QuickLinks
 -- Click here to rapidly navigate through this document

 
 

EXHIBIT 4.4    
    


 
 

SHAREHOLDER WARRANT AGREEMENT    
    


        This Warrant Agreement ("Agreement") is executed as of this 9th day of February, 2005 by Sunbelt Bancshares, Inc., a Texas corporation ("Company"), in
favor of the persons listed on Exhibit A (each, an "Initial Holder"), in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in
this Agreement. 


        WHEREAS,
in recognition of the financial risks undertaken by the initial shareholders of the Company, the Company desires to grant to each Initial Holder warrants to purchase shares of
common stock of the Company (each, a "Warrant" and, collectively, the "Warrants") equal to one warrant for each five shares purchased in the initial offering of common stock of the Company. 


        NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the agreements hereinafter set forth, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and, by acceptance
of a Warrant, each Holder (as defined herein) agree as follows: 



        1.    Grant of Warrants.    Subject to the terms, restrictions, limitations and conditions stated in this Agreement,
the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company hereby grants to Initial Holder the number of Warrants set forth beside his name on  Exhibit A, which exhibit shall be
completed prior to the time that the Bank opens for business in accordance with the terms of the initial common
stock offering of the Company. Each Warrant initially shall be exercisable for one fully paid and nonassessable share of common stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company ("Share"), subject to
adjustment as provided in Section 11 of this Agreement. The Initial Holders and all subsequent registered holders of the Warrants (each, a "Holder" and, collectively, the "Holders") shall have
the rights and obligations set forth in this Agreement. 


        2.    Warrant Certificates.    Each Warrant shall be evidenced by a warrant certificate, which shall be substantially
in the form attached to this Agreement as Exhibit B ("Warrant Certificate"). Each Warrant Certificate shall have such marks of identification or
designation and such legends or endorsements thereon as the Company deems appropriate, so long as they are not inconsistent with the provisions of
this Agreement, or as are required to comply with any applicable law, rule or regulation applicable to the Company or the Shares. The Warrant Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by
the manual, facsimile or imprinted signature of its Chairman of the Board, its President or any vice president and shall be attested by the manual, facsimile or imprinted signature its Secretary or
any assistant secretary. 


        3.    Term of Warrants.    



        (a)   The
term for the exercise of the Warrants shall begin at 9:00 a.m., Arlington, Texas time on the date that Sunbelt Bank. (the "Bank") opens for business (the
"Issue Date"). The term for the exercise of the Warrants shall expire at 2:00 p.m., Arlington, Texas time on the earlier to occur of (i) the third anniversary of the Issue Date, or
(ii) the date provided in Section 3(b) of this Agreement (the "Expiration Time"). No Warrants shall become issuable hereunder unless and until the Bank opens for business. 


        (b)   Notwithstanding
any provision of this Agreement or any Warrant Certificate to the contrary, the Warrants shall expire, to the extent not exercised, within 45 days
following the receipt of notice from the Bank's state or primary federal regulator ("Regulator") that (i) the Bank has not maintained its minimum capital requirements (as determined by the
Regulator); and (ii) the Regulator is requiring exercise or forfeiture of warrants. Upon receipt of such notice from the Regulator, the Company shall promptly notify each Holder that he must
exercise the Warrants granted to him prior to the end of the 45-day period or such earlier period as may be specified by the Regulator or forfeit such Warrant(s). In case of forfeiture, no
Holder shall have any cause of action, of any kind or nature, against the Company, the Bank or any of their respective officers or directors with respect to the forfeiture. In addition, the Company
shall not be liable to any Holder due to the failure or inability of the Company to provide adequate notice to Holder. 








 





        4.    Exercise of Warrants.    The purchase price per Share to be paid by a Holder for Shares subject to the Warrants
shall be $12.50, subject to adjustment as set forth in Section 11 of this Agreement (the "Exercise Price"). A Holder may exercise Warrants evidenced by a Warrant Certificate in whole or in part
at any time prior to the Expiration Time by delivering to the secretary of the Company (i) the Warrant Certificate; (ii) a written notice to the Company specifying the number of Shares
with respect to which Warrants are being exercised; and (iii) a check for the full amount of the aggregate Exercise Price of the Shares being acquired. 



        5.    Delivery of Shares; Partial Exercise.    Upon receipt of the items set forth in Section 4, and subject to
the terms of this Agreement, the Company shall promptly deliver to, and register in the name of, the Holder a certificate or certificates representing the number of Shares acquired by exercise of a
Warrant. In the event of a partial exercise of Warrant(s), a new Warrant Certificate evidencing the number of Shares that remain subject to the Warrant shall be issued by the Company to such Holder or
to his duly authorized assigns. 


        6.    Registration of Transfer and Exchange.    



        (a)   The
Company shall keep, or cause to be kept, at its principal place of business or at such other location designated by the Company, a register or registers in which,
subject to such reasonable regulations as the Company may prescribe, the registrar and transfer agent (the "Securities Registrar") shall register the Warrant Certificates and the transfers thereof as
provided herein ("Securities Register"). The initial Securities Registrar shall be the secretary of the Company, and thereafter, the Securities Registrar may be removed and/or appointed as authorized
by the Company. 



        (b)   Upon
surrender for registration of transfer of any Warrant Certificate, the Company shall issue and deliver to the Holder or his duly authorized assigns, one or more new
Warrant Certificates of like tenor and in like aggregate amount. 


        (c)   At
the option of the Holder, Warrant Certificates may be exchanged for other Warrant Certificates of like tenor and in like aggregate amount upon surrender of the
Warrant Certificates to be exchanged. Upon such surrender, the Company shall issue and deliver to the Holder or his duly authorized assigns, one or more new Warrant Certificates of like tenor and in
like aggregate amount. 


        (d)   Every
Warrant Certificate presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange shall be accompanied (if so required by the Company or the Securities
Registrar) by a written instrument or instruments of transfer, in form satisfactory to the Company or the Securities Registrar, duly executed by the registered Holder or by such Holder's duly
authorized attorney in writing. 




        7.    Replacement of Warrant Certificates.    



        (a)   Upon
receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Warrant Certificate and, in the case of loss, theft or
destruction, on delivery of an indemnity agreement reasonably satisfactory in form and amount to the Company or, in the case of mutilation, surrender and cancellation of such Warrant Certificate, the
Company shall issue and deliver to the Holder or his duly authorized assigns, one or more new Warrant Certificates of like tenor and in like aggregate amount. In the case of loss, theft or destruction
of a Warrant Certificate, prior to the issuance of a replacement Warrant Certificate, the Company may also require that a bond be posted in such amount as the Company may determine is necessary as
indemnity against any claim that may be made against it with respect to such Warrant Certificate. 



        (b)   All
Warrants shall be held and owned under the express condition that the provisions of this Section are exclusive with respect to the replacement or payment of
mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Warrant Certificates and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and 



2







 




remedies,
notwithstanding any law or statute existing or hereafter enacted to the contrary with respect to the replacement or payment of negotiable instruments or other securities without their
surrender. 


        (c)   Upon
the issuance of any new Warrant Certificate 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 Company and its agents and counsel) connected therewith. 


        (d)   Every
new Warrant Certificate issued pursuant to this Section shall constitute an additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the mutilated,
destroyed, lost or stolen Warrant Certificate shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Agreement equally and proportionately with any and all other
Warrant Certificates duly issued hereunder. 




        8.    Persons Deemed Holders.    Prior to the due presentment of a Warrant Certificate for registration of transfer or
exchange, the Company, any Securities Registrar and any other agent of the Company may treat the person in whose name such Warrant Certificate is registered in the Securities Register as the sole
Holder of such Warrant Certificate and of the Warrant represented by such Warrant Certificate for all purposes whatsoever, and shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or
interest in such Warrant Certificate or in the Warrant represented by such Warrant Certificate on the part of any person and shall be unaffected by any notice to the contrary. 


        9.    Cancellation.    All Warrant Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, exchange or registration of
transfer shall be cancelled by the Securities Registrar, and no Warrant Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof, except as expressly permitted by the provisions of this Agreement. 


        10.    Fractional Shares.    The Company shall not be required to issue Warrant Certificates exercisable for
fractional Shares or to issue fractional Shares upon the exercise of Warrants. Warrant Certificates exercisable for fractional Shares shall expire as of the Expiration Date, and a Holder of such
Warrant Certificates shall not be entitled to any consideration of any kind or nature in respect of such Warrant or Warrant Certificate. 


        11.    Stock Dividends, Splits, Etc.    



        (a)   If,
prior to the Expiration Time, the Company shall subdivide its outstanding Shares into a greater number of Shares, or declare and pay a dividend of its Shares payable
in additional Shares, the Exercise Price, as then in effect, shall be proportionately reduced, and the Company shall proportionately increase the number of Shares then subject to exercise under this
Warrant (and not previously exercised.) 


        (b)   If,
prior to the Expiration Time, the Company shall combine its outstanding Shares into a lesser number of Shares, the Exercise Price, as then in effect, shall be
proportionately increased, and the Company shall proportionately reduce the number of Shares then subject to exercise under this Warrant (and not previously exercised.) 




        12.    Reorganization, Reclassifications, Consolidation or Merger.    If, prior to the Expiration Time, there shall be
a reorganization or reclassification of the Shares (other than as provided in Section 11 of this Agreement), or any consolidation or merger of the Company with another entity, the Holder shall
be entitled to receive, during the remainder of the term of this Agreement and upon payment of the Exercise Price, the number of shares of stock or other securities or property of the Company or of
the successor entity (or its parent company) resulting from such consolidation or merger, as the case may be, to which a holder of Shares, deliverable upon the exercise of a Warrant, would have been
entitled upon such reorganization, reclassification, consolidation or merger; and, in any case, the Company shall make appropriate adjustments (as determined by the board of directors of the Company
in its sole discretion) in the application of the provisions with respect to the rights and interests of the Holders so 


3







 

that
the provisions set forth in this Agreement (including the adjustment to the Exercise Price and the number of Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants) shall be applicable, as nearly as may
be practicable, to any shares or other property thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of this Warrant. 


        13.    Certificate as to Adjustments; Issuance of New Warrant Certificates.    Within thirty (30) days
following any adjustment provided for in Section 11 or 12 of this Agreement, the Company shall give written notice of the adjustment to the Holders as provided in Section 14(a) of this
Agreement. The notice shall state the Exercise Price as adjusted and the increased or decreased number of shares purchasable upon the exercise of the Warrant(s) and shall set forth in reasonable
detail the method of calculation for each. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein or in the Warrant Certificates, the Company may, at its option, issue new Warrant Certificates
evidencing the Warrants, in such form as may be approved by the Company, to reflect any adjustment or change in the Exercise Price and the number or kind of stock or other securities or property
purchasable upon exercise of the Warrants. 


        14.    Miscellaneous.    



        (a)   Any
notice or other communication required or permitted to be made hereunder shall be in writing, duly signed by the party giving such notice or communication and shall
be deemed delivered and effective when given personally or mailed by first-class registered or certified mail, postage prepaid as follows (or at such other address for a party as shall be specified by
like notice): (i) if given to the Company, at                        , Arlington,
Texas            ; and (ii) if given to a Holder, at the address set forth for the Holder on the books and
records of the Company. A notice given to the Company by a Holder with respect to the exercise of a Warrant shall not be effective until received by the Company. 


        (b)   The
Company shall, at all times, reserve and keep available out of its authorized and unissued Shares or out of any Shares held in treasury that number of Shares that
will from time to time be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Warrants. The Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to ensure that all Shares delivered upon
exercise of any Warrants shall, at the time of delivery of the Warrant Certificates for such Shares, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. 



        (c)   The
Company shall pay when due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges (other any applicable income taxes) that may be payable in respect of
the issuance and delivery of Warrant Certificates or of certificates for Shares receivable upon the exercise of any Warrants; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to pay any tax
that may be payable in respect of the issuance and delivery (i) of any Warrant Certificate or stock certificate registered in a name other than that of the Holder of the Warrant Certificate
that has been surrendered, or (ii) of any Warrant Certificate under Section 7. 



        (d)   No
Holder, in his capacity as such, shall be entitled to vote or receive dividends or shall be deemed from any other purpose the holder of the Shares or other securities
which may at any time be issuable upon the exercise of such Warrant. Nothing contained herein or in any Warrant Certificate shall be construed to confer upon any Holder, in his capacity as such, any
of the rights of a shareholder of the Company, including any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders of the Company at any meeting thereof, to give or
withhold consent to any corporation action, or to receive notices of meeting or other actions affecting shareholders. 



        (e)   Each
Holder, by accepting a Warrant Certificate, accepts and agrees to the terms of this Agreement. The terms of this Agreement shall be binding upon the Company and the
Holders and their respective heirs, successors, representatives and permitted assigns. Nothing expressed or referred to herein is intended or will be construed to give any person other than the
Company or the Holders any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement, or 



4







 




any
provision herein contained, it being the intention of the Company and the Holders that this Agreement, the assumption of obligations and statements of responsibilities hereunder, and all other
conditions and provisions hereof are for the sole benefit of the Company and the Holders and for the benefit of no other person. 


        (f)    This
Agreement constitutes the full understanding of the Company and the Holders, a complete allocation of risks between them and a complete and exclusive statement of
the terms and conditions of their agreement relating to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any and all prior agreements, whether written or oral, that may exist between the Company and any
Holder with respect thereto. Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, no conditions, usage of trade, course of dealing or performance, understanding or agreement purporting to
modify, vary, explain or supplement the terms or conditions of this Agreement will be binding unless hereafter or contemporaneously herewith made in writing and signed by the party to be bound, and no
modification will be effected by the acknowledgment or acceptance of documents containing terms or conditions at variance with or in addition to those set forth in this Agreement. 


        (g)   The
headings contained in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and will not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. The words
"hereof," "herein" and "hereunder" and words of similar import when used in this Agreement will refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision in this Agreement. Each use
herein of the masculine, neuter or feminine gender will be deemed to include the other genders. Each use herein of the plural will include the singular and vice versa, in each case as the context
requires or as is otherwise appropriate. The word "or" is used in the inclusive sense. References to a person are also to its permitted successors or assigns. No provision of this Agreement is to be
construed to require, directly or indirectly, any person to take any action, or omit to take any action, which action or omission would violate applicable law (whether statutory or common law), rule
or regulation. 


        (h)   This
Agreement shall terminate upon the earlier of (i) the Expiration Time, or (ii) the close of business on the date on which all Warrants shall have been
exercised. 


        (i)    THIS AGREEMENT, EACH WARRANT AND EACH WARRANT CERTIFICATE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS
WITHOUT REGARD TO THE LAWS THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE GOVERN UNDER APPLICABLE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS. IN THE EVENT OF A DISPUTE INVOLVING THIS AGREEMENT, THE PARTIES IRREVOCABLY AGREE THAT VENUE
FOR SUCH DISPUTE SHALL LIE EXCLUSIVELY IN A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION IN TARRANT COUNTY, TEXAS.




        IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Agreement to be executed by a duly authorized officer as of the date first above written. 



	 	 	SUNBELT BANCSHARES, INC.
	

 	
 	

By:	

/s/  JERRY BURNETT      

	 	 	Name:	Jerry Burnett

	 	 	Title:	Chief Executive Officer





5









 
 

EXHIBIT A    
    
    LIST OF INITIAL SHAREHOLDERS    
    







 
 

EXHIBIT B    
    
    FORM OF WARRANT CERTIFICATE    
    




THE TRANSFER OF THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE IS SUBJECT TO THE RESTRICTIONS SPECIFIED IN THAT CERTAIN WARRANT AGREEMENT DATED AS OF FEBRUARY 9, 2005,
BY SUNBELT BANCSHARES, INC., A TEXAS CORPORATION ("COMPANY"), IN FAVOR OF THE PERSONS LISTED ON EXHIBIT A THERETO, AS THE SAME MAY BE AMENDED
FROM TIME TO TIME ("AGREEMENT"). A COPY OF THE FORM OF THE AGREEMENT IS ON FILE AND MAY BE INSPECTED AT THE PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE COMPANY DURING NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS. THE HOLDER OF THIS
CERTIFICATE, BY ACCEPTANCE OF THIS CERTIFICATE, AGREES TO BE BOUND BY THE PROVISIONS OF THE AGREEMENT.




	No. W-    	 	 	 	Number of Warrants:          




 
 

SUNBELT BANCSHARES, INC.
  WARRANT CERTIFICATE    
    


        This Warrant Certificate certifies that                        ,
or registered assigns, is the registered holder of a warrant to purchase the number of
fully-paid and non-assessable shares of common stock, $.01 par value of the Company ("Shares") set forth above, at the exercise price, subject to adjustment in certain events
("Exercise Price"), of $12.50 per share ("Warrant"). 


        The
Warrant evidenced by this Warrant Certificate is part of a duly authorized issue of Warrants issued pursuant to the Agreement, which is hereby incorporated by reference in and made a
part of this instrument and is hereby referred to for a description of the rights, limitation of rights, obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company and the Holder. All terms used,
but not otherwise defined, in this Warrant Certificate shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Agreement. If any provision of this Warrant Certificate conflicts with a provision of the
Agreement, the provision of the Agreement shall supercede. 


        This
Warrant may not be exercised after 2:00 p.m., Arlington, Texas time, on the earlier to occur of (i) the third anniversary of the date that Sunbelt Bank opens for
business, or (ii) the date provided in Section 3(b) of the Agreement (the "Expiration Time"). 


        The
Holder may exercise the Warrant evidenced by this Warrant Certificate in whole or in part at any time prior to the Expiration Time by delivering to the secretary of the Company
(i) the Warrant Certificate; (ii) a written notice to the Company specifying the number of Shares with respect to which Warrants are being exercised; and (iii) a check for the
full amount of the aggregate Exercise Price of the Shares being acquired. 



        Upon
receipt of the items set forth above, and subject to the terms of the Agreement, the Company shall promptly deliver to, and register in the name of, the Holder a certificate or
certificates representing the number of Shares acquired by exercise of this Warrant. In the event of a partial exercise of this Warrant, a new Warrant Certificate evidencing the number of Shares that
remain
subject to this Warrant shall be issued by the Company to such Holder or to his duly authorized assigns. 


        The
Agreement provides that upon the occurrence of certain events the Exercise Price and the type and/or number of the Company's securities issuable thereupon may, subject to certain
conditions, be adjusted. In such event, the Company may, at its option, issue a new Warrant Certificate evidencing the adjustment in the Exercise Price and the number and/or type of securities
issuable upon the exercise of the Warrants. 










        Upon
surrender for registration of transfer of this Warrant Certificate, subject to the terms of the Agreement, the Company shall issue and deliver to the Holder or his duly authorized
assigns, one or more new Warrant Certificates of like tenor and in like aggregate amount. 



        Prior
to the due presentment of this Warrant Certificate for registration of transfer or exchange, the Company, any Securities Registrar and any other agent of the Company may treat the
person in whose name this Warrant Certificate is registered in the Securities Register as the sole Holder of this Warrant Certificate and of the Warrant represented by this Warrant Certificate for all
purposes whatsoever, and shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in this Warrant Certificate or in the Warrant represented by this Warrant Certificate on the part
of any person and shall be unaffected by any notice to the contrary. 


        The
Holder, in his capacity as such, shall not be entitled to vote or receive dividends or shall be deemed from any other purpose the holder of the Shares or other securities which may
at any time be issuable upon the exercise of this Warrant. Nothing contained in this Warrant Certificate shall be construed to confer upon the Holder, in his capacity as such, any of the rights of a
shareholder of the Company, including any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders of the Company at any meeting thereof, to give or withhold consent to
any corporation action, or to receive notices of meeting or other actions affecting shareholders. 


        Any
notice or other communication required or permitted to be made by the Holder to the Company shall be in writing, duly signed by the Holder and shall be deemed delivered and effective
when given personally or mailed by first-class registered or certified mail, postage prepaid to the Company,
at                        , Arlington, Texas            (or such other
address as designated
in writing to the Holder by the Company). A notice given to the Company by a Holder with respect to the exercise of this Warrant shall not be effective until received by the Company. 


        IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant Certificate to be duly executed under its corporate seal. 


Dated
as of                        , 2005. 



	 	 	SUNBELT BANCSHARES, INC,

a Texas corporation
	

 	
 	

By:	

    

	 	 	Name:	    

	 	 	Title:	    






	[SEAL]	 	 	 
	

Attest:	

 	
 	

 	

 
	    
	 	 	 
	Name:	    
	 	 	 
	Title:	    
	 	 	 













QuickLinks



EXHIBIT 4.4


SHAREHOLDER WARRANT AGREEMENT


EXHIBIT A LIST OF INITIAL SHAREHOLDERS

EXHIBIT B FORM OF WARRANT CERTIFICATE

SUNBELT BANCSHARES, INC. WARRANT CERTIFICATE