Investar Holding Corp (Form: S-3, Received: 12/22/2016 06:05:14)

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 21, 2016 Registration No. 333-_________

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

INVESTAR HOLDING Corporation

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


Louisiana (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)		27-1560715 (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

7244 Perkins Road Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70808 (225) 227-2222 (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

John J. D’Angelo

President and Chief Executive Officer

Investar Holding Corporation

7244 Perkins Road

Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70808

(225) 227-2222

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

Copy to:

Christina M. Gattuso, Esq.

Stephen F. Donahoe, Esq.

Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP

Suite 900

607 14 ^th Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20005

(202) 508-5800

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. [ ]

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. [X]

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securiti es Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. [ ]

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering: [ ]

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. [ ]

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. [ ]

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

Large accelerated filer [ ] Accelerated filer [ X ]

Non-accelerated filer [ ] Smaller reporting company [ ]

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE


Title of Each Class of Securities to be Registered	Amount to be Registered ⁽¹⁾	Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Unit ⁽²⁾	Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price ⁽³⁾	Amount of Registration Fee
Debt Securities
Common Stock, $1.00 par value
Preferred Stock, No par value
Warrants
Depositary Shares
Units
Total:	$50,000,000		$50,000,000	$5,795

(1)

There are being registered hereunder such indeterminate principal amount of Debt Securities, such indeterminate number of shares of Common Stock, such indeterminate number of shares of Preferred Stock, such indeterminate number of Warrants to purchase Common Stock, Debt Securities, Preferred Stock or Depositary Shares, such indeterminate number of Depositary Shares and such indeterminate number of Units of the Registrant as shall have an aggregate initial offering price not to exceed $50.0 million. If any Debt Securities are issued at an original issue discount, then the securities registered shall include such additional Debt Securities as may be necessary such that the aggregate initial public offering price of all securities issued pursuant to this Registration Statement will equal $50.0 million. Any securities registered hereunder may be sold separately or as units with other securities registered hereunder. The proposed maximum initial offering price per unit will be determined, from time to time, by the Registrant in connection with the issuance by the Registrant of the securities registered hereunder. There are also being registered hereunder an indeterminate number of shares of Common Stock and Preferred Stock as shall be issuable upon conversion, exchange or exercise of any securities that provide for that issuance. In addition, pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933, the securities being registered hereunder include such indeterminate number of shares of Common Stock and Preferred Stock as may be issuable with respect to the shares being registered hereunder as a result of stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions.

(2)	Omitted in accordance with General Instruction II.D of Form S-3 under the Securities Act.

(3)	Estimated for the sole purpose of computing the registration fee in accordance with Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act.

The Company hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Company shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), shall determine.

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and has not yet been declared effective. The securities may not be sol d until the registration statement has been declared effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED DECEMBER 21, 2016

PROSPECTUS

Investar Holding Corporation

Debt Securities

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Warrants

Depositary Shares

Units

We may offer and sell from time to time, in one or more series, our unsecured debt securities, which may consist of notes, debentures, or other evidences of indebtedness; shares of our common stock; shares of our preferred stock; warrants to purchase other securities; depositary shares; or units consisting of a combination of two or more of these securities. The debt securities and preferred stock may be convertible into or exchangeable for other securities of ours. This prospectus provides you with a general description of these securities. Each time we offer any securities pursuant to this prospectus, we will provide you with a prospectus supplement and, if necessary, a pricing supplement, that will describe the specific amounts, prices and terms of the securities being offered. These supplements may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. To understand the terms of the securities offered, you should carefully read this prospectus with the applicable supplements, which together provide the specific terms of the securities we are offering.

Our common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “ISTR.”

Investment in any securities offered by this prospectus involves risk. See “Risk Factors” on page 4 of this prospectus and the risk factors disclosed in our periodic reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission and in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus accompanying this prospectus.

These securities are not deposits or obligations of a bank or savings association and are not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.

This prospectus may be used to offer and sell securities only if accompanied by the applicable prospectus supplement for those securities.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus or the accompanying prospectus supplement is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The date of this prospectus is _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .

IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS

PROSPECTUS AND THE ACCOMPANYING PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

We may provide information to you about the securities we are offering in three separate documents that progressively provide more detail:

•

this prospectus, which provides general information, some of which may not apply to your securities;

•

the accompanying prospectus supplement, which describes the terms of the securities, some of which may not apply to your securities; and

•

if necessary, a pricing supplement, which describes the specific terms of your securities.

If the terms of your securities vary among the pricing supplement, the prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, you should rely on the information in the following order of priority:

•

the pricing supplement, if any;

•

the prospectus supplement; and

•

the prospectus.

We include cross-references in this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement to captions in these materials where you can find further related discussions. The following Table of Contents and the Table of Contents included in the accompanying prospectus supplement provide the pages on which these captions are located.

Unless indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we have not taken any action that would permit us to publicly sell these securities in any jurisdiction outside the United States. If you are an investor outside the United States, you should inform yourself about, and comply with, any restrictions as to the offering of the securities and the distribution of this prospectus.

TABLE OF CONTENTS



	Page
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS	1
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION	1
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE	1
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS	3
INVESTAR HOLDING CORPORATION.	4
RISK FACTORS	4
USE OF PROCEEDS	4
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES	4
REGULATION AND SUPERVISION	5
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES	6
DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK	13
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK	16
DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES	19
DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS	21
DESCRIPTION OF UNITS	22
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION	23
LEGAL OPINIONS	26
EXPERTS	26

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may from time to time offer and sell the debt securities, common stock, preferred stock, warrants, depositary shares or units consisting of a combination of these securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings, up to $50.0 million. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities covered by it. Each time we offer any of these securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of the offer. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with the additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

Unless otherwise indicated or unless the context requires otherwise, all references in this prospectus to “Investar,” “we,” “us,” “our,” “Company” or similar references mean Investar Holding Corporation. References in this prospectus to “Investar Bank” and “Bank” mean Investar Bank, the wholly-owned banking subsidiary of Investar Holding Corporation. The Bank is a Louisiana-chartered commercial bank and a non-member bank of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (“Federal Reserve”). The main office of the Bank is located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We file reports, proxy statements and other documents with the SEC. You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. You should call 1-800-SEC-0330 for more information on the public reference room. Our SEC filings are also available to you on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov.

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the SEC. The registration statement contains more information than this prospectus regarding us, including certain exhibits and schedules. You can obtain a copy of the registration statement from the SEC at the address listed above or from the SEC’s Internet site.

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information into this prospectus. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document that we file separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this prospectus, except for any information that is superseded by information that is included directly in this document or in a more recent incorporated document.

This prospectus incorporates by reference the documents listed below that we have previously filed with the SEC.


SEC Filings	Period or Date Filed (as applicable)
Annual Report on Form 10-K	Year ended December 31, 2015

Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q	Quarters ended March 31, 2016, June 30, 2016 and September 30, 2016

Current Reports on Form 8-K (in each case other than those portions furnished under Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K)	Our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on February 19, 2016, May 17, 2016, May 19, 2016, June 30, 2016 and October 20, 2016

The information specifically incorporated by reference into our Annual Report on Form 10-K from our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A	Filed with the SEC on April 18, 2016

This prospectus also incorporates by reference the description of our common stock contained in our registration statement on Form 8-A, filed on June 26, 2014, including any amendment or report filed to update such description.

In addition, we also incorporate by reference all future documents that we file with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), after the date of our initial registration statement relating to the securities until the completion of the distribution of the securities covered by this prospectus. These documents include periodic reports, such as Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K (other than Current Reports furnished under Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K), as well as proxy statements.

The information incorporated by reference contains information about us and our financial condition and results of operation and is an important part of this prospectus.

You can obtain any of the documents incorporated by reference in this document through us, or from the SEC through the SEC’s Internet world wide web site at www.sec.gov. Documents incorporated by reference are available from us without charge, excluding any exhibits to these documents, unless the exhibit is specifically incorporated by reference as an exhibit in this prospectus. You can obtain documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus by requesting them in writing or by telephone from us at the following address:

Investar Holding Corporation

7244 Perkins Road

Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70808

Attention: John J. D’Angelo

Telephone: (225) 227-2222

In addition, we maintain a corporate web site, www.investarbank.com. On our web site, we make available our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such materials with, or furnish it to, the SEC. This reference to our web site is for the convenience of investors as required by the SEC and shall not be deemed to incorporate any information on the web site into this prospectus.

We have not authorized anyone to give any information or make any representation about us that is different from, or in addition to, those contained in this prospectus or in any of the materials that we have incorporated into this prospectus. If anyone does give you information of this sort, you should not rely on it. If you are in a jurisdiction where offers to sell, or solicitations of offers to purchase, the securities offered by this document are unlawful, or if you are a person to whom it is unlawful to direct these types of activities, then the offer presented

in this document does not extend to you. The information contained in this document speaks only as of the date of this document unless the information specifically indicates that another date applies.

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus, as well as other written communications made from time to time by us and oral communications made from time to time by our authorized officers, may contain statements relating to our future results (including certain projections and business trends) that are considered “forward-looking statements” as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “PSLRA”). Such forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of such words as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “should,” “planned,” “estimated,” “intend” and “potential.” Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, possible or assumed estimates with respect to our financial condition, expected or anticipated revenue, and results of our operations and business, including earnings growth determined using generally accepted accounting principles; origination volume in our mortgage, commercial and consumer lending businesses; competitive products and pricing; demand for loans and deposits; asset quality, loan delinquency rates and levels of non-performing assets; impairment charges with respect to investment securities; current and future capital management programs; non-interest income levels; market share; our ability to control costs and expenses; and other business operations and strategies. For these statements, we claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the PSLRA.

We caution you that a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated in any forward-looking statement. Such factors include, but are not limited to:

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the factors identified below and in this prospectus under the heading “ Risk Factors ;”

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prevailing economic conditions, either nationally or locally in some or all areas in which we conduct business, or conditions in the banking industry;

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interest rate trends, changes in interest rates, deposit flows, loan demand, real estate values and competition, which can materially affect, among other things, origination levels in our lending businesses and the level of defaults, losses and prepayments on loans we have made and make;

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changes in the quality or composition of the loan or investment portfolios;

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factors driving impairment charges on investments;

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our ability to retain key members of management;

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our ability to successfully integrate into our operations any assets, liabilities, customers, systems and management personnel we may acquire and our ability to realize related revenue synergies and cost savings within expected time frames;

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our timely development of new and competitive products or services in a changing environment, and the acceptance of such products or services by customers;

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operational issues and/or capital spending necessitated by the potential need to adapt to industry changes in information technology systems, on which we are highly dependent;

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changes in accounting principles, policies, and guidelines;

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changes in any applicable law, rule, regulation or practice with respect to tax or legal issues;

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litigation liabilities, including related costs, expenses, settlements and judgments, or the outcome of other matters before regulatory agencies, whether pending or commencing in the future; and

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other economic, competitive, governmental, regulatory and technological factors affecting our operations, pricing, products and services.

Additionally, the timing and occurrence or non-occurrence of events may be subject to circumstances beyond our control. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are made as of the date of this prospectus. Except as may be required by applicable law or regulation, we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements.

INVESTAR HOLDING CORPORATION

Investar Holding Corporation, headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, provides full banking services, excluding trust services, through its wholly-owned banking subsidiary, Investar Bank, a state chartered bank. The Company's primary market is South Louisiana and it currently operates 10 full service banking offices located throughout its market. At September 30, 2016, Investar had 155 full-time equivalent employees.

As of September 30, 2016, Investar had consolidated assets of $1.2 billion, consolidated deposits of $907.1 million and consolidated stockholders’ equity of $113.6 million. Shares of our common stock are traded on The Nasdaq Global Select Market under the trading symbol “ISTR.”

Our principal executive offices are located at 7244 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70808 and our telephone number is (225) 227-2222. We maintain an Internet website at www.investarbank.com. Neither this website nor the information on this website is included or incorporated into, or is a part of, this prospectus.

Additional information about us and our subsidiaries is included in documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus. See “Where You Can Find More Information” on page 1.

RISK FACTORS

An investment in our securities involves significant risks. Our business, operating results and cash flows can be impacted by a number of factors, any one of which could cause our actual results to vary materially from recent results or from our anticipated future results. You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties and the risk factors set forth in the documents and reports filed with the SEC that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus, as well as any risks described in any applicable prospectus supplement, before you make an investment decision regarding the securities. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our business operations.

USE OF PROCEEDS

We intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities for general corporate purposes unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to a specific issue of securities. Our general corporate purposes will likely include support for organic growth, and may also include financing possible acquisitions of branches or other financial institutions or financial service companies or diversification into other banking-related businesses.

The precise amounts and the timing of our use of the net proceeds will depend upon market conditions, our subsidiary’s funding requirements, the availability of other funds and other factors. Until we use the net proceeds from the sale of any of our securities for general corporate purposes, we will use the net proceeds for temporary investments.

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES

The following table sets forth our historical ratio of earnings to fixed charges and our ratio of combined fixed charges to earnings. You should read this table in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes to the consolidated financial statements that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

A statement setting forth details of the computation of the ratios below is included as Exhibit 12.1 to the registration statement.


	Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016	Years Ended December 31,
	Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016	2015	2014	2013	2012	2011
Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges
Excluding deposits	10.55	17.75	17.27	17.86	19.45	12.20
Including deposits	2.43	2.80	2.40	2.25	2.31	1.58

Ratios of Earnings to Combined Fixed Charges
Excluding deposits	10.55	17.75	17.27	17.86	19.45	12.20
Including deposits	2.43	2.80	2.40	2.25	2.31	1.58

We have computed the ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges set forth above by dividing pre-tax income before fixed charges by fixed charges dividends. Fixed charges represent interest expensed and capitalized.

REGULATION AND SUPERVISION

Our banking subsidiary, Investar Bank, is a Louisiana-chartered commercial bank and its deposit accounts are insured by the DIF of the FDIC. The Bank is a non-member bank and is a member of Federal Home Loan Bank systems. The Bank is subject to supervision, examination and regulation by the Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions (“OFI”) and the FDIC. Asset growth, deposits, reserves, investments, loans, consumer law compliance, issuance of securities, payment of dividends, establishment of banking offices, mergers and consolidations, changes in control, electronic funds transfer, management practices and other aspects of operations are subject to regulation by the appropriate federal and state supervisory authorities.

Investar Bank must file reports with the OFI and the FDIC concerning its activities and financial condition, in addition to obtaining regulatory approvals before entering into certain transactions such as mergers with, or acquisitions of, other depository institutions. Furthermore, Investar Bank is periodically examined by the OFI and the FDIC to assess compliance with various regulatory requirements, including safety and soundness considerations. This regulation and supervision establishes a comprehensive framework of activities in which Investar Bank can engage, and is intended primarily for the protection of the DIF and depositors rather than for the protection of security holders. The regulatory structure also gives the regulatory authorities extensive discretion in connection with their supervisory and enforcement activities and examination policies, including policies with respect to the classification of assets and the establishment of loan loss allowances for regulatory purposes.

As a financial holding company, we are subject to comprehensive regulation, examination and supervision by the Federal Reserve under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHCA”), and the regulations of the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve also has extensive enforcement authority over bank holding companies, including, among other things, the ability to assess civil money penalties, to issue cease and desist or removal orders, and to require that a holding company divest subsidiaries (including its bank subsidiaries). In general, enforcement actions may be initiated for violations of law and regulations and unsafe or unsound practices.

Because we are a holding company, our rights and the rights of our creditors, including the holders of the debt securities and the preferred stock and common stock we are offering under this prospectus, to participate in the assets of any of our subsidiaries upon the subsidiary’s liquidation or reorganization will be subject to the prior claims of the subsidiary’s creditors, except to the extent that we may ourselves be a creditor with recognized claims against the subsidiary.

The Federal Reserve has the power to prohibit dividends by bank holding companies if their actions constitute unsafe or unsound practices. The Federal Reserve has issued a policy statement on the payment of cash dividends by bank holding companies, which expresses the Federal Reserve’s view that a bank holding company should pay cash dividends only to the extent that the company’s net income for the past year is sufficient to cover

both the cash divi dends and a rate of earnings retention that is consistent with the company’s capital needs, asset quality and overall financial condition. The Federal Reserve also indicated that it would be inappropriate for a bank holding company experiencing serious fin ancial problems to borrow funds to pay dividends. Under the prompt corrective action regulations adopted by the Federal Reserve, the Federal Reserve may prohibit a bank holding company from paying any dividends if the holding company’s bank subsidiary is c lassified as “undercapitalized.”

Further, a Louisiana-chartered commercial bank may not pay dividends unless the bank has unimpaired surplus equal to 50% of its outstanding capital stock, both before and after giving effect to the dividend payment. Subject to satisfying such requirement, Investar Bank may pay dividends to us without the approval of the OFI so long as the amount of the dividend does not exceed its net profits earned during the current year combined with its retained earnings for the immediately preceding year; the OFI must approve any proposed dividend in excess of this threshold.

Under federal law, Investar Bank may not pay any dividend to us if the Bank is undercapitalized or the payment of the dividend would cause it to become undercapitalized or if the Bank has failed to pay its deposit insurance assessment. The FDIC may further restrict the payment of dividends by requiring the Bank to maintain a higher level of capital than would otherwise be required to be adequately capitalized for regulatory purposes. The FDIC has indicated that paying dividends that deplete a depository institution’s capital base to an inadequate level would be an unsafe banking practice, and the FDIC can order a bank to cease any such practice. Finally, it is FDIC policy that insured depository institutions generally should pay dividends only out of current operating earnings.

For a discussion of the material elements of the regulatory framework applicable to bank holding companies and their subsidiaries, and specific information relevant to us, you should refer to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, and any other subsequent reports filed by us with the SEC, which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus. A change in the statutes, regulations or regulatory policies applicable to us or our subsidiaries may have a material effect on our business.

Changes to the laws and regulations can affect the operating environment of bank holding companies and their subsidiaries in substantial and unpredictable ways. We cannot accurately predict whether those changes in laws and regulations will occur, and, if changes do occur, the ultimate effect they would have upon our or our subsidiaries’ financial condition or results of operations.

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

General

The debt securities will be:

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our direct unsecured general obligations; and

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either senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities.

Senior debt securities will be issued under an indenture we call the “senior indenture” and subordinated debt securities will be issued under a separate indenture we call the “subordinated indenture.” Together the senior indenture and the subordinated indenture are called the “indentures,” and the senior debt securities and the subordinated debt securities are called “debt securities.”

We have not restated these indentures in their entirety in this description. We have filed the forms of the indentures as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. We urge you to read the indentures, because they, and not this description, control your rights as holders of the debt securities. The following description of the indentures is not complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, all the provisions in the respective indentures. In the summary below, we have included references to section numbers of the applicable indenture so that you can easily locate these provisions. Capitalized terms used in the summary have the meanings specified in the indentures.

Neither indenture limits the amount of debt securities that we may issue under the indenture from time to time in one or more series. We may in the future issue debt securities under either indenture. At the date of this prospectus, we had not issued any debt securities under either indenture.

We could in the future enter into transactions that could increase the amount of indebtedness outstanding at that time or otherwise adversely affect our capital structure or credit rating.

The debt securities will be our exclusive obligations. Neither indenture requires our subsidiaries to guarantee the debt securities. As a result, the holders of debt securities will generally have a junior position to claims of all creditors and preferred stockholders of our subsidiaries.

Specific Terms of Each Series of Debt Securities in the Prospectus Supplement

A prospectus supplement and any supplemental indenture relating to any series of debt securities being offered will include specific terms relating to the offering. These terms will include some or all of the following:

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the form and title of the debt securities;

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whether the debt securities are senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities and the terms of subordination;

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any limit on the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities;

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the person to whom any interest on a debt security of the series will be paid;

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the date or dates on which we must repay the principal;

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the denominations in which the debt securities will be issued;

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the manner in which we will determine the amount of principal of or any premium or interest on the debt securities;

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the portion of the principal amount that will be payable if the maturity of the debt securities is accelerated;

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the currency or currency unit in which the debt securities will be paid, if not U.S. dollars;

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any right we may have to defer payments of interest by extending the dates payments are due and whether interest on those deferred amounts will be payable as well;

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the place where the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on any debt securities will be payable;

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the date or dates on which the debt securities will be issued and the principal, and premium, if any, of the debt securities that will be payable;

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the rate or rates, which may be fixed or variable, that the debt securities will bear interest and the interest payment dates for the debt securities;

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whether we will issue the debt securities in the form of one or more global securities and, if so, the respective depositaries for the global securities and the terms of the global securities;

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any mandatory or optional redemption provisions;

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the terms, if any, upon which the debt securities are convertible into other securities of ours or another issuer and the terms and conditions upon which any conversion will be effected, including the initial conversion price or rate, the conversion period and any other provisions in addition to or instead of those described in this prospectus;

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affirmative, negative and, with the case of our senior debt securities, financial covenants applicable with respect to the debt securities of the series;

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any sinking fund or other provisions that would obligate us to repurchase or otherwise redeem the debt securities;

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any deletion from, changes of or additions to the Events of Default (as defined below) or covenants;

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any changes to the terms and condition upon which the debt securities can be defeased or discharged;

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any restriction or other provision with respect to the transfer or exchange of the debt securities;

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the identity of any other trustee, paying agent and security registrar, if other than the trustee; and

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any other terms of the debt securities (Section 3.01).

We will maintain in each place specified by us for payment of any series of debt securities an office or agency where debt securities of that series may be presented or surrendered for payment, where debt securities of that series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange and where notices and demands to or upon us in respect of the debt securities of that series and the related indenture may be served (Section 10.02).

Debt securities may be issued under an indenture as original issue discount securities to be offered and sold at a substantial discount below their principal amount. Material federal income tax, accounting and other considerations applicable to any such original issue discount securities will be described in any related prospectus supplement. “Original issue discount security” means any security that provides for an amount less than the principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof as a result of the occurrence of an event of default and the continuation thereof (Section 1.01).

Provisions Only in the Senior Indenture

Payment of the principal, premium, if any, and interest on the senior debt securities will rank equally in right of payment with all of our other unsecured senior debt.

Provisions Only in the Subordinated Indenture

Payment of the principal, premium, if any, and interest on the subordinated debt securities will be unsecured and will be subordinate and junior in priority of payment to prior payment in full of all of our senior indebtedness, including senior debt securities and other debt to the extent described in a prospectus supplement. (Section 14.01 of the subordinated indenture)

Provisions in Both Indentures

Consolidation, Merger or Asset Sale

Each indenture generally allows us to consolidate or merge with a domestic person, association or entity. They also allow us to sell, lease or transfer our property and assets substantially as an entirety to a domestic person, association or entity. If this happens, the remaining or acquiring person, association or entity must assume all of our responsibilities and liabilities under the indentures including the payment of all amounts due on the debt securities and performance of the covenants in the indentures.

However, we will only consolidate or merge with or into any other person, association or entity or sell, lease or transfer our assets substantially as an entirety according to the terms and conditions of the indentures, which include the following requirements:

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the remaining or acquiring person, association or entity is organized under the laws of the United States, any state within the United States or the District of Columbia;

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the remaining or acquiring person, association or entity assumes our obligations under the indentures; and

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immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no Default or Event of Default, as defined below, shall have occurred and be continuing.

The remaining or acquiring person, association or entity will be substituted for us in the indentures with the same effect as if it had been an original party to the indentures. Thereafter, the successor may exercise our rights and powers under the indentures, in our name or in its own name. If we sell or transfer all or substantially all of our assets, we will be released from all our liabilities and obligations under any indenture and under the debt securities. If we lease all or substantially all of our assets, we will not be released from our obligations under the indentures. (Sections 8.01 and 8.02)

Events of Default and Remedies

In the indentures, “Default” with respect to any series of debt securities means any event that is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default.

In the indentures, Event of Default with respect to any series of debt securities means any of the following:

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failure to pay the principal of or any premium on any debt security of that series when due;

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failure to pay interest on any debt security of that series for 30 days;

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subject to certain exceptions, failure to perform any other covenant in the indenture, other than a covenant a default in the performance of which has expressly been included in the indenture solely for the benefit of series of debt securities other than that series, that continues for 90 days after being given written notice as specified in the indenture;

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our bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization; or

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any other Event of Default included in any indenture or supplemental indenture. (Section 5.01)

If an Event of Default with respect to a series of debt securities occurs and is continuing, the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of all of the outstanding debt securities of a particular series may declare the principal of all the debt securities of that series to be due and payable. When such declaration is made, such amounts will be immediately due and payable. The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of such series may rescind such declaration and its consequences if all existing Events of Default have been cured or waived, other than nonpayment of principal or interest that has become due solely as a result of acceleration. (Section 5.02)

Holders of a series of debt securities may not enforce the indenture or the series of debt securities, except as provided in the indenture or a series of debt securities. (Section 5.07) The trustee may require indemnity satisfactory to it before it enforces the indenture or such series of debt securities. (Section 6.03) Subject to certain limitations, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of a particular series may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee or exercising any trust or power of the trustee. (Section 5.12) The trustee may withhold notice to the holders of debt securities of any default, except in the payment of principal or interest, if the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors or responsible officers of the trustee considers such withholding of notice to be in the best interests of the holders. (Section 6.02)

An Event of Default for a particular series of debt securities does not necessarily constitute an Event of Default for any other series of debt securities issued under an indenture. Further, an Event of Default under the debt securities of any series will not necessarily constitute an event of default under our other indebtedness or vice versa.

Modification of Indentures

Under each indenture, generally we and the trustee may modify our rights and obligations and the rights of the holders with the consent of the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series affected by the modification, voting as one class. No modification of the principal or interest payment terms, no modification reducing the percentage required for modifications, no change in our obligation to maintain an office or agency for payment of the debt securities and no modification impairing the right to institute suit for the payment on debt securities of any series when due, is effective against any holder without its consent. (Section 9.02)

In addition, we and the trustee may amend the indentures without the consent of any holder of the debt securities to make certain technical changes, such as:

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curing ambiguities or correcting defects or inconsistencies;

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evidencing the succession of another person to us, and the assumption by that successor of our obligations under the applicable indenture and the debt securities of any series;

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providing for a successor trustee;

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qualifying the indentures under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, which we refer to in this prospectus as the “Trust Indenture Act;”

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complying with the rules and regulations of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which debt securities of any series may be listed or traded; or

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adding provisions relating to a particular series of debt securities that does not materially adversely affect the interests of any holder of debt securities of any series. (Section 9.01)

Discharging Our Obligations

We may choose either to discharge our obligations on the debt securities of any series in a legal defeasance, or to release ourselves from our covenant restrictions on the debt securities of any series in a covenant defeasance. We may do so at any time on the 91 ^st day after we deposit with the trustee sufficient cash or government securities to pay the principal, interest, any premium and any other sums due from the date of defeasance to the stated maturity date or a redemption date of the debt securities of the series. If we choose the legal defeasance option, the holders of the debt securities of the series will not be entitled to the benefits of the indenture except for registration of transfer and exchange of debt securities, replacement of lost, stolen or mutilated debt securities, conversion or exchange of debt securities, sinking fund payments and receipt of principal and interest on the original stated due dates or specified redemption dates. (Section 13.02)

We may discharge our obligations on the debt securities of any series or release ourselves from covenant restrictions only if we meet certain requirements. Among other things, we must deliver an opinion of our legal counsel that the discharge will not result in holders having to recognize taxable income or loss or subject them to different tax treatment. In the case of legal defeasance, this opinion must be based on either an IRS letter ruling or change in federal tax law. We may not have a default on the debt securities discharged on the date of deposit. The discharge may not violate any of our agreements. The discharge may not result in our becoming an investment company in violation of the Investment Company Act of 1940.

Concerning the Indenture Trustee

We will designate a trustee under the senior indenture and the subordinated indenture before the issuance of the debt securities.

Under provisions of the indentures and the Trust Indenture Act governing trustee conflicts of interest, any uncured Event of Default with respect to any series of senior or subordinated debt securities will force the trustee to

resign as trustee under either th e subordinated indenture or the senior indenture. Any resignation will require the appointment of a successor trustee under the applicable indenture in accordance with its terms and conditions.

The trustee may resign or be removed by us with respect to one or more series of debt securities and a successor trustee may be appointed to act with respect to any such series. The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of any series may remove the trustee with respect to the debt securities of such series. (Section 6.10)

Each indenture contains certain limitations on the right of the trustee thereunder, if it becomes our creditor, to obtain payment of claims in some cases, or to realize on property received in respect of any such claim, as security or otherwise. (Section 6.13)

The trustee is required to submit an annual report to the holders of the debt securities regarding, among other things, the trustee’s eligibility to serve, the priority of the trustee’s claims regarding certain advances made by it, and any action taken by the trustee materially affecting the debt securities.

Each indenture provides that, in addition to other certificates or opinions that may be specifically required by other provisions of an indenture, every application by us for action by the trustee shall be accompanied by a certificate of our officers and an opinion of counsel, who may be our counsel, stating that, in the opinion of the signers, we have complied with all conditions precedent to the action. (Section 1.02)

Governing Law

The indentures are and the debt securities will be governed by the laws of the State of New York.

No Personal Liability of Officers, Directors, Employees or Stockholders

Our officers, directors, employees and stockholders will not have any liability for our obligations under the indentures or the debt securities. Each holder of debt securities, by accepting a debt security, waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issuance of the debt securities.

Form, Denominations and Registration; Book Entry Only System

Unless otherwise indicated in a prospectus supplement, the debt securities of a series will be issued only in fully registered form, without coupons, in denominations of $1,000 or integral multiples thereof. (Section 3.02) You will not have to pay a service charge to transfer or exchange debt securities of a series, but we may require you to pay for taxes or other governmental charges due upon a transfer or exchange. (Section 3.05)

Unless otherwise indicated in a prospectus supplement, each series of debt securities will be deposited with, or on behalf of, The Depository Trust Company, or DTC, or any successor depositary, which we call a “depositary,” and will be represented by one or more global notes registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of DTC. The interests of beneficial owners in the global notes will be represented through financial institutions acting on their behalf as direct or indirect participants in DTC.

Ownership of beneficial interests in a global note will be limited to persons, called participants, who have accounts with DTC or persons who hold interests through participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in the global notes will be shown on, and the transfer of these ownership interests will be effected only through, records maintained by DTC or its nominee (with respect to interests of participants) and the records of participants (with respect to interests of persons other than participants).

So long as DTC, or its nominee, is the registered owner or holder of a global note, DTC or such nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the debt securities of that series represented by such global note for all purposes of the indenture, the debt securities of that series and applicable law. In addition, no beneficial owner of an interest in a global note will be able to transfer that interest except in accordance with DTC’s applicable procedures, in addition to those under the applicable indenture.

Payments on debt securities represented by global notes will be made to DTC or its nominee, as the registered owner thereof. Neither we, the trustee, any underwriter nor any paying agent will have any responsibility

or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in global notes, for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any rec ords relating to such beneficial ownership interests or for any action taken or omitted to be taken by the depositary or any participant.

We expect that DTC or its nominee will credit participants’ accounts on the payable date with payments in respect of a global note in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interest in the principal amount of such global note as shown on the records of DTC or its nominee, unless DTC has reason to believe that it will not receive payment on the payable date. We also expect that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in such global note held through such participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers registered in “street name.” Such payments will be the responsibility of such participants.

Transfers between participants in DTC will be effected in accordance with DTC rules. The laws of some states require that certain persons take physical delivery of securities in definitive form. Consequently, the ability to transfer beneficial interests in a global note to such persons may be impaired. Because DTC can only act on behalf of participants, who in turn act on behalf of others, such as securities brokers and dealers, banks and trust companies, called indirect participants, the ability of a person having a beneficial interest in a global note to pledge that interest to persons or entities that do not participate in the DTC system, or otherwise take actions in respect of that interest, may be impaired by the lack of a physical certificate of that interest.

DTC will take any action permitted to be taken by a holder of debt securities of a series only at the direction of one or more participants to whose account interests in global notes are credited and only in respect of such portion of the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of a series as to which such participant or participants has or have given such direction.

If (1) the depositary notifies us that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depositary or if the depositary ceases to be eligible under the applicable indenture and a successor depositary is not appointed by us within 90 days or (2) an Event of Default with respect to a series of debt securities shall have occurred and be continuing, the respective global notes representing the affected series of debt securities will be exchanged for debt securities in definitive form of like tenor and of an equal aggregate principal amount, in authorized denominations. Such definitive debt securities will be registered in such name or names as the depositary instructs the trustee. Such instructions will most likely be based upon directions received by the depositary from participants with respect to ownership of beneficial interests in global notes.

DTC is a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law, a “banking organization” within the meaning of the New York Banking Law, a member of the Federal Reserve, a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code and a “clearing agency” registered pursuant to the provisions of Section 17A of the Exchange Act. DTC holds securities that its participants deposit with DTC and facilitates the settlement among participants of securities transactions, such as transfers and pledges, in deposited securities through electronic computerized book-entry changes in participants’ accounts, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates. Direct participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations. DTC is owned by a number of its direct participants, including those who may act as underwriters of our debt securities, and by the New York Stock Exchange, Inc., the NYSE MKT LLC and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as indirect participants that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a direct participant, either directly or indirectly. The rules applicable to DTC and its participants are on file with the SEC.

Although DTC has agreed to the foregoing procedures to facilitate transfers of interests in global notes among participants of DTC, it is under no obligation to perform or continue to perform such procedures, and such procedures may be discontinued at any time. Neither we, the trustee, any underwriter nor any paying agent will have any responsibility for the performance by DTC or its participants or indirect participants of their respective obligations under the rules and procedures governing their operations.

DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK

The following discussion summarizes the material terms of our capital stock. This discussion does not purport to be a complete description of these rights and may not contain all of the information regarding our capital stock that is important to you. We are a Louisiana corporation, and thus the Louisiana Business Corporation Law, or LBCL, other applicable Louisiana law and our restated articles of incorporation and by-laws delineate the rights of our shareholders generally. Reference is made to the more detailed provisions of our restated articles of incorporation and by-laws, copies of which are filed with the SEC as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and applicable law.

General

Our restated articles of incorporation authorize us to issue a total of 40,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $1.00 per share, and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, no par value per share. No shares of preferred stock are currently outstanding. We may issue authorized but unissued shares of our capital stock in the future without shareholder approval, unless otherwise required by applicable law or the rules of any applicable securities exchange.

Common Stock

As of December 19, 2016, 7,099,283 shares of our common stock were issued and outstanding and held by approximately 606 shareholders of record. We have reserved an additional 125,932 shares for issuance in connection with stock awards granted under our Equity Incentive Plan, 474,068 have been issued in the form of stock option grants and restricted stock awards as of the date of this prospectus. Each share of our common stock is non-assessable and has the same rights, preferences and privileges as every other share of common stock.

Voting . Each share of common stock entitles the holder thereof to one vote in the election of directors and on all other matters submitted to the vote of our shareholders. Holders of our common stock are not entitled to cumulate their votes in the election of directors.

With respect to any matter other than the election of directors or a matter for which a different approval threshold is established by Louisiana law or our restated articles of incorporation (as described below), a matter submitted to the shareholders will be approved if a majority of the votes cast are in favor of such matter, at a meeting at which a quorum is present. Directors are elected by a plurality vote. Also, our restated articles of incorporation require a vote of two-thirds of the voting power present to approve (1) an amendment to the articles of incorporation, (2) a merger, consolidation or share exchange to which we are a party or the sale, lease or transfer of all or substantially all of our assets (this threshold is also the default provision in the LBCL) or (3) our dissolution.

Dividends . Subject to the legal and regulatory restrictions discussed elsewhere in this prospectus and to the rights of holders of any preferred securities that we may issue, holders of our common stock are entitled to share equally in dividends when, as, and if declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available therefor.

Liquidation . In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of shares of our common stock are entitled to receive, on a pro-rata per share basis, any assets available for distribution to our shareholders after the payment of debts and liabilities and after the distribution to holders of any outstanding shares of our capital stock hereafter issued with prior rights upon liquidation.

Preemptive and other rights . Holders of our common stock do not have preemptive, conversion or redemption rights.

Selected Provisions of the Louisiana Business Corporation Law and our Restated Articles of Incorporation and By-laws

Provisions with anti-takeover effects . Our restated articles of incorporation and by-laws as well as the LBCL contain certain provisions that may make it more difficult to acquire control of us by means of a tender offer, open market pu rchase, proxy contest or otherwise, even if shareholders may consider the proposed transaction to be in their best interests or will receive a substantial premium for their shares. These provisions, which are summarized below, are designed to encourage per sons seeking to acquire control of us to negotiate with our directors. We believe that, as a general rule, the interests of our shareholders are best served if any change in control results from negotiations with our board rather than from an unsolicited p roposal. As mentioned above, both the LBCL and our restated articles of incorporation require any merger, consolidation or share exchange to which we are a party or any sale of all or substantially all of our assets to be approved by a vote of at least two -thirds of the voting power present at any meeting called to approve such matter.

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Authority to issue “blank check” preferred stock . As discussed above, our board of directors is authorized to issue, without further approval from our shareholders, a series of “blank check” preferred stock. This authorization may operate to provide anti-takeover protection for us because, if a merger, tender offer or other attempt to gain control of us is proposed and our board does not believe the proposed transaction is in our or our shareholders’ best interests, the board can quickly issue shares of preferred stock with rights, preferences and limitations that could make the proposed takeover attempt more difficult to complete. Such preferred stock may also be used in connection with the issuance of a shareholder rights plan, sometimes called a “poison pill.” The authorization to issue preferred stock may also benefit present management. Since a potential acquiror may be discouraged from attempting a takeover on account of the board’s ability to issue preferred stock, management may be able to retain its position more easily. Our board, however, does not intend to issue any preferred stock except on terms that it deems to be in the best interest of the Company and our shareholders.

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Shareholder’s right to call a special meeting . Our by-laws provide that a shareholder (or group of shareholders) may not call a special meeting of shareholders unless such shareholder(s) owns at least 25% of our outstanding stock.

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Increase in board size . Our board of directors has the power to increase, between annual meetings, the number of persons serving as directors and to fill the vacancies so created by a majority vote of the directors present at the meeting. This may dissuade a third party from attempting to take control of us by means of a proxy contest.

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Advance notice requirements . Our by-laws require a shareholder who desires to nominate a candidate for election to the board of directors or to raise new business at an annual shareholders’ meeting to provide us advance notice not earlier than 120 days and not later than 90 days prior to the first anniversary of the immediately preceding year’s annual meeting. If the date of the annual meeting is advanced by more than 30 days or delayed by more than 90 days from the anniversary date of the previous year’s meeting, to be timely a shareholder must deliver advance notice not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to the annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to such annual meeting or, if the public announcement of the date of our annual meeting is less than 100 days prior to the annual meeting, the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. Any shareholder wishing to nominate a candidate for election as a director or to raise new business at an annual shareholders’ meeting must also provide detailed information about the nominee or business and satisfy certain other conditions. Because of the timing requirements and the detailed information that must be provided under our advance notice by-law, a third party may be discouraged from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect its own slate of directors or to approve its proposal without regard to whether consideration of the nominees or proposals might be harmful or beneficial to our shareholders and us.

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No cumulative voting . Shareholders are not permitted to cumulate their votes in the election of directors. As a result, holders of a majority of outstanding common stock have the power to elect all of the directors standing for election, which may discourage a third party from nominating its own candidate(s) for election to our board.

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By-law amendment . Our board of directors can amend our by-laws without shareholder approval.

In addition, as noted above, we may issue authorized but unissued shares of our capital stock in the future without shareholder approval, unless otherwise required by applicable law or the rules of any applicable securities exchange. This power may enable our board of directors to sell shares of our common or preferred stock to individuals or groups whom the board perceives as friendly with management, which may make more difficult unsolicited attempts to obtain control of our organization.

Finally, the LBCL includes certain provisions applicable to Louisiana corporations, such as the Company, which may be deemed to have an anti-takeover effect or otherwise discriminate against a holder of our securities on account of such holder owning a substantial amount of our common stock. Such provisions include rights of shareholders to receive from the corporation the fair cash value of their shares of stock following a control transaction from a controlling person or group and requirements relating to certain business combinations.

Under the LBCL’s control share acquisition statutes, any person who acquires “control shares” will be able to vote such shares only if the right to vote is approved by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of both (1) all the votes entitled to be cast by shareholders and (2) all the votes entitled to be cast by shareholders excluding “interested shares.” “Control shares” are shares that would entitle the holder thereof, assuming the shares had full voting rights, to exercise voting power within any of the following ranges: (a) 20% or more but less than one-third of all voting power; (b) one-third or more but less than a majority of all voting power; or (c) a majority or more of all voting power. Any acquisition that would result in the ownership of control shares in a higher range would require an additional vote of shareholders. “Interested shares” include control shares and any shares held by an officer or employee who is also a director of the corporation. If the control shares are provided full voting rights and the acquiring person has acquired control shares representing a majority or more of all voting power, all shareholders have dissenters’ rights entitling them to receive from the corporation the “fair cash value” of their shares, which cannot be less than the highest price paid per share by the acquiring person to acquire the control shares.

The LBCL’s fair price protection statutes govern “business combinations” involving an “interested shareholder.” The LBCL defines a “business combination” generally to include the following:

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any merger, consolidation or share exchange of the corporation with an “interested shareholder” or affiliate thereof;

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any sale, lease, transfer or other disposition, other than in the ordinary course of business, of assets equal to 10% or more of the market value of the corporation’s outstanding stock or of the corporation’s net worth to any interested shareholder or affiliate thereof in any 12-month period;

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the issuance or transfer by the corporation of equity securities of the corporation with an aggregate market value of 5% or more of the total market value of the corporation’s outstanding stock to any interested shareholder or affiliate thereof, except in certain circumstances;

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the adoption of any plan or proposal for the liquidation or dissolution of the corporation in which anything other than cash will be received by an interested shareholder or affiliate thereof; or

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any reclassification of the corporation’s stock or merger which increases by 5% or more the ownership interest of the interested shareholder or any affiliate of the corporation.

“Interested shareholder” includes any person who beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 10% or more of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock, or any affiliate thereof who had such beneficial ownership during the preceding two years, excluding in each case the corporation, its subsidiaries and their benefit plans.

Under the LBCL, a business combination must be approved by any vote otherwise required by law or the articles of incorporation, and by the affirmative vote of at least each of the following: (1) 80% of the total outstanding voting stock of the corporation, voting together as a single group; and (2) two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock held by persons other than the interested shareholder, voting together as a single group. However, the supermajority vote requirements are not applicable if the business combination meet s certain minimum price requirements and other procedural safeguards, or if the transaction is approved by our board prior to the time that the interested shareholder first became an interested shareholder.

Action by Written Consent . Under the LBCL, unless otherwise provided in a corporation’s articles of incorporation, no action required or permitted to be taken at an annual or special meeting of shareholders may be taken by written consent in lieu of a meeting unless such written consent is signed by all shareholders. Our restated articles of incorporation do not contain a provision allowing for less than unanimous written consent. As a result, the requirement that actions taken by written consent be unanimous ensures that shareholders cannot effect a business combination or other corporate action without the knowledge and involvement of all of our shareholders.

Indemnification . Our restated articles of incorporation and by-laws provide generally that we will indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by Louisiana law, our directors and officers, as well as other persons who have served as directors, officers, fiduciaries or in other representative capacities, serving at our request in connection with any actual or threatened action, proceeding or investigation, subject to limited exceptions. To the extent that indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers and controlling persons, we have been advised that, in the opinion of the SEC, this indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. Finally, our ability to provide indemnification to our directors and officers is limited by federal banking laws and regulations.

Limitation of liability . Our restated articles of incorporation limit the personal liability of our directors in actions brought on our behalf or on behalf of our shareholders for monetary damages as a result of a director’s acts or omissions while acting in a capacity as a director, with certain exceptions. Our restated articles of incorporation do not eliminate or limit our right or the right of our shareholders to seek injunctive or other equitable relief not involving monetary damages.

Restrictions on Ownership

The BHCA generally would prohibit any company that is not engaged in financial activities and activities that are permissible for a bank holding company or a financial holding company from acquiring control of us. “Control” is generally defined as ownership of 25% or more of the voting stock or other exercise of a controlling influence. In addition, any existing bank holding company would need the prior approval of the Federal Reserve before acquiring 5% or more of our voting stock. The Change in Bank Control Act of 1978, as amended, prohibits a person or group of persons from acquiring control of a bank holding company unless the Federal Reserve has been notified and has not objected to the transaction. Under a rebuttable presumption established by the Federal Reserve, the acquisition of 10% or more of a class of voting stock of a bank holding company with a class of securities registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, such as Investar could constitute acquisition of control of the bank holding company. Louisiana law generally requires the prior approval of the Commissioner before a person, group of persons, or company may acquire 25% or more of our voting stock or otherwise exercise a controlling influence over the direction of the management or policy of Investar or Investar Bank.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK

General

Our restated articles of incorporation permit us to issue one or more series of preferred stock and authorize our board of directors to fix the designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights (including voting rights), qualifications and limitations of any such series of preferred stock, without further shareholder approval. Each share of a series of preferred stock will have the same relative rights as, and be identical in all respects with, all the other shares of the same series. While the terms of preferred stock may vary from series to series, investors should assume that all shares of preferred stock that we may issue will be senior to our common stock in respect of distributions and on liquidation.

Although the creation and authorization of preferred stock does not, in and of itself, have any effect on the rights of the holders of our common stock, the issuance of one or mor e series of preferred stock may affect the holders of common stock in a number of respects, including the following: by subordinating our common stock to the preferred stock with respect to dividend rights, liquidation preferences and other rights, prefere nces, and privileges; by diluting the voting power or the earnings per share of our common stock; and by issuing common stock, upon the conversion of the preferred stock, at a price below the fair market value or original issue price of the common stock th at is outstanding prior to such issuance.

The preferred stock has the terms described below unless otherwise provided in the prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of the preferred stock. You should read the prospectus supplement relating to the particular series of the preferred stock being offered for specific terms, including:

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the designation and stated value per share of the preferred stock and the number of shares offered;

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the amount of liquidation preference per share;

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the price at which the preferred stock will be issued;

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the dividend rate or method of calculation, the dates on which dividends will be payable, whether dividends will be cumulative or noncumulative and, if cumulative, the dates from which dividends will commence to accumulate;

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any redemption or sinking fund provisions;

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any conversion or exchange provisions;

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whether we have elected to offer depositary shares as described in this prospectus under “ Description of Depositary Shares ”; and

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any other rights, preferences, privileges, limitations and restrictions on the preferred stock.

The preferred stock will, when issued, be fully paid and nonassessable. Unless otherwise specified in the prospectus supplement, each series of the preferred stock will rank equally as to dividends and liquidation rights in all respects with each other series of preferred stock. The rights of holders of shares of each series of preferred stock will be subordinate to those of our general creditors.

As described in this prospectus under “ Description of Depositary Shares ,” we may, at our option, with respect to any series of the preferred stock, elect to offer fractional interests in shares of preferred stock, and provide for the issuance of depositary receipts representing depositary shares, each of which will represent a fractional interest in a share of the series of the preferred stock. The fractional interest will be specified in the prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of the preferred stock.

Rank

Any series of the preferred stock will, with respect to the priority of the payment of dividends and the priority of payments upon liquidation, winding up, and dissolution, rank:

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senior to all classes of common stock and all equity securities issued by us, the terms of which specifically provide that the equity securities will rank junior to the preferred stock (the junior securities);

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equally with all equity securities issued by us, the terms of which specifically provide that the equity securities will rank equally with the preferred stock (the parity securities); and

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junior to all equity securities issued by us, the terms of which specifically provide that the equity securities will rank senior to the preferred stock.

Dividends

Holders of the preferred stock of each series will be entitled to receive, when, as, and if declared by our board of directors, cash dividends at such rates and on such dates, if any, described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Different series of preferred stock may be entitled to dividends at different rates or based on different methods of calculation. The dividend rate may be fixed or variable or both. Dividends will be payable to the holders of record as they appear on our stock books on record dates fixed by our board of directors, as specified in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Dividends on any series of the preferred stock may be cumulative or noncumulative, as described in the applicable prospectus supplement. If our board of directors does not declare a dividend payable on a dividend payment date on any series of noncumulative preferred stock, then the holders of that noncumulative preferred stock will have no right to receive a dividend for that dividend payment date, and we will have no obligation to pay the dividend accrued for that period, whether or not dividends on that series are declared payable on any future dividend payment dates. Dividends on any series of cumulative preferred stock will accrue from the date we initially issue shares of such series or such other date specified in the applicable prospectus supplement.

No full dividends may be declared or paid or funds set apart for the payment of any dividends on any parity securities unless dividends have been paid or set apart for payment on the preferred stock. If full dividends are not paid, the preferred stock will share dividends pro rata with the parity securities. No dividends may be declared or paid or funds set apart for the payment of dividends on any junior securities unless full cumulative dividends for all dividend periods terminating on or before the date of the declaration or payment will have been paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment set apart for payment on the preferred stock.

Rights Upon Liquidation

If we dissolve, liquidate, or wind up our affairs, either voluntarily or involuntarily, the holders of each series of preferred stock will be entitled to receive, before any payment or distribution of assets is made to holders of junior securities, liquidating distributions in the amount described in the prospectus supplement relating to that series of the preferred stock, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and, if the series of the preferred stock is cumulative, for all dividend periods prior to that point in time. If the amounts payable with respect to the preferred stock of any series and any other parity securities are not paid in full, the holders of the preferred stock of that series and of the parity securities will share proportionately in the distribution of our assets in proportion to the full liquidation preferences to which they are entitled. After the holders of preferred stock and the parity securities are paid in full, they will have no right or claim to any of our remaining assets.

Because we are a bank holding company, our rights, the rights of our creditors and of our stockholders, including the holders of the preferred stock offered by this prospectus, to participate in the assets of any subsidiary upon the subsidiary’s liquidation or recapitalization may be subject to the prior claims of the subsidiary’s creditors except to the extent that we may ourselves be a creditor with recognized claims against the subsidiary.

Redemption

We may provide that a series of the preferred stock may be redeemable, in whole or in part, at our option, with prior Federal Reserve approval, if required. In addition, a series of preferred stock may be subject to mandatory redemption pursuant to a sinking fund or otherwise. The redemption provisions that may apply to a series of preferred stock, including the redemption dates and the redemption prices for that series, will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

In the event of partial redemptions of preferred stock, whether by mandatory or optional redemption, our board of directors will determine the method for selecting the shares to be redeemed, which may be by lot or pro rata or by any other method determined to be equitable.

On or after a redemption date, unless we default in the payment of the redemption price, dividends will cease to accrue on shares of preferred stock called for redemption. In addition, all rights of holders of the shares will terminate except for the right to receive the redemption price.

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement for any series of preferred stock, if any dividends on any other series of preferred stock ranking equally as to payment of dividends and liquidation rights with such series of pre ferred stock are in arrears, no shares of any such series of preferred stock may be redeemed, whether by mandatory or optional redemption, unless all shares of preferred stock are redeemed, and we will not purchase any shares of such series of preferred st ock. This requirement, however, will not prevent us from acquiring such shares pursuant to a purchase or exchange offer made on the same terms to holders of all such shares outstanding.

Voting Rights

Unless otherwise described in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of the preferred stock will have no voting rights except as otherwise required by law or in our articles of incorporation.

Under regulations adopted by the Federal Reserve, if the holders of any series of the preferred stock are or become entitled to vote for the election of directors, such series may then be deemed a “class of voting stock” and a holder of 10% or more of such class of securities under certain circumstances may then be subject to regulation as a bank holding company or be deemed in control in accordance with federal law.

Exchangeability

We may provide that the holders of shares of preferred stock of any series may be required at any time or at maturity to exchange those shares for our debt securities. The applicable prospectus supplement will specify the terms of any such exchange.

DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES

General

We may, at our option, elect to offer fractional shares of preferred stock, which we call depositary shares, rather than full shares of preferred stock. If we do, we will issue to the public receipts, called depositary receipts, for depositary shares, each of which will represent a fraction, to be described in the prospectus supplement, of a share of a particular series of preferred stock.

The shares of any series of preferred stock represented by depositary shares will be deposited with a depositary named in the applicable prospectus supplement. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, each owner of a depositary share will be entitled, in proportion to the applicable fractional interest in a share of preferred stock represented by the depositary share, to all the rights and preferences of the preferred stock represented by such depositary share. Those rights include dividend, voting, redemption, conversion and liquidation rights.

Dividends and Other Distributions

The depositary will distribute all cash dividends or other cash distributions received in respect of the preferred stock to the record holders of depositary shares in proportion to the numbers of depositary shares owned by those holders.

If there is a distribution other than in cash, the depositary will distribute property received by it to the record holders of depositary shares, unless the depositary determines that it is not feasible to make the distribution. If this occurs, the depositary may, with our approval, sell the property and distribute the net proceeds from the sale to the holders.

Withdrawal of Stock

Unless the related depositary shares have been previously called for redemption, upon surrender of the depositary receipts at the office of the depositary, the holder of the depositary shares will be entitled to delivery, at the office of the depositary to or upon his or her order, of the number of whole shares of the preferred stock and any money or other property represented by the depositary shares. If the depositary receipts delivered by the holder evidence a number of depositary shares in excess of the number of depositary shares representing the number of

whole shares of preferred stock to be withdrawn, the depositary will deliver to the holder at the same time a new depositary receipt evidencing the excess number of depositary shares. In no event will the depositary delive r fractional shares of preferred stock upon surrender of depositary receipts.

Redemption of Depositary Shares

Whenever we redeem shares of preferred stock held by the depositary, the depositary will redeem as of the same redemption date the number of depositary shares representing shares of the preferred stock so redeemed, so long as we have paid in full to the depositary the redemption price of the preferred stock to be redeemed plus an amount equal to any accumulated and unpaid dividends on the preferred stock to the date fixed for redemption. The redemption price per depositary share will be equal to the redemption price and any other amounts per share payable on the preferred stock multiplied by the fraction of a share of preferred stock represented by one depositary share. If less than all the depositary shares are to be redeemed, the depositary shares to be redeemed will be selected by lot or pro rata or by any other equitable method as may be determined by the depositary.

After the date fixed for redemption, depositary shares called for redemption will no longer be deemed to be outstanding and all rights of the holders of depositary shares will cease, except the right to receive the moneys payable upon redemption and any money or other property to which the holders of the depositary shares were entitled upon redemption upon surrender to the depositary of the depositary receipts evidencing the depositary shares.

Voting the Preferred Stock

Upon receipt of notice of any meeting at which the holders of the preferred stock are entitled to vote, the depositary will mail the information contained in the notice of meeting to the record holders of the depositary receipts relating to that preferred stock. The record date for the depositary receipts relating to the preferred stock will be the same date as the record date for the preferred stock. Each record holder of the depositary shares on the record date will be entitled to instruct the depositary as to the exercise of the voting rights pertaining to the number of shares of preferred stock represented by that holder’s depositary shares. The depositary will endeavor, insofar as practicable, to vote the number of shares of preferred stock represented by the depositary shares in accordance with those instructions, and we will agree to take all action that may be deemed necessary by the depositary to enable the depositary to do so. The depositary will not vote any shares of preferred stock except to the extent it receives specific instructions from the holders of depositary shares representing that number of shares of preferred stock.

Charges of Depositary

We will pay all transfer and other taxes and governmental charges arising solely from the existence of the depositary arrangements. We will pay charges of the depositary in connection with the initial deposit of the preferred stock and any redemption of the preferred stock. Holders of depositary receipts will pay other transfer and other taxes and governmental charges and such other charges as are expressly provided in the deposit agreement to be for their accounts.

Resignation and Removal of Depositary

The depositary may resign at any time by delivering to us notice of its election to do so, and we may remove the depositary at any time. Any resignation or removal of the depositary will take effect upon our appointment of a successor depositary and its acceptance of such appointment. The successor depositary must be appointed within 60 days after delivery of the notice of resignation or removal and must be a bank or trust company having its principal office in the United States and having a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000.

Notices

The depositary will forward to holders of depositary receipts all notices, reports and other communications, including proxy solicitation materials received from us, which are delivered to the depositary and that we are required to furnish to the holders of the preferred stock.

Limitation of Liability

Neither we nor the depositary will be liable if either of us is prevented or delayed by law or any circumstance beyond our control in performing ou r obligations. Our obligations and those of the depositary will be limited to performance in good faith of our and their duties thereunder. We and the depositary will not be obligated to prosecute or defend any legal proceeding in respect of any deposita ry shares or preferred stock unless satisfactory indemnity is furnished. We and the depositary may rely upon written advice of counsel or accountants, on information provided by persons presenting preferred stock for deposit, holders of depositary receipt s or other persons believed to be competent and on documents believed to be genuine.

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

General

We may issue warrants to purchase debt securities, preferred stock, depositary shares or common stock. We may offer warrants separately or together with one or more additional warrants, debt securities, preferred stock, depositary shares or common stock, or any combination of those securities in the form of units, as described in the appropriate prospectus supplement. If we issue warrants as part of a unit, the accompanying prospectus supplement will specify whether those warrants may be separated from the other securities in the unit before the warrants’ expiration date. Below is a description of certain general terms and provisions of the warrants that we may offer. Further terms of the warrants will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

The applicable prospectus supplement will contain, where applicable, the following terms of and other information relating to the warrants:

•

the specific designation and aggregate number of, and the price at which we will issue, the warrants;

•

the currency or currency units in which the offering price, if any, and the exercise price are payable;

•

the date on which the right to exercise the warrants will begin and the date on which that right will expire or, if you may not continuously exercise the warrants throughout that period, the specific date or dates on which you may exercise the warrants;

•

any applicable anti-dilution provisions;

•

any applicable redemption or call provisions;

•

the circumstances under which the warrant exercise price may be adjusted;

•

whether the warrants will be issued in fully registered form or bearer form, in definitive or global form or in any combination of these forms, although, in any case, the form of a warrant included in a unit will correspond to the form of the unit and of any security included in that unit;

•

any applicable material United States federal income tax consequences;

•

the identity of the warrant agent for the warrants and of any other depositaries, execution or paying agents, transfer agents, registrars or other agents;

•

the proposed listing, if any, of the warrants or any securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants on any securities exchange;

•

the designation and terms of the preferred stock or common stock purchasable upon exercise of the warrants;

•

the designation, aggregate principal amount, currency and terms of the debt securities that may be purchased upon exercise of the warrants;

•

if applicable, the designation and terms of the debt securities, preferred stock, depositary shares or common stock with which the warrants are issued and the number of warrants issued with each securit y;

•

if applicable, the date from and after which the warrants and the related debt securities, preferred stock, depositary shares or common stock will be separately transferable;

•

the number of shares of preferred stock, the number of depositary shares or the number of shares of common stock purchasable upon exercise of a warrant and the price at which those shares may be purchased;

•

if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of the warrants that may be exercised at any one time;

•

information with respect to book-entry procedures, if any;

•

whether the warrants are to be sold separately or with other securities as parts of units; and

•

any additional terms of the warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of the warrants.

Outstanding Warrants

SLBB Warrants . In connection with its acquisition of South Louisiana Business Bank (“SLBB”), Investar Bank assumed outstanding warrants to purchase SLBB common stock (which were issued in connection with SLBB’s organization). The terms of these warrants were adjusted to reflect the terms of the merger agreement between Investar Bank and SLBB. There are 124,275 warrants outstanding that are exercisable at a price of $13.33 per share and expire on July 1, 2018.

DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

We may issue units comprised of two or more of the other securities described in this prospectus in any combination. Each unit will be issued so that the holder of the unit is also the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder of a unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security. The unit agreement under which a unit is issued may provide that the securities included in the unit may not be held or transferred separately, at any time or at any time before a specified date.

The applicable prospectus supplement may describe:

•

the designation and terms of the units and of the securities comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances those securities may be held or transferred separately;

•

any provisions for the issuance, payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units or of the securities comprising the units;

•

the terms of the unit agreement governing the units;

•

United States federal income tax considerations relevant to the units; and

•

whether the units will be issued in fully registered or global form.

The preceding description and any description of units in the applicable prospectus supplement does not purport to be complete and is subject to and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the form of unit agreement, which will be filed with the SEC in connection with the offering of such units, and, if applicable, collateral arrangements and depositary arrangements relating to such units.

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may offer and sell these securities in any one or more of the following ways:

•

to the public through a group of underwriters managed or co-managed by one or more underwriters, or through dealers;

•

through one or more agents;

•

directly to purchasers; or

•

through a combination of such methods of sale.

The distribution of the securities may be effected from time to time in one or more transactions:

•

at a fixed price, or prices which may be changed from time to time;

•

at market prices prevailing at the time of sale;

•

at prices related to those prevailing market prices; or

•

at negotiated prices.

Each time we sell securities a prospectus supplement will describe the method of distribution of the securities and any applicable restrictions.

The prospectus supplement with respect to the securities of a particular series will describe the terms of the offering of the securities, including the following:

•

the name or names of any agents, dealers or underwriters included in the offer and sale of the securities;

•

the public offering or purchase price and the proceeds we will receive from the sale of the securities;

•

any discounts and commissions to be allowed or paid to the agents or underwriters;

•

all other items constituting underwriting compensation;

•

any discounts and commissions to be allowed or paid to dealers; and

•

any exchanges on which the securities will be listed.

We may agree to enter into an agreement to indemnify the agents and the several underwriters against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act or to contribute to payments the agents or the underwriters may be required to make.

If so indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will authorize underwriters or other persons acting as our agents to solicit offers by certain institutions to purchase debt securities from us pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on the date stated in the applicable prospectus supplement. Each contract will be for an amount not less than, and the aggregate amount of securities sold pursuant to those contracts will be equal to, the respective amounts stated in the applicable prospectus supplement. Institutions with whom the contracts, when authorized, may be made include commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies, educational and charitable institutions and other institutions, but will in all cases be subject to our approval. Delayed delivery contracts will not be subject to any conditions except that:

•

the purchase by an institution of the debt securities covered under that contract will not at the time of delivery be prohibited under the laws of the jurisdiction to which that institution is subject; and

•

if the debt securities are also being sold to underwriters acting as principals for their own account, the underwriters will have purchased those debt securities not sold for delayed delivery. The underwriters and other persons acting as our agents will not have any responsibility in respect of the validity or performance of delayed delivery contracts.

In all cases, these purchasers must be approved by us. Unless otherwise set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, the obligations of any purchaser under any of these contracts will not be subject to any conditions except that (a) the purchase of the securities must not at the time of delivery be prohibited under the laws of any jurisdiction to which that purchaser is subject and (b) if the securities are also being sold to underwriters, we must have sold to these underwriters the securities not subject to delayed delivery. Underwriters and other agents will not have any responsibility in respect of the validity or performance of these contracts.

If underwriters or dealers are used in the sale, the securities will be acquired by the underwriters or dealers for their own account and may be resold from time to time in one or more transactions, at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, or at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, or at prices related to such prevailing market prices, or at negotiated prices. The securities may be offered to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented by one or more managing underwriters or directly by one or more of such firms. Unless otherwise set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, the obligations of underwriters or dealers to purchase the securities offered will be subject to certain conditions precedent and the underwriters or dealers will be obligated to purchase all the offered securities if any are purchased. Any public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid by underwriters or dealers to other dealers may be changed from time to time.

The securities may be sold directly by us or through agents designated by us from time to time. Any agent involved in the offer or sale of the securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered will be named, and any commissions payable by us to such agent will be set forth in, the applicable prospectus supplement. Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, any such agent will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment.

To the extent that we make sales to or through one or more underwriters or agents in at-the-market offerings, we will do so pursuant to the terms of a distribution agreement between us and the underwriters or agents. If we engage in at-the-market sales pursuant to a distribution agreement, we will issue and sell shares of our common stock to or through one or more underwriters or agents, which may act on an agency basis or on a principal basis. During the term of any such agreement, we may sell shares on a daily basis in exchange transactions or otherwise as we agree with the underwriters or agents. The distribution agreement will provide that any shares of our common stock sold will be sold at prices related to the then prevailing market prices for our common stock. Therefore, exact figures regarding proceeds that will be raised or commissions to be paid cannot be determined at this time and will be described in a prospectus supplement. Pursuant to the terms of the distribution agreement, we also may agree to sell, and the relevant underwriters or agents may agree to solicit offers to purchase, blocks of our common stock or other securities. The terms of each such distribution agreement will be set forth in more detail in a prospectus supplement to this prospectus. If any underwriter or agent acts as principal, or broker-dealer acts as underwriter, it may engage in certain transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of our securities. We will describe any such activities in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to the transaction.

Offers to purchase the securities offered by this prospectus may be solicited, and sales of the securities may be made, by us directly to institutional investors or others, who may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act with respect to any resales of the securities. The terms of any offer made in this manner will be included in the prospectus supplement relating to the offer.

Subject to any restrictions relating to debt securities in bearer form, any securities initially sold outside the United States may be resold in the United States through underwriters, dealers or otherwise.

Each series of securities other than common stock will be a new issue of securities with no established trading market. Any underwriters to whom offered securities are sold by us for public offering and sale may make a market in such securities, but such underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time.

The anticipated date of delivery of the securities offered by this prospectus will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to the offering. The securities offered by this prospectus may or may not be listed on a national securiti es exchange or a foreign securities exchange. No assurance can be given as to the liquidity or activity of any trading in the offered securities.

If more than 10% of the net proceeds of any offering of securities made under this prospectus will be received by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) members participating in the offering or affiliates or associated persons of such FINRA members, the offering will be conducted in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110.

We may enter into derivative or other hedging transactions with financial institutions. These financial institutions may in turn engage in sales of our common stock to hedge their position, deliver this prospectus in connection with some or all of those sales and use the shares covered by this prospectus to close out any short position created in connection with those sales. We may also sell shares of our common stock short using this prospectus and deliver our common stock covered by this prospectus to close out such short positions, or loan or pledge our common stock to financial institutions that in turn may sell the shares of our common stock using this prospectus. We may pledge or grant a security interest in some or all of our common stock covered by this prospectus to support a derivative or hedging position or other obligations and, if we default in the performance of our obligations, the pledges or secured parties may offer and sell our common stock from time to time pursuant to this prospectus.

We also may enter into derivative transactions with third parties, or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions. If the applicable prospectus supplement indicates, in connection with those derivatives, the third parties may sell securities covered by this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, including in short sale transactions. If so, the third party may use securities pledged by us or borrowed from us or others to settle those sales or to close out any related open borrowings of stock, and may use securities received from us in settlement of those derivatives to close out any related open borrowings of stock. The third party in such sale transactions will be an underwriter and, if not identified in this prospectus, will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement (or a post-effective amendment). In addition, we may otherwise loan or pledge securities to a financial institution or other third party that in turn may sell the securities short using this prospectus. Such financial institution or other third party may transfer its economic short position to investors in our securities or in connection with a concurrent offering of other securities.

Certain of the underwriters and their associates and affiliates may be customers of, have borrowing relationships with, engage in other transactions with, and/or perform services, including investment banking services, for, us or one or more of our affiliates in the ordinary course of business.

LEGAL OPINIONS

The validity of the securities offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP, Washington, D.C.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of Investar Holding Corporation as December 31, 2015 and 2014, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2015 included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 have been incorporated herein, in reliance upon the reports of Postlethwaite & Netterville, APAC an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

Investar Holding Corporation

Debt Securities

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Warrants

Depositary Shares

Units

Prospectus

____________, 2016

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

The following table sets forth the various expenses to be incurred in connection with the sale and distribution of the securities being registered. All amounts shown are estimates except the Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee.


Filing Fee — Securities and Exchange Commission	$5,795
Printing expenses	*
Legal fees and expenses	*
Accounting fees and expenses	*
Miscellaneous expenses	*
Total Expenses	$ *

* These fees depend on the securities offered and the number of issuances and cannot be estimated at this time.

Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

Louisiana Business Corporation Law

Under Section 83 of the Louisiana Business Corporation Law (the “LBCL”), a Louisiana corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (including an action by or in the right of the corporation), by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another business, foreign or nonprofit corporation, partnership, joint venture or other enterprise. Indemnified expenses include attorney fees, judgments, fines, amounts paid in settlement and other expenses actually and reasonably incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the action, suit or proceeding if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. In the case of actions by or in the right of the corporation, no indemnity is permitted under Section 83 of the LBCL if the relevant person is determined, in a final non-appealable judgment, to be liable for willful or intentional misconduct in the performance of his duty to the corporation, unless a court determines otherwise.

If a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action referred to in the previous paragraph or any claim therein, the corporation must indemnify him against expenses actually and reasonably incurred in connection with such matter. Section 83 permits a corporation to pay expenses incurred by the indemnified party in defending an action, suit or proceeding in advance of the final disposition if approved by the board of directors and accompanied by an undertaking by the indemnified party to repay such amounts if it is later determined that he is not entitled to indemnification. Section 83 also authorizes Louisiana corporations to buy liability insurance on behalf of any current or former director, officer, agent or employee. The indemnification and expense advancement provisions contained in Section 83 are not exclusive of any other rights to which those indemnified may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement, shareholder or director authorization or otherwise.

Investar By-laws

The by-laws of Investar Holding Corporation (“Investar”) contain indemnification provisions that require the company to indemnify any director, officer, employee or agent made party to any proceeding if such person

met the requisite standard of conduct, which is the same as that under the LBCL. Under the by-laws, the determination whether a director or officer met the required standard of conduct is made by Investar’s board of directors or a committee thereof, special legal counsel or by its shareholders. The advancement of expenses is also mandatory under Investar’s by-laws, provided that the director or officer makes deliveries analogous to those required under the LBCL and such advancement is authorized as provided under the LBCL.

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Investar’s ability to provide indemnification to its directors and officers is limited by federal banking laws and regulations, including, but not limited to, 12 U.S.C. 1828(k).

Item 16. Exhibits


Exhibit Number		Description
1.1		Form of Underwriting Agreement.*
3.1		Restated Articles of Incorporation (incorporated by reference herein to the Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-196014 )).
3.2		By-laws (incorporated by reference herein to the Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-196014 )).
4.1		No long-term debt instrument issued by the Registrant exceeds 10% of consolidated assets or is registered. In accordance with paragraph 4(iii) of Item 601(b) of Regulation S-K, the Registrant will furnish the Securities and Exchange Commission copies of long-term debt instruments and related agreements upon request.
4.2		Form of Indenture for Senior Debt Securities (including form of Note for Senior Debt Securities).
4.3		Form of Indenture for Subordinated Debt Securities (including form of Note for Subordinated Debt Securities).
4.4		Form of Deposit Agreement (including Form of Depositary Share Certificate) with respect to Depositary Shares.*
4.5		Form of Common Stock Certificate.*
4.6		Form of Preferred Stock Certificate.*
4.7		Form of Articles Supplementary for series of Preferred Stock.*
4.8		Form of Warrant Agreement (including Form of Warrant Certificate) with respect to Warrants to Purchase Debt Securities, Preferred Stock, Depositary Shares, Common Stock or Units.*
4.9		Form of Unit Agreement.*
5.1		Opinion of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP as to the legality of the securities being offered.
12.1		Calculation of Consolidated Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges.
23.1		Consent of Postlethwaite & Netterville, APAC
23.2		Consent of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1 filed herewith).
24.1		Power of Attorney (included in the signature pages of this Registration Statement).
25.1		Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of the Senior Indenture Trustee (to be filed prior to any issuance of Senior Debt Securities).**
25.2		Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of the Subordinated Indenture Trustee (to be filed prior to any issuance of Subordinated Debt Securities).**

* To be subsequently filed by an amendment to the Registration Statement or by a Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

** To be subsequently filed, when appropriate, pursuant to Section 305(b)(2) of the T rust Indenture Act of 1939 under electronic form type 305B2.

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Item 17. Undertakings.

The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

(i)

To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

(ii)

To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement; and

(iii)

To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

provided, however , that paragraphs (i), (ii) and (iii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(4) That, for purposes of determinin g liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

(i)

Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

(ii)

Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5) or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii) or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however , that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

(5) That, for the purpose of determining any liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities: The registra nt undertakes that in a primary offering of

II-3

securities of the registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

(i)

any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

(ii)

any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the registrant or used or referred to by the registrant;

(iii)

the portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the registrant; and

(iv)

any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the registrant to the purchaser.

The registrant hereby undertakes that, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under Section 305(b)(2) of the Act.

II-4

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana, on December 21, 2016.


	INVESTAR HOLDING CORPORATION
	By:	/s/John J. D’Angelo
		John J. D’Angelo
		President and Chief Executive Officer

SIGNATURES AND POWER OF ATTORNEY

We, the undersigned officers and directors of Investar Holding Corporation hereby severally constitute and appoint John J. D’Angelo and Christopher L. Hufft, and each of them singly, our true and lawful attorneys with full power to any of them, and to each of them singly, to sign for us and in our names in the capacities indicated below the Registration Statement on Form S-3 filed herewith and any and all pre-effective and post-effective amendments to said Registration Statement and generally to do all such things in our name and behalf in our capacities as officers and directors to enable Investar Holding Corporation to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and all requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming our signatures as they may be signed by our said attorneys, or any of them, to said Registration Statement and any and all amendments thereto.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant and in the capacity and on the dates indicated.


December 21, 2016	By: /s/John J. D’Angelo John J. D’Angelo President and Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer)
December 21, 2016	By: /s/Christopher L. Hufft Christopher L. Hufft Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer)
December 21, 2016	By: /s/Rachel P. Cherco Rachel P. Cherco Executive Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer (Principal Accounting Officer)
December 21, 2016	By: /s/James M. Baker James M. Baker Director


December 21, 2016	By: /s/Thomas C. Besselman, Sr. Thomas C. Besselman, Sr. Director

December 21, 2016	By: /s/James H. Boyce, III James H. Boyce, III Director
December 21, 2016	By /s/Robert M. Boyce, Sr. Robert M. Boyce, Sr. Director

December 21, 2016	By: /s/William H. Hidalgo, Sr. William H. Hidalgo, Sr. Director


December 21, 2016	By: /s/Gordon H. Joffrion, III Gordon H. Joffrion, III Director
December 21, 2016	By: /s/David J. Lukinovich David J. Lukinovich Director
December 21, 2016	By: /s/Suzanne O. Middleton Suzanne O. Middleton Director
December 21, 2016	By: /s/Andrew C. Nelson, M.D. Andrew C. Nelson, M.D. Director
December 21, 2016	By: /s/Carl R. Schneider, Jr. Carl R. Schneider, Jr. Director
December 21, 2016	By: /s/Frank L. Walker Frank L. Walker Director

EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit Number		Description
1.1		Form of Underwriting Agreement.*
3.1		Restated Articles of Incorporation (incorporated by reference herein to the Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-196014 )).
3.2		By-laws (incorporated by reference herein to the Form S-1(Registration No. 333-196014 )).
4.1		No long-term debt instrument issued by the Registrant exceeds 10% of consolidated assets or is registered. In accordance with paragraph 4(iii) of Item 601(b) of Regulation S-K, the Registrant will furnish the Securities and Exchange Commission copies of long-term debt instruments and related agreements upon request.
4.2		Form of Indenture for Senior Debt Securities (including form of Note for Senior Debt Securities).
4.3		Form of Indenture for Subordinated Debt Securities (including form of Note for Subordinated Debt Securities).
4.4		Form of Deposit Agreement (including Form of Depositary Share Certificate) with respect to Depositary Shares.*
4.5		Form of Common Stock Certificate.*
4.6		Form of Preferred Stock Certificate.*
4.7		Form of Articles Supplementary for series of Preferred Stock.*
4.8		Form of Warrant Agreement (including Form of Warrant Certificate) with respect to Warrants to Purchase Debt Securities, Preferred Stock, Depositary Shares, Common Stock or Units.*
4.9		Form of Unit Agreement.*
5.1		Opinion of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP as to the legality of the securities being offered.
12.1		Calculation of Consolidated Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges.
23.1		Consent of Postlethwaite & Netterville, APAC.
23.2		Consent of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1 filed herewith).
24.1		Power of Attorney (included in the signature pages of this Registration Statement).
25.1		Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of the Senior Indenture Trustee (to be filed prior to any issuance of Senior Debt Securities).**
25.2		Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of the Subordinated Indenture Trustee (to be filed prior to any issuance of Subordinated Debt Securities).**

*	To be subsequently filed by an amendment to the Registration Statement or by a Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

**	To be subsequently filed, when appropriate, pursuant to Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 under electronic form type 305B2.

Exhibit 4.2

INVESTAR HOLDING CORPORATION
as Issuer

and

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
as Trustee

INDENTURE

Dated as of _______________, 20__

SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES

INVESTAR HOLDING CORPORATION

CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THIS INDENTURE RELATING TO
SECTIONS 310 THROUGH 318, INCLUSIVE, OF THE
TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939:


Trust Indenture Act Section	Indenture Section
§310(a)(1)	609
(a)(2)	609
(a)(3)	Not Applicable
(a)(4)	Not Applicable
(b)	608; 610
§311(a)	613
(b)	613
§312(a)	701; 702
(b)	702
(c)	702
§313(a)	703
(b)	703
(c)	703
(d)	703
§314(a)	704
(a)(4)	1004
(b)	Not Applicable
(c)(1)	102
(c)(2)	102
(c)(3)	Not Applicable
(d)	Not Applicable
(e)	102
§315(a)	601; 603
(b)	602
(c)	601
(d)	601
(e)	514
§316(a)	101
(a)(1)(A)	502; 512
(a)(1)(B)	513
(a)(2)	Not Applicable
(b)	508
(c)	104
§317(a)(1)	503
(a)(2)	504
(b)	1003
§318(a)	107

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

TABLE OF CONTENTS


ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION Page
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 the 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	11
Section 1.09.	Successors and Assigns	11
Section 1.10.	Separability Clause	11
Section 1.11.	Benefits of Indenture	11
Section 1.12.	Governing Law	11
Section 1.13.	Legal Holidays	11
Section 1.14.	Language of Notices, Etc.	12
Section 1.15.	Interest Limitation	12
Section 1.16.	No Personal Liability of Officers, Directors, Employees or Shareholders	13
Section 1.17.	Applicability of Depositary	13
Section 1.18.	Force Majeure	14
Section 1.19.	U.S.A. Patriot Act	14
Section 1.20.	Submission to Jurisdiction	14
ARTICLE II SECURITY FORMS
Section 2.01.	Forms Generally	14
Section 2.02.	Form of Face of Security	14
Section 2.03.	Form of Reverse of Security	18
Section 2.04.	Global Securities	23
Section 2.05.	Form of Trustee’s Certificate and Authorization	24
ARTICLE III THE SECURITIES
Section 3.01.	Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series	24
Section 3.02.	Denominations	27
Section 3.03.	Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating	27
Section 3.04.	Temporary Securities	29
Section 3.05.	Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange	30
Section 3.06.	Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities	31
Section 3.07.	Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved	32

TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)


		Page
Section 3.08.	Persons Deemed Owners	33
Section 3.09.	Cancellation	34
Section 3.10.	Computation of Interest	34
Section 3.11.	CUSIP Numbers	34
ARTICLE IV SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE
Section 4.01.	Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture	35
Section 4.02.	Application of Trust Money	36
ARTICLE V REMEDIES
Section 5.01.	Events of Default	36
Section 5.02.	Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment	37
Section 5.03.	Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee	38
Section 5.04.	Trustee May File Proofs of Claim	38
Section 5.05.	Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities	39
Section 5.06.	Application of Money Collected	39
Section 5.07.	Limitation on Suits	39
Section 5.08.	Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and Interest	40
Section 5.09.	Restoration of Rights and Remedies	40
Section 5.10.	Rights and Remedies Cumulative	40
Section 5.11.	Delay or Omission Not Waiver	41
Section 5.12.	Control by Holders	41
Section 5.13.	Waiver of Past Defaults	41
Section 5.14.	Undertaking for Costs	42
ARTICLE VI THE TRUSTEE
Section 6.01.	Certain Duties and Responsibilities	42
Section 6.02.	Notice of Defaults	43
Section 6.03.	Certain Rights of Trustee	43
Section 6.04.	Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities	45
Section 6.05.	May Hold Securities	46
Section 6.06.	Money Held in Trust	46
Section 6.07.	Compensation and Reimbursement	46
Section 6.08.	Disqualification; Conflicting Interests	47
Section 6.09.	Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility	47
Section 6.10.	Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor	47
Section 6.11.	Acceptance of Appointment by Successor	48
Section 6.12.	Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business	50

TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)


		Page
Section 6.13.	Preferential Collection of Claims Against the Company	50
Section 6.14.	Appointment of Authenticating Agent	50
ARTICLE VII HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND THE COMPANY
Section 7.01.	The Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders	51
Section 7.02.	Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders	51
Section 7.03.	Reports by Trustee	52
Section 7.04.	Reports by the Company	52
ARTICLE VIII CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE, TRANSFER OR LEASE
Section 8.01.	The Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms	53
Section 8.02.	Successor Substituted	53
ARTICLE IX SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES
Section 9.01.	Supplemental Indentures without Consent of Holders	54
Section 9.02.	Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders	55
Section 9.03.	Execution of Supplemental Indentures	55
Section 9.04.	Effect of Supplemental Indentures	56
Section 9.05.	Conformity with Trust Indenture Act	56
Section 9.06.	Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures	56
ARTICLE X COVENANTS
Section 10.01.	Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest	56
Section 10.02.	Maintenance of Office or Agency	56
Section 10.03.	Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust	57
Section 10.04.	Statement by Officers as to Default	58
Section 10.05.	Waiver of Certain Covenants	58
ARTICLE XI REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES
Section 11.01.	Applicability of Article	59
Section 11.02.	Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee	59
Section 11.03.	Selection by Trustee of Securities to be Redeemed	59
Section 11.04.	Notice of Redemption	60
Section 11.05.	Deposit of Redemption Price	60
Section 11.06.	Securities Payable on Redemption Date	61

TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)


		Page
Section 11.07.	Securities Redeemed in Part	61
ARTICLE XII SINKING FUNDS
Section 12.01.	Applicability of Article	61
Section 12.02.	Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities	62
Section 12.03.	Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund	62
ARTICLE XIII DEFEASANCE
Section 13.01.	Applicability of Article	62
Section 13.02.	Legal Defeasance	62
Section 13.03.	Covenant Defeasance	64
Section 13.04.	Application by Trustee of Funds Deposited for Payment of Securities	65
Section 13.05.	Repayment to the Company	66
Section 13.06.	Reinstatement	66

INDENTURE dated as of _________ , 20__, between INVESTAR HOLDING CORPORATION, a Louisiana corporation (the “Company”), having its principal office at 7244 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70808, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, a national banking association (the “Trustee”), having a corporate trust office at 1100 North Market St reet, Wilmington, Delaware 19890.

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 (the “Securities”), to be issued in one or more series as provided in this Indenture.

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

This Indenture is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be a part of this Indenture and, to the extent applicable, shall be governed by such provisions.

WITNESSETH:

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE

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 any 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 in the United States, and, except as otherwise herein expressly provided, the term “ generally accepted accounting principles ” with respect to any computation required or permitted hereunder shall mean such accounting principles as are generally accepted in the United States at the date of such computation;

(4) 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;

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

(6) “or” is not exclusive.

“ 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.

“ Authenticating Agent ” means any Person authorized by the Trustee pursuant to Section 6.14 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of one or more series.

“ Authorized Newspaper ” means a newspaper, in the English language or in an official language of the country of publication, customarily published on each Business Day, whether or not published on Saturdays, Sundays or holidays, and of general circulation in the place in connection with which the term is used or in the financial community of such place. Where successive publications are required to be made in Authorized Newspapers, the successive publications may be made in the same or in different newspapers in the same city meeting the foregoing requirements and in each case on any Business Day.

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

“ Board of Directors ” means the board of directors of the Company, or the executive or any other committee of that board duly authorized to act in respect thereof.

“ Board Resolution ” means a copy of a resolution certified by the Corporate Secretary of the Company, the principal financial officer of the Company or any other authorized officer of the Company or a Person duly authorized by any of them, to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, and delivered to the Trustee.

“ Business Day ” when used with respect to any Place of Payment or any other particular location referred to in this Indenture or in the Securities, means, unless otherwise specified with respect to any Securities pursuant to Section 3.01, each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which banking institutions in that Place of Payment or particular location are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

“ Commission ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 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 the Chairman of the Board, the Vice Chairman, the President or a Vice President of the Company, and by the Treasurer or Secretary of the Company, and delivered to the Trustee.

“ Corporate Trust Office ” means the principal office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business related to this Indenture shall be principally administered, which at the date hereof is 1100 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19890, Attention: Investar Holding Corporation 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).

“ Corporation ” includes corporations, associations, partnerships (general or limited), limited liability companies, joint-stock companies and business trusts.

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

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

“ Debt ” means any debt for money borrowed.

“ Default ” means, with respect to a series of Securities, any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series.

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

“ Defeasance ” has the meaning specified in Section 13.02.

“ Definitive Security ” means a Security other than a Global Security or a temporary Security.

“ 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, until a successor Depositary shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter shall mean or include each Person which is then a Depositary hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such Person, shall be a collective reference to such Persons.

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

“ 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.

“ Fiscal Year ” means, with respect to the Company, each 12-month period beginning on October 1 and ending on September 30; provided , however , that, with respect to a series of Securities, the first fiscal year will begin on the date such series of Securities is authenticated and delivered under this Indenture. The Company will notify the Trustee in writing if its fiscal year changes.

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

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

“ 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, and shall include the terms of particular series of Securities established as contemplated by Section 3.01; provided, however, that, if at any time more than one Person is acting as Trustee under this instrument, “Indenture” shall mean, with respect to any one or more series of Securities for which such Person is Trustee, 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 and shall include the terms of the or those particular series of Securities for which such Person is Trustee established as contemplated by Section 3.01, exclusive, however, of any provisions or terms which relate solely to other series of Securities for which such Person is not Trustee, regardless of when such terms or provisions were adopted, and exclusive of any provisions or terms adopted by means of one or more indentures supplemental hereto executed and delivered after such Person had become such Trustee but to which such Person, as such Trustee, was not a party.

“ 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(3).

“ Officers’ Certificate ” of a Person means a certificate signed by any two of the Chairman of the Board, the Vice Chairman, the President or a Vice President of the Person, or if such Person is a partnership, of its general partner, and delivered to the Trustee. One of the officers or such other Persons (as applicable) signing an Officers’ Certificate given pursuant to Section 1004 shall be the principal executive, financial or accounting officer of the Person, or if such Person is a partnership, of its general partner.

“ Opinion of Counsel ” means a written opinion of legal counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel for the Company, which opinion shall comply with the provisions of Sections 1.02 and 1.03. Such counsel shall be reasonably acceptable to the Trustee, whose acceptance shall not be unreasonably withheld.

“ Original Issue Discount Security ” means any Security which provides for an amount less than the stated 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:

(i)	Securities theretofore previously canceled by the Trustee or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation pursuant to a Company Order;

(ii)

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, however , that, if such Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor has been made;

(iii)

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 that such Securities are held by a bona fide purchaser in whose hands such Securities are valid obligations of the Company; and

(iv)	Securities, except to the extent provided in Sections 13.02 and 13.03, with respect to which the Company has effected defeasance or covenant defeasance as provided in Article XIII;

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 on such date pursuant to Section 5.02, (B) the principal amount of a Security denominated in one or more currencies or currency units other than U.S. dollars shall be the U.S. dollar equivalent of such currencies or currency units, de termined 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 (as so determined) 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 the Trustee knows to b e so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned as described in Clause (C) above 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 r espect 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.

“ Periodic Offering ” means an offering of Securities of a series from time to time, the specific terms of which Securities, including, without limitation, the rate or rates of interest or formula for determining the rate or rates of interest thereon, if any, the Stated Maturity or Stated Maturities thereof, the original issue date or dates thereof, the redemption provisions, if any, with respect thereto, and any other terms specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect thereto, are to be determined by the Company upon the issuance of such Securities.

“ Person ” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, 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 premium, if any) and interest, if any, on such Securities are payable as specified and as contemplated by Sections 3.01 and 10.02.

“ 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.

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

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

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

“ Stated Maturity ”, when used with respect to the principal of 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.

“ Subsidiary ” means, with respect to any Person, any entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of the equity interests entitled, without regard to the occurrence of any contingency, to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof; or any partnership of which more than 50% of the partners’ equity interests, considering all partners’ equity interests as a single class, is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person or combination thereof.

“ Trust Indenture Act ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

“ Trustee ” means the Person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this instrument 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 ” means securities which are (i) direct obligations of the United States for the payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged, or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States, the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States, each of which are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof.

“ Vice President ”, when used with respect to the Company, means any vice president of the Company, or when used with respect to the Trustee, means any vice president of the Trustee.

Section 1.02. Compliance Certificates and Opinions

Upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take or refrain from taking any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate in form satisfactory to the Trustee stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent and covenants, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with, and an Opinion of Counsel in form satisfactory to the Trustee stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent have been complied with. Each such certificate or opinion shall be given in the form of an Officers’ Certificate, if to be given by officers 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 Officers’ Certificate or Opinion of Counsel (except for certificates provided for in Section 10.04) 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;

(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, stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company, unless such counsel knows 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, sta tements, 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 (either physically or by means of a facsimile or an electronic transmission, provided that such electronic transmission is transmitted through the facilities of a Depositary) by such Holders in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing; and, except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered (either physically or by means of a facsimile or an electronic transmission, provided that such electronic transmission is transmitted through the facilities of a Depositary) 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 315 of the Trust Indenture Act) conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Company, if made in the manner provided in this Section.

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, a Holder, including a Depositary that is a Holder of a Global Security, may make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies, duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided in this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders, and a Depositary that is a Holder of a Global Security may provide its proxy or proxies to the beneficial owners of interests in any such Global Security.

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, principal amount and serial numbers of Securities held by any Person, and the date of commencement of such Person’s holding the same, shall be proved by the Security Register.

Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action 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.

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 rega rd 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.

The Company may 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, but the Company shall have no obligation to do so. 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.

Section 1.05. Notices, Etc., to Trustee and the 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 in writing and actually received by the Trustee at its office at 1100 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19890, Attention: Investar Holding Corporation Administrator, or at any other address previously furnished in writing by the Trustee, 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 7244 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70808, to the attention of the Corporate Secretary, 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 mailed, first-class postage prepaid (if international mail, by air mail), to each Holder affected by such event, at his address as it appears in the Security Register, 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. Any notice mailed to a Holder in the manner herein prescribed shall be conclusively deemed to have been received by such Holder, whether or not such Holder actually receives such notice.

given if given to the Depositary for such Security (or its designee) pursuant to the standing instructions from the Depositary (or its designee), including by electronic mail in accordance with accepted practices at the Depositary.

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.

In case 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 Company 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 excluded, as the case may be.

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 and Holders, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

Section 1.12. Governing Law

THIS INDENTURE AND THE SECURITIES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

Section 1.13. Legal Holidays

In any case where any Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date, sinking fund payment date, Stated Maturity or Maturity of any Security shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or any Security or coupon other than a provision in the Securities of any series which specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu of this Section), payment of principal (or premium, if any) or interest, 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, Redemption Date, Repayment Date or sinking fund payment date, or at the Stated Maturity or Maturity; provided that no interest shall accrue on the amount so payable for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date, sinking fund payment date, Stated Maturity or Maturity, as the case may be.

Section 1.14. Language of Notices, Etc.

Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or Act required or permitted under this Indenture shall be in the English language, except that any published notice may be in an official language of the country of publication.

Section 1.15. Interest Limitation

It is the intention of the Company to conform strictly to all applicable usury laws and any subsequent revisions, repeals or judicial interpretations thereof. Accordingly, if the transactions contemplated hereby would be usurious under any applicable law then, in that event, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Securities or this Indenture, it is agreed as follows: (i) the aggregate of all consideration which constitutes interest under applicable law with respect to a Security shall under no circumstances exceed the maximum amount allowed by applicable law, and any excess shall be credited to the principal amount of such Security (or, if the principal amount of such Security shall have been paid in full, refunded to the Company), to the extent permitted by applicable law; and (ii) in the event that the maturity of any Security is accelerated or in the event of any redemption of such Security, then such consideration that constitutes interest under applicable law may never include more than the maximum amount allowed by applicable law, and any excess shall be credited to the principal amount of such Security (or, if the principal amount of such Security shall be paid in full, refunded to the Company), to the extent permitted by applicable law. All calculations (as determined by the Company and communicated to the Trustee and the Paying Agent in a Company Order) made to compute the rate of interest with respect to a Security for the purpose of determining whether such rate exceeds the maximum amount allowed by applicable law shall be made, to the extent permitted by such applicable law, by allocating and spreading during the period of the full stated term of such Security all interest any time contracted for, taken, reserved, charged or received by such Holder or by the Trustee on behalf of any such Holder in connection therewith so that the amount or rate of interest charged for any and all periods of time during the term of the Security does not exceed the maximum amount or rate of interest allowed to be charged by law during the relevant period of time. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, if at any time applicable laws shall be changed so as to permit a higher rate or amount of interest to be charged than that permitted prior to such change, then unless prohibited by law, references in this Indenture or any

Security to “appli cable law” when used in the context of determining the maximum interest or rate of interest that can be charged shall be deemed to refer to such applicable law as so amended to allow the greater amount or rate of interest.

The right to accelerate maturity of any Security does not include the right to accelerate any interest which has not otherwise accrued to the date of such acceleration, provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prohibit the continuing accrual after acceleration of interest in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and such Security.

Section 1.16. No Personal Liability of Officers, Directors, Employees or Shareholders

Obligations of the Company under this Indenture and the Securities hereunder are payable only out of cash flow and assets of the Company. Each Holder of a Security by its acceptance thereof, will be deemed to have agreed in this Indenture that no director, officer, employee, or shareholder, as such, of the Company, the Trustee, or any Affiliate of any of the foregoing entities shall have any personal liability in respect of the obligations of the Company under this Indenture or such Securities by reason of his, her or its status. The agreements set forth in this Section are part of the consideration for the issuance of the Securities.

Section 1.17. Applicability of Depositary

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, so long as a series of Securities is a Global Security, the parties hereto will be bound at all times by the applicable procedures of the Depositary with respect to such series.

Section 1.18.

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, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; 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 1.19.

U.S.A. Patriot Act

The parties hereto acknowledge that in accordance with Section 326 of the U.S.A. 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.

Section 1.20. Submission to Jurisdiction

The Company hereby irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of any New York state or federal court sitting in The City of New York in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to the Indenture and the Securities of any series, and the Company hereby irrevocably agrees that all claims in respect of such action or pro ceeding may be heard and determined in such New York state or federal court. The Company hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent it may effectively do so, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding.

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 a Board Resolution 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 applicable laws or the rules of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Securities of such series may be listed or traded or of any Depositary therefor 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 a Board Resolution, a copy of an appropriate record of such action shall be certified by an authorized officer or other authorized Person on behalf 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.

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 United States Internal Revenue Code and the regulations thereunder.]

[If a Global Security, as required by Section 2.04 of this Indenture, insert — THIS SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE IND ENTURE 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 NOMIN EE 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 GLOBA L SECURITY SUBJECT TO THE FOREGOING, EXCEPT IN SUCH LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES.]

[If applicable, insert — UNLESS THIS SECURITY IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION, TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY SECURITY ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS 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 DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL IN AS MUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.]

INVESTAR HOLDING CORPORATION

[TITLE OF SECURITY]


NO.	U.S.$_____________
[CUSIP No. ]

INVESTAR HOLDING CORPORATION, a Louisiana corporation (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 United States Dollars [state other currency] on __________ __, 20__, [if the Security is to bear interest prior to Maturity, insert—, and to pay interest thereon from ____________ ____ , 20__, 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]. [If applicable, insert (The amount of interest payable for any period shall be computed on the basis of twelve 30-day months and a 360-day year. The amount of interest payable for any partial period shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months and the days elapsed in any partial month. In the event that any date on which interest is payable on this Security is not a Business Day, then a payment of the interest payable on such date will be made on the next succeeding day which is a Business Day (and without any interest or other payment in respect of any such delay) with the same force and effect as if made on the date the payment was originally payable. A “Business Day” means any day other than (i) a Saturday or Sunday, (ii) a day on which banking institutions in _________________ or any applicable Place of Payment are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to remain closed or (iii) a day on which the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee is closed for business.)]. 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 shall 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 Company, notice of which 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 or automated quotation system on which the Securities of this series may be listed or traded, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange or automated quotation system, all as more fully provided in such Indenture.

[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 s uch 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 ove rdue 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 s uch interest has been made or duly provided for, and such interest shall also be payable on demand.)]

[If a Global Security, insert— (Payment of the principal of [(and premium, if any)] and [if applicable, insert—any such] interest on this Security will be made by transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account designated by the Holder 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 [state other currency].]

[If a Definitive Security, insert— (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] [state other currency] [or subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto and to the right of the Company (as provided in the Indenture) to rescind the designation of any such Paying Agent, at the [main] offices of ________________ in ________________ and in __________________, or at such other offices or agencies as the Company may designate, by [United States Dollar] [state other currency] check drawn on, or transfer to a [United States Dollar] account maintained by the payee with, a bank in _____________________ (so long as the applicable Paying Agent has received proper transfer instructions in writing at least 15 days prior to the payment date)] [if applicable, insert (; provided, however , that payment of interest may be made at the option of the Company through the Paying Agent by [United States Dollar] [state other currency] check mailed to the addresses of the Persons entitled thereto as such addresses shall appear in the Security Register] [or by transfer to a [United States Dollar] [state other currency] account maintained by the payee with a bank in _____________________ (so long as the applicable Paying Agent has received proper transfer instructions in writing by the Record Date prior to the applicable Interest Payment Date)].]

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: _______________

INVESTAR HOLDING CORPORATION

By:

Name:

Title:

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:

Section 2.03. Form of Reverse of Security

This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the Company (the “Securities”), issued and to be issued in one or more series under an Indenture dated as of __________________ (the “Indenture”), between the Company and ____________, as Trustee (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, obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. As provided in the Indenture, the Securities may be issued in one or more series, which different series may be issued in various aggregate principal amounts, may mature at different times, may bear interest, if any, at different rates, may be subject to different redemption provisions, if any, may be subject to different sinking, purchase or analogous funds, if any, may be subject to different covenants and Events of Default and may otherwise vary as in the Indenture provided or permitted. This Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof [if applicable, insert—, limited in aggregate principal amount to U.S.$___________].

[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 20__ and ending with the year 20__ through o peration 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 ___________ __, 20__, __________%, and if redeemed] during the 12-month period beginning __________________ of the years indicated,


Year	Redemption Price	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 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 by mail, (1) on _______________ in any year commencing with the year 20__ and ending with the year 20__ 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 __________ __, 20__, 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 rec ord at the close of business on the relevant Record Dates referred to on the face hereof, all as provided in the Indenture.]

[If applicable, insert—The sinking fund for this series provides for the redemption on in each year beginning with the year 20__ and ending with the year 20__ of [if applicable,—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,—mandatory] sinking fund payments may be credited against subsequent [if applicable,—mandatory] sinking fund payments otherwise required to be made [if applicable,—in the inverse order in which they become due].]

[If the Security is subject to redemption in part 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.]

[If applicable, insert—The Securities of this series are not redeemable prior to Stated Maturity.]

[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 (1) of the amount of principal so declared due and payable, and (2) 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.]

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 not less than the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of all serie s to be affected (voting as one class). The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of all affected series (voting as one class), on behalf of the Holders of all Se curities of such series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture. The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of Securities of any series then Outstan ding to waive past defaults under the Indenture with respect to such series 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 reasonable indemnity 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.

No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security or of the Indenture shall, without the consent of the Holder, alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and [any premium and] interest on this Security at the times, place(s) and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed, except for Section 1.15 of the Indenture (which limits interest to the maximum amount permissible by law), the provisions of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[If a Global Security, insert—This Global Security or portion hereof may not be exchanged for Definitive Securities of this series except in the limited circumstances provided in the Indenture.

The holders of beneficial interests in this Global Security will not be entitled to receive physical delivery of Definitive Securities except as described in the Indenture and will not be considered the Holders thereof for any purpose under the Indenture.]

[If a Definitive Security, insert—As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Security is re gisterable in the Security Register, upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in [if applicable, insert — any place where the principal of and any premium and interest on this Security are payable] [if applicable, insert—______________] [, or, subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto and to the right of the Company (limited as provided in the Indenture) to rescind the designation of any such transfer agent, at the [main] offices of ____ _________________ in ____________________ and in ______________________ or at such other offices or agencies as the Company may designate]], duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Se curity 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 iss ued to the designated transferee or transferees.]

The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form without coupons in minimum denominations of U.S. $______________ [state other currency] and any integral multiple of _____________ in excess 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.

No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company 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 is overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

Obligations of the Company under the Indenture and the Securities thereunder, including this Security, are payable only out of cash flow and assets of the Company. Each Holder of a Security by its acceptance hereof, will be deemed to have agreed in the Indenture that no director, officer, employee, or shareholder, as such, of the Company, the Trustee, or any Affiliate of any of the foregoing entities shall have any personal liability in respect of the obligations of the Company under the Indenture or such Securities by reason of his, her or its status.

The Indenture contains provisions that relieve the Company from the obligation to comply with certain restrictive covenants in the Indenture and for satisfaction and discharge at any time of the entire indebtedness upon compliance by the Company with certain conditions set forth in the Indenture.

This Security shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

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

[If a Definitive Security, insert as a separate page—

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sell(s), assign(s) and transfer(s) unto ___________________ (Please Print or Typewrite Name and Address of Assignee) the within instrument of INVESTAR HOLDING CORPORATION, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint ______________________ Attorney to transfer said instrument on the books of the within-named Company, with full power of substitution in the premises.

Please Insert Social Security or

Other Identifying Number of Assignee:

Dated:__________ _______

(Signature)

Signature Guarantee:

(Participant in a Recognized Signature
Guaranty Medallion Program)

NOTICE: The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the within instrument in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatever.]

Section 2.04. Global Securities

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.

Securities of such series as shall be specified therein and may provide that it shall represent the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securiti es from time to time endorsed thereon and that the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities represented thereby may from time to time be reduced or increased, as the case may be, to reflect exchanges. Any endorsement of a Global Security to reflect the a mount, or any reduction or increase in the amount, of Outstanding Securities represented thereby shall be made in such manner and upon instructions given by such Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or in a Company Order. Subject to the provisio ns of Sections 3.03, 3.04 and 3.05, the Trustee shall deliver and redeliver any Global Security in the manner and upon instructions given by the Person or Persons specified therein or in the applicable Company Order. Any instructions by the Company with re spect to endorsement or delivery or redelivery of a Global Security shall be in a Company Order (which need not comply with Section 1.02 and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel).

The provisions of the last sentence of Section 3.03 shall apply to any Security represented by a Global Security if such Security was never issued and sold by the Company and the Company delivers to the Trustee the Global Security together with a Company Order (which need not comply with Section 1.02 and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel) with regard to the reduction or increase, as the case may be, in the principal amount of Securities represented thereby, together with the written statement contemplated by the last sentence of Section 3.03.

Section 2.05. Form of Trustee’s Certificate and Authorization

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

Date:

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 a Board Resolution (and, subject to Section 3.03, to the extent established pursuant to rather than set forth in a Board Resolution, in an Officers’ Certificate or Company Order setting forth, or determining the manner of, such establishment) or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, prior to the issuance of Securities of any series,

(1) the form and title of the Securities of the series (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) [Intentionally Omitted]

(4) the date or dates on which the Securities will be issued and on which the principal of, and premium, if any, on the Securities of the series is payable or the method of determination thereof;

(5) the rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) at which the Securities of the series shall bear interest, if any, or the method of determination thereof, the date or dates from which such interest shall accrue, or the method of determination thereof, 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, subject to the provisions of Section 10.02, the principal of and any premium and interest on Securities of the series shall be payable, Securities of the series may be surrendered for registration of transfer, Securities of the series may be surrendered for exchange and notices, and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of the series and this Indenture may be served;

(7) the period or periods, if any, 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 or otherwise, if the Company is to have that option;

(8) the obligation, if any, and the option, if any, of the Company to redeem, purchase or repay Securities of the series pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or upon the happening of a specified event 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, purchased or repaid, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;

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

(10) whether payment of principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Securities of the series shall be without deduction for taxes, assessments or governmental charges paid by Holders of the series;

(11) 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 denominated, payable, redeemable or purchasable 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;

(12) 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;

(13) 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;

(14) the right, if any, of the Company to defer payments of interest by extending the interest payment periods and specify the duration of such extension, the Interest Payment Dates on which such interest shall be payable and whether and under what circumstances additional interest on amounts deferred shall be payable;

(15) 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 or provable in bankruptcy pursuant to Section 5.04 or the method of determination thereof;

(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 whether in temporary or permanent global form) 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) any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default set forth in Section 5.01 or the covenants of the Company set forth in Article X pertaining to the Securities of the series;

(18) if and the terms and conditions upon which any Securities of the series may be converted into or exchanged for securities, which may include, without limitation, capital stock, of any class or series of the Company or any other issuer;

(19) If the amount of payments of principal of or any premium or interest on any Securities o f the series may be determined with reference to an index, including, but not limited to an index based on a currency or currencies other than that in which the Securities of that series are payable, or any other type of index, the manner in which such amo unts shall be determined;

(20) if other than as provided in Sections 13.02 and 13.03, the terms and conditions upon which and the manner in which such series of Securities may be defeased or discharged;

(21) if other than the Trustee, the identity of any other trustee, the Security Registrar and any Paying Agent;

(22) any restrictions or other provisions with respect to the transfer or exchange of the Securities; and

(23) any other terms of the Securities of the series (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, except as permitted by Section 9.01(3)).

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 the Board Resolution or Officers’ Certificate referred to above or in any such indenture supplemental hereto.

Any such Board Resolution or Officers’ Certificate referred to above with respect to Securities of any series filed with the Trustee on or before the initial issuance of the Securities of such series shall be incorporated herein by reference with respect to Securities of such series and shall thereafter be deemed to be a part of the Indenture for all purposes relating to Securities of such series as fully as if such Board Resolution or Officers’ Certificate were set forth herein in full.

All Securities of any one series need not be issued at the same time and, unless otherwise provided, a series may be reopened, without the consent of the Holders, for increases in the aggregate principal amount of such series of Securities and issuances of additional Securities of such series or for the establishment of additional terms with respect to the Securities of such series.

If any of the terms of the series are established by action taken by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, a copy of an appropriate record of such action shall be certified by an authorized Officer or other authorized person of the Company and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Officers’ Certificate setting forth, or providing the manner for determining, the terms of the series.

With respect to Securities of a series subject to a Periodic Offering, such Board Resolution or Officers’ Certificate may provide general terms for Securities of such series and provide either that the specific terms of particular Securities of such series shall be specified in a Company Order or an indenture supplemental thereto, or that such terms shall be determined by the Company, or one or more of the Company’s agents designated in an Officers’ Certificate, in accordance with a Company Order.

Section 3.02. Denominations

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

Section 3.03. Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating

The Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by the Chairman of the Board, Vice Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, President or any Vice President of the Company and need not be attested. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities may be manual or facsimile.

Securities bearing the manual 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 or did not hold such offices at the date of such Securities.

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; provided, however , that in the case of Securities offered in a Periodic Offering, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver such Securities from time to time in accordance with such other procedures (including, without limitation, the receipt by the Trustee of electronic instructions from the Company or its duly authorized agents, thereafter promptly confirmed in writing) acceptable to the Trustee as may be specified by or pursuant to a Company Order delivered to the Trustee prior to the time of the first authentication of Securities of such series. If the form or terms of the Securities of the series have been established in or pursuant to one or more Board Resolutions 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 entitled to receive, in addition to any Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of Counsel required to be furnished to the Trustee pursuant to Section 1.02, and (subject to Section 6.01) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating,

(1) the form and terms (or the manner of determining the terms) of such Securities have been established by or pursuant to Board Resolution as permitted by Section 2.01, that such form or forms have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture;

(2) if the terms of such Securities have been, or in the case of Securities of a series offered in a Periodic Offering, will be, established by or pursuant to a Board Resolution as permitted by Section 3.01, that such terms have been, or in the case of Securities of a series offered in a Periodic Offering, will be, established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture, subject, in the case of Securities of a series offered in a Periodic Offering, to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel;

(3) that such Securities, when authenticated and delivered by the Trustee upon receipt of a Company Order 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 the ir 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 and entitled to the benefits of this Indentur e, equally and ratably with all other Securities, if any, of such series Outstanding;

(4) such other matters as the Trustee may request; and

(5) if the authentication and delivery relates to a new series of Securities created by an indenture supplemental hereto, also stating that all conditions precedent to the execution of the supplemental indenture with respect to that series of Securities have been complied with, the Company has the power to execute and deliver any such supplemental indenture and has taken all necessary action for those purposes and any such supplemental indenture has been executed and delivered and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable in accordance with its terms (subject, as to enforcement of remedies, to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, moratorium or other laws and legal principles affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and to general equitable principles, whether applied in an action at law or in equity).

If such form or forms 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, liabilities or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.

With respect to Securities of a series not to be originally issued at one time, the Trustee may rely upon the Opinion of Counsel and the other documents delivered pursuant to Sections 2.01 and 3.01 and this Section, as applicable, in connection with the first authentication of Securities of such series and any subsequent request by the Company to the Trustee to authenticate Securities of such series upon original issuance shall constitute a representation and warranty by the Company that as of the date of such request, the statements made in the Officers’ Certificate shall be true and correct as if made on such date.

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 of an authorized signatory, and such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder and is entitled to the benefits of this Indenture. 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.

Section 3.04. Temporary Securities

Pending the preparation of Definitive Securities of any series, the Company may execute, and upon receipt of the documents required by Section 3.03, together with a 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 of like series 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 maintained pursuant to Section 10.02 for the purpose of exchanges of Securities of such 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 upon receipt of a Company Order 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 or in any other office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment being herein sometimes 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 Company shall, prior to the issuance of any Securities hereunder, appoint the Trustee as the initial “Security Registrar” for the purpose of registering Securities and transfers of Securities as herein provided. The Company may at any time replace such Security Registrar, change such office or agency or act as its own Security Registrar. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any change of the Security Registrar or of the location of such office or agency. At all reasonable times the Security Register shall be available for inspection by the Trustee.

Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Security of any series at the office or agency of the Company maintained pursuant to Section 10.02 for such purpose, 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.

execute, and the Trustee upon receipt of a Company Order shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

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 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 or 11.07 not involving any transfer.

Neither the Trustee nor the Company shall be required (1) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange Securities of any series (or of any series and specified tenor, as the case may be) 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 anything contained herein to the contrary, neither the Trustee nor the Note Registrar shall be responsible for ascertaining whether any transfer complies with the registration provisions of or exemption from the Securities Act or applicable state securities laws.

Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture and except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01, no Global Security may be transferred to, or registered or exchanged for Securities registere d 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, except as provided in this paragraph. Every Security authenticated and delivered upon registration or transfer o f, or in exchange for or in lieu of, a Global Security shall be a Global Security, except as provided in this paragraph. If (1) (A) the Depositary for a Global Security notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for such Global Security or ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and (B) a successor Depositary is not appointed by the Company within 90 days, (2) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to the Securities of suc h series and the Security Registrar has received a written request from the Depositary to issue certificated securities in lieu of all or a portion of the Global Securities of such series (in which case the Company shall deliver certificated securities wit hin 30 days of such request) or (3) the Company determines in its sole discretion that Securities of a series issued in global form shall no longer be represented by a Global Security, then such Global Security may be exchanged by such Depositary for Defin itive Securities of the same series, of any authorized denomination and of a like aggregate principal amount and tenor, registered in the names of, and the transfer of such Global Security or portion thereof may be registered to, such Persons as such Depos itary shall direct.

Section 3.06. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities

If any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee, together with such security or indemnity bond as may be required by the Company or the Trustee to protect each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, the Company shall execute and upon its request 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 (1) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security and (2) such security or indemnity bond as may be required by them to protect 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 bona fide purchaser, the Company shall execute and upon its request 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. If, after the delivery of such new Security, a bona fide purchaser of the original Security in lieu of which such new Security was issued presents for payment or registration such original Security, the Trustee shall be entitled to recover such new Security from the party to whom it was delivered or any party taking therefrom, except a bona fide purchaser, and shall be entitled to recover upon the security or indemnity bond provided therefor to the extent of any loss, damage, cost or expense incurred by the Company and the Trustee in connection therewith.

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 requir e 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 pur suant 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 Securit y 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:

(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 Company 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 Company shall promptly notify the Trustee of such Special Record Date and, in the name and at the expense of the Company, the Trustee shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be sent to each Holder of Securities of such series at his address as it appears in the Security Register, 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 sent, 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 or automated quotation system on which such Securities may be listed or traded, 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 and Section 3.05, 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.

For each series of Securities, the Company shall, prior to 10:30 a.m. (Eastern time) on each payment date for principal and premium, if any, and interest, if any, deposit with the Trustee money in immediately available funds sufficient to make cash payments due on the applicable payment date.

Section 3.08. Persons Deemed Owners

Except as otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to any series of Securities, 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 in the Security Register as the owner of such Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of and any premium and (subject to Sections 3.05 and 3.07) any interest on such Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Security is overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

No holder of any beneficial interest in any Global Security held on its behalf by a Depositary shall have any rights under this Indenture with respect to such Global Security, and such Depositary may be treated by the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the owner of such Global Security for all purposes whatsoever. None of the Company, the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests of a Global Security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.

Section 3.09. Cancellation

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 canceled by the Trustee. If the Company shall so acquire any of the Securities, however, such acquisition shall not operate as a redemption or satisfaction of the indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the same are surrendered to the Trustee for cancellation. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities canceled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by this Indenture. All canceled Securities held by the Trustee shall be disposed of in accordance with its customary procedures. The Company by Company Order may direct the Trustee to deliver a certificate of such destruction to the Company.

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 and interest on the Securities of each series for any partial period shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months and the number of days elapsed in any partial month.

Section 3.11. CUSIP Numbers

The Company in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP” numbers (in addition to the other identification numbers printed on the Securities), and, if so, the Trustee shall use “CUSIP” numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders; provided, however , that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such “CUSIP” 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 “CUSIP” numbers. The Company will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in the “CUSIP” numbers.

ARTICLE IV

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

Section 4.01. Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture

This Indenture shall upon Company Request cease to be of further effect with respect to Securities of any series (except as to any surviving rights of registration of transfer or exchange of such 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 with respect to such Securities, when

(1) either

and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 10.03) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

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

(i) have become due and payable,

(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 irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for this purpose an amount of money in the currency or currency units in which such Securities are payable 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 with respect to such Securities; 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 with respect to such Securities have been complied with.

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to Securities of any series, (i) the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 6.07, the obligations of the Trustee to any Authenticating Agent under Section 6.14 and the right of the Trustee to resign under Section 6.10 shall survive, and (ii) if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (B) of Clause (1) of this Section, the obligations of the Company and/or the Trustee under Sections 4.02, 6.06, 7.01 and 10.02 and the last paragraph of Section 10.03 shall survive.

Section 4.02. Application of Trust Money

Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.03, 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 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):

(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; or

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

(3) default in the performance, or breach, of any term, covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture (other than a term, 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 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; or

(4) 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, or (D) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors; or

(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

(6) any other Event of Default provided as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to Securities of that series.

Section 5.02. Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment

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, 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 compensation and reasonable 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.

When any Default has occurred and is continuing under this Indenture, the Company shall, within five (5) Business Days after becoming aware of such Default, deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying such Default.

Section 5.03. Collection of Indebtedness 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

(2) default is made in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any, on) any Security at the Maturity thereof,

th e Company will pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of 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 enforcea ble, 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 compensation and reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel.

If the Company fails to pay such amounts forthwith upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree and may enforce the same against the Company, or any other obligor upon such Securities and collect the moneys adjudged or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company, or any other obligor upon such Securities, wherever situated.

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee, provided the Trustee has knowledge of such Event of Default, 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 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, their property or their 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 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 Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due it for the compensation and reasonable 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 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 compensation and reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of Holders of the Securities in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

Section 5.06. Application of Money Collected

Any money or property collected or to be applied 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 or property 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: The balance, if any, 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 a Security, 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) 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 and, if requested, provided to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity 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 and, if requested, provision of security or indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and

(5) no written direction inconsistent with such written request has been give n to the Trustee during such 60-day period by 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.

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

Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, 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 Sections 3.05 and 3.07) interest on such Security on the respective Stated Maturity 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 in every such case, subject to any determination in such proceeding, the Company, the Trustee and Holders shall be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder, and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and 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 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

Subject to the provisions of Section 6.03, Holders of a majority in aggregate 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, however , that

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

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

(3) subject to the provisions of Section 6.01, the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee in good faith shall determine that the proceeding so directed would involve the Trustee in personal liability or would otherwise be contrary to applicable law.

Section 5.13. Waiver of Past Defaults

Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series may on behalf of Holders of all the Securities of such series waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except

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

(2) a default 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, in the manner and to the extent provided in the Trust Indenture Act; provided, however , 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 Trustee, in any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series to which the suit relates, or in any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on any Security on or after the

respective Stated Maturity expressed by such Security (or, in the case of redemption or repayment, on or after the Redemption Date).

ARTICLE VI

THE TRUSTEE

Section 6.01. Certain Duties and Responsibilities

(a)	Except during the continuance of an Event of Default with respect to any series of Securities,

(1) the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series, and no implied covenants or obligations shall read into this Indenture against the Trustee (it being agreed that the permissive right of the Trustee to do things enumerated in this Indenture shall not be construed as a duty); and

(2) in the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may, with respect to Securities of such series, 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 conforming on their face to the requirements of this Indenture; but 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 only whether or not they conform on their face to the requirements of this Indenture.

(b)

In case an Event of Default with respect to any series of Securities has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise with respect to the Securities of such series such 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 such person’s own affairs (but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of mathematical calculations or other facts, statements, opinions or conclusions stated therein).

(c)	No provisions of this Indenture shall be construed to relieve the Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that

(3) this Subsection shall not be construed to limit the effect of Subsection (a) of this Section;

(4) the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a responsible officer, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts;

(5) the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders or a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or

power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series; and

(6) 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 in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.

(d)	Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of this Section.

Section 6.02. Notice of Defaults

If a Default occurs and is continuing with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee shall, within 90 days after it occurs and is known to an officer of the Trustee responsible for this Indenture, transmit, in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, notice of all uncured or unwaived Defaults known to it; provided, however , that, except in the case of a Default in payment on the Securities of any series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding the notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of directors or responsible officers of the Trustee determine in good faith that withholding such notice is in the interests of Holders of Securities of such series.

For all purposes of this Indenture (including, without limitation, Section 6.01) and the securities, the Trustee shall not be deemed to have notice or be charged with knowledge of any Default, except a Default under Sections 5.01(1) or 5.01(2) herein, unless the Trustee shall have received from the Company or from any Holder written notice thereof at its Corporate Trust Office, and such notice references the Securities in this Indenture. In the absence of any such notice, the Trustee may conclusively assume that no such Default exists.

Section 6.03. Certain Rights of Trustee

Subject to the provisions of Section 6.01:

(1) the Trustee may rely on and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;

(2) any request, direction, order or demand of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or Company Order (or in the case of a Periodic Offering, as agreed in procedures set forth in a Company Order pursuant to Section 3.03) and any resolution of the Board of Directors shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;

(3) whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, rely upon an Officers’ Certificate;

(4) the Trustee may consult with counsel and the advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;

(5) 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 it against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;

(6) the Trustee shall not be responsible or liable for any action taken or omitted by it in good faith at the direction of the holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Notes as to the time, method and place of conducting any proceedings for any remedy available to the Trustee or the exercising of any power conferred by this Indenture;

(7) any action taken, or omitted to be taken, by the Trustee in good faith pursuant to this Indenture upon the request or authority or consent of any person who, at the time of making such request or giving such authority or consent, is the holder of any Note shall be conclusive and binding upon future holders of Notes and upon Notes executed and delivered in exchange therefor or in place thereof;

(8) 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 (and stating the occurrence of a default or Event of Default) is received by the Trustee at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and such notice references the Notes and this Indenture;

(9) the Trustee shall not be required to give any bond or surety in respect of the execution of the trusts and powers under this Indenture;

(10) any permissive right of the Trustee to take or refrain from taking actions enumerated in this Indenture or other Note Documents shall not be construed as a duty;

(11) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may, without obligation to do so, 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;

(12) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents or attorneys and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder;

(13) the Trustee may request that the Company deliver an Officers’ Certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified

actions pursuant to th is Indenture, which Officers’ Certificate may be signed by any Person authorized to sign an Officers’ Certificate, including any Person specified as so authorized in any such certificate previously delivered and not superseded;

(14) 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; and

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

(16) The Trustee shall not be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations under this Indenture arising out of or caused, directly or indirectly, by circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including, without limitation, acts of God; earthquakes; fire; flood; terrorism; wars and other military disturbances; sabotage; epidemics; riots; interruptions; loss or malfunction of utilities, computer (hardware or software) or communication services; accidents; labor disputes; and acts of civil or military authorities and governmental action.

Section 6.04. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities

The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee’s certificates of authentication, shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee or any Authenticating Agent assumes no responsibility for their correctness. Neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent makes any representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities. Neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent shall be accountable for the use or application by the Company of Securities or the proceeds thereof.

Section 6.05. May Hold Securities

The Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any Security Registrar or any other agent of the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and, subject to Sections 6.08 and 6.13, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent, Security Registrar or such other agent.

Section 6.06. Money Held in Trust

Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder.

Section 6.07. Compensation and Reimbursement

The Company agrees:

(1) to pay to the Trustee or any predecessor Trustee from time to time such compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder as shall be mutually agreed upon by the Company and the Trustee in writing (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a tr ustee of an express trust);

(2) to reimburse the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee upon its request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances incurred or made by the Trustee or any predecessor Trustee in accordance with any provision of this Indenture (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as may be attributable to its gross negligence or willful misconduct; and

(3) to indemnify the Trustee or any predecessor Trustee for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense incurred without gross negligence or willful misconduct on its part, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including the costs and expenses of enforcing this Indenture against the Company (including this Section 6.07) and this Indenture and defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder and regardless of whether any claims involve third parties or the Company.

The obligations of the Company under this Section to compensate the Trustee and to pay or reimburse the Trustee for expenses, disbursements and advances shall constitute additional indebtedness hereunder.

Without limiting any rights available to the Trustee or any predecessor Trustee under applicable law, when the Trustee or any predecessor Trustee incurs expenses or renders services in connection with an Event of Default specified in Section 5.01(4) or Section 5.01(5), the expenses (including the reasonable charges and expenses of its counsel) and the compensation for such services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any applicable Bankruptcy Law.

To secure the Company’s payment obligations in this Section 6.07, the Trustee or any predecessor Trustee is hereby granted a lien prior to the Securities against all money or property held or collected by the Trustee, in its capacity as Trustee.

The provisions of this Section shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture and the defeasance of the Securities and the resignation or removal of the Trustee.

Section 6.08. Disqualification; Conflicting Interests

If the Trustee has or shall acquire a conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall either eliminate such interest or resign, to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to the provisions of, the Trust Indenture Act and this Indenture.

Section 6.09. Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility

There shall at all times be one or more Trustees hereunder with respect to the Securities of each series, at least one of which shall be a Person that is eligible pursuant to the Trust

Indenture Act to act as su ch and has a combined capital and surplus required by the Trust Indenture Act. If such Person publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of a supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Se ction, the combined capital and surplus of such Person shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the pro visions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.

Section 6.10. Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor

No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 6.11.

The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.11 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 30 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may, at the expense of the Company, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the Securities of any series by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, delivered to the Trustee and to the Company. If an instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 30 days after the giving of such notice of removal, the removed Trustee may, at the expense of the Company, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.

If at any time:

(1) the Trustee shall fail to comply with Section 6.08 after written request therefor by the Company or by any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months, or

(2) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 6.09 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or by any such Holder, or

(3) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation, then, in any such case, (A) the Company, acting pursuant to the authority of a Board Resolution, may remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities, or (B) subject to Section 5.14, any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Securities and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.

If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause, with respect to the Securiti es of one or more series, the Company, by a Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Securities of that or those series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect t o the Securities of one or more or all of such series and that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Securities of any particular series) and shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 6.11. If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapability, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such ser ies delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 6.11, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or Holders and accepted appointment in the manner required by Section 6.11, any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appoin tment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series to all Holders of Securities of such series in the manner provided in Section 1.06. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and the address of its Corporate Trust Office.

Section 6.11. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor

(1) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, every such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and to the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee; but, on the request of the Company or the successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall, upon payment of its charges and all amounts due to it under Section 6.07, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder.

(2) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee and each successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (A) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, each successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (B) if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities,

shall contain such provisions a s shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested i n the retiring Trustee, and (C) shall 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, it being understood that nothing herein o r in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees as co-trustees of the same trust and that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee; and upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein and each such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyan ce, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, but, on request of the Company, or any success or Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall, upon payment of its charges and all amounts due to it under Section 6.07, duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to th e Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates.

(3) Upon request of any such successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in paragraph (1) or (2) of this Section, as the case may be.

(4) No successor Trustee shall accept its appointment unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Trustee shall be qualified and eligible under this Article.

Section 6.12. Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business

Any corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to all or substantially all the corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, provided such corporation shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this Article, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. 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.

Section 6.13. Preferential Collection of Claims Against the Company

If and when the Trustee shall be or become a creditor of the Company, or any other obligor upon the Securities, the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act regarding the collection of claims against the Company or any such other obligor.

Section 6.14. Appointment of Authenticating Agent

The Trustee (upon notice to the Company) may appoint an Authenticating Agent or Agents with respect to one or more series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of such series issued upon original issue (in accordance with procedures acceptable to the Trustee) and upon exchange, registration of transfer or partial redemption thereof or pursuant to Section 3.06, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent. Each Authenticating Agent shall be acceptable to the Company.

Any corporation into which an Authenticating Agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Authenticating Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate agency or corporate trust business of such Authenticating Agent, shall continue to be an Authenticating Agent.

An Authenticating Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Trustee and to the Company. The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice thereof to such Authenticating Agent and to the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company.

Except with respect to an Authenticating Agent appointed at the request of the Company, the Company agrees to pay to each Authenticating Agent from time to time reasonable compensation for its services under this Section.

If an appointment with respect to one or more series is made pursuant to this Section, the Securities of such series may have endorsed thereon, in addition to the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternative certificate of authentication in 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

Date:

By:

As Aut henticating Agent

By:

Authorized Signatory

ARTICLE VII

HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND THE COMPANY

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

The Trustee shall preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of Holders. If the Trustee is not the Security

Registrar, the Trustee may request in writing a list from the Company, in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of Holders, which list may be conclusively relied upon by the Trustee.

Section 7.02. Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders

(a) 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.

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

(c) Every Holder of Securities or coupons, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent nor any Paying Agent nor any Security Registrar nor any agent of any of them shall be held accountable by reason of the disclosure of any information as to the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities in accordance with TIA Section 312, regardless of the

source from which such information was derived, and that the Trustee shall not be held accountable by reason of mailing any material pursuant to a request made under TIA Section 312(b).

Section 7.03. Reports by Trustee

As promptly as practicable after each [____] 15 beginning with the [____] 15 following the date of this Indenture, the Trustee shall send to each Holder a brief report dated as of [_____] 15 that complies with Trust Indenture Act Section 313(a). The Trustee also shall comply with Trust Indenture Act Section 313(b). Prior to delivery to the Holders, the Trustee shall deliver to the Company a copy of any report it delivers to Holders pursuant to this Section 7.03; provided , however , that no recourse may be taken against the Trustee for its failure to deliver a copy of such report to the Company prior to its delivery of the report to the Holders.

A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such transmission to Holders, be filed by the Trustee with each stock exchange upon which any Securities are listed, with the Commission and with the Company. The Company will notify the Trustee in writing when any Securities are listed on any stock exchange.

Section 7.04. Reports by the Company

The Company shall file with the Trustee and the Commission, and transmit to Holders, within 15 days after the Company is required to file the same with the Commission, 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 the Trust Indenture Act; provided that with respect to any such information, documents and reports filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electroni c Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval (or EDGAR) system, the Company shall notify the Trustee in the manner prescribed herein of each such filing. The Trustee is hereby authorized and directed to access the EDGAR system for purposes of retrieving the financial information so filed. The Trustee shall 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 reports, information and documents to the Trustee pursuant to this Section 7.04 shall be solely for purposes of compliance with this Section 7.04 and, if applicable, with Section 314(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, but shall not relieve the Company of the requirement to deliver the Officers’ Certificates referred to below. The Trustee’s receipt of such reports, information and documents is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute actual or constructive knowledge or notice to it of the content thereof or any matter determinable from the contents thereof, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder, as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely upon Officers’ Certificates. The Trustee will have no responsibility whatsoever to monitor whether such filing or posting has occurred or the timeliness of such filing or posting.

ARTICLE VIII

CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE, TRANSFER OR LEASE

Section 8.01. The Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms

The Company shall not consolidate with or merge into any other Person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to, any Person, unless:

(1) the Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person w hich acquires by conveyance or transfer, or which leases, the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety shall be a corporation, partnership or trust, shall be organized and validly existing under the laws of the United States of Ame rica, any State thereof or the District of Columbia and shall expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and delivered 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 this Indenture on the part of the Company to be performed or observed;

(2) 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 Event of Default, and no event which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an Event of Default, shall have happened and be continuing;

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

(4) 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.

Section 8.02. Successor Substituted

Upon any consolidation of the Company with, or merger of the Company into, any other Person or any conveyance, transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety in accordance with Section 8.01, 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 this 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 this Indenture and the Securities and coupons and may liquidate and dissolve.

ARTICLE IX

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

Section 9.01. Supplemental Indentures without Consent of Holders

Without the consent of any Holders of Securities, the Company and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, for any of the following purposes:

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

(2) to add covenants and Events of Default for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of such Securities or to surrender any right or power conferred by this 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;

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

(4) to establish the forms or terms of the Securities of any series issued hereunder;

(5) to cure any ambiguity or correct any defect or inconsistency in this Indenture;

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

(7) to qualify this Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act;

(8) to provide for uncertificated securities in addition to certificated securities;

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

(10) to comply with the rules or regulations of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which any of the Securities may be listed or traded.

Section 9.02. Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders

With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of all Outstanding Securities 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, this Indenture, or modifying in any manner the rights of Holders of Securities of such series under this Indenture; provided that the Company and the Trustee may not, 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, if any, on, any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof or premium, if any, on or the rate of interest thereon or alter the method of computation of interest;

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

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

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

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

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 entitled to receive, and (subject to Section 6.01) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and such amendment, supplement or waiver constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable in accordance with its terms. Such Opinion of Counsel shall be at the expense of the Company. The Trustee shall enter into any supplemental indenture which does not adversely affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties, liabilities or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which adversely affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties, liabilities 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 theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder shall be bound thereby.

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 as then in effect.

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, bear a notation 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. Failure to make a notation or issue a new Security shall not affect the validity and effect of any amendment, supplement or waiver.

ARTICLE X

COVENANTS

Section 10.01. Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest

The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of each series of Securities that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of and any premium and interest on the Securities of that series in accordance with the terms of the Securities and this Indenture. An installment of principal or interest shall be considered paid on the date due if on such date the Trustee or the Paying Agent holds as of 10:30 a.m., New York City time, money sufficient to pay all principal and interest then due and the Trustee or the Paying Agent, as the case may be, is not prohibited from paying such money to the Holders on that date pursuant to the terms of this Indenture.

Section 10.02. Maintenance of Office or Agency

The Company will maintain in each 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. The Company will 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 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 or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations and surrenders may be made at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations and surrenders.

an office or agency in each Place of Payment for Securities of any series for such purposes. The Company will give prompt written n otice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency.

Except as otherwise specified with respect to a series of Securities as contemplated by Section 3.01, the Company hereby initially designates as the Place of Payment for each series of Securities to be the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and initially appoints the Trustee as Paying Agent at its office at 1100 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19890, as the Company’s office or agency for each such purpose in such city.

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

If the Company or any of its Subsidiaries shall at any time act as 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 in writing 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 in writing 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) hold all sums held by it for the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest, if any, on Securities of that series in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided; (2) give the Trustee notice of any default by the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities of that series) in the making of any payment of principal (and premium, if any) or interest, if any, on the Securities of that series; and (3) during the continuance of any such default, 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.

Any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent 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 state which escheat laws control and the Trustee or any Paying Agen t shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Security shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the state which escheat laws control for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with res pect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such payment, may at the expense of the Company cause to be pu blished once, in an Authorized Newspaper, notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such publication, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be paid to the state whose escheat laws control.

Section 10.04. Statement by Officers as to Default

The Company will deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each Fiscal Year of the Company ending after the date hereof, an Officers’ Certificate, stating whether or not to the best knowledge of the signer or signers thereof the Company is in default in the performance and observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions of this Indenture (without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice provided hereunder) and, if the Company shall be in default, specifying all such defaults and the nature and status thereof of which they may have knowledge.

Section 10.05. Waiver of Certain Covenants

The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Sections 10.02 through 10.03 with respect to the Securities of any series if before the time for such compliance Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of all affected series (voting as one class) 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 so 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.

A waiver which changes or eliminates any term, provision or condition 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 term, provision or condition, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series.

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 a Board Resolution. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company of less than all the Securities of any series, the Company shall, not less than 35 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee and provided , notice may be given more than 60 days prior to a redemption date if the notice is issued in connection with Articles IV or XIII), notify the Trustee 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 (1) prior to the expiration of any restriction on such redemption provided in the terms of such Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture, or (2) pursuant to an election of the Company which is subject to a condition specified in the terms of such Securities, the Company shall furnish the Trustee with an Officers’ Certificate evidencing compliance with such restriction or condition.

Section 11.03. Selection by Trustee of Securities to be Redeemed

If less than all the Securities of any series are to be redeemed (unless all 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 35 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee, from the Outstanding Securities of such series not previously called for redemption, on a pro rata basis, by lot or by any other method which the Trustee deems fair and appropriate and which complies with any securities exchange or other applicable requirements for redemption of portions (equal to the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of that series or any integral multiple thereof) of the principal amount of Securities of such series of a denomination larger than the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of that series.

The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the Securities selected for redemption.

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 by first-class mail (if international mail, by air mail), postage prepaid, mailed not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, to each Holder of Securities to be redeemed, at his address appearing in the Security Register; provided , notice may be given more than 60 days prior to a redemption date if the notice is issues in connection with Articles IV or XIII.

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 and of a specified tenor 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 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, and

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

Notice of redemption of Securities to be redeemed shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request made in the form of an Officers’ Certificate (made to the Trustee at least 5 days (or such shorter period as shall be satisfactory to the Trustee) prior to the mailing of such notice), by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company. Any such request will set forth the information to be stated in such notice, as provided by this Section 11.04.

Section 11.05. Deposit of Redemption Price

On or prior to 10:30 a.m. (Eastern time) on any Redemption Date, 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.

Section 11.06. Securities Payable on Redemption Date

be pa id 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 Rede mption 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 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.

Section 12.02. Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities

Securities as provided for by the terms of such series; provided that such Securities hav e 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 45 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for any series of Securities (unless a shorter period shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), 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 stating the basis for such credit and that such Securities have not been previously so credited, 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

Section 13.01. Applicability of Article

The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to each series of Securities except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 for Securities of such series.

Section 13.02. Legal Defeasance

In addition to discharge of the Indenture pursuant to Section 4.01, the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness on all the Securities of such a series on the 91st day after the date of the deposit referred to in Clause (1) below, and the provisions of this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series shall no longer be in effect (except as to (i) rights of registration of transfer and exchange of Securities of such series and the Company’s right of optional redemption, if any, (ii) substitution of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities, (iii) rights of Holders of Securities to receive payments of principal thereof and interest thereon, upon the original stated due dates therefor or on the specified redemption dates therefor (but not upon acceleration), and remaining rights of the holders to receive mandatory sinking fund payments, if any, (iv) the rights, obligations, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder, and the Company’s obligations in connection therewith (including, but not limited to, Section 6.07), (v) the rights, if any, to convert or exchange the Securities of such series, (vi) the rights of Holders of Securities of such series as beneficiaries hereof with respect to the property so deposited with the Trustee payable to all or any of them, and (vii) the obligations of the

Company under Section 10.02), and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall, upon a Company Request, execute proper instruments acknowledging the same, if the co nditions set forth below are satisfied (hereinafter, “ defeasance ”):

(1) The Company has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust, for the purposes of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of Holders of the Securities of such series (A) cash in an amount, or (B) in the case of any series of Securities the payments on which may only be made in legal coin or currency of the United States, U.S. Government Obligations, maturing as to principal and interest at such times and in such amounts as will insure the availability of cash, or (C) a combination thereof, certified to be 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 (i) the principal and interest and premium, if any, on all Securities of such series on each date that such principal, interest or premium, if any, is due and payable or on any Redemption Date established pursuant to Clause (3) below, and (ii) any mandatory sinking fund payments on the dates on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and the Securities of such series;

(2) The Company has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel based on the fact that (A) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (B) since the date hereof, there has been a change in the applicable federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and such opinion shall confirm that, Holders of the Securities of such series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit, defeasance and discharge and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times, as would have been the case if such deposit, defeasance and discharge had not occurred;

(3) If the Securities are to be redeemed prior to Stated Maturity (other than from mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments), notice of such redemption shall have been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee shall have been made;

(4) No Event of Default or event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit;

(5) Such 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);

(6) Such 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;

(7) Such 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 registered under such Act or exempt from registration thereunder; and

(8) The Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for relating to the defeasance contemplated by this provision have been c omplied with.

For this purpose, such defeasance means that the Company and any other obligor upon the Securities of such series shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire debt represented by the Securities of such series, which shall thereafter be deemed to be “ Outstanding ” only for the purposes of Section 13.04 and the rights and obligations referred to in Clauses (i) through (vii), inclusive, of the first paragraph of this Section, 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.

Section 13.03. Covenant Defeasance

The Company and any other obligor shall be released on the 91st day after the date of the deposit referred to in Clause (1) below from its obligations under Sections 7.04 and 8.01 with respect to the Securities of any series on and after the date the conditions set forth below are satisfied (hereinafter, “ covenant defeasance ”), and the Securities of such series shall thereafter be deemed to be not “ Outstanding ” for the purposes of any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, waiver, consent or declaration or other action or Act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with such covenants, but shall continue to be deemed Outstanding for all other purposes hereunder. For this purpose, such covenant defeasance means that, with respect to the Securities of such series, 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 Section, whether directly or indirectly by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to such Section or by reason of any reference in such Section to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a Default or an Event of Default under Section 5.01, but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and the Securities of such series shall be unaffected thereby. The following shall be the conditions to application of this Section 13.03:

(1) The Company has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee 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 Holders of the Securities of such series, (A) cash in an amount, or (B) in the case of any series of Securities the payments on which may only be made in legal coin or currency of the United States, U.S. Government Obligations, maturing as to principal and interest at such times and in such amounts as will insure the availability of cash, or (C) a combination thereof, 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 (i) the principal and interest and premium, if any, on all Securities of such series on each date that such principal, interest or premium, if any, is due and payable or on any Redemption Date established pursuant to Clause (2) below, and (ii) any mandatory sinking fund payments on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and the Securities of such series;

(2) If the Securities are to be redeemed prior to Stated Maturity (other than from mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments), notice of such redemption shall have

been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee shall have been made;

(3) No Event of Default or event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit;

(4) The Company has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel which shall confirm that Holders of the Securities of such series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and covenant defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same time as would have been the case if such deposit and covenant defeasance had not occurred;

(5) Such 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);

(6) Such 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;

(7) Such 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 registered under such Act or exempt from registration thereunder; and

(8) The Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of Counsel stating that all conditions precedent provided for relating to the covenant defeasance contemplated by this provision have been complied with.

Section 13.04. Application by Trustee of Funds Deposited for Payment of Securities

Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.03, all moneys or U.S. Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 13.02 or 13.03 (and all funds earned on such moneys or U.S. Government Obligations) shall be held in trust and applied by it to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent), to Holders of the particular Securities of such series for the payment or redemption of which such moneys have been deposited with the Trustee, of all sums due and to become due thereon for principal and interest; but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law. Subject to Sections 13.02 and 13.03, the Trustee shall promptly pay to the Company upon Company Order any moneys held by it at any time, which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amounts required to effect the defeasance with respect to the Outstanding Securities in question.

Section 13.05. Repayment to the Company

The Trustee and any Paying Agent promptly shall pay or return to the Company upon Company Request any money and U.S. Government Obligations held by them at any time that

are not required for the payment of the principal of and any interest on the Securities of any series for which money or U.S. Government Obligations have been deposited pursuant to Section 13.02 or 13.0 3, which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amounts required to effect the defeasance with respect to the Outstanding Securit ies in question.

The provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.03 shall apply to any money held by the Trustee or any Paying Agent under this Article that remains unclaimed for two years after the Maturity of any series of Securities for which money or U.S. Government Obligations have been deposited pursuant to Section 13.02 or 13.03.

Section 13.06. Reinstatement

If the Trustee or the Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with this Article by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the obligations of the Company under this Indenture and the Securities of the applicable series shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to this Indenture until such time as the Trustee or the Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money or U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with this Article; provided, however , that if the Company has made any payment of principal of or interest on any Securities of such series because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money or U.S. Government Obligations held by the Trustee or the Paying Agent

[ Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank ]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed in multiple counterparts, each of which so exe cuted shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which shall together constitute but one and the same instrument, all as of the day and year first above written.

INVESTAR HOLDING CORPORATION

By:

Name:

Title:

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee

By:

Name:

Title:

Exhibit 4.3

INVESTAR HOLDING CORPORATION

as Issuer

and

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
as Trustee

INDENTURE

Dated as of _______________, 20__

SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES

INVESTAR HOLDING CORPORATION

CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THIS INDENTURE RELATING TO
SECTIONS 310 THROUGH 318, INCLUSIVE, OF THE
TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939:


Trust Indenture Act Section	Indenture Section
§310(a)(1)	609
(a)(2)	609
(a)(3)	Not Applicable
(a)(4)	Not Applicable
(b)	608; 610
§311(a)	613
(b)	613
§312(a)	701; 702
(b)	702
(c)	702
§313(a)	703
(b)	703
(c)	703
(d)	703
§314(a)	704
(a)(4)	1004
(b)	Not Applicable
(c)(1)	102
(c)(2)	102
(c)(3)	Not Applicable
(d)	Not Applicable
(e)	102
§315(a)	601; 603
(b)	602
(c)	601
(d)	601
(e)	514
§316(a)	101
(a)(1)(A)	502; 512
(a)(1)(B)	513
(a)(2)	Not Applicable
(b)	508
(c)	104
§317(a)(1)	503
(a)(2)	504
(b)	1003
§318(a)	107

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

TABLE OF CONTENTS


ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION
Page
Section 1.01.	Definitions	1
Section 1.02.	Compliance Certificates and Opinions	8
Section 1.03.	Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee	9
Section 1.04.	Acts of Holders; Record Dates	9
Section 1.05.	Notices, Etc., to Trustee and the Company	10
Section 1.06.	Notice to Holders; Waiver	11
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	12
Section 1.13.	Legal Holidays	12
Section 1.14.	Language of Notices, Etc.	12
Section 1.15.	Interest Limitation	13
Section 1.16.	No Personal Liability of Officers, Directors, Employees or Shareholders	13
Section 1.17.	Applicability of Depositary	14
Section 1.18.	Force Majeure	14
Section 1.19.	U.S.A. Patriot Act	14
Section 1.20.	Submission to Jurisdiction	14
ARTICLE II SECURITY FORMS
Section 2.01.	Forms Generally	14
Section 2.02.	Form of Face of Security	15
Section 2.03.	Form of Reverse of Security	19
Section 2.04.	Global Securities	23
Section 2.05.	Form of Trustee’s Certificate and Authorization	24
ARTICLE III THE SECURITIES
Section 3.01.	Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series	25
Section 3.02.	Denominations	28
Section 3.03.	Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating	28
Section 3.04.	Temporary Securities	30
Section 3.05.	Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange	30
Section 3.06.	Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities	32
Section 3.07.	Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved	33


		Page
Section 3.08.	Persons Deemed Owners	34
Section 3.09.	Cancellation	35
Section 3.10.	Computation of Interest	35
Section 3.11.	CUSIP Numbers	35
ARTICLE IV SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE
Section 4.01.	Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture	35
Section 4.02.	Application of Trust Money	37
ARTICLE V REMEDIES
Section 5.01.	Events of Default	37
Section 5.02.	Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment	38
Section 5.03.	Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee	39
Section 5.04.	Trustee May File Proofs of Claim	39
Section 5.05.	Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities	40
Section 5.06.	Application of Money Collected	40
Section 5.07.	Limitation on Suits	40
Section 5.08.	Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and Interest	41
Section 5.09.	Restoration of Rights and Remedies	41
Section 5.10.	Rights and Remedies Cumulative	42
Section 5.11.	Delay or Omission Not Waiver	42
Section 5.12.	Control by Holders	42
Section 5.13.	Waiver of Past Defaults	42
Section 5.14.	Undertaking for Costs	43
ARTICLE VI THE TRUSTEE
Section 6.01.	Certain Duties and Responsibilities	43
Section 6.02.	Notice of Defaults	44
Section 6.03.	Certain Rights of Trustee	45
Section 6.04.	Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities	47
Section 6.05.	May Hold Securities	47
Section 6.06.	Money Held in Trust	47
Section 6.07.	Compensation and Reimbursement	47
Section 6.08.	Disqualification; Conflicting Interests	48
Section 6.09.	Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility	48
Section 6.10.	Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor	48
Section 6.11.	Acceptance of Appointment by Successor	50
Section 6.12.	Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business	51
Section 6.13.	Preferential Collection of Claims Against the Company	51

iii


		Page
Section 6.14.	Appointment of Authenticating Agent	51
ARTICLE VII HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND THE COMPANY
Section 7.01.	The Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders	53
Section 7.02.	Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders	53
Section 7.03.	Reports by Trustee	53
Section 7.04.	Reports by the Company	54
ARTICLE VIII CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE, TRANSFER OR LEASE
Section 8.01.	The Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms	54
Section 8.02.	Successor Substituted	55
ARTICLE IX SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES
Section 9.01.	Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders	55
Section 9.02.	Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders	56
Section 9.03.	Execution of Supplemental Indentures	57
Section 9.04.	Effect of Supplemental Indentures	57
Section 9.05.	Conformity with Trust Indenture Act	58
Section 9.06.	Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures	58
ARTICLE X COVENANTS
Section 10.01.	Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest	58
Section 10.02.	Maintenance of Office or Agency	58
Section 10.03.	Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust	59
Section 10.04.	Statement by Officers as to Default	60
Section 10.05.	Waiver of Certain Covenants	60
ARTICLE XI REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES
Section 11.01.	Applicability of Article	61
Section 11.02.	Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee	61
Section 11.03.	Selection by Trustee of Securities to be Redeemed	61
Section 11.04.	Notice of Redemption	62
Section 11.05.	Deposit of Redemption Price	62
Section 11.06.	Securities Payable on Redemption Date	62
Section 11.07.	Securities Redeemed in Part	63


ARTICLE XII SINKING FUNDS
Page
Section 12.01.	Applicability of Article	63
Section 12.02.	Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities	63
Section 12.03.	Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund	64
ARTICLE XIII DEFEASANCE
Section 13.01.	Applicability of Article	64
Section 13.02.	Legal Defeasance	64
Section 13.03.	Covenant Defeasance	66
Section 13.04.	Application by Trustee of Funds Deposited for Payment of Securities	67
Section 13.05.	Repayment to the Company	68
Section 13.06.	Reinstatement	68
ARTICLE XIV SUBORDINATION OF SECURITIES
Section 14.01.	Securities Subordinated to Senior Debt	68

INDENTURE dated as of _________ , 20__, between INVESTAR HOLDING CORPORATION , a Louisiana corporation (the “Company”), having its principal office at 7244 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70808, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, a national banking association (the “Trustee”), having a corporate trust office at 1100 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19890.

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 subordinated debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (the “Securities”), to be issued in one or more series as provided in this Indenture.

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

This Indenture is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be a part of this Indenture and, to the extent applicable, shall be governed by such provisions.

WITNESSETH:

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE

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;

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