“Material Adverse Effect” means, with respect to Peoples, or Premier Financial, as the context may require, any effect, change, event, circumstance, condition, occurrence or development that, either individually or in the aggregate (i) has been or would reasonably be likely to be (a) material and adverse to the business, properties, assets, liabilities, results of operations or financial condition of Peoples and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (b) material and adverse to the business, properties, assets, liabilities, results of operations or financial condition of Premier Financial and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (ii) would reasonably be likely to materially impair the ability of either Peoples or Premier Financial to perform its 

4


obligations under this Agreement or otherwise materially threaten or materially impede the consummation of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement; provided, however, that Material Adverse Effect shall not be deemed to include the impact of (a) changes, after the date hereof, in GAAP or applicable bank regulatory accounting requirements; (b) changes, after the date hereof, in laws, rules or regulations (including the Pandemic Measures) of general applicability to companies in the industries in which the party and its Subsidiaries operate, or interpretations thereof by courts or Governmental Authorities; (c) changes, after the date hereof, in global, national or regional political conditions (including the outbreak of war or acts of terrorism) or in economic or market (including equity, credit and debt markets, as well as changes in interest rates) conditions affecting the financial services industry generally and not specifically relating to the party or its Subsidiaries (including any such changes arising out of the Pandemic or any Pandemic Measures); (d) changes, after the date hereof, resulting from hurricanes, earthquakes, tornados, floods or other natural disasters or from any outbreak of any disease or other public health event (including the Pandemic); (e) public disclosure of the execution of this Agreement, or (except in the case of the representations contained in Sections 5.01(c)(ii), 5.01(d), 5.02(d)(ii) and 5.02(e)) consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (including any effect on a party’s relationships with its customers or employees) or actions expressly required by this Agreement in contemplation of the transactions contemplated hereby; (f) a decline in the trading price of a party’s common stock, in and of itself, or the failure, in and of itself, to meet earnings projections or internal financial forecasts (it being understood that the underlying cause of such decline or failure may be taken into account in determining whether a Material Adverse Effect has occurred), and (g) the occurrence of any natural or man-made disaster; except, with respect to subclauses (a), (b), (c), (d) and (g), to the extent that the effects of the change are materially disproportionately adverse to the business, properties, assets, liabilities, results of operations or financial condition of the party and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, as compared to other companies in the industry in which the party and its Subsidiaries operate). (Pages 7-8)

Question: MAE Definition
Category: Material Adverse Effect
Answer: "Would" (reasonably) be expected to