that shall be deemed to be Outstanding shall be the amount of the principal thereof that would be due and payable as of the date of such determination upon acceleration of the Maturity thereof to such date pursuant to Section 5.02, (B) the principal amount of a Security denominated in one or more foreign currencies or currency units shall be the U.S. dollar equivalent, determined in the manner provided as contemplated by Section 3.01 on the date of original issuance of such Security, of the principal amount (or, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security, the U.S. dollar equivalent on the date of original issuance of such Security of the amount determined as provided in clause (A) above) of such Security, and (C) Securities owned by the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Securities which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned which have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Securities and that the pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor.

“Paying Agent” means any Person authorized by the Company to pay the principal of or any premium or interest on any Securities on behalf of the Company.

5

“Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

“Place of Payment”, when used with respect to the Securities of any series, means the place or places where the principal of and any premium and interest on the Securities of that series are payable as specified as contemplated by Section 3.01.

“Predecessor Security” of any particular Security means every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as that evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 3.06 in exchange for or in lieu of a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be deemed to evidence the same debt as the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security.

“Redemption Date”, when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture.

“Redemption Price”, when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed pursuant to this Indenture.

“Regular Record Date” for the interest payable on any Interest Payment Date on the Securities of any series means the date specified for that purpose as contemplated by Section 3.01.

“Responsible Officer”, when used with respect to the Trustee, shall mean any officer within the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee (or any successor group of the Trustee), including any Vice President, Assistant Vice President, Assistant Secretary or any other officer of the 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 such officer’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and, in each case, who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.

“Securities” has the meaning stated in the first recital of this Indenture and more particularly means any Securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture.

“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

“Security Register” and “Security Registrar” have the respective meanings specified in Section 3.05.

“Senior Indebtedness” means the principal of (and premium, if any), accrued interest (including interest accruing on or after the filing in bankruptcy or reorganization relating to the Company whether or not a claim for post-filing interest is allowed in such proceedings), fees, charges, expenses, reimbursement obligations, guarantees and other amounts owing with respect to all Indebtedness of the Company (including Indebtedness of others guaranteed by the Company) other than the Securities, in any such case whether outstanding on the date of this Indenture or the date Securities of any series are issued hereunder or thereafter created, incurred or assumed, unless in any case in the instrument creating or evidencing any such Indebtedness or obligation or pursuant to which the same is outstanding it is provided that such Indebtedness or obligation is not superior in right of payment to the Securities or it is provided that such Indebtedness or obligation is subordinated to senior Indebtedness to substantially the same extent as the Securities are subordinated to Senior Indebtedness.

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“Special Record Date” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest means a date fixed by the Trustee pursuant to Section 3.07.

“Stated Maturity”, when used with respect to any Security or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon, means the date specified in such Security as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal or interest is due and payable.

“Trust Indenture Act” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as in force at the date as of which this instrument was executed; provided, however, that in the event the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is amended after such date, “Trust Indenture Act” means, to the extent required by any such amendment, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as so amended.

“Trustee” means the Person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this instrument in its capacity as such until a successor Trustee shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean or include each Person who is then a Trustee hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Trustee” as used with respect to the Securities of any series shall mean each Trustee with respect to Securities of that series.

“U.S. Government Obligations” has the meaning specified in Section 13.04.

“Vice President”, when used with respect to the Company or the Trustee, means any vice president, whether or not designated by a number or a word or words added before or after the title “vice president”.

Section 1.02     Compliance Certificates and Opinions.

Upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee such certificates and opinions as may be required under the Trust Indenture Act. Each such certificate or opinion shall be given in the form of an Officers’ Certificate, if to be given by an officer of the Company, or an Opinion of Counsel, if to be given by counsel, and shall comply with the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act and any other requirements set forth in this Indenture.

Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include

(1)            a statement that each individual signing such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition and the definitions herein relating thereto;

(2)            a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;

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(3)            a statement that, in the opinion of each such individual, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

(4)            a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Section 1.03      Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee.

In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.

Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, counsel, unless such officer knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based are erroneous. Any such certificate or opinion of counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company, unless such counsel knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.

Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other instruments under this Indenture, they may, but need not, be consolidated and form one instrument.

Section 1.04      Acts of Holders; Record Dates.

Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided or permitted by this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by agent duly appointed in writing; and, except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered to the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company. Such instrument or instruments (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “Act” of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 6.01) conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Company, if made in the manner provided in this Section.

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The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness of such execution or by a certificate of a notary public or other officer authorized by law to take acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the individual signing such instrument or writing acknowledged to him the execution thereof. Where such execution is by a signer acting in a capacity other than his individual capacity, such certificate or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient proof of his authority. The fact and date of the execution of any such instrument or writing, or the authority of the Person executing the same, may also be proved in any other manner which the Trustee deems sufficient.

The ownership of Securities shall be proved by the Security Register.

Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act of the Holder of any Security shall bind every future Holder of the same Security and the Holder of every Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of anything done, omitted or suffered to be done by the Trustee or the Company in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Security.

The Company may, in the circumstances permitted by the Trust Indenture Act, set any day as the record date for the purpose of determining the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series entitled to give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided or permitted by this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series. With regard to any record date set pursuant to this paragraph, the Holders of Outstanding Securities of the relevant series on such record date (or their duly appointed agents), and only such Persons, shall be entitled to give or take the relevant action, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date. With regard to any action that may be given or taken hereunder only by Holders of a requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities of any series (or their duly appointed agents) and for which a record date is set pursuant to this paragraph, the Company may, at its option, set an expiration date after which no such action purported to be given or taken by any Holder shall be effective hereunder unless given or taken on or prior to such expiration date by Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities of such series on such record date (or their duly appointed agents). On or prior to any expiration date set pursuant to this paragraph, the Company may, on one or more occasions at its option, extend such date to any later date.

Nothing in this paragraph shall prevent any Holder (or any duly appointed agent thereof) from giving or taking, after any such expiration date, any action identical to, or, at any time, contrary to or different from, the action or purported action to which such expiration date relates, in which event the Company may set a record date in respect thereof pursuant to this paragraph. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to render ineffective any action taken at any time by the Holders (or their duly appointed agents) of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities of the relevant series on the date such action is so taken. Notwithstanding the foregoing or the Trust Indenture Act, the Company shall not set a record date for, and the provisions of this paragraph shall not apply with respect to, any notice, declaration or direction referred to in the next paragraph.

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The Trustee may set any day as a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series entitled to join in the giving or making of (i) any Notice of Default, (ii) any declaration of acceleration referred to in Section 5.02, if an Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series has occurred and is continuing and the Trustee shall not have given such a declaration to the Company, (iii) any request to institute proceedings referred to in Section 5.07(2) or (iv) any direction referred to in Section 5.12, in each case with respect to Securities of such series. Promptly after any record date is set pursuant to this paragraph, the Trustee shall notify the Company and the Holders of Outstanding Series of such series in writing of any such record date so fixed and the proposed action. The Holders of Outstanding Securities of such series on such record date (or their duly appointed agents), and only such Persons, shall be entitled to join in such notice, declaration or direction, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date; provided that, unless such notice, declaration or direction shall have become effective by virtue of Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities of such series on such record date (or their duly appointed agents) having joined therein on or prior to the 90th day after such record date, such notice, declaration or direction shall automatically and without any action by any Person be cancelled and of no further effect. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to prevent a Holder (or a duly appointed agent thereof) from giving, before or after the expiration of such 90-day period, a notice, declaration or direction contrary to or different from, or, after the expiration of such period, identical to, the notice, declaration or direction to which such record date relates, in which event a new record date in respect thereof shall be set pursuant to this paragraph. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to render ineffective any notice, declaration or direction of the type referred to in this paragraph given at any time to the Trustee and the Company by Holders (or their duly appointed agents) of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities of the relevant series on the date such notice, declaration or direction is so given.

Without limiting the foregoing, a Holder entitled hereunder to give or take any action hereunder with regard to any particular Security may do so with regard to all or any part of the principal amount of such Security or by one or more duly appointed agents each of which may do so pursuant to such appointment with regard to all or any different part of such principal amount.

Section 1.05     Notices, Etc., to Trustee and Company.

Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with,

(1)            the Trustee by any Holder or by the Company shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder if made, given, furnished or filed in writing (which may be via facsimile) to or with the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office, Attention: Southside Bancshares, Inc. Administrator, or

(2)            the Company by the Trustee or by any Holder shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Company addressed to it at the address of its principal office specified in the first paragraph of this instrument or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company.

Section 1.06     Notice to Holders; Waiver.

Where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of any event, such notice shall be sufficiently given (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and (i) if to Holders of certificated, non-Global Securities, mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder affected by such event, at his address as it appears in the Security Register, and (ii) if to Holders of Global Securities, given to the Depositary therefor in accordance with its applicable procedures, in each case, not later than the latest date (if any), and not earlier than the earliest date (if any), prescribed for the giving of such notice. In any case where notice to Holders is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders. Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders shall be filed with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.

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In case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice by mail, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder.

Section 1.07     Conflict with Trust Indenture Act.

If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with a provision of the Trust Indenture Act that is required under such Act to be a part of and govern this Indenture, the latter provision shall control. If any provision of this Indenture modifies or excludes any provision of the Trust Indenture Act that may be so modified or excluded, the latter provision shall be deemed to apply to this Indenture as so modified or to be excluded, as the case may be. Wherever this Indenture refers to a provision of the Trust Indenture Act, such provision is incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Indenture.

The following Trust Indenture Act terms used in this Indenture have the following meanings:

“commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission;

indenture securities” means the Securities;

“indenture security holder” means a Holder;

“indenture to be qualified” means this Indenture;

“indenture trustee” or “institutional trustee” means the Trustee; and

“obligor on the indenture securities” means the Company and any other obligor on the Securities.

All other Trust Indenture Act terms used in this Indenture that are defined by the Trust Indenture Act, defined by the Trust Indenture Act referenced to another statute or defined by any Commission rule and not otherwise defined herein have the meanings defined to them thereby.

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Section 1.08     Effect of Headings and Table of Contents.

The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

Section 1.09     Successors and Assigns.

All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

Section 1.10     Separability Clause.

In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Securities shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 1.11     Benefits of Indenture.

Nothing in this Indenture or in the Securities, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto and their successors hereunder, the holders of Senior Indebtedness and the Holders, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

Section 1.12     Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction.

This Indenture and the Securities shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of the State of New York. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Indenture or the transactions contemplated hereby may be instituted in the federal courts of the United States of America located in the city of New York or the courts of the state of New York in each case located in the city of New York, and each of the parties hereto and the Holders by acceptance of the Securities hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding.

Section 1.13     Legal Holidays.

In any case where any Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date or Stated Maturity of any Security shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or of the Securities (other than a provision of the Securities of any series which specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu of this Section)) payment of interest or principal (and premium, if any) need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date or Redemption Date, or at the Stated Maturity, provided that no interest shall accrue for the intervening period.

Section 1.14     Waiver of Jury Trial.

EACH OF THE COMPANY, THE TRUSTEE, AND THE HOLDERS BY ACCEPTANCE OF THE SECURITIES HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE, THE SECURITIES OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

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Section 1.15     Force Majeure.

In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, any act or provision of any present or future law or regulation or governmental authority, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, labor disputes, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, epidemics, pandemics, quarantines, national emergency, earthquakes, fires, floods, riots, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services or the unavailability of the Federal Reserve Bank wire or telex or other wire or communication facility; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

Section 1.16     Severability; Entire Agreement.

In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Securities shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby. The Trustee, by its execution of this Indenture, hereby accepts the trusts in this Indenture declared and provided, upon the terms and conditions hereinabove set forth. This Indenture, any supplemental indenture hereto and the exhibits hereto or thereto set forth the entire agreement and understanding of the parties related to this transaction and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written.

Section 1.17     U.S.A. Patriot Act.

The parties hereto acknowledge that in accordance with Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (the “USA PATRIOT Act”), the Trustee, like all financial institutions and in order to help fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering, is required to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person or legal entity that establishes a relationship or opens an account with the Trustee. The parties to this Indenture agree that they will provide the Trustee with such information as it may request in order for the Trustee to satisfy the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act.

Article II
SECURITY FORMS

Section 2.01     Forms Generally.

The Securities of each series shall be in substantially the form set forth in this Article, or in such other form as shall be established by or pursuant to an Establishment Action or in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in each case with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by this Indenture, and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may be required to comply with the rules of any securities exchange or as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing such Securities, as evidenced by their execution of the Securities. If the form of Securities of any series is established by action taken pursuant to an Establishment Action, a copy of an appropriate record of such action shall be certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Company Order contemplated by Section 3.03 for the authentication and delivery of such Securities.

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The definitive Securities shall be printed, lithographed or engraved on steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner, all as determined by the officers executing such Securities, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities.

Section 2.02     Form of Face of Security.

[Insert any legend required by the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations thereunder.]

[Insert Global Security legend if required.]

SOUTHSIDE BANCSHARES, INC.

________________________________________________________

No.$

Southside Bancshares, Inc., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of Texas (herein called the “Company”, which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to ______________, or registered assigns, the principal sum of ______________ Dollars on ______________ [if the Security is to bear interest prior to Maturity, insert — , and to pay interest thereon from ______________or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually on ______________ and ______________ in each year, commencing _______________, at the rate of ______% per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment [if applicable, insert — , and at the rate of ______% per annum on any overdue principal and premium and on any overdue installment of interest]. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be the ______________or (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date. Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date and may either be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Securities of this series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the Securities of this series may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully provided in said Indenture].

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[If the Security is not to bear interest prior to Maturity, insert — The principal of this Security shall not bear interest except in the case of a default in payment of principal upon acceleration, upon redemption or at Stated Maturity and in such case the overdue principal of this Security shall bear interest at the rate of ______% per annum, which shall accrue from the date of such default in payment to the date payment of such principal has been made or duly provided for. Interest on any overdue principal shall be payable on demand. Any such interest on any overdue principal that is not so paid on demand shall bear interest at the rate of ______% per annum, which shall accrue from the date of such demand for payment to the date payment of such interest has been made or duly provided for, and such interest shall also be payable on demand.]

Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and [if applicable, insert — any such] interest on this Security will be made at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in ______, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts [if applicable, insert — ; provided, however, that at the option of the Company payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register] [if applicable, insert— ; provided, however, that any such payment in respect of a Global Security shall be made in same-day funds to the applicable Depositary].

Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Security set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature, this Security shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed.

Dated:

SOUTHSIDE BANCSHARES, INC.
By:
Name: 
Title:

Attest:
Name:
Title:

[Insert Trustee’s certificate of authentication.]

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Section 2.03     Form of Reverse of Security.

This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the Company (herein called the “Securities”), issued and to be issued in one or more series under an Indenture, dated as of __________________, 20____ (herein called the “Indenture”), between the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee (herein called the “Trustee”, which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee, the holders of Senior Indebtedness and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof [if applicable, insert —, limited in aggregate principal amount to $_______________].

[If applicable, insert legend regarding conversion procedures.]

[If applicable, insert — The Securities of this series are subject to redemption upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ notice by mail, [if applicable, insert — (1) on _______________ in any year commencing with the year _______________ and ending with the year _______________ through operation of the sinking fund for this series at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount, and (2)] at any time [if applicable, insert — on or after _______________, 20____], as a whole or in part, at the election of the Company, at the following Redemption Prices (expressed as percentages of the principal amount): If redeemed [if applicable, insert — on or before _______________, _____%, and if redeemed] during the 12-month period beginning _______________ of the years indicated,

Year Redemption
Price

and thereafter at a Redemption Price equal to _______% of the principal amount, together in the case of any such redemption [if applicable, insert — (whether through operation of the sinking fund or otherwise)] with accrued interest to the Redemption Date, but interest installments whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to such Redemption Date will be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, of record at the close of business on the relevant Regular Record Dates referred to on the face hereof, all as provided in the Indenture.

[If applicable, insert — The Securities of this series are subject to redemption upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ notice, (1) on _______________ in any year commencing with the year ______________ and ending with the year ______________ through operation of the sinking fund for this series at the Redemption Prices for redemption through operation of the sinking fund (expressed as percentages of the principal amount) set forth in the table below, and (2) at any time [if applicable, insert — on or after _____________], as a whole or in part, at the election of the Company, at the Redemption Prices for redemption otherwise than through operation of the sinking fund (expressed as percentages of the principal amount) set forth in the table below: If redeemed during the 12-month period beginning _____________ of the years indicated,

Year Redemption Price For
Redemption Through
Operation of the Sinking
Fund
Redemption Price For
Redemption Otherwise
Than Through Operation
of the Sinking Fund

and thereafter at a Redemption Price equal to ______% of the principal amount, together in the case of any such redemption (whether through operation of the sinking fund or otherwise) with accrued interest to the Redemption Date, but interest installments whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to such Redemption Date will be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, of record at the close of business on the relevant Regular Record Dates referred to on the face hereof, all as provided in the Indenture.]

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[If applicable, insert — The sinking fund for this series provides for the redemption on ______________ in each year beginning with the year ______________ and ending with the year ______________ of [if applicable, insert — not less than $______________ (“mandatory sinking fund”) and not more than] $______________ aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series. Securities of this series acquired or redeemed by the Company otherwise than through [if applicable, insert — mandatory] sinking fund payments [if applicable, insert — and Securities surrendered for conversion] may be credited against subsequent [if applicable, insert — mandatory] sinking fund payments otherwise required to be made [if applicable, insert — in the inverse order in which they become due].

[If the Security is subject to redemption of any kind, insert — In the event of redemption of this Security in part only, a new Security or Securities of this series and of like tenor for the unredeemed portion hereof will be issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.]

The indebtedness evidenced by this Security is, to the extent provided in the Indenture, subordinate and subject in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness, and this Security is issued subject to the provisions of the Indenture with respect thereto. Each Holder of this Security, by accepting the same, (a) agrees to and shall be bound by such provisions, (b) authorizes and directs the Trustee on his behalf to take action as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination so provided and (c) appoints the Trustee his attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.

[If applicable, insert — The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance at any time of [(1) the entire indebtedness of this Security or (2)] certain restrictive covenants and Events of Default with respect to this Security, in each case upon compliance with certain conditions set forth in the Indenture.]

[If the Security is not an Original Issue Discount Security, insert — If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities of this series may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.]

[If the Security is an Original Issue Discount Security, insert — If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall occur and be continuing, an amount of principal of the Securities of this series may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture. Such amount shall be equal to — insert formula for determining the amount. Upon payment (i) of the amount of principal so declared due and payable and (ii) of interest on any overdue principal and overdue interest all of the Company’s obligations in respect of the payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of this series shall terminate.]

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The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series to be affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding of each series to be affected. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of specified percentages in principal amount of the Securities of each series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Security and of any Security issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.

As provided in and subject to the provisions of the Indenture, the Holder of this Security shall not have the right to institute any proceeding with respect to the Indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee or for any other remedy thereunder, unless such Holder shall have previously given the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of this series, the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Securities of this series at the time Outstanding shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default as Trustee and offered the Trustee indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request and the Trustee shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in principal amount of Securities of this series at the time Outstanding a direction inconsistent with such request, and shall have failed to institute any such proceeding, for 60 days after receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity. The foregoing shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Holder of this Security for the enforcement of any payment of principal hereof or any premium or interest hereon on or after the respective due dates expressed herein.

Subject to the rights of holders of Senior Indebtedness, as set forth in the Indenture, no other reference herein to the Indenture and no other provision of this Security or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on this Security at the times, place and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Security is registrable in the Security Register, upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in any Place of Payment, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Securities of this series and of like tenor, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form without coupons in minimum denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples thereof. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series and of like tenor of a different authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.

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No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company or the Security Registrar may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this Security is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

All terms used in this Security which are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

Section 2.04     Form of Legend for Global Securities.

Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 for the Securities evidenced thereby, every Global Security authenticated and delivered hereunder shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:

This Security is a Global Security within the meaning of the Indenture hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name of a Depositary or a nominee thereof. This Security may not be transferred to, or registered or exchanged for Securities registered in the name of, any Person other than the Depositary or a nominee thereof and no such transfer may be registered, except in the limited circumstances described in the Indenture. Every Security authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for or in lieu of, this Security shall be a Global Security subject to the foregoing, except in such limited circumstances.

Section 2.05     Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication.

The Trustee’s certificates of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee
By: 
Authorized Signatory 
Dated

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Article III
THE SECURITIES

Section 3.01     Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series.

The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited.

The Securities may be issued in one or more series. There shall be established in or pursuant to an Establishment Action and, subject to Section 3.03, set forth, or determined in the manner provided, in an Officers’ Certificate, or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, prior to the issuance of Securities of any series,

(1)           the title of the Securities of the series, including CUSIP Numbers (which shall distinguish the Securities of the series from Securities of any other series);

(2)           any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of the series pursuant to Section 3.04, 3.05, 3.06, 9.06 or 11.07 and except for any Securities which, pursuant to Section 3.03, are deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder);

(3)           the Person to whom any interest on a Security of the series shall be payable, if other than the Person in whose name that Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest;

(4)            the date or dates on which the principal of the Securities of the series is payable;

(5)            the rate or rates at which the Securities of the series shall bear interest, if any, the date or dates from which such interest shall accrue, the Interest Payment Dates on which any such interest shall be payable and the Regular Record Date for any interest payable on any Interest Payment Date;

(6)            the place or places where the principal of and any premium and interest on Securities of the series shall be payable;

(7)            the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which Securities of the series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company;

(8)            the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem or purchase Securities of the series pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a Holder thereof and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which Securities of the series shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;

(9)            if other than minimum denominations of $1,000 and any multiple thereof, the denominations in which Securities of the series shall be issuable;

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(10)          the currency, currencies or currency units in which payment of the principal of and any premium and interest on any Securities of the series shall be payable if other than the currency of the United States of America and the manner of determining the equivalent thereof in the currency of the United States of America for purposes of the definition of “Outstanding” in Section 1.01;

(11)          if the amount of payments of principal of or any premium or interest on any Securities of the series may be determined with reference to an index, the manner in which such amounts shall be determined;

(12)          if the principal of or any premium or interest on any Securities of the series is to be payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof, in one or more currencies or currency units other than that or those in which the Securities are stated to be payable, the currency, currencies or currency units in which payment of the principal of and any premium and interest on Securities of such series as to which such election is made shall be payable, and the periods within which and the terms and conditions upon which such election is to be made;

(13)         if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of Securities of the series which shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.02;

(14)          if applicable, that the provisions of Article IV shall not apply to the Securities of the series;

(15)          if applicable, that the Securities of the series shall be subject to either or both of Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance as provided in Article XIII; provided that no series of Securities that is convertible into or exchangeable for any other securities pursuant to Section 3.01(17) shall be subject to Defeasance pursuant to Section 13.02;

(16)          if and as applicable, that the Securities of the series shall be issuable in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities and, in such case, the Depositary or Depositaries for such Global Security or Global Securities and any circumstances other than those set forth in Section 3.05 in which any such Global Security may be transferred to, and registered and exchanged for Securities registered in the name of, a Person other than the Depositary for such Global Security or a nominee thereof and in which any such transfer may be registered;

(17)          the terms and conditions, if any, pursuant to which the Securities are convertible into or exchangeable for any other securities;

(18)          any addition to or change in the covenants set forth in Article X which applies to Securities of the series; and

(19)         any other terms of the series (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, except as permitted by Section 9.01(5)).

All Securities of any one series shall be substantially identical except as to denomination and except as may otherwise be provided in or pursuant to an Establishment Action referred to above and (subject to Section 3.03) set forth, or determined in the manner provided, in the Officers’ Certificate referred to above or in any such indenture supplemental hereto.

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If any of the terms of the series are established by action taken pursuant to an Establishment Action, a copy of an appropriate record of such action shall be certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Officers’ Certificate setting forth the terms of the series.

Subject to any limitation imposed in accordance with paragraph (2) above, the Company may, from time to time, by an Establishment Action and subject to compliance with any other applicable provisions of this Indenture, without the consent of the Holders, create and issue pursuant to this Indenture additional Securities of any series of Securities (“Add On Securities”) having terms and conditions identical to those of such series of Outstanding Securities, except that such Add On Securities:

(i)may have a different issue date from such series of Outstanding Securities;

(ii)            may have a different amount of interest payable on the first Interest Payment Date after issuance than is payable on such series of Outstanding Securities; and

(iii)           may have terms specified in such Establishment Action for such Add On Securities making appropriate adjustments to this Article III applicable to such Add On Securities in order to conform to and ensure compliance with the Securities Act (or applicable securities laws) which are not adverse in any material respect to the Holder of any Outstanding Securities (other than such Add On Securities) and which shall not affect the rights or duties of the Trustee.

Section 3.02     Denominations.

The Securities of each series shall be issuable only in registered form without coupons in such denominations as shall be specified as contemplated by Section 3.01. In the absence of any such specified denomination with respect to the Securities of any series, the Securities of such series shall be issuable in minimum denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples thereof.

Section 3.03     Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating.

The Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chief Executive Officer, its President, its Chief Financial Officer, one of its Vice Presidents or its Treasurer, and attested by its Secretary or one of its Assistant Secretaries. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities may be manual, electronic or facsimile.

Securities bearing the manual, electronic or facsimile signatures of individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the Company shall bind the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Securities.

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At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities of any series executed by the Company to the Trustee for authentication, together with a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities, and the Trustee in accordance with the Company Order shall authenticate and deliver such Securities. If the form or terms of the Securities of the series have been established in or pursuant to one or more Establishment Actions as permitted by Sections 2.01 and 3.01, in authenticating such Securities, and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Section 6.01) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating,

(1)            if the form of such Securities has been established by an Establishment Action as permitted by Section 2.01, that such form has been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture;

(2)            if the terms of such Securities have been established by an Establishment Action as permitted by Section 3.01, that such terms have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture; and

(3)            that such Securities, when authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and issued by the Company in the manner and subject to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles.

If such form or terms have been so established, the Trustee shall not be required to authenticate such Securities if the issue of such Securities pursuant to this Indenture will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3.01 and of the preceding paragraph, if all Securities of a series are not to be originally issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver the Officers’ Certificate otherwise required pursuant to Section 3.01 or the Opinion of Counsel otherwise required pursuant to such preceding paragraph at or prior to the time of authentication of each Security of such series if such documents are delivered at or prior to the authentication upon original issuance of the first Security of such series to be issued; provided, however that the Trustee shall be entitled to receive an Officers’ Certificate that complies with the requirements of Section 1.02 with respect to the issuance, authentication and delivery of such Securities.

Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.

No Security shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for herein executed by the Trustee by manual signature, and such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any Security shall have been authenticated and delivered hereunder but never issued and sold by the Company, and the Company shall deliver such Security to the Trustee for cancellation as provided in Section 3.09, for all purposes of this Indenture such Security shall be deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder and shall never be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture.

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Section 3.04     Temporary Securities.

Pending the preparation of definitive Securities of any series, the Company may execute, and upon Company Order the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, temporary Securities which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the Officers executing such Securities may determine, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities.

If temporary Securities of any series are issued, the Company will cause definitive Securities of that series to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Securities of such series, the temporary Securities of such series shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities of such series upon surrender of the temporary Securities of such series at the office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment for that series, without charge to the Holder. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities of any series the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor one or more definitive Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount and tenor. Until so exchanged the temporary Securities of any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series and tenor.

Section 3.05     Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange.

The Company shall cause to be kept at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee a register (the register maintained in such office and in any other office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment being herein sometimes collectively referred to as the “Security Register”) in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of Securities and of transfers of Securities. The Trustee is hereby appointed “Security Registrar” for the purpose of registering Securities and transfers of Securities as herein provided.

Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Security of any series at the office or agency in a Place of Payment for that series, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount and tenor.

At the option of the Holder, Securities of any series may be exchanged for other Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount and tenor, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at such office or agency. Whenever any Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

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All Securities issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities shall be the valid obligations of the Company, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Securities surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

Every Security presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange shall (if so required by the Company or the Trustee) be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed, by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.

No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, but the Company or Security Registrar may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 3.04, 9.06 or 11.07 not involving any transfer.

The Company shall not be required (1) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange Securities of any series during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of delivery of a notice of redemption of Securities of that series selected for redemption under Section 11.03 and ending at the close of business on the day of such delivery, or (2) to register the transfer of or exchange any Security so selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Security being redeemed in part.

Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, no Global Security may be transferred to, or registered or exchanged for Securities registered in the name of, any Person other than the Depositary for such Global Security or any nominee thereof, and no such transfer may be registered, unless (1) such Depositary (A) notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for such Global Security or (B) has ceased to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and the Company has not appointed a successor Depositary within 90 days of (x) such notice or (y) becoming aware that the Depositary is no longer so registered, (2) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee a Company Order that such Global Security shall be so transferable, registrable and exchangeable, and such transfers shall be registrable, (3) there shall have occurred and be continuing an Event of Default with respect to the Securities evidenced by such Global Security and the Depositary requests the issuance of certificated Securities or (4) there shall exist such other circumstances, if any, as have been specified for this purpose as contemplated by Section 3.01. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, a Global Security to which the restriction set forth in the preceding sentence shall have ceased to apply may be transferred only to, and may be registered and exchanged for Securities registered only in the name or names of, such Person or Persons as the Depositary for such Global Security shall have directed and no transfer thereof other than such a transfer may be registered.

Every Security authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for or in lieu of, a Global Security to which the restriction set forth in the first sentence of the preceding paragraph shall apply, whether pursuant to this Section, Section 3.04, 3.06, 9.06 or 11.07 or otherwise, shall be authenticated and delivered in the form of, and shall be, a Global Security.

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Section 3.06     Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities.

If any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.

If there shall be delivered to the Company and the Trustee (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security and (ii) such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security has been acquired by a protected purchaser, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Security, a new Security of the same series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.

In case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security.

Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee) connected therewith.

Every new Security of any series issued pursuant to this Section in exchange for any mutilated Security or in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of that series duly issued hereunder.

The provisions of this Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities.

Section 3.07     Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved.

Except as otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to any series of Securities, interest on any Security which is payable, and is punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest.

Any interest on any Security of any series which is payable, but is not punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date (herein called “Defaulted Interest”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder, and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (1) or (2) below:

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(1)           The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Persons in whose names the Securities of such series (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on each Security of such series and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this clause provided. Thereupon the Trustee shall fix a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest which shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company of such Special Record Date and, in the name and at the expense of the Company, shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be given to each Holder of Securities of such series in accordance with Section 1.06, not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been so given, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names the Securities of such series (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (2).

(2)            The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest on the Securities of any series in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which such Securities may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, if, after notice given by the Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this clause, such manner of payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.

Section 3.08     Persons Deemed Owners.

Prior to due presentment of a Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Security is registered as the owner of such Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of and any premium and (subject to Section 3.07) any interest on such Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

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Section 3.09     Cancellation.

All Securities surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer or exchange or conversion or for credit against any sinking fund payment shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee and shall be promptly cancelled by it. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and may deliver to the Trustee (or to any other Person for delivery to the Trustee) for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated hereunder which the Company has not issued and sold, and all Securities so delivered shall be promptly cancelled by the Trustee. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by this Indenture. All cancelled Securities held by the Trustee shall be disposed of by the Trustee according to its customary procedures and, upon written request of the Company, the Trustee shall deliver to the Company a certificate of such disposition. The acquisition of any Securities by the Company shall not operate as a redemption or satisfaction of the Indebtedness represented thereby unless and until such Securities are surrendered to the Trustee for cancellation.

Section 3.10     Computation of Interest.

Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 for Securities of any series, interest on the Securities of each series shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

Section 3.11     CUSIP Numbers.

The Company in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP” numbers (if then generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee shall use “CUSIP” numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders; provided that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of a redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the Securities, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers. The Company will promptly notify the Trustee of any changes in the “CUSIP” numbers.

Article IV
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

Section 4.01     Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture.

Unless otherwise specified with respect to a series of Securities in accordance with Section 3.01, this Indenture shall upon Company Request cease to be of further effect (except as to any surviving rights of conversion, registration of transfer or exchange of Securities herein expressly provided for), and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, when

(1)            either

(A)            all Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than (i) Securities which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 3.06 and (ii) Securities for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

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(B)           all such Securities not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation

(i)have become due and payable, or

(ii)will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or

(iii)are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company,

and the Company, in the case of (i), (ii) or (iii) above, has deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal and any premium and interest to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or to the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date, as the case may be;

(2)            the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company; and

(3)            the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture have been complied with.

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 6.07, and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (B) of clause (1) of this Section, the obligations of the Trustee under Section 4.02 shall survive such satisfaction and discharge.

Section 4.02     Application of Trust Money.

All money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.01 shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Persons entitled thereto, of the principal and any premium and interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with the Trustee.

Article V
REMEDIES

Section 5.01     Events of Default.

Event of Default”, wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any series, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be occasioned by the provisions of Article XIV or be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body):

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(1)            default in the payment of any interest upon any Security of that series when it becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days;

(2)            default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any, on) any Security of that series at its Maturity;

(3)            default in the deposit of any sinking fund payment, when and as due by the terms of a Security of that series, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days;

(4)            default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture (other than a covenant or warranty a default in whose performance or whose breach is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with or which has expressly been included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of series of Securities other than that series), and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 90 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder;

(5)            the entry by a court having jurisdiction in the premises of (A) a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company in an involuntary case or proceeding under any applicable Bankruptcy Law or (B) a decree or order adjudging the Company a bankrupt or insolvent, or approving as properly filed a petition seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of or in respect of the Company under any applicable Federal or State law, or appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or other similar official of the Company or of any substantial part of its property, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of its affairs, and the continuance of any such decree or order for relief or any such other decree or order unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days;

(6)            the commencement by the Company of a voluntary case or proceeding under any applicable Bankruptcy Law or of any other case or proceeding to be adjudicated a bankrupt or insolvent, or the consent by it to the entry of a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company in an involuntary case or proceeding under any applicable Bankruptcy Law or to the commencement of any bankruptcy or insolvency case or proceeding against it, or the filing by it of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization or relief under any applicable Federal or State law, or the consent by it to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or other similar official of the Company or of any substantial part of its property, or the making by it of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the admission by it in writing of its inability to pay its debts generally as they become due, or the taking of corporate action by the Company in furtherance of any such action (an event of default specified in clause (5) or (6), a “Bankruptcy Default”); or

(7)            any other Event of Default provided with respect to Securities of that series.

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Section 5.02     Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment.

If an Event of Default, other than a Bankruptcy Default, with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding occurs and is continuing, then in every such case the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series may declare the principal amount (or, if any of the Securities of that series are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount of such Securities as may be specified in the terms thereof) of all of the Securities of that series to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal amount (or specified amount) shall become immediately due and payable.

At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to Securities of any series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series, by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if

(1)            the Company has paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay

(A)           all overdue interest on all Securities of that series,

(B)           the principal of (and premium, if any, on) any Securities of that series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and any interest thereon at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities,

(C)            to the extent that payment of such interest is lawful, interest upon overdue interest at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities, and

(D)           all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel; and

(2)            all Events of Default with respect to Securities of that series, other than the non-payment of the principal of Securities of that series which have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 5.13.

No such rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any right consequent thereon.

If a Bankruptcy Default occurs, the principal of and accrued but unpaid interest on all Securities then outstanding will become immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder.

Section 5.03     Collection and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee.

The Company covenants that if:

(1)            default is made in the payment of any interest on any Security when such interest becomes due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days, or

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(2)            default is made in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any, on) any Security at the Maturity thereof, the Company will, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities, the whole amount then due and payable on such Securities for principal and any premium and interest and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, interest on any overdue principal and premium and on any overdue interest, at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel.

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem necessary to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.

Section 5.04     Trustee May File Proofs of Claim.

In case of any judicial proceeding relative to the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities), its property or its creditors, the Trustee shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise, to take any and all actions authorized under the Trust Indenture Act in order to have claims of the Holders and the Trustee allowed in any such proceeding. In particular, the Trustee shall be authorized to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same; and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.07.

No provision of this Indenture shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or the rights of any Holder thereof or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding; provided, however, that the Trustee may, on behalf of the Holders, vote for the election of a trustee in bankruptcy or similar official and be a member of a creditors’ or other similar committee.

Section 5.05     Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities.

All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the Securities may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

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Section 5.06     Application of Money Collected.

Subject to Article XIV, any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal or any premium or interest, upon presentation of the Securities and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

FIRST: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee under Section 6.07;

SECOND: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid for principal of and any premium and interest on the Securities in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on such Securities for principal and any premium and interest, respectively; and

THIRD: To the Company.

Section 5.07     Limitation on Suits.

No Holder of any Security of any series shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless

(1)            such Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of that series;

(2)            the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;

(3)            such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee indemnity acceptable to the Trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;

(4)            the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and

(5)            no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series;

it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other of such Holders, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other of such Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all of such Holders.

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Section 5.08     Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and Interest.

Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, but subject to Article XIV, the Holder of any Security shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of and any premium and (subject to Section 3.07) interest on such Security on the respective Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the Redemption Date) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such rights shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.

Section 5.09     Restoration of Rights and Remedies.

If the Trustee or any Holder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case, subject to any determination in such proceeding, the Company, the Trustee and the Holders shall be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

Section 5.10     Rights and Remedies Cumulative.

Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities in the last paragraph of Section 3.06, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

Section 5.11     Delay or Omission Not Waiver.

No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Securities to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders, as the case may be.

Section 5.12     Control by Holders.

The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee, with respect to the Securities of such series, provided that

(1)            such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture,

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(2)            the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction, and

(3)            the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee in good faith shall, by a Responsible Officer or Officers of the Trustee, determine that the proceedings so directed would involve the Trustee in personal liability or be unjustly prejudicial to the Holders not consenting (provided, however, that the Trustee shall not have an affirmative obligation to determine whether such action is unduly prejudicial to the securityholders not consenting).

Upon receipt by the Trustee of any such direction with respect to Securities of a series all or part of which is represented by a temporary Global Security or a permanent Global Security, the Trustee shall establish a record date for determining holders of Outstanding Securities of such series entitled to join in such direction, which record date shall be at the close of business on the day the Trustee receives such direction. The Holders on such record date, or their duly designated proxies, and only such persons, shall be entitled to join in such direction, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date, provided that, unless such majority in principal amount shall have been obtained prior to the day which is 90 days after such record date, such direction shall automatically and without further action by any Holder be cancelled and of no further effect. Nothing in this paragraph shall prevent a Holder, or a proxy of a Holder, from giving, after expiration of such 90-day period, a new direction identical to a direction which has been cancelled pursuant to the proviso to the preceding sentence, in which event a new record date shall be established pursuant to the provisions of this Section 5.12.

Section 5.13     Waiver of Past Defaults.

The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series may on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default

(1)            in the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on any Security of such series, or

(2)            in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under Article IX cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected.

Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 5.14      Undertaking for Costs.

In any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it as Trustee, a court may require any party litigant in such suit to file an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and may assess costs against any such party litigant, including reasonable attorney’s fees and expenses, in the manner and to the extent provided in the Trust Indenture Act; provided that neither this Section nor the Trust Indenture Act shall apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holders of the Securities, or group of Holders of the Securities, holding in the aggregate more than 10% of principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder of the Outstanding Securities for the enforcement of the payment of principal of or interest on, or the conversion of, any Outstanding Securities held by such Holder, on or after the respective due dates expressed in such Outstanding Securities; and provided, further, that neither this Section nor the Trust Indenture Act shall be deemed to authorize any court to require such an undertaking or to make such an assessment in any suit instituted by the Company.

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Section 5.15     Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws.

The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any usury, stay or extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

Article VI
THE TRUSTEE

The Trustee hereby accepts the trust imposed upon it by this Indenture and covenants and agrees to perform the same, as herein expressed.

Section 6.01     Duties of Trustee.

(a)            If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs.

(b)            Except during the continuance of an Event of Default:

(1)            The Trustee need perform only those duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no others, and no covenants or obligations shall be implied in or read into this Indenture.

(2)            The Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture. However, in the case of any such certificates or opinions which by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they substantially conform to the requirements of this Indenture (but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of mathematical calculations or other facts stated therein).

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(c)            The Trustee may not be relieved from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that:

(1)            This paragraph does not limit the effect of paragraph (b) of this Section 6.01.

(2)            The Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it is proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts.

(3)            The Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in accordance with a direction received by it pursuant to Section 5.12.

(d)            No provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or to take or omit to take any action under this Indenture.

(e)            Every provision of this Indenture that in any way relates to the Trustee is subject to this Article VI.

(f)            The Trustee shall not be liable for interest on any assets received by it except as the Trustee may agree in writing with the Company. Assets held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other assets except to the extent required by law.

Section 6.02     Rights of Trustee.

Subject to Section 6.01:

(a)            The Trustee may conclusively rely on any document (whether in its original or facsimile form) and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, judgment, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper Person not only as to due execution, validity and effectiveness, but also as to the truth and accuracy of any information contained therein. The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in any document.

(b)            Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officers’ Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel. The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on such certificate or opinion.

(c)            The Trustee may act through its attorneys and agents and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any agent appointed with due care.

(d)            The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith which it believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers.

(e)            The Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, notice, request, direction, consent, order, judgment, bond, debenture, or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney at the sole cost of the Company and shall incur no liability or additional liability of any kind by reason of such investigation.

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(f)            The Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and the advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection of any action taken, suffered or omitted by in hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon.

(g)            The rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder, and each agent, custodian and other Person employed to act hereunder.

(h)            The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.

(i)            The Trustee shall not be deemed to have notice of any default or Event of Default unless a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has actual knowledge thereof or unless written notice of any event which is in fact such a default is received by the Trustee at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and such notice references the Securities and this Indenture.

(j)            The permissive right of the Trustee to do things enumerated in this Indenture shall not be construed as a duty.

(k)            In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any special, indirect, punitive, incidental or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including, but not limited to, loss of profit), irrespective of whether the Trustee has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action.

(l)            The Trustee shall not be required to give any bond or surety in respect of the performance of its powers hereunder.

(m)            The Trustee may request that the Company deliver a certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture.

(n)            The Trustee shall have no responsibility for monitoring the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants under this Indenture.

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Section 6.03     Individual Rights of Trustee.

The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and may otherwise deal with the Company or its Affiliates with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. Any Paying Agent or Security Registrar may do the same with like rights. However, the Trustee must comply with Sections 6.08, 6.09 and 6.10.

Section 6.04     Trustee’s Disclaimer.

The Trustee makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Securities and it shall not be accountable for the Company’s use of the proceeds from the Securities, and it shall not be responsible for any statement in the Securities, other than the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, or the use or application of any funds received by a Paying Agent other than the Trustee.

Section 6.05     Notice of Default.

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series occurs and is continuing of which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee is deemed to have knowledge in accordance with Section 6.02(i), the Trustee shall give to each Holder of Securities of such series notice of the uncured Event of Default within 90 days after such Event of Default occurs. Except in the case of an Event of Default in payment of principal (or premium, if any) of, or interest on, any Security, the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as a Responsible Officer in good faith determines that withholding the notice is in the interest of the Holders of Securities of such series.

Section 6.06     Reports by Trustee to Holders.

Within 60 days after each anniversary of this Indenture, after the first issuance of Securities, the Trustee shall mail to each Holder a brief report dated as of such anniversary date of this Indenture that complies with Trust Indenture Act Section 313(a) if such report is required by such Trust Indenture Act Section 313(a). The Trustee also shall comply with Trust Indenture Act Sections 313(b) and 313(c).

The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing if the Securities of any series become listed on any stock exchange or automatic quotation system.

A copy of each report at the time of its mailing to Holders shall be mailed to the Company and filed with the Commission and each stock exchange, if any, on which the Securities are listed.

Section 6.07     Compensation and Indemnity.

The Company shall pay to the Trustee from time to time such compensation for its services as the Company and the Trustee shall from time to time agree in writing. The Trustee’s compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust. The Company shall pay or reimburse the Trustee upon request for all reasonable disbursements, expenses and advances incurred or made by it in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture. Such expenses shall include the reasonable compensation, disbursements and expenses of the Trustee’s agents, accountants, experts and counsel.

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The Company shall indemnify each of the Trustee (in its capacity as Trustee) and any predecessor Trustee and each of its respective officers, directors, employees, shareholders, attorneys-in-fact and agents for, and hold it harmless against, any claim, action, suit or proceeding at law or in equity, damage, demand, expense (including but not limited to reasonable compensation, disbursements and expenses of the Trustee’s agents and counsel), loss, expenses, fees or charges (including taxes (other than taxes based upon the income of the Trustee)) or liability incurred by them without negligence or willful misconduct on its part, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this trust and its rights or duties hereunder including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder (including enforcement of this indemnity). The Trustee shall notify the Company promptly of any third party claim asserted against the Trustee for which it may seek indemnity. The Company shall defend such claim and the Trustee shall provide reasonable cooperation at the Company’s expense in the defense. The Trustee may have separate counsel and the Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel. The Company need not pay for any settlement made without its written consent which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. The Company need not reimburse any expense or indemnify against any loss or liability to the extent incurred by the Trustee as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to have been caused by its own negligence or willful misconduct.

To secure the Company’s payment obligations in this Section 6.07, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities on all assets held or collected by the Trustee, in its capacity as Trustee, except assets held in trust to pay principal and premium, if any, of or interest on particular Securities.

When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services after an Event of Default specified in Section 5.01(5) or (6) occurs, the expenses and the compensation for the services are intended to constitute administrative expenses for purposes of priority under any Bankruptcy Law.

The Company’s obligations under this Section 6.07 and any lien arising hereunder shall survive the resignation or removal of the Trustee, the repayment of the Securities, the discharge of the Company’s obligations pursuant to Article IV of this Indenture and any rejection or termination of this Indenture under any Bankruptcy Law.

Section 6.08     Replacement of Trustee.

The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of one or more series by so notifying the Company in writing. The Holder or Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series may remove the Trustee with respect to Securities of such series by so notifying the Company and the Trustee in writing at least 30 days prior to the requested date of removal and may appoint a successor trustee with respect to Securities of such series with the Company’s consent. The Company may remove the Trustee if:

(1)            the Trustee fails to comply with Section 6.10;

(2)            the Trustee is adjudged bankrupt or insolvent;

(3)            a receiver, custodian, or other public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property; or

(4)            the Trustee becomes incapable of acting.

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If the Trustee resigns or is removed or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee, with respect to the Securities of one or more series, for any reason, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee, with respect to Securities of that or those series. Within one year after the successor Trustee with respect to a series of Securities takes office, the Holder or Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series may appoint a successor Trustee with respect to such series to replace the successor Trustee appointed by the Company.

A successor Trustee shall deliver a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Company. Immediately after that and provided that all sums owing to the Trustee provided for in Section 6.07 have been paid, the retiring Trustee shall transfer all property held by it as Trustee with respect to such series of Securities to the successor Trustee, subject to the lien provided in Section 6.07, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective, and the successor Trustee shall have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee under this Indenture. A successor Trustee with respect to one or more series of Securities shall mail notice of its succession to each Holder of Securities of that or those series.

If a successor Trustee with respect to a series of Securities does not take office within 60 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee, the Company or the Holder or Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that series may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

If the Trustee fails to comply with Section 6.10, any Holder of Securities of a series may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to such series and the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

Notwithstanding the replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section 6.08, the Company’s obligations under Section 6.07 shall continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee.

Section 6.09     Successor Trustee by Merger, Etc.

If the Trustee consolidates with, merges or converts into, sells or transfers all or substantially all of its corporate trust business to, another corporation, the resulting, surviving or transferee corporation without any further act shall, if such resulting, surviving or transferee corporation is otherwise eligible hereunder, be the successor Trustee, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto, anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding. In case any Securities shall have been authenticated, but not delivered, by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities.

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Section 6.10     Eligibility; Disqualification.

The Trustee shall at all times satisfy the requirements of Trust Indenture Act Section 310(a)(1) and Trust Indenture Act Section 310(a)(5). The Trustee shall have a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000 as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition. The Trustee shall comply with Trust Indenture Act Section 310(b).

Section 6.11     Preferential Collection of Claims against Company.

The Trustee shall comply with Trust Indenture Act Section 311(a), excluding any creditor relationship listed in Trust Indenture Act Section 311(b). A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject to Trust Indenture Act Section 311(a) to the extent indicated.

Article VII
HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY

Section 7.01     Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders.

The Company will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee:

(1)            semi-annually, not more than 15 days after each Regular Record Date, a list for each series of Securities, in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities of such series as of the Regular Record Date, as the case may be, and

(2)            at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 10 days after the receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar form and content as the Trustee may reasonably require as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished;

excluding from any such list names and addresses received by the Trustee in its capacity as Security Registrar.

Section 7.02     Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders.

The Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is reasonably practicable, the names and addresses of Holders contained in the most recent list furnished to the Trustee as provided in Section 7.01 and the names and addresses of Holders received by the Trustee in its capacity as Security Registrar. The Trustee may destroy any list furnished to it as provided in Section 7.01 upon receipt of a new list so furnished.

The rights of the Holders to communicate with other Holders with respect to their rights under this Indenture or under the Securities, and the corresponding rights and privileges of the Trustee, shall be as provided by the Trust Indenture Act.

Every Holder of Securities, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any agent of either of them shall be held accountable by reason of any disclosure of information as to names and addresses of Holders made pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act.

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Section 7.03     Reports by Company.

The Company shall file with the Trustee and the Commission, and transmit to Holders, such information, documents and other reports, and such summaries thereof, as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act at the times and in the manner provided pursuant to such Act; provided that any such information, documents or reports required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 shall be filed with the Trustee within 15 days after the same is so required to be filed with the Commission. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Trustee will have no duty to search for or obtain any electronic or other filings that the Company makes with the Commission, regardless of whether such filings are periodic, supplemental or otherwise. Delivery of the reports, information and documents to the Trustee in accordance with this Section 7.03 will be solely for the purposes of compliance with Section 314(a) of the Trust Indenture Act and the Trustee shall have no duty to review or analyze reports delivered to it. Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute actual or constructive notice or knowledge of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officers’ Certificates). The Trustee shall have no liability or responsibility for the filing, content or timelines of any report hereunder aside from any report transmitted under this Indenture.

Article VIII
CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE, TRANSFER OR LEASE

Section 8.01     When Company May Merge, Etc.

The Company may not, in a single transaction or through a series of related transactions, consolidate with or merge with or into any other Person, or, directly or indirectly, sell or convey substantially all of its assets to another Person or group of affiliated Persons, unless:

(1)            the Company shall be the continuing Person, or the Person (if other than the Company) formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or to which all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company are transferred (the Company or such other Person being hereinafter referred to as the “Surviving Person”), shall be organized and validly existing under the laws of the United States, any State thereof or the District of Columbia, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, all the obligations of the Company under the Securities and this Indenture and this Indenture, so supplemented, shall remain in full force and effect;

(2)            immediately after giving effect to such transaction and the assumption of the obligations as set forth in clause (1), above, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing; and

(3)            if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, assignment, or transfer and such supplemental indenture comply with this Article VIII and that all conditions precedent herein provided relating to such transaction have been satisfied.

For purposes of this Section 8.01, “substantially all of its assets” shall mean, at any date, a portion of the non-current assets reflected in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet as of the end of the most recent quarterly period that represents at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66- 2/3%) of the total reported value of such assets.

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Section 8.02     Successor Substituted.

Upon any consolidation or merger, or any transfer of assets in accordance with Section 8.01, the Surviving Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or to which such transfer is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such Surviving Person had been named as the Company herein. When a Surviving Person duly assumes all of the obligations of the Company pursuant hereto and pursuant to the Securities, the predecessor shall be relieved of the performance and observance of all obligations and covenants of this Indenture and the Securities, including but not limited to the obligation to make payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on all the Securities then outstanding, and the Company may thereupon or any time thereafter be liquidated and dissolved. In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale or conveyance such changes in phraseology and form (but not in substance) may be made in the Securities thereafter to be issued as may be appropriate.

Article IX
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

Section 9.01     Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders.

Without the consent of any Holders, the Company, when authorized by an Establishment Action, and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, for any of the following purposes:

(1)            to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company pursuant to Article VIII and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company herein and in the Securities;

(2)            to add to the covenants of the Company for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (and if such covenants are to be for the benefit of less than all series of Securities, stating that such covenants are expressly being included solely for the benefit of such series) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company;

(3)            to add any additional Events of Default;

(4)            to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in bearer form, registrable or not registrable as to principal, and with or without interest coupons, or to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in uncertificated form;

(5)            to add to, change or eliminate any of the provisions of this Indenture in respect of one or more series of Securities, provided that any such addition, change or elimination (A) shall neither (i) apply to any Security of any series created prior to the execution of such supplemental indenture and entitled to the benefit of such provision nor (ii) modify the rights of the Holder of any such Security with respect to such provision or (B) shall become effective only when there is no such Security Outstanding;

(6)            to secure the Securities pursuant to the requirements of Article X or otherwise;

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(7)            to establish the form or terms of Securities of any series as permitted by Sections 2.01 and 3.01;

(8)            to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 6.11;

(9)            subject to Section 9.07, to add to, change or eliminate any of the provisions of Article XIV or change the definition of Senior Indebtedness in respect on one or more series of Securities, including Outstanding Securities; or

(10)         to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture, provided that such action pursuant to this clause (10) shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series.

Section 9.02     Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders.

With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series affected by such supplemental indenture, by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company, when authorized by an Establishment Action, and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series under this Indenture; provided, however, that no such supplemental indenture shall, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby,

(1)            change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any installment of principal of or interest on, any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof or the rate of interest or the time of payment of interest thereon or any premium payable upon the redemption thereof, or reduce the amount of the principal of an Original Issue Discount Security that would be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.02, or change the coin or currency in which, any Security or any premium or interest thereon is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date), or modify the provisions of this Indenture with respect to the subordination of the Securities in a manner adverse to the Holders, or

(2)            reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any waiver (of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences) provided for in this Indenture, or

(3)            modify any of the provisions of this Section or Section 5.13, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, provided, however, that this clause shall not be deemed to require the consent of any Holder with respect to changes in the references to “the Trustee” and concomitant changes in this Section, or the deletion of this proviso, in accordance with the requirements of Sections 6.11 and 9.01(8), or

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(4)            modify the rights of the Holders to receive payment of the principal of, premium and interest on Outstanding Securities and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment;

(5)            change any obligation of the Company to maintain an office or agency, or

(6)            change any obligation of the Company to pay additional amounts, or

(7)            waive a redemption payment with respect to any debt security, or

(8)            adversely affect any right of repayment or repurchase at the option of the Holder, or

(9)            reduce or postpone any sinking fund or similar provision.

A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of this Indenture which has expressly been included solely for the benefit of one or more particular series of Securities, or which modifies the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series with respect to such covenant or other provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series.

It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders under this Section to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof.

Section 9.03     Execution of Supplemental Indentures.

In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be provided with, and (subject to Section 6.01) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and, with respect to such Opinion of Counsel, that such supplemental indenture is the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties, indemnities or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

Section 9.04     Effect of Supplemental Indentures.

Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder of Securities of the affected series theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder shall be bound thereby.

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Section 9.05     Conformity with Trust Indenture Act.

Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 9.06     Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures.

Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall if required by the Company, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities of any series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series.

Section 9.07     Subordination Unimpaired.

No provision in any supplemental indenture that affects the superior position of holders of Senior Indebtedness shall be effective against holders of Senior Indebtedness.

Article X
COVENANTS

Section 10.01     Payment of Securities.

The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of each series of Securities that it will pay the principal of and interest on the Securities of that series on the dates and in the manner provided in the Securities of that series and this Indenture. An installment of principal, premium, if any, or interest on the Securities shall be considered paid on the date it is due if the Trustee or Paying Agent (other than the Company or an Affiliate of the Company) holds for the benefit of the Holders, on that date, immediately available funds deposited and designated for and sufficient to pay the installment. The Company shall pay interest on overdue principal and on overdue installments of interest at the rate specified in the Securities compounded semi-annually, to the extent lawful.

Section 10.02     Maintenance of Office or Agency.

The Company shall maintain in the Place of Payment for any series of Securities, an office or agency where Securities of that series may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities of that series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of that series and this Indenture may be served and, in the case of any series of Securities that is convertible or exchangeable for any other securities pursuant to Section 3.01(17), where Securities can be surrendered for conversion or exchange. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such office or agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office; provided, however, that the Trustee shall not be considered an agent of the Company for service of legal process.

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The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies where the Securities of one or more series may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided, however, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an office or agency in each Place of Payment for Securities of any series for such purposes. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency. The Company hereby initially designates the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee as such office of the Company.

Section 10.03     Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust.

If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to any series of Securities, it will, on or before each due date of the principal of or any premium or interest on any of the Securities of that series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum sufficient to pay the principal and any premium and interest so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided and will promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure so to act.

Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities, it will, on or prior to each due date of the principal of or any premium or interest on any Securities of that series, deposit with a Paying Agent a sum sufficient to pay such amount, such sum to be held as provided by the Trust Indenture Act, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure so to act.

The Company will cause each Paying Agent for any series of Securities other than the Trustee to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section, that such Paying Agent will (1) comply with the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act applicable to it as a Paying Agent and (2) during the continuance of any default by the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities of that series) in the making of any payment in respect of the Securities of that series, upon the written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums held in trust by such Paying Agent for payment in respect of the Securities of that series.

The Company may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or for any other purpose, pay, or by Company Order direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same trusts as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such money.

Subject to applicable law, any money deposited with or paid to the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on any Security of any series and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal, premium or interest has become due and payable shall be paid to the Company on Company Request, or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Security shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease.

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Section 10.04     Compliance Certificate; Notice of Default.

The Company shall deliver to the Trustee within 120 days after the end of its fiscal year of the Company, commencing with the fiscal year ending in the year during which the first series of Securities is issued hereunder (but in no event more than one year from the issuance of the first series hereunder) an Officers’ Certificate (one of the signatories of which shall be the Company’s principal executive officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting officer) complying with Section 314(a)(4) of the Trust Indenture Act and stating that a review of its activities during the preceding fiscal year has been made under the supervision of the signing officers with a view to determining whether the Company has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled its obligations under this Indenture (all without regard to periods of grace, which shall be deemed fulfilled unless and until the expiration of such periods or notice requirements) and further stating, as to each such officer signing such certificate, whether or not the signer knows of any failure by the Company to comply with any conditions or covenants in this Indenture and, if such signer does know of such a failure to comply, the certificate shall describe such failure with particularity. The Officers’ Certificate shall also notify the Trustee should the relevant fiscal year end on any date other than the current fiscal year end date.

Section 10.05     Corporate Existence.

Subject to Article VIII, the Company shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence in accordance with its organizational documents.

Section 10.06     Waiver of Certain Covenants.

Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 for Securities of such series, the Company may, with respect to the Securities of any series, omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in any covenant pursuant to Section 3.01(18), 9.01(2) or 9.01(7) for the benefit of the Holders of such series, if the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall, by Act of such Holders, either waive such compliance in such instance or generally waive compliance with such term, provision or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such term, provision or condition except to the extent expressly waived and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.

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Article XI
REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

Section 11.01     Applicability of Article.

Securities of any series which are redeemable before their Stated Maturity shall be redeemable in accordance with their terms and (except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 for Securities of any series) in accordance with this Article.

Section 11.02     Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee.

The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be evidenced by an Establishment Action. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company of all or less than all the Securities of any series, the Company shall, at least 60 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee in writing of such Redemption Date, of the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed and, if applicable, of the tenor of the Securities to be redeemed. In the case of any redemption of Securities prior to the expiration of any restriction on such redemption provided in the terms of such Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture, the Company shall furnish the Trustee with an Officers’ Certificate evidencing compliance with such restriction.

Section 11.03     Selection of Securities to Be Redeemed.

If less than all the Securities of any series are to be redeemed (unless all of the Securities of such series and of a specified tenor are to be redeemed), the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date from the Outstanding Securities of such series not previously called for redemption, by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate and which may provide for the selection for redemption of portions (equal to the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of that series or integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof) of the principal amount of Securities of such series of a denomination larger than the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of that series; provided, however, that in the case of Global Securities, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected in accordance with the applicable procedures of the Depositary. If less than all of the Securities of such series and of a specified tenor are to be redeemed, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date from the Outstanding Securities of such series and specified tenor not previously called for redemption in accordance with the preceding sentence.

If any Security selected for partial redemption is converted in part before termination of the conversion right with respect to the portion of the Security so selected, the converted portion of such Security shall be deemed (so far as may be) to be the portion selected for redemption. Securities which have been converted during a selection of Securities to be redeemed shall be treated as Outstanding for the purpose of such selection.

The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Securities selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.

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For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate, in the case of any Securities redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal amount of such Securities which has been or is to be redeemed.

Section 11.04     Notice of Redemption.

Notice of redemption shall be given in accordance with Section 1.06 not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company, to each Holder of Securities to be redeemed.

All notices of redemption shall state:

(1)            the Redemption Date,

(2)            the Redemption Price,

(3)            if less than all the Outstanding Securities of any series are to be redeemed, the identification (and, in the case of partial redemption of any Securities, the principal amounts) of the particular Securities to be redeemed,

(4)            that on the Redemption Date the Redemption Price will become due and payable upon each such Security to be redeemed and, if applicable, that interest thereon will cease to accrue on and after said date,

(5)            the place or places where such Securities are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price,

(6)            that the redemption is for a sinking fund, if such is the case, and

(7)            applicable CUSIP Numbers.

Notice of redemption of Securities to be redeemed at the election of the Company shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request in an Officers’ Certificate delivered to the Trustee at least three (3) Business Days prior to the requested date of delivery, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company and shall be irrevocable.

Section 11.05     Deposit of Redemption Price.

On or before the Redemption Date specified in the notice of redemption given as provided in Section 11.04, the Company shall deposit with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 10.03) an amount of money sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of, and (except if the Redemption Date shall be an Interest Payment Date) accrued interest on, all the Securities which are to be redeemed on that date, other than any Securities called for redemption on that date which have been converted prior to the date of such deposit.

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If any Security called for redemption is converted, any money deposited with the Trustee or with any Paying Agent or so segregated and held in trust for the redemption of such Security shall (subject to any right of the Holder of such Security or any Predecessor Security to receive interest as provided in the last paragraph of Section 3.07) be paid to the Company upon Company Request or, if then held by the Company, shall be discharged from such trust.

Section 11.06     Securities Payable on Redemption Date.

Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so to be redeemed shall, on the Redemption Date, become due and payable at the Redemption Price therein specified, and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and accrued interest) such Securities shall cease to bear interest. Upon surrender of any such Security for redemption in accordance with said notice, such Security shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with accrued interest to the Redemption Date; provided, however, that, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01, installments of interest whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the relevant Regular Record Dates according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07.

If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal and any premium shall, until paid, bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate prescribed therefor in the Security.

Section 11.07     Securities Redeemed in Part.

Any Security which is to be redeemed only in part shall be surrendered at a Place of Payment therefor (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing), and the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security without service charge, a new Security or Securities of the same series and of like tenor, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder, in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered.

Article XII
SINKING FUNDS

Section 12.01     Applicability of Article.

The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a series except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 for Securities of such series.

The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as a “mandatory sinking fund payment”, and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of Securities of any series is herein referred to as an “optional sinking fund payment”. If provided for by the terms of Securities of any series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 12.02. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any series as provided for by the terms of Securities of such series.

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Section 12.02     Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities.

The Company (1) may deliver Outstanding Securities of a series (other than any previously called for redemption) and (2) may apply as a credit Securities of a series which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, in each case in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of such series required to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities as provided for by the terms of such series; provided that such Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly.

Section 12.03     Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund.

Not less than 60 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for any series of Securities, the Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing sinking fund payment for that series pursuant to the terms of that series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting Securities of that series pursuant to Section 12.02 and will also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so delivered. Not less than 30 days before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 11.03 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 11.04. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Sections 11.06 and 11.07.

Article XIII
DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE

Section 13.01     Company’s Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.

The Company may elect, at its option at any time, to have either Section 13.02 or Section 13.03 applied to the Outstanding Securities of any series designated pursuant to Section 3.01 as being defeasible pursuant to this Article XIII (hereinafter called a “Defeasible Series”), upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Article XIII; provided, however, that Section 13.02 shall not apply to any series of Securities that is convertible into or exchangeable for any other securities pursuant to Section 3.01(16). Any such election shall be evidenced by an Establishment Action or in another manner specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 for such Securities.

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Section 13.02     Defeasance and Discharge.

Upon the Company’s exercise of the option provided in Section 13.01 to have this Section 13.02 applied to the Outstanding Securities of any Defeasible Series and subject to Section 13.01, the Company shall be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to the Outstanding Securities of such series as provided in this Section on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 13.04 are satisfied (hereinafter called “Defeasance”). For this purpose, such Defeasance means that the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness represented by the Outstanding Securities of such series and to have satisfied all its other obligations under the Securities of such series and this Indenture insofar as the Securities of such series are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), subject to the following which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (1) the rights of Holders of Securities of such series to receive, solely from the trust fund described in Section 13.04 and as more fully set forth in such Section, payments in respect of the principal of and any premium and interest on such Securities of such series when payments are due, (2) the Company’s obligations with respect to the Securities of such series under Sections 3.04, 3.05, 3.06, 10.02 and 10.03, (3) the rights, powers, trusts, duties, indemnities and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and the obligations of the Company with respect thereto and (4) this Article XIII. Subject to compliance with this Article XIII, the Company may exercise its option provided in Section 13.01 to have this Section 13.02 applied to the Outstanding Securities of any Defeasible Series notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option provided in Section 13.01 to have Section 13.03 applied to the Outstanding Securities of such series.

Section 13.03     Covenant Defeasance.

Upon the Company’s exercise of the option provided in Section 13.01 to have this Section 13.03 applied to the Outstanding Securities of any Defeasible Series, (1) the Company shall be released from its obligations under Section 8.01 and any covenants provided pursuant to Section 3.01(18) or 9.01(2) for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities, and (2) the occurrence of any event specified in Sections 5.01(3) and 5.01(4) (with respect to Section 8.01 and any such covenants provided pursuant to Section 3.01(18) or 9.01(2)) shall be deemed not to be or result in an Event of Default, in each case with respect to the Outstanding Securities of such series as provided in this Section on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 13.04 are satisfied (hereinafter called “Covenant Defeasance”). For this purpose, such Covenant Defeasance means that the Company may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such specified Section (to the extent so specified in the case of Section 5.01(4)), whether directly or indirectly by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Section or by reason of any reference in any such Section to any other provision herein or in any other document, but the remainder of this Indenture and the Securities of such series shall be unaffected thereby.

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Section 13.04     Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.

The following shall be the conditions to application of either Section 13.02 or Section 13.03 to the Outstanding Securities of any Defeasible Series:

(1)            The Company shall irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee that satisfies the requirements contemplated by Section 6.10 and agrees to comply with the provisions of this Article XIII applicable to it) as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of Outstanding Securities of such series, (A) money in an amount, or (B) U.S. Government Obligations that through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment, money in an amount, or (C) a combination thereof, in each case sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or any such other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, the principal of and any premium and interest on the Securities of such series on the respective Stated Maturities, in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and the Securities of such series. As used herein, “U.S. Government Obligation” means any security that is (i) a direct obligation of the United States of America for the payment of which full faith and credit of the United States of America is pledged or (ii) an obligation of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America, which, in either case (i) or (ii), is not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof.

(2)            In the case of an election under Section 13.02, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (A) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling or (B) since the date first set forth hereinabove, there has been a change in the applicable Federal income tax law, in either case (A) or (B) to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of the Outstanding Securities of such series will not recognize gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of the deposit, Defeasance and discharge to be effected with respect to the Securities of such series and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amount, in the same manner and at the same times as would be the case if such deposit, Defeasance and discharge were not to occur.

(3)            In the case of an election under Section 13.03, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of the Outstanding Securities of such series will not recognize gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of the deposit and Covenant Defeasance to be effected with respect to the Securities of such series and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amount, in the same manner and at the same times as would be the case if such deposit and Covenant Defeasance were not to occur.

(4)            The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate to the effect that the Securities of such series, if then listed on any securities exchange, will not be delisted as a result of such deposit.

(5)            No Event of Default or event that (after notice or lapse of time or both) would become an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of such deposit or, with regard to any Event of Default or any such event specified in Sections 5.01(5) and (6), at any time on or prior to the 90th day after the date of such deposit (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until after such 90th day).

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(6)            Such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall not cause the Trustee to have a conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act (assuming all Securities are in default within the meaning of such Act).

(7)            Such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound.

(8)            The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent with respect to such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance have been complied with.

(9)            Such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall not result in the trust arising from such deposit constituting an investment company within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, unless such trust shall be qualified under such Act or exempt from regulation thereunder.

Section 13.05      Deposited Money and U.S. Government Obligations to be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions.

All money and U.S. Government Obligations (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee or other qualifying trustee (solely for purposes of this Section and Section 13.06, the Trustee and any such other trustee are referred to collectively as the “Trustee”) pursuant to Section 13.04 in respect of the Securities of any Defeasible Series shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities of such series and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any such Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of Securities of such series, of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal and any premium and interest, but money so held in trust need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

The Company shall pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the U.S. Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Section 13.04 or the principal and interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge that by law is for the account of the Holders of Outstanding Securities.

Anything in this Article XIII to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request any money or U.S. Government Obligations held by it as provided in Section 13.04 with respect to Securities of any Defeasible Series that, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof that would then be required to be deposited to effect an equivalent Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance with respect to the Securities of such series.

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Section 13.06     Reinstatement.

If the Trustee or the Paying Agent is unable to apply any money in accordance with this Article XIII with respect to the Securities of any series by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, then the Company’s obligations under this Indenture and the Securities of such series shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to this Article XIII with respect to Securities of such series until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all money held in trust pursuant to Section 13.05 with respect to Securities of such series in accordance with this Article XIII; provided, however, that if the Company makes any payment of principal of or any premium or interest on any Security of such series following the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series to receive such payment from the money so held in trust.

Article XIV
SUBORDINATION OF SECURITIES

Section 14.01     Securities Subordinate to Senior Indebtedness.

The Company covenants and agrees, and each Holder of a Security, by his acceptance thereof, likewise covenants and agrees, that, to the extent and in the manner hereinafter set forth in this Article, the indebtedness represented by the Securities and the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on each and all of the Securities are hereby expressly made subordinate and subject in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness.

Section 14.02     Payment Over of Proceeds Upon Dissolution, Etc.

In the event of (a) any insolvency or bankruptcy case or proceeding, or any receivership, liquidation, reorganization or other similar case or proceeding in connection therewith, relative to the Company or to its creditors, as such, or to its assets, or (b) any liquidation, dissolution or other winding up of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary and whether or not involving insolvency or bankruptcy, or (c) any assignment for the benefit of creditors or any other marshalling of assets and liabilities of the Company, then and in any such event the holders of Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled to receive payment in full of all amounts due or to become due on or in respect of all Senior Indebtedness, or provision shall be made for such payment in money or money’s worth, before the Holders of the Securities are entitled to receive any payment on account of principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on the Securities, and to that end the holders of Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled to receive, for application to the payment thereof, any payment or distribution of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, which may be payable or deliverable in respect of the Securities in any such case, proceeding, dissolution, liquidation or other winding up or event.

In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section, the Trustee or the Holder of any Security shall have received any payment or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, before all Senior Indebtedness is paid in full or payment thereof provided for, and if such fact shall, at or prior to the time of such payment or distribution, have been made known to the Trustee or, as the case may be, such Holder, then and in such event such payment or distribution shall be paid over or delivered forthwith to the trustee in bankruptcy, receiver, liquidating trustee, custodian, assignee, agent or other Person making payment or distribution of assets of the Company for application to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid, to the extent necessary to pay all Senior Indebtedness in full, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the holders of Senior Indebtedness.

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For purposes of this Article only, the words “cash, property or securities” shall not be deemed to include shares of stock of the Company as reorganized or readjusted, or securities of the Company or any other corporation provided for by a plan of reorganization or readjustment which are subordinated in right of payment to all Senior Indebtedness which may at the time be outstanding to substantially the same extent as, or to a greater extent than, the Securities are so subordinated as provided in this Article. The consolidation of the Company with, or the merger of the Company into, another Person or the liquidation or dissolution of the Company following the conveyance or transfer of its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to another Person upon the terms and conditions set forth in Article VIII shall not be deemed a dissolution, winding up, liquidation, reorganization, assignment for the benefit of creditors or marshalling of assets and liabilities of the Company for the purposes of this Section if the Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or which acquires by conveyance or transfer such properties and assets substantially as an entirety, as the case may be, shall, as a part of such consolidation, merger, conveyance or transfer, comply with the conditions set forth in Article VIII.

Section 14.03     Prior Payment to Senior Indebtedness Upon Acceleration of Securities.

In the event that any Securities are declared due and payable before their Stated Maturity, then and in such event the holders of Senior Indebtedness outstanding at the time such Securities so become due and payable shall be entitled to receive payment in full of all amounts due or to become due on or in respect of such Senior Indebtedness, or provision shall be made for such payment in money or money’s worth, before the Holders of the Securities are entitled to receive any payment by the Company on account of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on the Securities or on account of the purchase or other acquisition of Securities; provided, however, that nothing in this Section shall prevent the satisfaction of any sinking fund payment in accordance with Article XII by delivering and crediting pursuant to Section 12.02 Securities which have been acquired (upon redemption or otherwise) prior to such default.

In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall make any payment to the Trustee or the Holder of any Security prohibited by the foregoing provisions of this Section, and if such fact shall, at or prior to the time of such payment, have been made known to the Trustee or, as the case may be, such Holder, then and in such event such payment shall be paid over and delivered forthwith to the Company.

The provisions of this Section shall not apply to any payment with respect to which Section 14.02 would be applicable.

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Section 14.04     No Payment When Senior Indebtedness in Default.

In the event and during the continuation of any default in the payment of principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on any Senior Indebtedness beyond any applicable grace period with respect thereto, or in the event that any event of default with respect to any Senior Indebtedness shall have occurred and be continuing and shall have resulted in such Senior Indebtedness becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise have become due and payable, unless and until such event of default shall have been cured or waived or shall have ceased to exist and such acceleration shall have been rescinded or annulled, or in the event any judicial proceeding shall be pending with respect to any such default in payment or event of default, then no payment shall be made by the Company on account of principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on the Securities or on account of the purchase or other acquisition of Securities; provided, however, that nothing in this Section shall prevent the satisfaction of any sinking fund payment in accordance with Article XII by delivering and crediting pursuant to Section 12.02 Securities which have been acquired (upon redemption or otherwise) prior to such default.

In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall make any payment to the Trustee or the Holder of any Security prohibited by the foregoing provisions of this Section, and if such fact shall, at or prior to the time of such payment, have been made known to the Trustee or, as the case may be, such Holder, then and in such event such payment shall be paid over and delivered forthwith to the Company.

The provisions of this Section shall not apply to any payment with respect to which Section 14.02 would be applicable.

Section 14.05     Payment Permitted If No Default.

Nothing contained in this Article or elsewhere in this Indenture or in any of the Securities shall prevent the Company, at any time except during the pendency of any case, proceeding, dissolution, liquidation or other winding up, assignment for the benefit of creditors or other marshalling of assets and liabilities of the Company referred to in Section 14.02 or under the conditions described in Section 14.03 or 14.04, from making payments at any time of principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on the Securities.

Section 14.06     Subrogation to Rights of Holders of Senior Indebtedness.

Subject to the payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness, the Holders of the Securities shall be subrogated (equally and ratably with the holders of all indebtedness of the Company which by its express terms is subordinated to indebtedness of the Company to substantially the same extent as the Securities are subordinated and is entitled to like rights of subrogation) to the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness to receive payments and distributions of cash, property and securities applicable to the Senior Indebtedness until the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Securities shall be paid in full. For purposes of such subrogation, no payments or distributions to the holders of the Senior Indebtedness of any cash, property or securities to which the Holders of the Securities or the Trustee would be entitled except for the provisions of this Article, and no payments over pursuant to the provisions of this Article to the holders of Senior Indebtedness by Holders of the Securities or the Trustee, shall, as among the Company, its creditors other than holders of Senior Indebtedness and the Holders of the Securities, be deemed to be a payment or distribution by the Company to or on account of the Senior Indebtedness.

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Section 14.07     Provisions Solely to Define Relative Rights.

The provisions of this Article are and are intended solely for the purpose of defining the relative rights of the Holders of the Securities on the one hand and the holders of Senior Indebtedness on the other hand. Nothing contained in this Article or elsewhere in this Indenture or in the Securities is intended to or shall (a) impair, as among the Company, its creditors other than holders of Senior Indebtedness and the Holders of the Securities, the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional (and which, subject to the rights under this Article of the holders of Senior Indebtedness, is intended to rank equally with all other general obligations of the Company), to pay to the Holders of the Securities the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Securities as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with their terms; or (b) affect the relative rights against the Company of the Holders of the Securities and creditors of the Company other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness; or (c) prevent the Trustee or the Holder of any Security from exercising all remedies otherwise permitted by applicable law upon default under this Indenture, subject to the rights, if any, under this Article of the holders of Senior Indebtedness to receive cash, property and securities otherwise payable or deliverable to the Trustee or such Holder.

Section 14.08     Trustee to Effectuate Subordination.

Each Holder of a Security by his acceptance thereof authorizes and directs the Trustee on his behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination provided in this Article and appoints the Trustee his attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.

Section 14.09     No Waiver of Subordination Provisions.

No right of any present or future holder of any Senior Indebtedness to enforce subordination as herein provided shall at any time in any way be prejudiced or impaired by any act or failure to act on the part of the Company or by any act or failure to act, in good faith, by any such holder, or by any non-compliance by the Company with the terms, provisions and covenants of this Indenture, regardless of any knowledge thereof any such holder may have or be otherwise charged with.

Without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing paragraph, the holders of Senior Indebtedness may, at any time and from time to time, without the consent of or notice to the Trustee or the Holders of the Securities, without incurring responsibility to the Holders of the Securities and without impairing or releasing the subordination provided in this Article or the obligations hereunder of the Holders of the Securities to the holders of Senior Indebtedness, do any one or more of the following: (i) change the manner, place or terms of payment or extend the time of payment of, or renew or alter, Senior Indebtedness, or otherwise amend or supplement in any manner Senior Indebtedness or any instrument evidencing the same or any agreement under which Senior Indebtedness is outstanding; (ii) sell, exchange, release or otherwise deal with any property pledged, mortgaged or otherwise securing Senior Indebtedness; (iii) release any Person liable in any manner for the collection of Senior Indebtedness; and (iv) exercise or refrain from exercising any rights against the Company and any other Person.

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Section 14.10     Notice to Trustee.

The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any fact known to the Company which would prohibit the making of any payment to or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article or any other provision of this Indenture, the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of the existence of any facts which would prohibit the making of any payment to or by the Trustee in respect of the Securities, unless and until the Trustee shall have received written notice thereof from the Company or a holder of Senior Indebtedness or from any trustee therefor; and, prior to the receipt of any such written notice, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 6.01, shall be entitled in all respects to assume that no such facts exist; provided, however, that if the Trustee shall not have received the notice provided for in this Section at least three Business Days prior to the date upon which by the terms hereof any money may become payable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on any Security), then, anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall have full power and authority to receive such money and to apply the same to the purpose for which such money was received and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary which may be received by it within three Business Days prior to such date.

Subject to the provisions of Section 6.01, the Trustee shall be entitled to rely on the delivery to it of a written notice by a Person representing himself to be a holder of Senior Indebtedness (or a trustee therefor) to establish that such notice has been given by a holder of Senior Indebtedness (or a trustee therefor). In the event that the Trustee determines in good faith that further evidence is required with respect to the right of any Person as a holder of Senior Indebtedness to participate in any payment or distribution pursuant to this Article, the Trustee may request such Person to furnish evidence to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee as to the amount of Senior Indebtedness held by such Person, the extent to which such Person is entitled to participate in such payment or distribution and any other facts pertinent to the rights of such Person under this Article, and if such evidence is not furnished, the Trustee may defer any payment to such Person pending judicial determination as to the right of such Person to receive such payment.

Section 14.11     Reliance on Judicial Order or Certificate of Liquidating Agent.

Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 6.01, and the Holders of the Securities shall be entitled to rely upon any order or decree entered by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such insolvency, bankruptcy, receivership, liquidation, reorganization, dissolution, winding up or similar case or proceeding is pending, or a certificate of the trustee in bankruptcy, receiver, liquidating trustee, custodian, assignee for the benefit of creditors, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of Securities, for the purpose of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such payment or distribution, the holders of the Senior Indebtedness and other indebtedness of the Company, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article.

Section 14.12     Trustee Not Fiduciary for Holders of Senior Indebtedness.

The Trustee shall not be deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of Senior Indebtedness and shall not be liable to any such holders if it shall in good faith mistakenly pay over or distribute to Holders of Securities or to the Company or to any other Person cash, property or securities to which any holders of Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled by virtue of this Article or otherwise.

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Section 14.13     Rights of Trustee as Holder of Senior Indebtedness; Preservation of Trustee’s Rights.

The Trustee in its individual capacity shall be entitled to all the rights set forth in this Article with respect to any Senior Indebtedness which may at any time be held by it, to the same extent as any other holder of Senior Indebtedness, and nothing in this Indenture shall deprive the Trustee of any of its rights as such holder.

Nothing in this Article shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Section 6.07.

Section 14.14     Article Applicable to Paying Agents.

In case at any time any Paying Agent other than the Trustee shall have been appointed by the Company and be then acting hereunder, the term “Trustee” as used in this Article shall in such case (unless the context otherwise requires) be construed as extending to and including such Paying Agent within its meaning as fully for all intents and purposes as if such Paying Agent were named in this Article in addition to or in place of the Trustee; provided, however, that Section 14.13 shall not apply to the Company or any Affiliate of the Company if it or such Affiliate acts as Paying Agent.

Section 14.15     Certain Conversions Deemed Payment.

For the purposes of this Article only, the payment, issuance or delivery of cash, property or securities (other than junior securities) upon conversion of a Security shall be deemed to constitute payment on account of the principal of such Security. For the purposes of this Section, the term “junior securities” means (a) shares of any stock of any class of the Company and (b) securities of the Company which are subordinated in right of payment to all Senior Indebtedness which may be outstanding at the time of issuance or delivery of such securities to substantially the same extent as, or to a greater extent than, the Securities are so subordinated as provided in this Article.

Section 14.16     Trust Moneys Not Subordinated.

Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, payments from moneys or the proceeds of U.S. Government Obligations held in trust under Article XIII by the Trustee for the payment of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Securities from the date of deposit (if made in compliance with this Indenture) shall not be subordinated to the prior payment of any Senior Indebtedness or subject to the restraints set forth in this Article, and none of the Holders shall be obligated to pay over any such amount to the Company or any holder of Senior Indebtedness of the Company or any other creditor of the Company.

This instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

(Signature Page to Follow)

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

SOUTHSIDE BANCSHARES, INC., as the Company
By: /s/ Julie N. Shamburger
Name: Julie N. Shamburger 
Title: Chief Financial Officer
WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee
By: /s/ Michael H. Wass
Name: Michael H. Wass 
Title: Vice President

[Signature Page to Indenture]

SOUTHSIDE BANCSHARES, INC.
Certain Sections of this Indenture relating to
Sections 310 through 318(a), inclusive, of the
Trust Indenture Act of 1939:

Trust Indenture
Act Section
Indenture Section
§ 310 (a)(1) 6.10
(a)(2) 6.10
(a)(3) Not Applicable
(a)(4) Not Applicable
(a)(5) 6.10
(b) 6.08 6.10
(c) Not Applicable
§ 311 (a) 6.11
(b) 6.11
(c) Not Applicable
§ 312 (a) 7.01
7.02
(b) 7.02
(c) 7.02
§ 313 (a) 6.06
(b) 6.06
(c) 6.06
(d) 6.06
§ 314 (a) 7.03
(a)(4) 1.01
10.04
(b) Not Applicable
(c)(1) 1.02
(c)(2) 1.02
(c)(3) Not Applicable
(d) Not Applicable
(e) 1.02
§ 315 (a) 6.01
(b) 6.05
(c) 6.01
(d) 6.01
(e) 5.14
§ 316 (a) 1.01
(a)(1)(A) 5.02
5.12
(a)(1)(B) 5.13
(a)(2) Not Applicable
(b) 5.08
(c) 1.04
§ 317 (a)(1) 5.03
(a)(2) 5.04
(b) 10.03
§ 318 (a) 1.07

NOTE:     This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be a part of the Indenture.

 

Exhibit 4.2

 

SOUTHSIDE BANCSHARES, INC.

 

Issuer

 

and

 

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

 

Trustee

 

FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

 

Dated as of August 14, 2025

 

to

 

the Indenture

 

Dated as of August 14, 2025

 

7.00% Fixed-to-Floating Rate
Subordinated Notes due 2035

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Page

 

Article I SCOPE OF SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE       1
   
Section 1.01 Scope 1
     
Article II DEFINITIONS 2
     
Section 2.01 Definitions and Other Provisions of General Application 2
   
Article III FORM AND TERMS OF THE NOTES       9
   
Section 3.01 Form and Dating 9
Section 3.02 Terms 10
     
Article IV AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS       16
   
Section 4.01 Without Consent of Holders 16
Section 4.02 With Consent of Holders 17
     
Article V [RESERVED]       18
   
Article VI CONSOLIDATION, MERGER CONVEYANCE, TRANSFER OR LEASE       18
   
Section 6.01 Company May Consolidate, Etc. 18
Section 6.02 Successor Substituted 19
     
Article VII SUBORDINATION OF SECURITIES       19
   
Section 7.01 Notes Subordinate to Senior Indebtedness 19
Section 7.02 Payment Over of Proceeds Upon Dissolution, Etc. 19
Section 7.03 Prior Payment to Senior Indebtedness Upon Acceleration of Notes 20
Section 7.04 No Payment When Senior Indebtedness in Default 20
Section 7.05 Payment Permitted If No Default 21
Section 7.06 Subrogation to Rights of Holders of Senior Indebtedness 21
Section 7.07 Provisions Solely to Define Relative Rights 21
Section 7.08 Trustee to Effectuate Subordination 22
Section 7.09 No Waiver of Subordination Provisions 22
Section 7.10 Notice to Trustee 22
Section 7.11 Reliance on Judicial Order or Certificate of Liquidating Agent 23

 

 

 

 

Section 7.12 Trustee Not Fiduciary for Holders of Senior Indebtedness 23
Section 7.13 Rights of Trustee as Holder of Senior Indebtedness; Preservation of Trustee’s Rights 24
Section 7.14 Article Applicable to Paying Agents 24
Section 7.15 Certain Conversions Deemed Payment 24
Section 7.16 Trust Moneys Not Subordinated 24
     
Article VIII MISCELLANEOUS       25
   
Section 8.01 Trust Indenture Act 25
Section 8.02 GOVERNING LAW 25
Section 8.03 Ratification 25
Section 8.04 Effectiveness 25
Section 8.05 USA PATRIOT Act 25

 

 

 

 

FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE (this “Supplemental Indenture”), dated as of August 14, 2025, between SOUTHSIDE BANCSHARES, INC., a Texas corporation (the “Company”), and WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, as trustee (“Trustee”).

 

RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

 

The Company and the Trustee executed and delivered a Subordinated Debt Securities Indenture dated as of August 14, 2025 (the “Base Indenture” and, as supplemented and amended by this Supplemental Indenture, the “Indenture”), to provide for the issuance from time to time by the Company of its unsecured subordinated indebtedness to be issued in one or more series as provided in the Base Indenture.

 

The Company desires to issue and sell on the date hereof One Hundred Fifty Million Dollars ($150,000,000) aggregate principal amount of a new series of Securities of the Company under the Base Indenture designated as its 7.00% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2035 (the “Notes”), the form and the terms, provisions and conditions thereof to be set forth as provided in the Base Indenture and this Supplemental Indenture, and such issuance and sale have been authorized by resolutions duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

The Company desires to establish the terms of the Notes.

 

The Company acknowledges that all things necessary to make this Supplemental Indenture a legal, binding and enforceable instrument, and to make the Notes, when executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee, the legal, binding and enforceable obligations of the Company in accordance with their terms and the terms of the Base Indenture, have been done.

 

The Company has complied with all conditions precedent provided for in the Base Indenture relating to this Supplemental Indenture. The Company has requested that the Trustee execute and deliver this Supplemental Indenture.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

 

For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Notes by the Holders thereof, it is mutually agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Notes, as follows:

 

Article I
SCOPE OF SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

 

Section 1.01           Scope.

 

This Supplemental Indenture constitutes an indenture supplemental to the Base Indenture and an integral part of the Indenture and shall be read together with the Base Indenture as though all the provisions hereof and thereof are contained in one instrument. All provisions included in this Supplemental Indenture supersede any conflicting provisions included in the Base Indenture unless not permitted by law. Except as expressly amended by the Supplemental Indenture, the terms and provisions of the Base Indenture shall remain in full force and effect. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Supplemental Indenture shall only apply to the Notes.

 

1

 

 

Article II
DEFINITIONS

 

Section 2.01           Definitions and Other Provisions of General Application. For all purposes of this Supplemental Indenture, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:

 

(1)all terms used in this Supplemental Indenture which are not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Base Indenture and include the plural as well as the singular; and

 

(2)Section 1.01 of the Base Indenture is amended and supplemented by inserting the following additional defined terms in their appropriate alphabetical positions (and, in the case of any defined term which is duplicated in Section 1.01 of the Base Indenture, by deleting the duplicate definition set forth in such Section 1.01 in its entirety):

 

Additional Notes” has the meaning specified in Section 3.02(b).

 

Administrative or Judicial Action” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Tax Event.”

 

Benchmark” means, initially, Three-Month Term SOFR; provided that if the Calculation Agent determines on or prior to the Reference Time for any Interest Period that a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred with respect to Three- Month Term SOFR or the then-current Benchmark, then “Benchmark” means the applicable Benchmark Replacement for such Interest Period and any subsequent Interest Periods.

 

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

 

(1)Compounded SOFR;

 

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

 

2

 

 

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

 

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

 

Benchmark Replacement Adjustment” means the first alternative set forth in the order below that can be determined by the Calculation Agent as of the Benchmark Replacement Date:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

3

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(1)if the Benchmark is Three-Month Term SOFR, the Company determines that the use of a forward-looking rate for a tenor of three months based on SOFR is not administratively feasible and provides written notice of such determination to the Calculation Agent;

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Business Day” means any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, that is neither a legal holiday nor a day on which banking institutions in the City of New York or any place of payment are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close; provided, that, when used in connection with an amount that bears interest at a rate based on SOFR or Term SOFR or any direct or indirect calculation or determination of SOFR or Term SOFR, the term “business day” means any such day that is also a U.S. Government Securities Business Day.

 

Calculation Agent” means initially, for the Floating Rate Period, Wilmington Trust, National Association.

 

4

 

 

Compounded SOFR” means the compounded average of SOFRs for the applicable Corresponding Tenor, with the rate, or methodology for this rate, and conventions for this rate (which will be compounded in arrears with a lookback and/or suspension period as a mechanism to determine the interest amount payable prior to the end of each interest period) being established by the Calculation Agent in accordance with:

 

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

 

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

 

For the avoidance of doubt, the calculation of Compounded SOFR shall exclude the Benchmark Replacement Adjustment and the spread specified in Section 3.02(e)(ii).

 

Corresponding Tenor” means (i) with respect to Term SOFR, three months, and (ii) with respect to a Benchmark Replacement, a tenor (including overnight) having approximately the same length (disregarding business day adjustment) as the applicable tenor for the then-current Benchmark.

 

Custodian” means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.

 

Designated Senior Indebtedness” means any Senior Indebtedness that expressly provides that it is “designated senior indebtedness” for purposes of the Indenture, provided that the instrument, agreement or other document creating or evidencing such Senior Indebtedness may place limitations and conditions on the right of such Senior Indebtedness to exercise the rights of Designated Senior Indebtedness.

 

Dollar” or “$” means such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for the payment of public and private debts.

 

DTC” means The Depository Trust Company.

 

Existing Company Subordinated Indebtedness” means the Company’s 3.875% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2030 outstanding as of the date of this Supplemental Indenture.

 

Federal Reserve” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any successor federal banking agency.

 

Federal Reserve Bank of New York’ s Website” means the website of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York at http://www.newyorkfed.org, or any successor source. The foregoing Internet website is an inactive textual reference only, meaning that the information contained on the website is not a part of this Supplemental Indenture or incorporated by reference herein.

 

5

 

 

Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date” has the meaning specified in Section 3.02(e)(i), and shall constitute an “Interest Payment Date.”

 

Fixed Rate Period” has the meaning specified in Section 3.02(e)(i).

 

Floating Rate Interest Payment Date” has the meaning specified in Section 3.02(e)(ii), and shall constitute an “Interest Payment Date.”

 

Floating Rate Period” has the meaning specified in Section 3.02(e)(ii).

 

Interest Period” means the period from and including the immediately preceding Interest Payment Date in respect of which interest has been paid or duly provided for or, if no interest has been paid or duly provided for, from and including the Issue Date to, but excluding, the applicable Interest Payment Date for such period (or the Maturity Date or earlier Redemption Date, if applicable).

 

Interpolated Benchmark” with respect to the Benchmark means the rate determined by the Calculation Agent for the Corresponding Tenor by interpolating on a linear basis between: (1) the Benchmark for the longest period (for which the Benchmark is available) that is shorter than the Corresponding Tenor and (2) the Benchmark for the shortest period (for which the Benchmark is available) that is longer than the Corresponding Tenor.

 

ISDA Definitions” means the 2006 ISDA Definitions published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. or any successor thereto, as amended or supplemented from time to time, or any successor definitional booklet for interest rate derivatives published from time to time.

 

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

 

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

 

Issue Date” means August 14, 2025.

 

Material Subsidiary” means Southside Bank or any successor thereof or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries that is a depository institution and that has consolidated assets equal to 80% or more of the Company’s consolidated assets.

 

Maturity Date,” with respect to the principal of the Notes, has the meaning specified in Section 3.02(d), which date shall constitute the “Stated Maturity” thereof.

 

Payment Blockage Notice” has the meaning provided in Section 5.02(b).

 

6

 

 

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

 

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

 

Representative” means the (a) indenture trustee or other trustee, agent or representative for any Senior Indebtedness or (b) with respect to any Senior Indebtedness that does not have any such trustee, agent or other representative, (i) in the case of such Senior Indebtedness issued pursuant to an agreement providing for voting arrangements as among the holders or owners of such Senior Indebtedness, any holder or owner of such Senior Indebtedness acting with the consent of the required Persons necessary to bind such holders or owners of such Senior Indebtedness and (ii) in the case of all other such Senior Indebtedness, the holder or owner of such Senior Indebtedness.

 

Senior Indebtedness” means, without duplication, the principal, premium, if any, unpaid interest (including interest accruing on or after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy or for reorganization relating to the Company, whether or not a claim for post-filing interest is allowed in such proceeding), fees, charges, expenses, reimbursement and indemnification obligations, and all other amounts payable under or in respect of the following indebtedness of the Company, whether any such indebtedness exists as of the date of the Indenture or is created, incurred or assumed after such date: (i) all obligations for borrowed money; (ii) all obligations evidenced by debentures, notes, debt securities or other similar instruments; (iii) all obligations in respect of letters of credit, security purchase facilities or bankers acceptances or similar instruments (or reimbursement obligations with respect thereto); (iv) all obligations to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services, except trade accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business; (v) indebtedness secured by any mortgage, pledge, lien, charge, encumbrance or any security interest existing on property owned by the Company; (vi) obligations associated with derivative products including, but not limited to, interest rate and currency future or exchange contracts, foreign exchange contracts, swap agreements (including interest rate and foreign exchange rate swap agreements), cap agreements, floor agreements, collar agreements, options, interest rate future or option contracts, commodity contracts, and similar arrangements; (vii) purchase money debt and similar obligations; (viii) obligations to general creditors of the Company; (ix) a deferred obligation of, or any such obligation, directly or indirectly guaranteed by, the Company which obligation is incurred in connection with the acquisition of any business, properties or assets not evidenced by a note or similar instrument given in connection therewith; (x) all obligations of the type referred to in the foregoing subclauses above of other Persons for the payment of which the Company is responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise, whether or not classified as a liability on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP; and (xi) any renewals, amendments, deferrals, supplements, extensions, refundings or replacements of any of the foregoing. Senior Indebtedness excludes: (v) any such indebtedness, obligation or liability referred to above as to which, in the instrument creating or evidencing the same or pursuant to which the same is outstanding, it is provided that such indebtedness, obligation or liability is not superior in right of payment to the Notes, or ranks pari passu with the Notes, including the Existing Company Subordinated Indebtedness and any other subordinated notes issued pursuant to the Base Indenture or the Indenture; (w) any such indebtedness, obligation or liability that is subordinated to indebtedness of the Company to substantially the same extent as, or to a greater extent than, the Notes are subordinated; (x) any indebtedness to a Subsidiary; (y) any trade account payables in the ordinary course of business; and (z) the Notes. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and for the avoidance of doubt, if the Federal Reserve (or other applicable regulatory agency or authority) promulgates any rule or issues any interpretation that defines general creditor(s), the main purpose of which is to establish criteria for determining whether the subordinated debt of a financial or bank holding company is to be included in its capital, then the term “general creditors” as used in this definition of “Senior Indebtedness” will have the meaning as described in that rule or interpretation.

 

7

 

 

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

 

Tax Event” means the receipt by the Company of an opinion of independent tax counsel to the effect that as a result of (1) an amendment to or change (including any announced prospective amendment or change) in any law or treaty, or any regulation thereunder, of the United States or any of its political subdivisions or taxing authorities; (2) a judicial decision, administrative action, official administrative pronouncement, ruling, regulatory procedure, regulation, notice or announcement, including any notice or announcement of intent to adopt or promulgate any ruling, regulatory procedure or regulation (any of the foregoing, an “Administrative or Judicial Action”); or (3) an amendment to or change in any official position with respect to, or any interpretation of, an Administrative or Judicial Action or a law or regulation of the United States that differs from the previously generally accepted position or interpretation, in each case, which change or amendment or challenge becomes effective or which pronouncement, decision or challenge is announced on or after the Issue Date, there is more than an insubstantial risk that interest payable by the Company on the Notes is not, or, within 90 days of the date of such opinion, will not be, deductible by the Company, in whole or in part, for United States federal income tax purposes.

 

Term SOFR” means the forward-looking term rate for the applicable Corresponding Tenor based on SOFR as published by the Term SOFR Administrator.

 

Term SOFR Administrator” means CME Group Benchmark Administration Limited (CBA) (or a successor administrator of Three-Month Term SOFR selected by the Calculation Agent in its reasonable discretion).

 

Three-Month Term SOFR” means Term SOFR for a tenor of three months that is published by the Term SOFR Administrator at the Reference Time for any Interest Period, as determined by the Calculation Agent after giving effect to the Three-Month Term SOFR Conventions. All percentages used in or resulting from any calculation of Three-Month Term SOFR shall be rounded, if necessary, to the nearest one-hundred- thousandth of a percentage point, with 0.000005% rounded up to 0.00001%.

 

8

 

 

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

 

Tier 2 Capital Event” means the Company’s good faith determination that, as a result of (1) any amendment to, or change in, the laws, rules or regulations of the United States (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any agency or instrumentality of the United States, including the Federal Reserve and other federal bank regulatory agencies) or any political subdivision of or in the United States that is enacted or becomes effective after the Issue Date, (2) any proposed change in those laws, rules or regulations that is announced or becomes effective after the Issue Date, or (3) any official administrative decision or judicial decision or administrative action or other official pronouncement interpreting or applying those laws, rules, regulations, policies or guidelines with respect thereto that is announced after the Issue Date, there is more than an insubstantial risk that the Company will not be entitled to treat the Notes then outstanding as “Tier 2 Capital” (or its equivalent), for purposes of the capital adequacy rules or regulations of the Federal Reserve as then in effect and applicable to the Company, for so long as any Notes are outstanding.

 

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

 

U.S. Government Securities Business Day” means any day except for (a) a Saturday, (b) a Sunday or (c) a day on which the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association recommends that the fixed income departments of its members be closed for the entire day for purposes of trading in United States government securities.

 

Article III
FORM AND TERMS OF THE NOTES

 

Section 3.01           Form and Dating.

 

(a)            The Notes shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto. The Notes shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chief Executive Officer, its President, its Chief Financial Officer, one of its Vice Presidents or its Treasurer.

 

(b)            The terms contained in the Notes shall constitute, and are hereby expressly made, a part of the Base Indenture as supplemented by this Supplemental Indenture, and the Company and the Trustee, by their execution and delivery of this Supplemental Indenture, expressly agree to such terms and provisions and to be bound thereby.

 

9

 

 

Section 3.02           Terms. The following terms relating to the Notes are hereby established:

 

(a)            Title. The Notes shall constitute a series of Securities having the title “7.00% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2035” and the CUSIP number 84470PAG4.

 

(b)            Principal Amount. The aggregate principal amount of the Notes that may be authenticated and delivered under the Indenture on the Issue Date shall be ONE HUNDRED FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS ($150,000,000). If no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to the Notes, the Company may, from time to time, without notice to or the consent of the Holders, create and issue additional notes (“Additional Notes”) pursuant to the Indenture ranking equally with the Notes and with identical terms in all respects (or in all respects except for the offering price, the payment of interest accruing prior to the issue date of such Additional Notes and the first payment of interest following the issue date of such Additional Notes); provided, however, that a separate CUSIP number will be issued for any such Additional Notes unless such Additional Notes are fungible with the Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes, subject to the procedures of DTC. The Notes and any Additional Notes shall constitute a single series under the Indenture. All references to the Notes shall include any Additional Notes, unless the context otherwise requires.

 

(c)            Person to Whom Interest Is Payable. Defaulted Interest may be paid as provided in Section 3.07 of the Base Indenture. However, interest that is paid on the Maturity Date will be paid to the Person to whom the principal is payable.

 

(d)            Maturity Date. The entire outstanding Principal of the Notes shall be payable on August 15, 2035 (the “Maturity Date”).

 

(e)            Interest.

 

(i)            The Notes will bear interest at a fixed rate of 7.00% per annum from and including August 14, 2025, to but excluding August 15, 2030, or earlier Redemption Date (the “Fixed Rate Period”). Interest accrued on the Notes during the Fixed Rate Period will be payable semi-annually in arrears on February 15 and August 15 of each year, commencing on February 15, 2026 (each such date, a “Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date”). The last Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date shall be August 15, 2030, unless the Notes are earlier redeemed. The interest payable during the Fixed Rate Period will be paid to each Holder in whose name a Note is registered at the close of business on the fifteenth day (whether or not a Business Day) immediately preceding the applicable Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date.

 

(ii)            The Notes will bear interest at a floating interest rate from and including August 15, 2030, to but excluding the Maturity Date or earlier Redemption Date (the “Floating Rate Period”). The floating interest rate will be reset for each Interest Period in the Floating Rate Period, and the interest rate for each such Interest Period shall be equal to the then-current Three-Month Term SOFR for such Interest Period plus 357 basis points, provided that if Three-Month Term SOFR (or other applicable Benchmark) is less than zero for any Interest Period during the Floating Rate Period, then Three-Month Term SOFR (or other such Benchmark) shall be deemed to be zero for such Interest Period. During the Floating Rate Period, interest on the Notes will be payable quarterly in arrears on February 15, May 15, August 15 and November 15 of each year, commencing on November 15, 2030 (each such date, a “Floating Rate Interest Payment Date” and, together with each Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date, each an “Interest Payment Date”). The last Floating Rate Interest Payment Date shall be August 15, 2035, unless the Notes are earlier redeemed. The interest payable during the Floating Rate Period will be paid to each Holder in whose name a Note is registered at the close of business on the fifteenth day (whether or not a Business Day) immediately preceding the applicable Floating Rate Interest Payment Date. The Calculation Agent will provide the Company and the Trustee with the interest rate in effect for each Interest Period during the Floating Rate Period promptly after the Reference Time therefor (or other date of determination for the applicable Benchmark).

 

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(iii)            The amount of interest payable on any Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date during the Fixed Rate Period will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months, and the amount of interest payable on any Floating Rate Interest Payment Date during the Floating Rate Period will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year and the actual number of days elapsed. In the event that any scheduled Interest Payment Date or the Maturity Date for the Notes falls on a day that is not a Business Day, then payment shall be made as provided in Section 1.13 of the Base Indenture; provided, that if any scheduled Floating Rate Interest Payment Date falls on a day that is not a Business Day and the next succeeding Business Day falls in the next succeeding calendar month, such Floating Rate Interest Payment Date will be accelerated to the immediately preceding Business Day, and, in each such case, the amounts payable on such Business Day will include interest accrued to, but excluding such Business Day. Dollar amounts resulting from interest calculations will be rounded to the nearest cent, with one-half cent being rounded upward.

 

(iv)            The Company shall take such actions as are necessary to ensure that from the commencement of the Floating Rate Period for so long as any of the Notes remain outstanding there will at all times be a Calculation Agent appointed to calculate Three-Month Term SOFR in respect of each Floating Rate Period. The calculation of Three-Month Term SOFR for each applicable Floating Rate Period by the Calculation Agent will (in the absence of manifest error) be final and binding. The Calculation Agent shall have all the rights, protections and indemnities afforded to the Trustee under the Base Indenture and hereunder. The Calculation Agent may be removed by the Company at any time. If the Calculation Agent is unable or unwilling to act as Calculation Agent or is removed by the Company, the Company will promptly appoint a replacement Calculation Agent, which shall not be the Trustee. The Calculation Agent may not resign its duties without a successor having been duly appointed; provided, that if a successor Calculation Agent has not been appointed by the Company and such successor accepted such position within 30 days after the giving of notice of resignation by the Calculation Agent, then the resigning Calculation Agent may petition, at the expense of the Company, any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Calculation Agent with respect to such series. For the avoidance of doubt, if at any time there is no Calculation Agent appointed by the Company, then the Company shall be the Calculation Agent. The Company may appoint itself or any of its Affiliates to be the Calculation Agent.

 

(v)            Effect of Benchmark Transition Event and Benchmark Replacement Date.

 

(1)            If the Calculation Agent determines that a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred on or prior to the Reference Time in respect of any Interest Period during the Floating Rate Period, then the Benchmark Replacement will replace the then-current Benchmark for all purposes relating to the Notes during such Interest Period and all subsequent Interest Periods.

 

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(2)            Notwithstanding anything set forth in clause (ii) above, if the Calculation Agent determines that a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred on or prior to the relevant Reference Time with respect to Three- Month Term SOFR, then the provisions set forth in this clause (v) will thereafter apply to all determinations of the rate or interest payable on the Notes during the Floating Rate Period. After a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred, the interest rate on the Notes for each Interest Period during the Floating Rate Period will be an annual rate equal to the Benchmark Replacement plus the spread specified in clause (ii) above.

 

(3)            The Company and the Calculation Agent are expressly authorized to make determinations, decisions and elections under the terms of the Notes, including with respect to the use of any Benchmark Replacement for the Floating Rate Period and under this clause (v). Any determination, decision or election that may be made by the Company or by the Calculation Agent under the terms of the Notes, including any determination with respect to the use of Three-Month Term SOFR as the Benchmark for the Floating Rate Period, any determination under the benchmark transition provisions, any determination of a tenor, rate or adjustment or of the occurrence or non-occurrence of an event, circumstance or date and any decision to take or refrain from taking any action or selection (A) will be conclusive and binding on the Holders and the Trustee absent manifest error, (B) if made by the Company, will be made in the Company’s sole discretion, (C) if made by the Calculation Agent, will be made after consultation with the Company, and the Calculation Agent will not make any such determination, decision or election to which the Company reasonably objects, and (D) notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in the Base Indenture, shall become effective without consent from the Holders or the Trustee. If the Calculation Agent fails to make any determination, decision or election that it is required to make under the terms of the Notes, then the Company will make such determination, decision or election on the same basis as described above.

 

(vi)            The Company (or its Calculation Agent) shall notify the Trustee in writing (1) upon the occurrence of the Benchmark Transition Event or the Benchmark Replacement Date, and (2) of any Benchmark Replacements, Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes and other items affecting the interest rate on the Notes after a Benchmark Transition Event.

 

(vii)            The Trustee (including in its capacity as Paying Agent) shall have no (1) responsibility or liability for (A) Three-Month Term SOFR Conventions, (B) selection of an alternative reference rate to Three-Month Term SOFR (including whether the conditions for the designation of such rate have been satisfied or whether such rate is a Benchmark Replacement or an Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement), (C) determination or calculation of a Benchmark Replacement, or (D) determination of whether a Benchmark Transition Event or Benchmark Replacement Date has occurred, and in each such case under clauses (A) through (D) above shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon the selection, determination, and/or calculation thereof as provided by the Company or its Calculation Agent, as applicable, or (2) liability for any failure or delay in performing its duties hereunder as a result of the unavailability of a Benchmark as described in the definition thereof, including as a result of the Company’s or Calculation Agent’s failure to select a Benchmark Replacement or the Calculation Agent’s failure to calculate a Benchmark. The Trustee shall be entitled to rely conclusively on all notices from the Company or its Calculation Agent regarding any Benchmark or Benchmark Replacement, including in regards to Three-Month Term SOFR Conventions, a Benchmark Transition Event, Benchmark Replacement Date, and Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes.

 

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(viii)            If the then-current Benchmark is Three-Month Term SOFR and any of the foregoing provisions concerning the calculation of the interest rate and the payment of interest during the Floating Rate Period are inconsistent with any of the Three-Month Term SOFR Conventions determined by the Calculation Agent, then the relevant Three-Month Term SOFR Conventions will apply.

 

(f)            Place of Payment of Principal and Interest. So long as the Notes are issued in the form of one or more Global Securities, the Company shall make, or cause the Paying Agent to make, all payments of principal and interest on the Notes by wire transfer in immediately available funds to DTC or its nominee, in accordance with applicable procedures of DTC. If the Notes are not so issued, the Company may, at its option, make, or cause the Paying Agent to make, payments of principal and interest on the Notes by check mailed to the address of the Holder specified in accordance with Sections 3.02(e)(i) or (e)(ii).

 

(g)           Redemption. The Notes are not subject to redemption or prepayment at the option of the Holders.

 

The Notes shall be redeemable at the option of the Company, in whole or in part from time to time, beginning with the Interest Payment Date on August 15, 2030, and on any Interest Payment Date thereafter, subject to obtaining the prior approval of the Federal Reserve, to the extent such approval is then required under the rules of the Federal Reserve.

 

In addition, the Company may, at its option, redeem the Notes at any time before the Maturity Date, in whole but not in part, subject to obtaining the prior approval of the Federal Reserve, to the extent such approval is then required under the rules of the Federal Reserve, upon the occurrence of a Tier 2 Capital Event or a Tax Event, or if the Company is required to register as an investment company pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (15 U.S.C. 80a-1 et seq.).

 

The Notes may not otherwise be redeemed prior to the Maturity Date.

 

The Redemption Price shall equal 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the Redemption Date fixed by the Company. The provisions of Article XI of the Base Indenture shall apply to any redemption of the Notes, except that: the reference to “not less than 30 nor more than 60 days” in Section 11.04 of the Base Indenture shall be replaced with “not less than 10 nor more than 60 days”. Any partial redemption will be made in accordance with DTC’s applicable procedures among all Holders. If any Note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption relating to such Note shall state, in addition to the information specified in Section 11.04 of the Base Indenture, that such redemption is a partial redemption, the portion of the principal amount thereof to be redeemed, and that a replacement Note in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion thereof will be issued in the name of the Holder thereof upon cancellation of the original Note.

 

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The Company’s election to redeem the Notes upon the occurrence of any of the enumerated events above will be provided to the Trustee in the form of an Officers’ Certificate at least 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, or such shorter notice as may be acceptable to the Trustee. In case of any such election, notice of redemption must be provided to the Holders of the Notes not less than ten nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date. If the Company elects to rescind or delay such notice of redemption, the Company shall provide written notice to the Trustee and each Holder of the Notes prior to the close of business on a day that is at least one Business Day prior to the Redemption Date in the same manner in which the notice of redemption was given. Upon receipt of such notice, the notice of redemption shall be rescinded or delayed as provided in such notice.

 

(h)           Sinking Fund. There shall be no sinking fund for the Notes.

 

(i)            Conversion and Exchange. The Notes are not convertible into, or exchangeable for, equity securities, other securities or assets of the Company or its Subsidiaries.

 

(j)            Denomination. The Notes and any beneficial interest in the Notes shall be in minimum denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

(k)           Currency of the Notes. The Notes shall be denominated, and the principal thereof and interest thereon shall be payable, in Dollars.

 

(l)            Registered Form. The Notes shall be issuable as Global Securities, and DTC (or any successor thereto or successor depositary appointed by the Company within 90 days of the termination of services of DTC) shall be the depositary for the Notes. Sections 3.04 and 3.07 of the Base Indenture shall apply to the Notes.

 

(m)          Events of Default. The Events of Default provided for in Section 5.01 of the Base Indenture shall apply to the Notes, provided that:

 

(i)            clause (3) thereof shall be deleted in its entirety and the following shall be inserted in lieu thereof:

 

“(3) [reserved];”

 

(ii)            clause (5) thereof shall be deleted in its entirety and the following shall be inserted in lieu thereof (and shall constitute “Events of Default”):

 

“(5) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that (A) is for relief against the Company in an involuntary case, (B) appoints a Custodian of the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or (C) orders the liquidation of the Company; and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 90 days; or”

 

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(iii)            clause (6) thereof shall be deleted in its entirety and the following shall be inserted in lieu thereof (and shall constitute “Events of Default”):

 

“(6) the Company pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law (A) commences a voluntary case, (B) consents to the entry of any order for relief against it in an involuntary case, (C) consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property, (D) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors, or (E) is generally unable to pay its debts as they become due; or”

 

(iv)            clause (7) thereof shall be deleted in its entirety and the following shall be inserted in lieu thereof (and shall constitute “Events of Default”):

 

(7) appointment of a Custodian for the Material Subsidiary (an event of default specified in clause (5), (6) or (7), a “Bankruptcy Default”).”

 

(n)            Acceleration of Maturity. Section 5.02 of the Base Indenture shall apply to the Notes, except that the first paragraph thereof shall be deleted in its entirety and the following text inserted in lieu thereof:

 

“If a Bankruptcy Default occurs and is continuing, then the principal amount of all the Notes, together with accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon, shall automatically, and without any declaration or other action on the part of the Trustee or any Holder, become immediately due and payable. The Maturity of the Notes shall not otherwise be accelerated as a result of an Event of Default.”

 

(o)            No Collateral. The Notes shall not be entitled to the benefit of any security interest in, or collateralization by, any rights, property or interest of the Company.

 

(p)            Satisfaction and Discharge; Defeasance. Articles IV and XIII of the Base Indenture shall apply to the Notes.

 

(q)            No Additional Amounts. In the event that any payment on the Notes is subject to withholding of any U.S. federal income tax or other tax or assessment (whether as a result of a change in law or otherwise), the Company will not pay additional amounts with respect to such tax or assessment.

 

(r)            Notices to Holders. Any notices required to be given to Holders shall be given to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Indenture or any Note, where the Indenture or any Note provides for notice of any event or any other communication (including any notice of redemption) to a Holder (whether by mail or otherwise), such notice shall be sufficiently given if given to DTC (or its designee) pursuant to the applicable procedures from DTC or its designee, including by electronic mail in accordance with accepted practices at DTC.

 

(s)            Additional Terms. Other terms applicable to the Notes are as otherwise provided for in the Base Indenture, as supplemented by this Supplemental Indenture, including Articles IV and V hereof.

 

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Article IV
AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS

 

Without limiting the generality of Section 1.01, Sections 4.01 and 4.02 shall replace Section 9.01 and 9.02, respectively, of the Base Indenture with respect to the Notes only.

 

Section 4.01           Without Consent of Holders. Without the consent of any Holder, the Company and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, for any of the following purposes:

 

(a)            to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company under the Indenture and the Securities and the assumption by such successor Person of the obligations of the Company hereunder;

 

(b)           to add covenants and Events of Default for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of such Notes or to surrender any right or power conferred by the Indenture upon the Company or to make any change that does not adversely affect the legal rights hereunder of any Holder in any material respect;

 

(c)           to add to, change or eliminate any of the provisions of the Indenture, provided that any such addition, change or elimination shall become effective only after there are no such Notes of any series entitled to the benefit of such provision Outstanding;

 

(d)           to establish the forms or terms of the Notes of any series issued hereunder;

 

(e)           to cure any ambiguity or omission or to correct any defect or inconsistency in the Indenture, or to conform the text of this Supplemental Indenture or the Notes to the description of the Notes in the prospectus or prospectus supplement relating thereto;

 

(f)            to evidence the acceptance of appointment by a successor Trustee with respect to one or more series of Notes or otherwise;

 

(g)           to effect or maintain the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act;

 

(h)           to provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to certificated Notes, or otherwise to alter the provisions of Articles II and III of the Base Indenture, including to facilitate the issuance, legending or transfer of the Notes, in a manner that does not materially adversely affect any Holder and does not result in any violation of applicable securities law;

 

(i)            to supplement any provisions of the Indenture necessary to permit or facilitate a defeasance, covenant defeasance or discharge of any series of Notes, provided that such action does not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Notes of such series or any other series; and

 

(j)            to comply with the rules or regulations of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which any of the Notes may be listed or traded; or

 

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(k)            to implement any Three-Month Term SOFR Conventions or any benchmark transition provisions after a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred (or in anticipation thereof).

 

Section 4.02           With Consent of Holders. With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of all outstanding Notes affected by such supplemental indenture (voting as one class), the Company and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to, or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of, the Indenture, or modifying in any manner the rights of Holders of Notes of such series under the Indenture; provided that the Company and the Trustee may not, without the consent of the Holder of each Notes affected thereby:

 

(a)            change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any installment of principal of or interest, if any, on, any Note, or reduce the principal amount thereof or premium, if any, on or the rate of interest thereon, or adversely affect any right to convert or exchange any Note into any other security, or alter the method of computation of interest, or make any Note payable in money other than that stated in such Note;

 

(b)            reduce the percentage in principal amount of Note required for any such supplemental indenture or for any waiver provided for in the Indenture;

 

(c)            alter the method of computation of interest;

 

(d)           change the Company’s obligation to maintain an office or agency for payment of Notes and the other matters specified herein;

 

(e)            make the Notes payable in money other than that stated in the Notes;

 

(f)            change the Company’s obligation to maintain an office or agency for payment of the Notes and the other matters specified in the Indenture;

 

(g)           impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on, any Note;

 

(h)           modify the provisions of the Indenture with respect to the subordination of any Note in a manner adverse to the Holder thereof; or

 

(i)            modify any of the provisions of the Indenture relating to the execution of supplemental indentures with the consent of Holders of Notes which are discussed in this Section or modify any provisions relating to the waiver by Holders of Notes of past defaults and covenants, except to increase any required percentage or to provide that other provisions of the Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each outstanding Note affected thereby.

 

In addition, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes may, on behalf of all holders of Notes, waive compliance by the Company with terms, conditions, and provisions of the Indenture, as well as any past default and the consequences of the default, other than any default in the payment of principal or interest or any breach in respect of a covenant or provision that cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each outstanding Note.

 

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Article V
[RESERVED]

 

Article VI
CONSOLIDATION, MERGER CONVEYANCE, TRANSFER OR LEASE

 

Without limiting the generality of Section 1.01, Sections 6.01 and 6.02 shall replace Section 8.01 and 8.02, respectively, of the Base Indenture with respect to the Notes only.

 

Section 6.01           Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms

 

The Company shall not, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, consolidate with or merge into any other Person, or sell, convey, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its and its Subsidiaries’ properties and assets, taken as a whole, to any other Person, unless:

 

(a)            the Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by sale, conveyance or transfer or other disposition, or which leases, all or substantially all of such properties and assets shall be a Corporation, shall be organized and validly existing under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia and shall expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, the due and punctual payment of the principal of and any premium and interest on all the Securities and the performance or observance of every other covenant of the Indenture on the part of the Company to be performed or observed;

 

(b)            immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Company or a Subsidiary as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Company or such Subsidiary at the time of such transaction, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing;

 

(c)            if, as a result of any such consolidation or merger or such conveyance, transfer or lease, such properties or assets would become subject to a mortgage, pledge, lien, security interest or other encumbrance which would not be permitted by the Indenture, the Company or such successor Person, as the case may be, shall take such steps as shall be necessary effectively to secure the Notes equally and ratably with (or prior to) all indebtedness secured thereby and such encumbrances shall be deemed to be permitted by the Indenture; and

 

(d)            the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or lease and such supplemental indenture comply with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

 

For clarity, this Section and Section 6.02 shall not apply to the merger of any Person into the Company, provided that the Company is the surviving entity of such merger.

 

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Section 6.02           Successor Substituted. Upon any consolidation of the Company with, or merger of the Company into, any other Person or any sale, conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company in accordance with Section 6.02, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or to which such conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under the Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company herein and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be relieved of all obligations and covenants under the Indenture and the Notes and may liquidate and dissolve.

 

Article VII
SUBORDINATION OF SECURITIES

 

Without limiting the generality of Section 1.01, this Article VII shall replace Article XIV of the Base Indenture with respect to the Notes only.

 

Section 7.01           Notes Subordinate to Senior Indebtedness. The Company covenants and agrees, and each Holder of a Note, by his acceptance thereof, likewise covenants and agrees, that, to the extent and in the manner hereinafter set forth in this Article VII, the indebtedness represented by the Notes and the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on each and all of the Notes are hereby expressly made subordinate and subject in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness.

 

Section 7.02           Payment Over of Proceeds Upon Dissolution, Etc.

 

In the event of (a) any insolvency or bankruptcy case or proceeding, or any receivership, liquidation, reorganization or other similar case or proceeding in connection therewith, relative to the Company or to its creditors, as such, or to its assets, or (b) any liquidation, dissolution or other winding up of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary and whether or not involving insolvency or bankruptcy, or (c) any assignment for the benefit of creditors or any other marshalling of assets and liabilities of the Company, then and in any such event the holders of Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled to receive payment in full of all amounts due or to become due on or in respect of all Senior Indebtedness, or provision shall be made for such payment in money or money’s worth, before the Holders of the Notes are entitled to receive any payment on account of principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on the Notes, and to that end the holders of Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled to receive, for application to the payment thereof, any payment or distribution of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, which may be payable or deliverable in respect of the Notes in any such case, proceeding, dissolution, liquidation or other winding up or event.

 

In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 7.02, the Trustee or the Holder of any Note shall have received any payment or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, before all Senior Indebtedness is paid in full or payment thereof provided for, and if such fact shall, at or prior to the time of such payment or distribution, have been made known to the Trustee or, as the case may be, such Holder, then and in such event such payment or distribution shall be paid over or delivered forthwith to the trustee in bankruptcy, receiver, liquidating trustee, custodian, assignee, agent or other Person making payment or distribution of assets of the Company for application to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid, to the extent necessary to pay all Senior Indebtedness in full, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the holders of Senior Indebtedness.

 

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For purposes of this Article VII only, the words “cash, property or securities” shall not be deemed to include shares of stock of the Company as reorganized or readjusted, or securities of the Company or any other corporation provided for by a plan of reorganization or readjustment which are subordinated in right of payment to all Senior Indebtedness which may at the time be outstanding to substantially the same extent as, or to a greater extent than, the Securities are so subordinated as provided in this Article VII. The consolidation of the Company with, or the merger of the Company into, another Person or the liquidation or dissolution of the Company following the conveyance or transfer of its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to another Person upon the terms and conditions set forth in Article VI shall not be deemed a dissolution, winding up, liquidation, reorganization, assignment for the benefit of creditors or marshalling of assets and liabilities of the Company for the purposes of this Section 7.02 if the Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or which acquires by conveyance or transfer such properties and assets substantially as an entirety, as the case may be, shall, as a part of such consolidation, merger, conveyance or transfer, comply with the conditions set forth in Article VI.

 

Section 7.03           Prior Payment to Senior Indebtedness Upon Acceleration of Notes.

 

In the event that any Notes are declared due and payable before their Stated Maturity, then and in such event the holders of Senior Indebtedness outstanding at the time such Notes so become due and payable shall be entitled to receive payment in full of all amounts due or to become due on or in respect of such Senior Indebtedness, or provision shall be made for such payment in money or money’s worth, before the Holders of the Notes are entitled to receive any payment by the Company on account of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on the Notes or on account of the purchase or other acquisition of Notes.

 

In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall make any payment to the Trustee or the Holder of any Note prohibited by the foregoing provisions of this Section 7.03, and if such fact shall, at or prior to the time of such payment, have been made known to the Trustee or, as the case may be, such Holder, then and in such event such payment shall be paid over and delivered forthwith to the Company.

 

The provisions of this Section shall not apply to any payment with respect to which Section 7.02 would be applicable.

 

Section 7.04           No Payment When Senior Indebtedness in Default.

 

In the event and during the continuation of any default in the payment of principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on any Senior Indebtedness beyond any applicable grace period with respect thereto, or in the event that any event of default with respect to any Senior Indebtedness shall have occurred and be continuing and shall have resulted in such Senior Indebtedness becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise have become due and payable, unless and until such event of default shall have been cured or waived or shall have ceased to exist and such acceleration shall have been rescinded or annulled, or in the event any judicial proceeding shall be pending with respect to any such default in payment or event of default, then no payment shall be made by the Company on account of principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on the Notes or on account of the purchase or other acquisition of Notes.

 

20

 

 

In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall make any payment to the Trustee or the Holder of any Note prohibited by the foregoing provisions of this Section 7.04, and if such fact shall, at or prior to the time of such payment, have been made known to the Trustee or, as the case may be, such Holder, then and in such event such payment shall be paid over and delivered forthwith to the Company.

 

The provisions of this Section7.04 shall not apply to any payment with respect to which Section 7.02 would be applicable.

 

Section 7.05           Payment Permitted If No Default.

 

Nothing contained in this Article VII or elsewhere in this Indenture or in any of the Notes shall prevent the Company, at any time except during the pendency of any case, proceeding, dissolution, liquidation or other winding up, assignment for the benefit of creditors or other marshalling of assets and liabilities of the Company referred to in Section 7.02 or under the conditions described in Section 7.03 or 7.04, from making payments at any time of principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on the Notes.

 

Section 7.06           Subrogation to Rights of Holders of Senior Indebtedness.

 

Subject to the payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness, the Holders of the Notes shall be subrogated (equally and ratably with the holders of all indebtedness of the Company which by its express terms is subordinated to indebtedness of the Company to substantially the same extent as the Notes are subordinated and is entitled to like rights of subrogation) to the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness to receive payments and distributions of cash, property and securities applicable to the Senior Indebtedness until the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Notes shall be paid in full. For purposes of such subrogation, no payments or distributions to the holders of the Senior Indebtedness of any cash, property or securities to which the Holders of the Notes or the Trustee would be entitled except for the provisions of this Article VII, and no payments over pursuant to the provisions of this Article VII to the holders of Senior Indebtedness by Holders of the Notes or the Trustee, shall, as among the Company, its creditors other than holders of Senior Indebtedness and the Holders of the Notes, be deemed to be a payment or distribution by the Company to or on account of the Senior Indebtedness.

 

Section 7.07           Provisions Solely to Define Relative Rights.

 

The provisions of this Article VII are and are intended solely for the purpose of defining the relative rights of the Holders of the Notes on the one hand and the holders of Senior Indebtedness on the other hand. Nothing contained in this Article VII or elsewhere in this Supplemental Indenture or in the Notes is intended to or shall (a) impair, as among the Company, its creditors other than holders of Senior Indebtedness and the Holders of the Notes, the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional (and which, subject to the rights under this Article VII of the holders of Senior Indebtedness, is intended to rank equally with all other general obligations of the Company), to pay to the Holders of the Notes the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Notes as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with their terms; or (b) affect the relative rights against the Company of the Holders of the Notes and creditors of the Company other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness; or (c) prevent the Trustee or the Holder of any Note from exercising all remedies otherwise permitted by applicable law upon default under this Indenture, subject to the rights, if any, under this Article of the holders of Senior Indebtedness to receive cash, property and securities otherwise payable or deliverable to the Trustee or such Holder.

 

21

 

 

Section 7.08           Trustee to Effectuate Subordination.

 

Each Holder of a Note by his acceptance thereof authorizes and directs the Trustee on his behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination provided in this Article VII and appoints the Trustee his attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.

 

Section 7.09           No Waiver of Subordination Provisions.

 

No right of any present or future holder of any Senior Indebtedness to enforce subordination as herein provided shall at any time in any way be prejudiced or impaired by any act or failure to act on the part of the Company or by any act or failure to act, in good faith, by any such holder, or by any non-compliance by the Company with the terms, provisions and covenants of this Supplemental Indenture, regardless of any knowledge thereof any such holder may have or be otherwise charged with.

 

Without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing paragraph, the holders of Senior Indebtedness may, at any time and from time to time, without the consent of or notice to the Trustee or the Holders of the Notes, without incurring responsibility to the Holders of the Notes and without impairing or releasing the subordination provided in this Article VII or the obligations hereunder of the Holders of the Notes to the holders of Senior Indebtedness, do any one or more of the following: (i) change the manner, place or terms of payment or extend the time of payment of, or renew or alter, Senior Indebtedness, or otherwise amend or supplement in any manner Senior Indebtedness or any instrument evidencing the same or any agreement under which Senior Indebtedness is outstanding; (ii) sell, exchange, release or otherwise deal with any property pledged, mortgaged or otherwise securing Senior Indebtedness; (iii) release any Person liable in any manner for the collection of Senior Indebtedness; and (iv) exercise or refrain from exercising any rights against the Company and any other Person.

 

Section 7.10           Notice to Trustee.

 

The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any fact known to the Company which would prohibit the making of any payment to or by the Trustee in respect of the Notes. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article or any other provision of this Indenture, the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of the existence of any facts which would prohibit the making of any payment to or by the Trustee in respect of the Notes, unless and until the Trustee shall have received written notice thereof from the Company or a holder of Senior Indebtedness or from any trustee therefor; and, prior to the receipt of any such written notice, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 6.01 of the Base Indenture, shall be entitled in all respects to assume that no such facts exist; provided, however, that if the Trustee shall not have received the notice provided for in this Section 7.10 at least three Business Days prior to the date upon which by the terms hereof any money may become payable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on any Note), then, anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall have full power and authority to receive such money and to apply the same to the purpose for which such money was received and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary which may be received by it within three Business Days prior to such date.

 

22

 

 

Subject to the provisions of Section 6.01 of the Base Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to rely on the delivery to it of a written notice by a Person representing himself to be a holder of Senior Indebtedness (or a trustee therefor) to establish that such notice has been given by a holder of Senior Indebtedness (or a trustee therefor). In the event that the Trustee determines in good faith that further evidence is required with respect to the right of any Person as a holder of Senior Indebtedness to participate in any payment or distribution pursuant to this Article, the Trustee may request such Person to furnish evidence to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee as to the amount of Senior Indebtedness held by such Person, the extent to which such Person is entitled to participate in such payment or distribution and any other facts pertinent to the rights of such Person under this Article VII, and if such evidence is not furnished, the Trustee may defer any payment to such Person pending judicial determination as to the right of such Person to receive such payment.

 

Section 7.11           Reliance on Judicial Order or Certificate of Liquidating Agent.

 

Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred to in this Article VII, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 6.01 of the Base Indenture, and the Holders of the Notes shall be entitled to rely upon any order or decree entered by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such insolvency, bankruptcy, receivership, liquidation, reorganization, dissolution, winding up or similar case or proceeding is pending, or a certificate of the trustee in bankruptcy, receiver, liquidating trustee, custodian, assignee for the benefit of creditors, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders of Notes, for the purpose of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such payment or distribution, the holders of the Senior Indebtedness and other indebtedness of the Company, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article VII.

 

Section 7.12           Trustee Not Fiduciary for Holders of Senior Indebtedness.

 

The Trustee shall not be deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of Senior Indebtedness and shall not be liable to any such holders if it shall in good faith mistakenly pay over or distribute to Holders of Notes or to the Company or to any other Person cash, property or securities to which any holders of Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled by virtue of this Article VII or otherwise.

 

23

 

 

Section 7.13           Rights of Trustee as Holder of Senior Indebtedness; Preservation of Trustee’s Rights.

 

The Trustee in its individual capacity shall be entitled to all the rights set forth in this Article VII with respect to any Senior Indebtedness which may at any time be held by it, to the same extent as any other holder of Senior Indebtedness, and nothing in this Supplemental Indenture shall deprive the Trustee of any of its rights as such holder.

 

Nothing in this Article shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Section 6.07 of the Base Indenture.

 

Section 7.14           Article Applicable to Paying Agents.

 

In case at any time any Paying Agent other than the Trustee shall have been appointed by the Company and be then acting hereunder, the term “Trustee” as used in this Article shall in such case (unless the context otherwise requires) be construed as extending to and including such Paying Agent within its meaning as fully for all intents and purposes as if such Paying Agent were named in this Article VII in addition to or in place of the Trustee; provided, however, that Section 7.13 shall not apply to the Company or any Affiliate of the Company if it or such Affiliate acts as Paying Agent.

 

Section 7.15           Certain Conversions Deemed Payment.

 

For the purposes of this Article VII only, the payment, issuance or delivery of cash, property or securities (other than junior securities) upon conversion of a Note shall be deemed to constitute payment on account of the principal of such Note. For the purposes of this Section 7.15, the term “junior securities” means (a) shares of any stock of any class of the Company and (b) securities of the Company which are subordinated in right of payment to all Senior Indebtedness which may be outstanding at the time of issuance or delivery of such securities to substantially the same extent as, or to a greater extent than, the Notes are so subordinated as provided in this Article VII.

 

Section 7.16           Trust Moneys Not Subordinated.

 

Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, payments from moneys or the proceeds of U.S. Government Obligations held in trust under Article XIII of the Base Indenture by the Trustee for the payment of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes from the date of deposit (if made in compliance with this Supplemental Indenture) shall not be subordinated to the prior payment of any Senior Indebtedness or subject to the restraints set forth in this Article VII, and none of the Holders shall be obligated to pay over any such amount to the Company or any holder of Senior Indebtedness of the Company or any other creditor of the Company.

 

24

 

 

Article VIII
MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 8.01           Trust Indenture Act. This Supplemental Indenture is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of the Indenture and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions. If any provision of this Supplemental Indenture limits, qualifies, or conflicts with a provision of the Trust Indenture Act that is required under such Act to be a part of and govern this Supplemental Indenture, the latter provision shall control. If any provision of this Supplemental Indenture modifies or excludes any provision of the Trust Indenture Act that may be so modified or excluded, the latter provision shall be deemed to apply to this Supplemental Indenture as so modified or excluded, as the case may be. Whenever this Supplemental Indenture refers to a provision of the Trust Indenture Act, the provision is incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Supplemental Indenture.

 

Section 8.02           GOVERNING LAW. This Supplemental Indenture and the Notes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of the state of New York.

 

Section 8.03           Ratification. The Base Indenture, as supplemented and amended by this Supplemental Indenture, is in all respects ratified and confirmed. The Trustee accepts the trusts created by the Base Indenture, as supplemented by this Supplemental Indenture, and agrees to perform the same upon the terms and conditions of the Base Indenture, as supplemented by this Supplemental Indenture.

 

Section 8.04           Effectiveness. The provisions of this Supplemental Indenture shall become effective as of the date hereof.

 

Section 8.05           USA PATRIOT Act. The parties hereto acknowledge that, in accordance with Section 326 of the USA PATRIOT Act, the Trustee is required to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person or legal entity that establishes a relationship or opens an account with the Trustee. The parties to this Supplemental Indenture agree that they will provide the Trustee with such information as it may request in order for the Trustee to satisfy the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act.

 

[Signature page follows]

 

25

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed as of the date first above written.

 

  SOUTHSIDE BANCSHARES, INC., as the Company
   
  By: /s/ Julie N. Shamburger
    Name: Julie N. Shamburger
    Title: Chief Financial Officer
   
  WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee
   
  By: /s/ Michael H. Wass
    Name: Michael H. Wass
    Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to First Supplemental Indenture]

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

FORM OF NOTE

 

THIS SECURITY AND THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE COMPANY (AS DEFINED HEREIN) AS EVIDENCED HEREBY (1) ARE NOT DEPOSITS WITH OR HELD BY THE COMPANY AND ARE NOT INSURED OR GUARANTEED BY ANY FEDERAL AGENCY OR INSTRUMENTALITY, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION, AND (2) ARE SUBORDINATE IN THE RIGHT OF PAYMENT TO THE SENIOR INDEBTEDNESS (AS DEFINED IN THE INDENTURE IDENTIFIED HEREIN).

 

GLOBAL NOTE

 

THIS SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF THE DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY, WHICH MAY BE TREATED BY THE COMPANY, THE TRUSTEE AND ANY AGENT THEREOF AS OWNER AND HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY FOR ALL PURPOSES.

 

UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR THE INDIVIDUAL SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY, THIS GLOBAL SECURITY MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE (I) BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY, (II) BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR (III) BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR THE DEPOSITARY TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY. UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY TO THE ISSUER OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITARY TRUST COMPANY), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL SINCE THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.

 

A-1

 

 

SOUTHSIDE BANCSHARES, INC.

 

7.00% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2035

 

No. [_]  CUSIP: 84470PAG4
$150,000,000  ISIN: US84470PAG46

 

SOUTHSIDE BANCSHARES, INC., a Texas corporation (together with any successor Corporation under the Indenture hereinafter referred to, the “Company”), for value received, hereby promises to pay to CEDE & CO., or its registered assigns, the principal sum of ONE HUNDRED FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS ($150,000,000) on August 15, 2035 (the “Stated Maturity Date”), unless redeemed prior to such date, and to pay interest thereon (i) from and including August 14, 2025, to but excluding August 15, 2030, unless redeemed prior to such date (such period, the “Fixed Rate Period”), at a rate of 7.00% per annum, semi-annually in arrears on February 15 and August 15 of each year, commencing on February 15, 2026 (each such date, a “Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date”) and (ii) from and including August 15, 2030, to but excluding the Stated Maturity Date, unless redeemed on or subsequent to August 15, 2030, but prior to the Stated Maturity Date (such period, the “Floating Rate Period”), at a rate equal to Three-Month Term SOFR, reset quarterly, plus 357.0 basis points, or such other rate as may be determined pursuant to the Supplemental Indenture hereinafter referred to, quarterly in arrears on February 15, May 15, August 15 and November 15 of each year, commencing on November 15, 2030, and ending on the Stated Maturity Date or earlier Redemption Date (each such date, a “Floating Rate Interest Payment Date” and, together with each Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date, each an “Interest Payment Date”). The amount of interest payable on any Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date during the Fixed Rate Period will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months, and the amount of interest payable on any Floating Rate Interest Payment Date during the Floating Rate Period will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year and the actual number of days elapsed. If any Interest Payment Date or the Stated Maturity Date falls on a day that is not a Business Day, payment may be made on the next succeeding Business Day and no interest on such payment will accrue for the period of such delay; provided that if any scheduled Floating Rate Interest Payment Date falls on a day that is not a Business Day and the next succeeding Business Day falls in the next succeeding calendar month, such Floating Rate Interest Payment Date will be accelerated to the immediately preceding Business Day, and in each such case the amount payable on such Business Day will include interest accrued to but excluding such Business Day. All percentages used in or resulting from any calculation of Three-Month Term SOFR shall be rounded, if necessary, to the nearest one hundred-thousandth of a percentage point, with 0.000005% rounded up to 0.00001%.

 

Payment of the principal of and interest on this Note will be made in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts.

 

Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Note set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

 

A-2

 

 

Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature, this Note shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

 

[Signature page follows.]

 

A-3

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Note to be duly executed.

 

  SOUTHSIDE BANCSHARES, INC.
   
  By:                         
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

A-4

 

 

TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

 

This is one of the Securities of the series designated and referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

Date of authentication:

 

August 14, 2025 WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,as Trustee
   
  By:                    
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

A-5

 

 

REVERSE OF NOTE

 

SOUTHSIDE BANCSHARES, INC.

 

7.00% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2035

 

This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Securities of the Company of a series designated as the “7.00% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2035” (the “Notes”) initially issued in an aggregate principal amount of $150,000,000 on August 14, 2025. Such series of Securities has been established pursuant to, and is one of an indefinite number of series of subordinated debt securities of the Company issued or issuable under and pursuant to the Indenture dated as of August 14, 2025 (the “Base Indenture”), between the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee (together with any successor trustee, the “Trustee”), as supplemented and amended by the First Supplemental Indenture dated as of August 14, 2025, between the Company and the Trustee (the “Supplemental Indenture” and the Base Indenture as supplemented and amended by the Supplemental Indenture, the “Indenture”), to which Indenture and any other indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Persons in whose names Notes are registered from time to time and of the terms upon which the Notes are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. The terms, conditions and provisions of the Notes are those stated in the Indenture, those made part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust Indenture Act”), and those set forth in this Note. To the extent that the provisions of this Note modify, supplement or are inconsistent with those of the Indenture, then the provisions of this Note shall govern to the extent that such provisions of this Note are not inconsistent with (i) the provisions of the Supplemental Indenture or (ii) the provisions made part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act.

 

All capitalized terms used in this Note and not defined herein that are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

 

The indebtedness of the Company evidenced by the Notes, including the principal thereof and interest thereon, (i) to the extent and in the manner set forth in the Indenture, is subordinate and subject in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness, whether outstanding at the date hereof or hereafter incurred, on the terms and subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Indenture, and (ii) shall rank pari passu in right of payment with all other Securities and with all other unsecured subordinated indebtedness of the Company that is not by its terms subordinate and subject in right of payment to the prior payment in full of debentures, notes, bonds or other evidences of indebtedness of types that include the Notes. Each Holder of this Note, by the acceptance hereof, agrees to and shall be bound by such provisions of the Indenture and authorizes and directs the Trustee on such Holder’s behalf to take such actions as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination so provided.

 

The Notes are intended to be treated as Tier 2 Capital (or its then-equivalent if the Company were subject to such capital requirement) for purposes of capital adequacy rules or regulations of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any successor regulatory authority with jurisdiction over bank holding companies) (the “Federal Reserve”) as applicable to the Company and as the same may be amended or supplemented from time to time. If an Event of Default with respect to the Notes shall occur and be continuing, the principal and interest owed on the Notes shall only become due and payable in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in Article V of the Base Indenture and Section 3.02(m) and (n) of the Supplemental Indenture. Accordingly, the Holder has no right to accelerate the maturity of this Note in the event that the Company fails to pay interest on any of the Notes, or fails to perform any other obligations under the Notes or in the Indenture that are applicable to the Notes.

 

A-6

 

 

The Company may, at its option, redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest (the “Redemption Price”) to, but excluding, the date of redemption (the “Redemption Date”), on any Interest Payment Date on or after August 15, 2030. The Company may also, at its option, redeem the Notes before the Stated Maturity Date, in whole, but not in part, at any time, upon the occurrence of a Tier 2 Capital Event or a Tax Event, or if the Company is required to register as an investment company pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. Any such redemption will be at a redemption price equal to the Redemption Price to, but excluding, the Redemption Date fixed by the Company. No redemption of the Notes by the Company prior to the Stated Maturity Date shall be made without the prior approval of the Federal Reserve if such prior approval is or will be required at the scheduled Redemption Date. The provisions of Article XI of the Base Indenture and Section 3.02(g) of the Supplemental Indenture shall apply to the redemption of any Notes by the Company.

 

The Notes are not entitled to the benefit of any sinking fund. The Notes are not convertible into or exchangeable for any other securities or property of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company.

 

In the event that any payment on the Notes is subject to withholding of any U.S. federal income tax or other tax or assessment (as a result of a change in law or otherwise), the Company will not pay additional amounts with respect to such tax or assessment.

 

The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of specified percentages in principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Notes, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and to waive certain past Defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Note shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Note and of any Note issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Note.

 

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Note is registrable in the Security Register described in Section 3.05 of the Base Indenture, upon surrender of this Note for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and interest on this Note are payable, duly endorsed, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar and duly executed, by the Holder hereof or its attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Notes, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

 

A-7

 

 

The Notes are issuable only in registered form without coupons in minimum denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

The Company and the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this Note is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Note is overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

 

This Security is a global note, represented by one or more permanent global certificates registered in the name of the nominee of The Depository Trust Company (each a “Global Note” and collectively, the “Global Notes”). Accordingly, unless and until it is exchanged for individual certificates, this Note may not be transferred except as a whole (i) by The Depository Trust Company (the “Depositary”) to a nominee of the Depositary, (ii) by a nominee of the Depositary to the Depositary or another nominee of the Depositary, or (iii) by the Depositary or a nominee of the Depositary to a successor depositary or any nominee of such successor. Ownership of beneficial interests in this Security will be shown on, and the transfer of that ownership will be effected only through, records maintained by the applicable Depositary or its nominee (with respect to interests of persons that have accounts with the Depositary (“Participants”)) and the records of Participants (with respect to interests of persons other than Participants). Beneficial interests in Notes owned by persons that hold through Participants will be evidenced only by, and transfers of such beneficial interests with such Participants will be effected only through, records maintained by such Participants. Except as provided below, owners of beneficial interests in this Note will not be entitled to have any individual certificates and will not be considered the owners or Holders thereof under the Indenture.

 

Except in the limited circumstances set forth in the Base Indenture, Participants and owners of beneficial interests in the Global Notes will not be entitled to receive Notes in the form of individual certificates and will not be considered Holders. None of the Company, the Trustee, the Security Registrar, the Paying Agent or any of their respective agents will be liable for any delay by the Depositary, its nominee or any direct or indirect Participant in identifying the beneficial owners of the related Notes. The Company, the Trustee, the Security Registrar, the Paying Agent and each of their respective agents may conclusively rely on, and will be protected in relying on, instructions from the Depositary or its nominee for all purposes, including with respect to the registration and delivery, and the respective principal amounts, of the Notes to be issued.

 

Except as provided in Section 3.05 of the Base Indenture and Section 3.02(f) of the Supplemental Indenture, beneficial owners of Global Notes will not be entitled to receive physical delivery of Notes in the form of individual certificates, and no Global Note will be exchangeable except for another Global Note of like denomination and tenor to be registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee. Accordingly, each person owning a beneficial interest in a Global Note must rely on the procedures of the Depositary and, if such person is not a Participant, on the procedures of the Participant through which such person owns its interest, to exercise any rights of a Holder under the Notes.

 

A-8

 

 

The laws of some jurisdictions may require that certain purchasers of securities take physical delivery of those securities in definitive form. Accordingly, the ability to transfer interests in the Notes represented by a Global Note to those persons may be limited. In addition, because the Depositary can act only on behalf of its Participants, who in turn act on behalf of persons who hold interests through Participants, the ability of a person having an interest in Notes represented by a Global Note to pledge or transfer such interest to persons or entities that do not participate in the Depositary’s system, or otherwise to take actions in respect of such interest, may be affected by the lack of an individual certificate in respect of such interest. None of the Company, the Trustee, the Paying Agent and the Security Registrar will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of Notes by the Depositary, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records of the Depositary relating to the Notes.

 

The Trustee will act as the Company’s Paying Agent with respect to the Notes through its Corporate Trust Office presently located at Rodney Square North, 1100 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19890. The Company may at any time rescind the designation of a Paying Agent, appoint a successor Paying Agent, or approve a change in the office through which any Paying Agent acts.

 

Notices to the Holders of individual certificates will be given to such Holders at their respective addresses in the Register, or in the case of Global Notes, electronic delivery in accordance with DTC’s applicable procedures.

 

The Indenture contains provisions setting forth certain conditions to the institution of proceedings by the Holders of Notes with respect to the Indenture or for any remedy under the Indenture.

 

This Note shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of the state of New York.

 

A-9

 

 

ASSIGNMENT FORM

 

To assign the within Security, fill in the form below:

 

I or we assign and transfer the within Security to:

 

  (Insert assignee’s legal name)
   
  (Insert assignee’s social security or tax I.D. number)
   
  (Print or type assignee’s name, address and zip code)

 

and irrevocably appoint the Trustee as agent to transfer this Security on the books of Southside Bancshares, Inc. The agent may substitute another to act for it.

 

Your Signature:  
  (Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this Security)
   
Your Name:  
   
Date:  
   
Signature Guarantee:  

 

SIGNATURE GUARANTEE

 

Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of the Security Registrar, which requirements include membership or participation in the Security Transfer Agent Medallion Program (“STAMP”) or such other “signature guarantee program” as may be determined by the Security Registrar in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

A-10

 

 

Exhibit 5.1

 

 

 

One Atlantic Center
1201 West Peachtree Street
Atlanta, GA 30309-3424 

404-881-7000

 

August 14, 2025

 

Board of Directors 

Southside Bancshares, Inc. 

1201 S. Beckham Avenue 

Tyler, Texas 75701

 

  Re: Southside Bancshares, Inc. — Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-271518)

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We are counsel to Southside Bancshares, Inc., a Texas corporation (the “Company”). This opinion is being rendered on behalf of the Company in connection with the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-3ASR (File No. 333-271518) (the “Registration Statement”) filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).

 

This opinion letter is furnished to you pursuant to Item 16 of the Commission’s Form S-3 and Item 601(b)(5) of the Commission’s Regulation S-K in connection with (1) the issuance and sale by the Company of $150,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 7.00% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due 2035 (the “Notes”), pursuant to the Company’s prospectus, dated April 28, 2023 (the “Base Prospectus”) included in the Registration Statement and the related preliminary prospectus supplement dated August 7, 2025 and the related final prospectus supplement dated August 7, 2025 (collectively, the “Prospectus Supplement”), which Notes are being issued and sold to Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc., as underwriter (the “Underwriter”), pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, dated as of August 7, 2025 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), by and among the Company, Southside Bank and the Underwriter. The Notes will be issued pursuant to the Indenture and First Supplemental Indenture, each dated as of August 14, 2025 (collectively the “Indenture”), between the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee (the “Trustee”).

 

In rendering the opinions expressed herein, and except as hereinafter limited, we have examined the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the Indenture, the global note representing the Notes, the Company’s Charter and Bylaws (in each case as amended or restated), and the records of proceedings of the Board of Directors (including committees thereof) and shareholders of the Company deemed by us to be relevant to this opinion letter. We have also made such legal and factual examinations and inquiries as we have deemed necessary for purposes of expressing the opinions set forth herein.

 

As to certain factual matters relevant to this opinion letter, we have relied conclusively upon the representations, warranties and statements made in originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such records, agreements, documents and instruments, including certificates or comparable documents of officers of the Company and of public officials, as we have deemed appropriate as a basis for the opinion hereinafter set forth. Except to the extent expressly set forth herein, we have made no independent investigations with regard thereto, and, accordingly, we do not express any opinion or belief as to matters that might have been disclosed by independent verification. 

 

Alston & Bird LLP www.alston.com

 

 

Atlanta | Brussels | Century City | Charlotte | Chicago | Dallas | London | Los Angeles | New York | Raleigh | San Francisco | Silicon Valley | Washington, D.C.

 

 

 

August 14, 2025 

Page 2

 

In our examination of the relevant documents, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of all natural persons, the accuracy and completeness of all documents submitted to us, the authenticity of all original documents and the conformity to authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies (including facsimile and electronic copies). This opinion letter is given, and all statements herein are made, in context of the foregoing.

 

Based upon and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:

 

(1)the Notes have been duly authorized by the Company and the Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, and assuming the Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Trustee, the Notes, when issued, executed, authenticated and delivered against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement and the Indenture, will be valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with and subject to their terms, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.

 

The foregoing opinion is subject to the effects of (i) bankruptcy, fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation, conservatorship, and similar laws, and limitations imposed under judicial decisions, related to or affecting creditors’ rights and remedies generally, (ii) general equitable principles, regardless of whether the issue of enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law, and principles limiting the availability of the remedy of specific performance, (iii) concepts of good faith, fair dealing, materiality and reasonableness, and (iv) the possible unenforceability under certain circumstances of provisions providing for exculpation, indemnification and contribution that are contrary to public policy.

 

This opinion letter is limited to the laws of the State of Texas and the State of New York, and no opinion is expressed with respect to the laws of any other jurisdiction or any effect which such laws may have on the opinions expressed herein. This opinion letter is limited to the matters expressly opined on herein, and no opinion may be implied or inferred beyond that expressly stated.

 

This opinion letter is delivered for use solely in connection with the issuance of the Notes, in the transactions contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, and the Underwriting Agreement, and may not be used, circulated, quoted or otherwise relied upon for any other purpose without our prior express written consent. This opinion letter is delivered as of the date hereof, and we make no undertaking and expressly disclaim any duty to supplement or update the opinions expressed herein, if, after the date hereof, facts or circumstances come to our attention or changes in the law occur which could affect our opinions and the other statements expressed herein. This opinion letter is being rendered for the benefit of the Company in connection with the matters addressed herein.

 

We consent to the filing of this opinion letter as Exhibit 5.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on August 14, 2025, which is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and to the reference to our firm under the captions “Legal Opinions” in the Base Prospectus and “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus Supplement. In giving our consent, we do not hereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

The only opinion rendered by us in this opinion letter consists of those matters set forth in paragraph (1) hereof, and no opinion is implied or may be inferred beyond the opinion expressly stated herein.

 

[Signature appears on the following page.]

 

 

 

August 14, 2025 

Page 3

 

  Alston & Bird LLP
   
  By: /s/ Kyle Healy 
    Kyle Healy 
    A Partner