-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, EvYk0uM9NU/6S/uY6kGLH+ntsPJD/rQsmL6ILJOdk+iTlal45pCaR6k6qto3GP8+ Cf6zluaKIf7Ac7wMbkRsAg== 0001341004-09-000482.txt : 20090227 0001341004-09-000482.hdr.sgml : 20090227 20090227130339 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001341004-09-000482 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 8-K PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 6 CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT: 20090226 ITEM INFORMATION: Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement ITEM INFORMATION: Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities ITEM INFORMATION: Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year ITEM INFORMATION: Financial Statements and Exhibits FILED AS OF DATE: 20090227 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20090227 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: BlackRock Inc. CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001364742 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: SECURITY BROKERS, DEALERS & FLOTATION COMPANIES [6211] IRS NUMBER: 320174431 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 0226 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 8-K SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 001-33099 FILM NUMBER: 09641186 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 40 EAST 52ND STREET CITY: NEW YORK STATE: NY ZIP: 10022 BUSINESS PHONE: 212-810-5300 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 40 EAST 52ND STREET CITY: NEW YORK STATE: NY ZIP: 10022 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: BlackRock, Inc. DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 20060929 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: New BlackRock, Inc. DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 20060601 8-K 1 form8k.htm form8k.htm


 
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 
FORM 8-K
 
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of
The Securities Exchange Act of 1934
 
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):
February 27, 2009 (February 26, 2009)
 
 
BLACKROCK, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
 
Delaware
001-33099
32-0174431
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation)
(Commission
File Number)
(IRS Employer
Identification No.)
     
 
40 East 52nd Street, New York, New York
10022
 
(Address of principal executive offices)
(Zip Code)
       
 
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:
(212) 810-5300
     
     
               N/A               
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)
 
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
 
[   ]
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
 
[   ]
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
 
[   ]
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
 
[   ]
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
 
 

Item 1.01       Entry into Material Definitive Agreements
 
 
As previously disclosed, on December 26, 2008, BlackRock, Inc. (“BlackRock”) entered into an Exchange Agreement (the “Merrill Lynch Exchange Agreement”) with Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. (“Merrill Lynch”), pursuant to which Merrill Lynch agreed to exchange (i) 49,865,000 shares of BlackRock’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”) for a like number of shares of BlackRock’s Series B non-voting convertible participating preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Series B Preferred Stock”) and (ii) 12,604,918 shares of BlackRock’s Series A Preferred Stock for a like number of shares of Series B Preferred Stock (the “Merrill Lynch Exchanges”).
 
 
Concurrently with the Merrill Lynch Exchange Agreement, on December 26, 2008, BlackRock entered into a separate Exchange Agreement (the “PNC Exchange Agreement” and together with the Merrill Lynch Exchange Agreement, the “Exchange Agreements”) with The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (“PNC”).  Pursuant to the PNC Exchange Agreement, PNC agreed to exchange (i) 17,872,000 shares of the Common Stock for a like number of shares of Series B Preferred Stock and (ii) 2,889,467 shares of the Common Stock for a like number of shares of BlackRock’s Series C non-voting convertible participating preferred stock, par value $0.01 (the “Series C Preferred Stock”) (such transactions, the “PNC Exchanges” and together with the Merrill Lynch Exchanges, the “Exchange Transactions”).  The terms of the Series B Preferred Stock and Series C Preferred Stock are further described in Item 5.03.
 
 
The Exchange Transactions were completed on February 27, 2009.  As a result of the Exchange Transactions, Merrill Lynch directly or indirectly owns approximately 4.9% of BlackRock’s outstanding Common Stock and approximately 47.4% of BlackRock's total outstanding capital stock on a fully diluted basis, and PNC directly or indirectly beneficially owns 46.5% of BlackRock’s outstanding Common Stock and approximately 31.5% of BlackRock's total outstanding capital stock on a fully diluted basis.
 
 
In connection with the consummation of the Exchange Transactions, on February 27, 2009, BlackRock entered into the Second Amended and Restated Stockholder Agreement (“Merrill Lynch Stockholder Agreement”) with Merrill Lynch, the Amended and Restated Implementation and Stockholder Agreement (“PNC Stockholder Agreement” and together with the Merrill Lynch Stockholder Agreement, the “Stockholder Agreements”) with PNC, and the Third Amendment to the Share Surrender Agreement (“Amendment to the Share Surrender Agreement”) with PNC, the terms of which we previously described in BlackRock's current report on Form 8-K dated December 29, 2008.
 
 
The foregoing descriptions of the Exchange Agreements, the Stockholder Agreements and the Amendment to Share Surrender Agreement do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the December 29, 2008 8-K, as well as the Exchange Agreements, which were filed as Exhibits 10.1 and 10.2 to the December 29, 2008 8-K, respectively, the Stockholder Agreements, which are filed as Exhibits 10.1 and 10.2 hereto, respectively, and the Amendment to Share Surrender Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 10.3 hereto.
 
 
Item 3.02       Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities
 
 
See Item 1.01 in the December 29, 2008 8-K.
 

 
Item 5.03       Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year
 
 
On February 26, 2009, BlackRock filed certificates of designations with the Delaware Secretary of State for the purpose of amending its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to establish the respective designation, rights, preferences, limitations and privileges of Series B Preferred Stock and Series C Preferred Stock.
 
 
The terms of Series B Preferred Stock and Series C Preferred Stock, respectively, are summarized as below:
 
 
Rank.  The Series B Preferred Stock and Series C Preferred Stock shall rank pari passu in right of payment with respect to dividends and upon liquidation with the Series A Preferred Stock and any other series of BlackRock’s preferred stock that by its terms ranks pari passu in right of payment as to dividends and/or upon liquidation with the Series B Preferred Stock and Series C Preferred Stock, respectively.
 
 
Dividend.  The Series B Preferred Stock and Series C Preferred Stock are entitled to receive any dividend that is paid to holders of Common Stock, payable, at the holder’s option, in shares of Common Stock, cash, or a combination of cash and Common Stock. Any subdivisions, combinations, consolidations or reclassifications to the Common Stock must also be made accordingly to Series B Preferred Stock and Series C Preferred Stock, respectively.
 
 
Liquidation Preference.  In the event of a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of BlackRock, the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock and the Series C Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive $0.01 per share and $40.00 per share, respectively, of the respective preferred stock held, plus any outstanding and unpaid dividends, before any payments are made to holders of Common Stock or any other class or series of BlackRock’s capital stock ranking junior as to liquidation rights to Series B Preferred Stock and Series C Preferred Stock, respectively. After such payment to the holders of Series B Preferred Stock and Series C Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of any other series of BlackRock’s preferred stock ranking prior to the Common Stock as to distributions upon liquidation, the remaining assets of BlackRock will be distributed pro rata to the holders of Series B Preferred Stock and Series C Preferred Stock, the holders of any other series of BlackRock’s preferred stock ranking prior to the Common Stock as to distributions upon liquidation, and the holders of the Common Stock and any other shares of BlackRock’s capital stock ranking pari passu with the Common Stock as to distributions upon liquidation.
 
 
Voting Rights. The Series B Preferred Stock and Series C Preferred Stock have no voting rights except as required by applicable law.
 
 
Conversion.  Upon any transfer of Series B Preferred Stock to any person other than an affiliate of the initial holder, each share of Series B Preferred Stock will be converted into one share of Common Stock.  Each share of Series C Preferred Stock will be convertible into one share of Common Stock only upon satisfaction of the terms under the Share Surrender Agreement, that are triggered upon a sale of BlackRock.  No optional conversion is permitted with respect to either series.
 
 
The foregoing description of the Series B Preferred Stock and Series C Preferred Stock is qualified in its entirety by reference to the respective certificates of designations for Series B Preferred Stock and Series C Preferred Stock, which are filed as Exhibits 3.1 and 3.2 hereto, respectively.
 
 

 
 
Item 9.01       Financial Statements and Exhibits
 
(d)           Exhibits
 
3.1
Certificate of the Designations, Powers, Preferences and Rights of Series B Convertible Participating Preferred Stock of BlackRock, Inc., as filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on February 26, 2009.
 
3.2
Certificate of the Designations, Powers, Preferences and Rights of Series C Convertible Participating Preferred Stock of BlackRock, Inc., as filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on February 26, 2009.
 
10.1
Second Amended and Restated Stockholder Agreement, dated as of February 27, 2009, between Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., Merrill Lynch Group, Inc. and BlackRock, Inc.
 
10.2
Amended and Restated Implementation and Stockholder Agreement, dated as of February 27, 2009, between The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. and BlackRock, Inc.
 
10.3
Third Amendment to Share Surrender Agreement, dated as of February 27, 2009, between The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. and BlackRock, Inc.

 


 
SIGNATURES
 
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


 
 
 
 
Date:    February 27, 2009
BlackRock, Inc.
(Registrant)
 
 
By:
/s/ Daniel R. Waltcher
 
   
Daniel R. Waltcher
   
Managing Director and
   
Deputy General Counsel

 

EXHIBIT INDEX
 
3.1
Certificate of the Designations, Powers, Preferences and Rights of Series B Convertible Participating Preferred Stock of BlackRock, Inc., as filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on February 26, 2009.
 
3.2
Certificate of the Designations, Powers, Preferences and Rights of Series C Convertible Participating Preferred Stock of BlackRock, Inc., as filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on February 26, 2009.
 
10.1
Second Amended and Restated Stockholder Agreement, dated as of February 27, 2009, between Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., Merrill Lynch Group, Inc. and BlackRock, Inc.
 
10.2
Amended and Restated Implementation and Stockholder Agreement, dated as of February 27, 2009, between The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. and BlackRock, Inc.
 
10.3
Third Amendment to Share Surrender Agreement, dated as of February 27, 2009, between The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. and BlackRock, Inc.

 

 

EX-3.1 2 ex3-1.htm ex3-1.htm
EXHIBIT 3.1
 
CERTIFICATE OF THE DESIGNATIONS,
POWERS, PREFERENCES AND RIGHTS
OF
SERIES B CONVERTIBLE PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
OF
BLACKROCK, INC.
 
 
(Pursuant to Section 151 of the
Delaware General Corporation Law)
 
BlackRock, Inc. a Delaware corporation (the "Corporation"), hereby certifies that the following resolution was adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation:
 
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority expressly granted to and vested in the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the "Board of Directors") by the provisions of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation (the "Certificate of Incorporation"), there is hereby created, out of the 500,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Corporation authorized in Article Fourth of the Certificate of Incorporation (the "Preferred Stock"), a series of the Preferred Stock consisting of 150,000,000 shares, which series shall have the following powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other rights, and the following qualifications, limitations and restrictions (in addition to any powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other rights, and any qualifications, limitations and restrictions, set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation which are applicable to the Preferred Stock):
 
Section 1.         Designation of Amount.
 
The shares of Preferred Stock created hereby shall be designated the "Series B Convertible Participating Preferred Stock" (the "Series B Preferred Stock") and the authorized number of shares constituting such series shall be 150,000,000.  The Series B Preferred Stock shall rank pari passu in right of payment of dividends and distributions upon liquidation with the Corporation's Series A Convertible Participating Preferred Stock, Series C Convertible Participating Preferred Stock, and any other series of Preferred Stock of the Corporation that by its terms ranks pari passu in right of payment of dividends and/or distributions upon liquidation with the Series B Preferred Stock.
 
Section 2.         Dividends, Etc.
 
(a)           In the event any dividends are declared or paid or any other distribution is made on or with respect to the Common Stock of the Corporation, the holder of each share of Series B Preferred Stock as of the record date established by the Board of Directors for such dividend or distribution on the Common Stock shall be entitled to receive dividends in an amount equal to the amount of the dividends or distribution that such holder would have received had the holder held one share of Common Stock as of the date immediately prior to the record date for such dividend or distribution on the Common Stock, such dividends to be payable on the same payment date established by the Board of Directors for the payment of such dividend or distribution on the Common Stock.  The record date for any such dividend shall be the record date for the applicable dividend or distribution on the Common Stock, and any such dividends shall be payable to the Persons in whose name the Series B Preferred Stock is registered at the close of business on the applicable record date.
 

(b)           No dividend shall be paid or declared on any share of Common Stock, unless a dividend, payable in the same consideration and manner, is simultaneously paid or declared, as the case may be, on each share of Series B Preferred Stock in an amount determined as set forth above.  For purposes hereof, the term "dividends" shall include any pro rata distribution by the Corporation of cash, property, securities (including, but not limited to, rights, warrants or options) or other property or assets to the holders of the Common Stock, whether or not paid out of capital, surplus or earnings, other than a distribution upon liquidation of the Corporation in accordance with Section 3 hereof.
 
(c)           No subdivision, combination, consolidation or reclassification shall be effected with respect to the Common Stock unless a proportionate subdivision, combination, consolidation or reclassification, effected in the same manner, is simultaneously effected with respect to each share of Series B Preferred Stock, and no subdivision, combination, consolidation or reclassification shall be effected with respect to the Series B Preferred Stock unless a proportionate subdivision, combination, consolidation or reclassification, effected in the same manner, is simultaneously effected with respect to each share of Common Stock.
 
(d)           Prior to declaring any dividend or making any distribution on or with respect to shares of Common Stock, the Corporation shall take all prior corporate action necessary to authorize the issuance of any securities payable as a dividend in respect of the Series B Preferred Stock.
 
Section 3.         Liquidation Preference.
 
(a)           In the event of a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary (a "Liquidation"), the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock then outstanding shall be entitled to receive out of the available assets of the Corporation, whether such assets are stated capital or surplus of any nature, before any payment shall be made or any assets distributed to the holders of any class or series of the Common Stock or any other class or series of the Corporation's capital stock ranking junior as to liquidation rights to the Series B Preferred Stock, an amount on such date equal to $0.01 per share of Series B Preferred Stock, plus the amount of any declared but unpaid dividends thereon as of such date, calculated pursuant to Section 2 (the "Liquidation Preference").   If upon any Liquidation the assets available for payment of the Liquidation Preference are insufficient to permit the payment of the full preferential amounts described in this paragraph to the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock and any other class or series of the Corporation’s capital stock ranking pari passu as to liquidation rights to the Series B Preferred Stock, then all the remaining available assets shall be distributed pro rata among the holders of the then outstanding Series B Preferred Stock and then outstanding shares of any other class or series of the Corporation’s capital stock ranking pari passu as to liquidation rights to the Series B Preferred Stock in accordance with such series' respective liquidation preferences.
 
(b)           After the payment of the full preferential amount described in Section 3(a) due to the holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock and  any other series of Preferred Stock ranking prior to the Common Stock as to distributions upon Liquidation, the remaining assets (if any) of the Corporation shall be distributed in accordance with the terms of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, which in the case of the Series B Preferred Stock shall be pro rata per share in accordance with the aggregate number of shares outstanding  among (i) the holders of the then outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock and any other series entitled to participate on the same basis, (ii) the holders of any other series of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to participate in
 
2

accordance with the terms of their participation and (iii) the holders of the Common Stock and any other shares of capital stock of the Corporation ranking pari passu on a share for share basis with the Common Stock as to distributions upon Liquidation.
 
(c)           Neither the consolidation nor merger of the Corporation into or with any other entity, nor the sale or transfer by the Corporation of all or any part of its assets, nor the reduction of the capital stock of the Corporation, shall be deemed to be a Liquidation; provided, however, that in any such transaction, to the extent that holders of Common Stock receive consideration other than voting securities, the holders of Series B Preferred Stock shall receive identical consideration per share, and to the extent that holders of Common Stock receive voting securities, the holders of Series B Preferred Stock shall receive non-voting securities that are otherwise identical to the securities received by holders of Common Stock; provided, further that if the aggregate consideration to be received by the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock in any such transaction would be less than what such holders would have received had such transaction been deemed to be a Liquidation, then such transaction shall be deemed to be a Liquidation within the meaning of this Section 3(c).
 
(d)           Any securities to be delivered to the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock pursuant to this Section 3 as a consequence of a Liquidation shall be valued at their Fair Market Value.
 
Section 4.         Voting Rights.  Except as otherwise provided by applicable law, the holders of outstanding shares of the Series B Preferred Stock shall have no voting rights.
 
Section 5.         Restrictions on Common Stock.  The Corporation shall not at any time effect a subdivision, combination, consolidation or reclassification of the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, unless such subdivision, combination, consolidation or reclassification shall also apply in a like manner to the outstanding Series B Preferred Stock.
 
Section 6.         Automatic Conversion.  Each share of Series B Preferred Stock shall be automatically converted into one fully paid and non-assessable share of Common Stock upon the Transfer thereof by an initial holder thereof (an "Initial Holder") or any Affiliate of the Initial Holder other than to an Initial Holder or an Affiliate of an Initial Holder (except a broker-dealer affiliate in connection with a capital markets transaction).  Effective immediately upon the occurrence of the conversion, certificates theretofore evidencing shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall be deemed to evidence that number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon the conversion of such shares of Series B Preferred Stock. The Initial Holder shall give prompt notice to the Corporation of (i) any Transfer of any shares of Series B Preferred Stock, and shall indicate in such notice if the transferee is an Affiliate of the Initial Holder and (ii) any event or transaction pursuant to which any such transferee Affiliate then holding Series B Preferred Stock ceases to be an Affiliate of the Initial Holder.
 
Section 7.         No Optional Conversion.  At no time may any share of Series B Preferred Stock be converted at the option of the holder thereof.
 
Section 8.         Certain Definitions.  Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings given to them in the Certificate of Incorporation.  Solely for purposes of this Certificate of Designations, Powers, Preferences and Rights of the Series B Preferred Stock, the following terms shall have the following respective meanings herein:
 
3

 
"Board of Directors" has the meaning assigned to it in the introductory paragraph.
 
"Certificate of Incorporation" has the meaning assigned to it in the introductory paragraph.
 
"Corporation" has the meaning assigned to it in the introductory paragraph.
 
"Fair Market Value" means, as to any securities or other property, the cash price at which a willing seller would sell and a willing buyer would buy such securities or property in an arm's length negotiated transaction without time constraints. With respect to any securities that are traded on a national securities exchange or quoted on the Nasdaq National Market or the Nasdaq Small Cap Market, Fair Market Value shall mean the arithmetic average of the closing prices of such securities on their principal market for the ten consecutive trading days immediately preceding the applicable date of determination and with respect to shares of Series B Participating Preferred Stock shall be the same price per share as the Fair Market Value per share of the Common Stock.
 
"Independent Investment Banking Firm" means an investment banking firm of nationally recognized standing that in the reasonable judgment of the Person or Persons engaging such firm, taking into account any prior relationship with any Significant Capital Stockholder or the Corporation, is independent of such Person or Persons.
 
"Initial Holder" has the meaning assigned to it in Section 6 hereof.
 
"Liquidation" has the meaning assigned to it in Section 3(a) hereof.
 
"Liquidation Preference" has the meaning assigned to it in Section 3(a) hereof.
 
"Preferred Stock" has the meaning assigned to it in the introductory paragraph.
 
"Series B Preferred Stock" has the meaning assigned to it in Section 1 hereof.
 
"Total Voting Power" means the total number of votes entitled to be cast by the holders of the outstanding Capital Stock and any other securities entitled, in the ordinary course, to vote on matters put before the holders of the Capital Stock generally.
 
"Transfer" means, directly or indirectly, to sell, transfer, assign, pledge, encumber, hypothecate or similarly dispose of (by operation of law or otherwise), either voluntarily or involuntarily, or to enter into any contract, option or other arrangement or understanding with respect to the sale, transfer, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or similar disposition of (by operation of law or otherwise), any Capital Stock or any interest in any Capital Stock; provided, however, that a merger, amalgamation, plan of arrangement or consolidation or similar business combination transaction in which a Person (or any controlled affiliate of such Person) who beneficially owns in excess of 20% of the Capital Stock issued and outstanding at such time (a “Significant Capital Stockholder”) is a constituent corporation (or otherwise a party including, for the avoidance of doubt, a transaction pursuant to which a Person acquires beneficial ownership of all or a portion of a Significant Capital Stockholder's outstanding Capital Stock, whether by tender or exchange offer, by share exchange, or otherwise) shall not be deemed to be the Transfer of any Capital Stock beneficially owned by such Person, provided that the primary purpose of any such transaction is not to avoid the provisions hereof.
 
[Execution Page Follows]
 
4

 
 
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Certificate of Designations to be signed by Daniel R. Waltcher, its Managing Director and Deputy General Counsel, this 26th day of February, 2009.
 
 
 
By: 
/s/ Daniel R. Waltcher
   
Name:
Daniel R. Waltcher
   
Title:
Managing Director and
     
Deputy General Counsel
       
       
 
 
 
5

 
 
 
 
 
EX-3.2 3 ex3-2.htm ex3-2.htm
EXHIBIT 3.2
 
CERTIFICATE OF THE DESIGNATIONS,
POWERS, PREFERENCES AND RIGHTS
OF
SERIES C CONVERTIBLE PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
OF
BLACKROCK, INC.
 
 
(Pursuant to Section 151 of the
Delaware General Corporation Law)
 
BlackRock, Inc. a Delaware corporation (the "Corporation"), hereby certifies that the following resolution was adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation:
 
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority expressly granted to and vested in the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the "Board of Directors") by the provisions of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation (the "Certificate of Incorporation"), there is hereby created, out of the 500,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Corporation authorized in Article Fourth of the Certificate of Incorporation (the "Preferred Stock"), a series of the Preferred Stock consisting of 6,000,000 shares, which series shall have the following powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other rights, and the following qualifications, limitations and restrictions (in addition to any powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other rights, and any qualifications, limitations and restrictions, set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation which are applicable to the Preferred Stock):
 
Section 1.         Designation of Amount.
 
The shares of Preferred Stock created hereby shall be designated the "Series C Convertible Participating Preferred Stock" (the "Series C Preferred Stock") and the authorized number of shares constituting such series shall be 6,000,000. The Series C Preferred Stock shall rank pari passu in right of payment of dividends and distributions upon liquidation with the Corporation's Series A Convertible Participating Preferred Stock, Series B Convertible Participating Preferred Stock, and any other series of Preferred Stock of the Corporation that by its terms ranks pari passu in right of payment of dividends and/or distributions upon liquidation with the Series C Preferred Stock.
 
Section 2.         Dividends, Etc.
 
(a)           In the event any dividends are declared or paid or any other distribution is made on or with respect to the Common Stock of the Corporation, the holder of each share of Series C Preferred Stock as of the record date established by the Board of Directors for such dividend or distribution on the Common Stock shall be entitled to receive dividends in an amount equal to the amount of the dividends or distribution that such holder would have received had the holder held one share of Common Stock as of the date immediately prior to the record date for such dividend or distribution on the Common Stock, such dividends to be payable on the same payment date established by the Board of Directors for the payment of such dividend or distribution on the Common Stock.  The record date for any such dividend shall be the record date for the applicable dividend or distribution on the Common Stock, and any such dividends shall be payable to the Persons in whose name the Series C Preferred Stock is registered at the close of business on the applicable record date.
 

(b)           No dividend shall be paid or declared on any share of Common Stock, unless a dividend, payable in the same consideration and manner, is simultaneously paid or declared, as the case may be, on each share of Series C Preferred Stock in an amount determined as set forth above.  For purposes hereof, the term "dividends" shall include any pro rata distribution by the Corporation of cash, property, securities (including, but not limited to, rights, warrants or options) or other property or assets to the holders of the Common Stock, whether or not paid out of capital, surplus or earnings, other than a distribution upon liquidation of the Corporation in accordance with Section 3 hereof.
 
(c)           No subdivision, combination, consolidation or reclassification shall be effected with respect to the Common Stock unless a proportionate subdivision, combination, consolidation or reclassification, effected in the same manner, is simultaneously effected with respect to each share of Series C Preferred Stock, and no subdivision, combination, consolidation or reclassification shall be effected with respect to the Series C Preferred Stock unless a proportionate subdivision, combination, consolidation or reclassification, effected in the same manner, is simultaneously effected with respect to each share of Common Stock.
 
(d)           Prior to declaring any dividend or making any distribution on or with respect to shares of Common Stock, the Corporation shall take all prior corporate action necessary to authorize the issuance of any securities payable as a dividend in respect of the Series C Preferred Stock.
 
Section 3.         Liquidation Preference.
 
(a)           In the event of a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary (a "Liquidation"), the holders of the Series C Preferred Stock then outstanding shall be entitled to receive out of the available assets of the Corporation, whether such assets are stated capital or surplus of any nature, before any payment shall be made or any assets distributed to the holders of any class or series of the Common Stock or any other class or series of the Corporation's capital stock ranking junior as to liquidation rights to the Series C Preferred Stock, an amount on such date equal to $40.00 per share of Series C Preferred Stock, plus the amount of any declared but unpaid dividends thereon as of such date, calculated pursuant to Section 2 (the "Liquidation Preference").   If upon any Liquidation the assets available for payment of the Liquidation Preference are insufficient to permit the payment of the full preferential amounts described in this paragraph to the holders of the Series C Preferred Stock and any other class or series of the Corporation’s capital stock ranking pari passu as to liquidation rights to the Series C Preferred Stock, then all the remaining available assets shall be distributed pro rata among the holders of the then outstanding Series C Preferred Stock and then outstanding shares of any other class or series of the Corporation’s capital stock ranking pari passu as to liquidation rights to the Series C Preferred Stock in accordance with such series' respective liquidation preferences.
 
(b)           After the payment of the full preferential amount described in Section 3(a)  due to the holders of shares of Series C Preferred Stock and any other series of Preferred Stock ranking prior to the Common Stock as to distributions upon Liquidation, the remaining assets (if any) of the Corporation shall be distributed in accordance with the terms of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, which, in the case of the Series C Preferred Stock, shall be pro rata per share in accordance with the aggregate number of shares outstanding among (i) the holders of the then outstanding shares of Series C Preferred Stock and any other series entitled to participate on the same basis, (ii)  the holders of any other series of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to participate in
 
2

 
accordance with the terms of their participation and (iii) the holders of the Common Stock and any other shares of capital stock of the Corporation ranking pari passu on a share for share basis with the Common Stock as to distributions upon Liquidation.
 
(c)           Neither the consolidation nor merger of the Corporation into or with any other entity, nor the sale or transfer by the Corporation of all or any part of its assets, nor the reduction of the capital stock of the Corporation, shall be deemed to be a Liquidation; provided, however, that in any such transaction, to the extent that holders of Common Stock receive consideration other than voting securities, the holders of Series C Preferred Stock shall receive identical consideration per share, and to the extent that holders of Common Stock receive voting securities, the holders of Series C Preferred Stock shall receive non-voting securities that are otherwise identical to the securities received by holders of Common Stock; provided, further that if the aggregate consideration to be received by the holders of the Series C Preferred Stock in any such transaction would be less than what such holders would have received had such transaction been deemed to be a Liquidation, then such transaction shall be deemed to be a Liquidation within the meaning of this Section 3(c).
 
(d)           Any securities to be delivered to the holders of the Series C Preferred Stock pursuant to this Section 3 as a consequence of a Liquidation shall be valued at their Fair Market Value.
 
Section 4.         Voting Rights.  Except as otherwise provided by applicable law, the holders of outstanding shares of the Series C Preferred Stock shall have no voting rights.
 
Section 5.         Restrictions on Common Stock.  The Corporation shall not at any time effect a subdivision, combination, consolidation or reclassification of the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, unless such subdivision, combination, consolidation or reclassification shall also apply in a like manner to the outstanding Series C Preferred Stock.
 
Section 6.         Automatic Conversion.  Each share of Series C Preferred Stock shall be automatically converted into one fully paid and non-assessable share of Common Stock upon termination of all of the obligations of PNC Asset Management, Inc. and The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (the “PNC Parties”)  under the Share Surrender Agreement, dated as of October 10, 2002, by and between the Corporation and the PNC Parties (as amended, the "Share Surrender Agreement")  pursuant to paragraph 4 of the First Amendment thereof, dated as of February 15,2006.  Effective immediately upon the occurrence of the conversion, certificates theretofore evidencing shares of Series C Preferred Stock shall be deemed to evidence that number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon the conversion of such shares of Series C Preferred Stock.
 
Section 7.         Transfer.  Prior to any conversion pursuant to Section 6 hereof, no share of Series C Preferred Stock may be Transferred other than to the Corporation in accordance with the Share Surrender Agreement.
 
Section 8.         No Optional Conversion.  At no time may any share of Series C Preferred Stock be converted at the option of the holder thereof.
 
Section 9.         Certain Definitions.  Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings given to them in the Certificate of Incorporation.  Solely for purposes of this Certificate of Designations, Powers, Preferences and Rights of the
 
3

 
Series C Preferred Stock, the following terms shall have the following respective meanings herein:
 
"Board of Directors" has the meaning assigned to it in the introductory paragraph.
 
"Certificate of Incorporation" has the meaning assigned to it in the introductory paragraph.
 
"Corporation" has the meaning assigned to it in the introductory paragraph.
 
"Fair Market Value" means, as to any securities or other property, the cash price at which a willing seller would sell and a willing buyer would buy such securities or property in an arm's length negotiated transaction without time constraints. With respect to any securities that are traded on a national securities exchange or quoted on the Nasdaq National Market or the Nasdaq Small Cap Market, Fair Market Value shall mean the arithmetic average of the closing prices of such securities on their principal market for the ten consecutive trading days immediately preceding the applicable date of determination and with respect to shares of Series C Participating Preferred Stock shall be the same price per share as the Fair Market Value per share of the Common Stock.
 
"Independent Investment Banking Firm" means an investment banking firm of nationally recognized standing that in the reasonable judgment of the Person or Persons engaging such firm, taking into account any prior relationship with any Significant Capital Stockholder or the Corporation, is independent of such Person or Persons.
 
"Liquidation" has the meaning assigned to it in Section 3(a) hereof.
 
"Liquidation Preference" has the meaning assigned to it in Section 3(a) hereof.
 
"Preferred Stock" has the meaning assigned to it in the introductory paragraph.
 
"Series C Preferred Stock" has the meaning assigned to it in Section 1 hereof.
 
"Total Voting Power" means the total number of votes entitled to be cast by the holders of the outstanding Capital Stock and any other securities entitled, in the ordinary course, to vote on matters put before the holders of the Capital Stock generally.
 
"Transfer" means, directly or indirectly, to sell, transfer, assign, pledge, encumber, hypothecate or similarly dispose of (by operation of law or otherwise), either voluntarily or involuntarily, or to enter into any contract, option or other arrangement or understanding with respect to the sale, transfer, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or similar disposition of (by operation of law or otherwise), any Capital Stock or any interest in any Capital Stock; provided, however, that a merger, amalgamation, plan of arrangement or consolidation or similar business combination transaction in which a Person (or any controlled affiliate of such Person) who beneficially owns in excess of 20% of the Capital Stock issued and outstanding at such time (a “Significant Capital Stockholder”) is a constituent corporation (or otherwise a party including, for the avoidance of doubt, a transaction pursuant to which a Person acquires beneficial ownership of all or a portion of a Significant Capital Stockholder's outstanding Capital Stock, whether by tender or exchange offer, by share exchange, or otherwise) shall not be deemed to be the Transfer of any Capital Stock beneficially owned by such Person, provided that the primary purpose of any such transaction is not to avoid the provisions hereof.
 
[Execution Page Follows]
 
4

 
 
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Certificate of Designations to be signed by Daniel R. Waltcher, its Managing Director and Deputy General Counsel, this 26th day of February, 2009.
 
 
 
 
By:
/s/ Daniel R. Waltcher
   
Name:
Daniel R. Waltcher
   
Title:
Managing Director and
     
Deputy General Counsel
       
       
 
 
5
EX-10.1 4 ex10-1.htm ex10-1.htm

EXHIBIT 10.1
 
 
 
 
 
 
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED

STOCKHOLDER AGREEMENT

AMONG

BLACKROCK, INC.

MERRILL LYNCH & CO., INC.

AND

MERRILL LYNCH GROUP, INC.

DATED AS OF FEBRUARY 27, 2009
 
 

 


Table of Contents
 
Page
ARTICLE I
 
DEFINITIONS
 
Section 1.1
Certain Defined Terms
1
Section 1.2
Other Defined Terms
8
Section 1.3
Other Definitional Provisions
9
Section 1.4
Methodology for Calculations
9
 
ARTICLE II
 
SHARE OWNERSHIP
 
Section 2.1
Acquisition of Additional BlackRock Capital Stock
9
Section 2.2
Prohibition of Certain Communications and Actions
10
Section 2.3
Purchases of Additional Securities
12
Section 2.4
BlackRock Share Repurchases
12
 
ARTICLE III
 
TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS
 
Section 3.1
General Transfer Restrictions
13
Section 3.2
Restrictions on Transfer
13
Section 3.3
Right of Last Refusal
14
Section 3.4
Legend on Securities
15
Section 3.5
Change of Control
16
 
ARTICLE IV
 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
 
Section 4.1
Composition of the Board
16
Section 4.2
Vote Required for Board Action; Board Quorum
17
Section 4.3
Committees
19
Section 4.4
Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws to be Consistent
20
Section 4.5
Information Rights
20
Section 4.6
Voting Agreements
22
Section 4.7
Related Party Transactions
22

 
ii


ARTICLE V
 
NON-COMPETITION
 
Section 5.1
Non-Competition
23
 
ARTICLE VI
 
MISCELLANEOUS
 
Section 6.1
Conflicting Agreements
28
Section 6.2
Termination
28
Section 6.3
Ownership Information
28
Section 6.4
Savings Clause
28
Section 6.5
Amendment and Waiver
29
Section 6.6
Severability
29
Section 6.7
Entire Agreement
29
Section 6.8
Successors and Assigns
29
Section 6.9
Counterparts
29
Section 6.10
Remedies
29
Section 6.11
Notices
30
Section 6.12
Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction
31
Section 6.13
Interpretation
31


iii

 
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED STOCKHOLDER AGREEMENT
 
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED STOCKHOLDER AGREEMENT dated as of February 27, 2009, by and among BlackRock, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("BlackRock") and Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Merrill Lynch") and Merrill Lynch Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
 
WHEREAS, BlackRock and Merrill Lynch are parties to an Amended and Restated Stockholder Agreement, dated as of July 16, 2008 (as so amended and restated, the "Original Agreement");
 
WHEREAS, the Merrill Lynch Merger shall constitute a Change of Control of Merrill Lynch under the terms of the Original Agreement (the "Merger Change of Control");
 
WHEREAS, on September 15, 2008, Merrill Lynch entered into a merger agreement with Bank of America Corporation ("Bank of America"), pursuant to which, effective as of the closing of the transaction contemplated thereby a subsidiary of Bank of America will merge with and into Merrill Lynch (the "Merrill Lynch Merger");
 
WHEREAS, in connection with the Merrill Lynch Merger and the Merger Change of Control, BlackRock and Merrill Lynch propose to enter into transactions whereby Merrill Lynch will exchange (i) 49,865,000 shares of BlackRock Common Stock (as defined herein) for a like number of shares of Series B Participating Preferred Stock (as defined herein) and (ii) 12,604,918 shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock (as defined herein) for a like number of shares of Series B Participating Preferred Stock (the "Merrill Lynch Exchanges");
 
WHEREAS, concurrently with the Merrill Lynch Exchange, The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. ("PNC") will exchange (i) 17,872,000 shares of BlackRock Common Stock for a like number of  shares of Series B Participating Preferred Stock and (ii) up to 2,940,866 shares of BlackRock Common Stock for a like number of shares of Series C Participating Preferred Stock (as defined herein) (the "PNC Exchanges" and together with the Merrill Lynch Exchange, the "Exchange Transactions");
 
WHEREAS, the parties hereto wish to amend and restate the Original Agreement in its entirety;
 
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of the mutual covenants and obligations hereinafter set forth, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
 
ARTICLE I
 
DEFINITIONS
 
Section 1.1          Certain Defined Terms.  As used herein, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
 

"Affiliate" means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, such specified Person; provided, however, that solely for purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, neither BlackRock nor any of its Controlled Affiliates shall be deemed to be a Subsidiary or Affiliate of Merrill Lynch or Bank of America solely by virtue of the Beneficial Ownership by Merrill Lynch of BlackRock Capital Stock, the election of Directors nominated by Merrill Lynch to the Board, the election of any other Directors nominated by the Board or any other action taken by Merrill Lynch in accordance with the terms and conditions of, and subject to the limitations and restrictions set forth on such Person in, this Agreement (and irrespective of the characteristics of the aforesaid relationships and actions under applicable law or accounting principles).
 
"Agreement" means this Second Amended and Restated Stockholder Agreement as it may be amended, supplemented, restated or modified from time to time.
 
"Beneficial Ownership" by a Person of any securities includes ownership by any Person who, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, has or shares (i) voting power which includes the power to vote, or to direct the voting of, such security; and/or (ii) investment power which includes the power to dispose, or to direct the disposition, of such security; and shall otherwise be interpreted in accordance with the term "beneficial ownership" as defined in Rule 13d-3 adopted by the Commission under the Exchange Act; provided that for purposes of determining Beneficial Ownership, a Person shall be deemed to be the Beneficial Owner of any securities which may be acquired by such Person pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, warrants or options, or otherwise (irrespective of whether the right to acquire such securities is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time, including the passage of time in excess of 60 days, the satisfaction of any conditions, the occurrence of any event or any combination of the foregoing), except that in no event will Merrill Lynch be deemed to Beneficially Own any securities which it has the right to acquire pursuant to Section 2.3 unless, and then only to the extent that, it shall have actually exercised such right.  For purposes of this Agreement, a Person shall be deemed to Beneficially Own any securities Beneficially Owned by its Affiliates (including as Affiliates for this purpose its officers and directors only to the extent they would be Affiliates solely by reason of their equity interest) or any Group of which such Person or any such Affiliate is or becomes a member; provided, however, that securities Beneficially Owned by Merrill Lynch shall not include, for any purpose under this Agreement, any Voting Securities or other securities held by such Person and its Affiliates in trust, managed, brokerage, custodial, nominee or other customer accounts; in trading, inventory, lending or similar accounts of such Person and Affiliates of such Person which are broker-dealers or otherwise engaged in the securities business; or in pooled investment vehicles sponsored, managed and/or advised or subadvised by such Person and its Affiliates except, if they Beneficially Own more than 25% of the ownership interests in a pooled investment vehicle, to the extent of their ownership interests therein; provided that in each case, such securities were acquired in the ordinary course of business of their securities business and not with the intent or purpose of influencing control of BlackRock or avoiding the provisions of this Agreement. The term "Beneficially Own" shall have a correlative meaning.
 
"Board" means the Board of Directors of BlackRock.
 

"Business Day" shall mean any day that is not a Saturday, a Sunday or other day on which banks are required or authorized by law to be closed in New York, New York.
 
"By Laws" means the By-Laws of BlackRock, as amended or supplemented from time to time.
 
"Capital Stock" means, with respect to any Person at any time, any and all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated, whether voting or non-voting) of capital stock, partnership interests (whether general or limited) or equivalent ownership interests in or issued by such Person.
 
A "Change of Control of Merrill Lynch" shall be deemed to occur when the Board of Directors of Merrill Lynch determines that a Change in Control of Merrill Lynch has occurred, as a Change in Control of Merrill Lynch may be defined from time to time by the Board of Directors of Merrill Lynch; provided, however, that at a minimum, a Change in Control of Merrill Lynch shall, without any action by the Board of Directors of Merrill Lynch, be deemed to occur if:
 
(i)           any Person, excluding employee benefit plans of Merrill Lynch, is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of Merrill Lynch representing a majority of the combined voting power of Merrill Lynch's then outstanding securities;
 
(ii)           Merrill Lynch consummates a merger, consolidation, share exchange, division or other reorganization or transaction of Merrill Lynch (a "Fundamental Transaction") with any other Person, other than a Fundamental Transaction that results in the voting securities of Merrill Lynch outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity) at least a majority of the combined voting power immediately after such Fundamental Transaction of (A) Merrill Lynch's outstanding securities, (B) the surviving entity's outstanding securities, or (C) in the case of a division, the outstanding securities of each entity resulting from the division;
 
(iii)          the shareholders of Merrill Lynch approve a plan of complete liquidation or winding-up of Merrill Lynch or an agreement for the sale or disposition (in one transaction or a series of transactions) of all or substantially all Merrill Lynch's assets;
 
(iv)          as a result of a proxy contest, individuals who prior to the conclusion thereof constituted the Board of Directors of Merrill Lynch (including for this purpose any new director whose election or nomination for election by Merrill Lynch's shareholders in connection with such proxy contest was approved by a vote of at least two thirds of the directors then still in office who were directors prior to such proxy contest) cease to constitute at least a majority of the Board of Directors of Merrill Lynch (excluding any Board seat that is vacant or otherwise unoccupied);
 
(v)          during any period of twenty-four (24) consecutive months, individuals who at the beginning of such period constituted the Board of Directors of Merrill Lynch (including for this purpose any new director whose election or nomination for election by Merrill Lynch's shareholders was approved by a vote of at least two thirds of the directors then still in office who were directors at the beginning of such period) cease for any reason to constitute at
 

least a majority of the Board of Directors of Merrill Lynch (excluding any Board seat that is vacant or otherwise unoccupied); or
 
(vi)          Merrill Lynch, directly or indirectly, disposes in one transaction or a series of related transactions of the business segment currently referred to as the Global Private Client business of Merrill Lynch, as the same may be renamed or restructured from time to time.  For purposes of this provision, a disposition shall not be deemed to occur unless it results in the loss of a minimum of 66% of the annual gross revenues (excluding net interest profit and related hedges and adjustments for any extraordinary items) of the Global Private Client segment as measured by reference to the annual gross revenues of the Global Private Client segment (excluding net interest profit and related hedges and adjustments for any extraordinary items) in the four fiscal quarters immediately preceding the first such disposition transaction.  For purposes of this definition, "net interest profit and related hedges" refers to interest revenues less interest expense and includes the allocation to the Global Private Client business of the interest spread earned in Merrill Lynch's banking subsidiaries for deposits, as well as interest earned, net of provisions for loan losses, on securities-based loans, mortgages, small- and middle-market business and other loans, corporate funding allocations, and the interest component of non-qualifying derivatives.
 
"Commission" means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
 
"Common Stock" means the shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of BlackRock and any securities issued in respect thereof, or in substitution therefor, in connection with any stock split, dividend or combination, or any reclassification, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, exchange or other similar reorganization.
 
"control" (including the terms "controlled by" and "under common control with"), with respect to the relationship between or among two or more Persons, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the affairs or management of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, as trustee or executor, by contract or any other means, or otherwise to control such Person within the meaning of such term as used in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.  For purposes of this definition, a general partner or managing member of a Person shall always be considered to control such Person provided, however, that a Person shall not be treated as having any control over any collective investment vehicle to which it provides services unless it and its Affiliates collectively have a proprietary economic interest exceeding 25% of the equity interest in such collective investment vehicle.
 
"Controlled Affiliate" of any Person means a Person that is directly or indirectly controlled by such other Person.
 
"Director" means any member of the Board (other than any advisory, honorary or other non-voting member of the Board).
 
"Equivalent Securities" means at any time shares of any class of Capital Stock or other securities or interests of a Person which are substantially equivalent to the Voting Securities of such Person other than by reason of not having voting rights, including, for the
 

avoidance of doubt, the Series A Participating Preferred Stock, Series B Participating Preferred Stock and Series C Participating Preferred Stock.
 
"Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission from time to time thereunder (or under any successor statute).
 
"Fair Market Value" means, as to any securities or other property, the cash price at which a willing seller would sell and a willing buyer would buy such securities or property in an arm's length negotiated transaction without time constraints. With respect to any securities that are traded on a national securities exchange, Fair Market Value shall mean the arithmetic average of the closing prices of such securities on their principal market for the ten consecutive trading days immediately preceding the applicable date of determination and with respect to shares of Participating Preferred Stock of any series shall be the same price per share as the Fair Market Value per share of the Common Stock. The Fair Market Value of any property or assets, other than securities described in the preceding sentence, with an estimated value of less than 1% of the Fair Market Value of all of the issued and outstanding BlackRock Capital Stock shall be determined by the Board (acting through a majority of the Independent Directors) in its good faith judgment. The Fair Market Value of all other property or assets shall be determined by an Independent Investment Banking Firm, selected by a majority of the Independent Directors, whose determination shall be final and binding on the parties hereto. The fees and expenses of such Independent Investment Banking Firm shall be paid by BlackRock.
 
"Group" shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act.
 
"Independent Director" means any Director who (i) is or would be an "independent director" with respect to BlackRock pursuant to Section 303A.02 of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual (or any successor provision) and (ii) was not nominated or proposed for nomination by or on behalf of, Merrill Lynch, any Significant Stockholder, or any Affiliates or Designated Directors of Merrill Lynch or a Significant Stockholder.
 
"Independent Investment Banking Firm" means an investment banking firm of nationally recognized standing that in the reasonable judgment of the Person or Persons engaging such firm, taking into account any prior relationship with Merrill Lynch, any Significant Stockholder or BlackRock, is independent of such Person or Persons.
 
"Merrill Lynch Alternative Manager" means any asset management business formed or acquired, either in whole or in part, after July 16, 2008 by Merrill Lynch, substantially all of the business of which is the management of collective investment funds and/or separately managed accounts that primarily utilize (i) non-traditional investment techniques, including but not limited to short selling, leverage, arbitrage, specialty finance, and quantitatively-driven structured trades and (ii) other activities that are not a Merrill Lynch Restricted Activity.
 
"Ownership Cap" means, at any time of determination, with respect to Merrill Lynch and its Affiliates, each of (i) 4.9 percent of the Total Voting Power of the Voting
 

Securities of BlackRock issued and outstanding at such time (the "Voting Ownership Cap") and (ii) 49.8 percent of the sum of the Voting Securities and the Participating Preferred Stock of BlackRock issued and outstanding at such time and issuable upon the exercise of any options or other rights outstanding at that time which, if exercised, would result in the issuance of additional Voting Securities or Participating Preferred Stock (the "Total Ownership Cap").
 
"Ownership Percentage" means, with respect to any Person, at any time, the quotient, expressed as a percentage, of (i) with respect to the Voting Ownership Cap (A) the Total Voting Power of all Voting Securities of another Person Beneficially Owned by such Person and its Affiliates divided by (B) the Total Voting Power of all Voting Securities of such other Person issued and outstanding at that time and (ii) with respect to the Total Ownership Cap, (A) the Total Voting Power of all Voting Securities and the total number of Equivalent Securities of another Person Beneficially Owned by such Person and its Affiliates divided by (B) the Total Voting Power of all Voting Securities and the total number of Equivalent Securities of such other Person issued and outstanding at that time and issuable upon the exercise of any options or other rights outstanding at that time which, if exercised, would result in the issuance of additional Voting Securities or Equivalent Securities.
 
"Ownership Threshold" means, at any time of determination, with respect to Merrill Lynch and its Affiliates, 20 percent of the Total Voting Power of the Voting Securities of BlackRock issued and outstanding at such time.
 
"Participating Preferred Stock" means Series A Participating Preferred Stock, Series B Participating Preferred Stock and Series C Participating Preferred Stock.
 
"Person" means any individual, corporation, limited liability company, limited or general partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, other entity, government or any agency or political subdivision thereof or any Group comprised of two or more of the foregoing.
 
"Restricted Person" means each of the entities (and their successors) set forth in that certain letter to be delivered by Merrill Lynch prior to the fifth anniversary of the Closing who Merrill Lynch considers to be the nine organizations most competitive with its overall business; provided, that not more than once in any 12 month period thereafter, Merrill Lynch may, with the consent of a majority of the Independent Directors, which consent, subject to applicable fiduciary duties, shall not be unreasonably withheld, amend such letter; provided, further, that at no time may more than nine entities (together with their Affiliates) be Restricted Persons.
 
"Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission from time to time thereunder (or under any successor statute).
 
"Series A Participating Preferred Stock" means the Series A Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, of BlackRock and any securities issued in respect thereof, or in substitution therefor, or in substitution therefor in connection with any stock split,
 

dividend or combination, or any reclassification, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, exchange or other similar reorganization.
 
"Series B Participating Preferred Stock" means the Series B Convertible Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, of BlackRock and any securities issued in respect thereof, or in substitution therefor, or in substitution therefor in connection with any stock split, dividend or combination, or any reclassification, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, exchange or other similar reorganization.
 
"Series C Participating Preferred Stock" means the Series C Convertible Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, of BlackRock and any securities issued in respect thereof, or in substitution therefor, or in substitution therefor in connection with any stock split, dividend or combination, or any reclassification, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, exchange or other similar reorganization.
 
"Significant Stockholder" means, at any time of determination, any Person other than Merrill Lynch and its Affiliates that Beneficially Owns 20 percent or more of the BlackRock Capital Stock issued and outstanding at such time.
 
"Subsidiary" means, with respect to any Person, any corporation or other organization, whether incorporated or unincorporated, (i) of which such Person or any other Subsidiary of such Person is a general partner (excluding partnerships, the general partnership interests of which held by such Person or any Subsidiary of such Person do not have a majority of the voting or similar interests in such partnership), or (ii) at least a majority of the securities or other interests of which having by their terms ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors or others performing similar functions with respect to such corporation or other organization is directly or indirectly owned or controlled by such Person or by any one or more of its Subsidiaries, or by such Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries.
 
"Total Voting Power" means the total number of votes entitled to be cast by the holders of the outstanding Capital Stock and any other securities entitled, in the ordinary course, to vote on matters put before the holders of the Capital Stock generally.
 
"Transfer" means, directly or indirectly, to sell, transfer, assign, pledge, encumber, hypothecate or similarly dispose of (by operation of law or otherwise), either voluntarily or involuntarily, or to enter into any contract, option or other arrangement or understanding with respect to the sale, transfer, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or similar disposition of (by operation of law or otherwise), any Capital Stock or any interest in any Capital Stock; provided, however, that a merger, amalgamation, plan of arrangement or consolidation or similar business combination transaction in which Merrill Lynch is a constituent corporation (or otherwise a party including, for the avoidance of doubt, a transaction pursuant to which a Person acquires all or a portion of Merrill Lynch's outstanding Capital Stock, whether by tender or exchange offer, by share exchange, or otherwise) shall not be deemed to be the Transfer of any BlackRock Capital Stock Beneficially Owned by Merrill Lynch, provided that the primary purpose of any such transaction is not to avoid the provisions of this Agreement and that the successor or surviving person to such a merger, amalgamation, plan of arrangement or consolidation or similar business combination transaction, if not Merrill Lynch, expressly
 

assumes all obligations of Merrill Lynch under this Agreement.  For purposes of this Agreement, the term Transfer shall include the sale of an Affiliate of Merrill Lynch or Merrill Lynch's interest in an Affiliate which Beneficially Owns BlackRock Capital Stock unless such Transfer is in connection with a merger, amalgamation, plan of arrangement or consolidation or similar business combination transaction referred to in the first proviso of the previous sentence.
 
"Voting Securities" means at any time shares of any class of Capital Stock or other securities or interests of a Person which are then entitled to vote generally, and not solely upon the occurrence and during the continuation of certain specified events, in the election of Directors or Persons performing a similar function with respect to such Person, and any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable at the option of the holder thereof for such shares of Capital Stock.
 
Section 1.2          Other Defined Terms.  The following terms shall have the meanings defined for such terms in the Sections set forth below:
 
 
TERM
SECTION
 
 
Additional BlackRock Stock Purchase
Section 2.3
 
 
Bank of America
Preamble
 
 
BlackRock
Preamble
 
 
BlackRock Party
Section 3.3(a)
 
 
BlackRock Restricted Activities
Section 5.1(a)
 
 
Closing
Section 2.1(d)
 
 
DGCL
Section 1.4
 
 
Exchange Transactions
Preamble
 
 
Final Transfer Notice
Section 3.2
 
 
Initial Transfer Notice
Section 3.2(b)
 
 
Last Look Price
Section 3.2(b)
 
 
Litigation
Section 6.11(a)
 
 
Management Designee
Section 4.1(a)
 
 
Merger Change of Control
Preamble
 
 
Merrill Lynch
Preamble
 
 
Merrill Lynch Designee
Section 4.1(a)
 
 
Merrill Lynch Exchanges
Preamble
 
 
Merrill Lynch Merger
Preamble
 
 
Merrill Lynch Public Filings
Section 4.5(b)
 
 
Merrill Lynch Restricted Activities
Section 5.1(a)
 
 
PNC
Preamble
 
 
PNC Exchanges
Preamble
 
 
Prohibited Actions
Section 2.2(h)
 
 
Related Person
Section 4.7
 
 
Significant Stockholder Designee
Section 4.1(a)
 
 
Stock Issuance
Section 2.3
 
 
Transaction Agreement
Section 2.1(d)
 
 
Transferring Party
Section 3.2(b)
 
       


 
Section 1.3         Other Definitional Provisions.  The words "hereof", "herein" and "hereunder" and words of similar import when used in this Agreement shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement, and Article and Section references are to this Agreement unless otherwise specified.
 
The meanings given to terms defined herein shall be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of such terms.
 
Section 1.4         Methodology for Calculations.  For purposes of calculating the number of outstanding shares of BlackRock Capital Stock or Voting Securities and the number of shares of BlackRock Capital Stock or Voting Securities Beneficially Owned by any Person as of any date, any shares of BlackRock Capital Stock or Voting Securities held in BlackRock's treasury or belonging to any Subsidiaries of BlackRock which are not entitled to be voted or counted for purposes of determining the presence of a quorum pursuant to Section 160(c) of the Delaware General Corporation Law (or any successor statute (the "DGCL")) shall be disregarded.
 
ARTICLE II
 
SHARE OWNERSHIP
 
Section 2.1         Acquisition of Additional BlackRock Capital Stock. 
 
(a)           Except as provided in paragraph (b) below Merrill Lynch covenants and agrees with BlackRock that it shall not, and shall not permit any of its Affiliates to, directly or indirectly, acquire, offer or propose to acquire or agree to acquire, whether by purchase, tender or exchange offer, through the acquisition of control of another Person (whether by way of merger, consolidation or otherwise), by joining a partnership, syndicate or other Group or otherwise, the Beneficial Ownership of any additional BlackRock Capital Stock, if after giving effect to such acquisition or action, it would Beneficially Own BlackRock Capital Stock representing more than its Voting Ownership Cap or Total Ownership Cap.
 
(b)           Notwithstanding the foregoing, the acquisition (whether by merger, consolidation, exchange of equity interests, purchase of all or part of the equity interests or assets or otherwise) by Merrill Lynch or an Affiliate thereof of any Person that Beneficially Owns BlackRock Capital Stock, or the acquisition of BlackRock Capital Stock in connection with securing or collecting a debt previously contracted in good faith in the ordinary course of Merrill Lynch's or such Affiliate's banking, brokerage or securities business, shall not constitute a violation of its Ownership Cap; provided that (i) the primary purpose of any such transaction is not to avoid the provisions of this Agreement, including its Ownership Cap, and (ii) in the case of an acquisition of another Person, it uses reasonable best efforts to negotiate terms in connection with the relevant acquisition agreement requiring such other Person to divest itself of sufficient BlackRock Capital Stock it Beneficially Owns so that its Voting Ownership Cap and its Total Ownership Cap would not be exceeded pro forma for the acquisition, with such divestiture to be effected concurrently with, or as promptly as practicable following, the consummation of such acquisition (but in no event more than 120 days following such consummation, or such longer period not in excess of 243 days following such consummation as may be necessary due to the possession of material non-public information or so that neither it
 

nor any of its Affiliates incurs any liability under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act if, for purposes of Section 16(b), they have not acquired Beneficial Ownership of any other shares of BlackRock Capital Stock or derivatives thereof after the date of the transaction that resulted in Merrill Lynch exceeding its Ownership Cap) and the successor or surviving Person to such transaction, if not Merrill Lynch or such Affiliate, expressly assumes all obligations of Merrill Lynch or such Affiliate, as the case may be, under this Agreement; and provided, further, that the provisions of paragraph (c) below are complied with.
 
(c)           i) If at any time Merrill Lynch and any of its Affiliates Beneficially Own in the aggregate BlackRock Capital Stock representing more than its Voting Ownership Cap or Total Ownership Cap, then Merrill Lynch shall, as soon as is reasonably practicable (but in no event longer than 120 days after its Ownership Percentage first exceeds its Voting Ownership Cap or Total Ownership Cap or such longer period not in excess of 243 days following such consummation as may be necessary due to the possession of material non-public information or so that neither it nor any of its Affiliates incurs any liability under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act if, for purposes of Section 16(b), they have not acquired Beneficial Ownership of any other shares of BlackRock Capital Stock or derivatives thereof after the date of the transaction that resulted in Merrill Lynch exceeding its Ownership Cap) Transfer (in any manner that would be permitted by Section 3.2(b) after the lapse of any minimum holding period) a number of shares of BlackRock Capital Stock sufficient to reduce the amount of BlackRock Capital Stock Beneficially Owned by it and its Affiliates to an amount representing not greater than its Ownership Cap.
 
  (ii)           Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, in no event may Merrill Lynch or any of its Affiliates, directly or indirectly, including through any agreement or arrangement, exercise any voting rights, during the term of this Agreement, in respect of any BlackRock Capital Stock Beneficially Owned by it and its Affiliates representing in excess of its Voting Ownership Cap.
 
(d)           Any additional BlackRock Capital Stock acquired and Beneficially Owned by Merrill Lynch or any of its Affiliates following the Closing (the "Closing") of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of February 15,  2006 (the "Transaction Agreement") shall be subject to the restrictions contained in this Agreement as fully as if such shares of BlackRock Capital Stock were acquired by it at or prior to the Closing.
 
(e)           Notwithstanding Section 2.1(a), Merrill Lynch shall not and shall cause its Affiliates not to acquire Beneficial Ownership of any shares of BlackRock Capital Stock from any Person other than BlackRock or a Significant Stockholder (other than pursuant to an acquisition effected in a manner contemplated by Section 2.1(b)) if after giving effect to such acquisition Merrill Lynch, together with its Affiliates, would Beneficially Own BlackRock Capital Stock representing more than 90 percent of its Voting Ownership Cap.
 
Section 2.2         Prohibition of Certain Communications and Actions. Merrill Lynch shall not and shall cause its Affiliates and its and their directors officers and other agents not to (w) solicit, seek or offer to effect, or effect, (x) negotiate with or provide any information to the Board, any director or officer of BlackRock, any stockholder of BlackRock, any employee or union or other labor organization representing employees of BlackRock or any other Person
 

with respect to, (y) make any statement or proposal, whether written or oral, either alone or in concert with others, to the Board, any director or officer of BlackRock or any stockholder of, any employee or union or other labor organization representing employees of BlackRock or any other Person with respect to, or (z) make any public announcement (except as required by law in respect of actions permitted hereby) or proposal or offer whatsoever (including, but not limited to, any "solicitation" of "proxies" as such terms are defined or used in Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act) with respect to:
 
(a)           any acquisition, offer to acquire, or agreement to acquire, directly or indirectly, by purchase or any other action the purpose or result of which would be to Beneficially Own (i) BlackRock Capital Stock or Voting Stock of any successor to or person in control of BlackRock in an amount which, when added to any other BlackRock Capital Stock then Beneficially Owned by Merrill Lynch and any of its Affiliates would cause the total amount of BlackRock Voting Securities Beneficially Owned by Merrill Lynch to exceed its Voting Ownership Cap or Total Ownership Cap, (ii) any equity securities of any Controlled Affiliate of BlackRock, (in each case except to the extent such acquisition, offer or agreement would be permissible under Section 2.1),
 
(b)           any form of business combination or similar or other extraordinary transaction involving BlackRock or any Controlled Affiliate thereof, including, without limitation, a merger, tender or exchange offer or sale of any substantial portion of the assets of BlackRock or any Controlled Affiliate of BlackRock,
 
(c)           any form of restructuring, recapitalization or similar transaction with respect to BlackRock or any Controlled Affiliate of BlackRock,
 
(d)           any purchase of any assets, or any right to acquire any asset (through purchase, exchange, conversion or otherwise), of BlackRock or any Controlled Affiliate of BlackRock, other than investment assets of BlackRock or any Controlled Affiliate of BlackRock in the ordinary course of its banking, brokerage or securities business and other than an insubstantial portion of such assets in the ordinary course of business,
 
(e)           being a member of a Group for the purpose of acquiring, holding or disposing of any shares of BlackRock Capital Stock or any Controlled Affiliate of BlackRock,
 
(f)           selling any share of BlackRock Capital Stock in an unsolicited tender offer that is opposed by the Board,
 
(g)           any proposal to seek representation on the Board except as contemplated by this Agreement or, other than as permitted by the proviso to Section 4.6(a) of this Agreement, any proposal to seek to control or influence the management, Board or policies of BlackRock or any Controlled Affiliate of BlackRock, or
 
(h)           encourage, join, act in concert with or assist (including, but not limited to, providing or assisting in any way in the obtaining of financing for, or acting as a joint or co-bidder with) any third party to do any of the foregoing (the actions referred to in the foregoing provisions of this sentence being referred to as "Prohibited Actions").  If at any time Merrill Lynch or any Affiliate thereof is approached by any Person requesting Merrill Lynch or any
 

Affiliate to instigate, encourage, join, act in concert with or assist any Person in a Prohibited Action involving the assets, businesses or securities of BlackRock or any of its Controlled Affiliates or any other Prohibited Actions, Merrill Lynch will promptly inform BlackRock of the nature of such contact and the parties thereto.
 
Nothing in this Section 2.2 shall limit the ability of any Director, including any Merrill Lynch Designee, to vote in his or her capacity as a Director in such manner as he or she sees fit.
 
Section 2.3         Purchases of Additional Securities.  At any time that BlackRock effects an issuance (a "Stock Issuance") of additional Voting Securities or Equivalent Securities other than in connection with any employee restricted stock, stock option, incentive or other benefit plan to any Person or Persons other than Merrill Lynch or any Affiliate thereof, Merrill Lynch shall, subject to Section 2.1, have the right to purchase from BlackRock (in each instance, an "Additional BlackRock Stock Purchase") (i) additional shares of Participating Preferred Stock such that following such Stock Issuance and such purchase Merrill Lynch and its Affiliates will Beneficially Own shares and/or other securities representing the lesser of (A) the lesser of Merrill Lynch's Voting Ownership Cap and its Total Ownership Cap and (B) the same Ownership Percentage of Merrill Lynch's Voting Ownership Cap and Total Ownership Cap as they Beneficially Owned immediately prior to such Stock Issuance and (ii) if the total of all Stock Issuances including the Stock Issuance in question since the Closing has the effect, after taking into account any repurchases of BlackRock Capital Stock by BlackRock since the Closing and any Transfers of BlackRock Capital Stock by Merrill Lynch and its Affiliates in accordance with Section 3.2(b)(i) or (ii), of decreasing the Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock issued and outstanding after giving effect to such Stock Issuance Beneficially Owned by Merrill Lynch and its Affiliates to 90% or less of Merrill Lynch's Voting Ownership Cap, additional Voting Securities of the same class or series issued in the Stock Issuance such that following such Stock Issuance and such purchase Merrill Lynch and its Affiliates will Beneficially Own shares and/or other securities representing the lesser of (x) Merrill Lynch's Voting Ownership Cap and (y) the same Ownership Percentage of Merrill Lynch's Voting Ownership Cap as Merrill Lynch's and its Affiliates Beneficially Owned immediately prior to such Stock Issuance. If Merrill Lynch exercises such right within 30 days after the pricing date of such Stock Issuance and if the purchaser or purchasers of Voting Securities in such Stock Issuance pays cash in consideration for such securities, Merrill Lynch shall pay an equal per security amount of cash consideration in the Additional BlackRock Stock Purchase following such Stock Issuance.  In all other cases, the price that Merrill Lynch shall pay to purchase the additional securities shall be the Fair Market Value per unit of the class or series of securities. BlackRock shall give Merrill Lynch written notice of any Stock Issuance as far in advance as practicable and on the date of completion.
 
Section 2.4         BlackRock Share Repurchases.  If BlackRock engages in any share repurchase program or self-tender that has the effect of causing Merrill Lynch's Beneficial Ownership of BlackRock Capital Stock to exceed its Voting Ownership Cap or Total Ownership Cap, subject to any restrictions in the Exchange Act, Merrill Lynch shall, at the request of BlackRock, promptly sell such number of shares of BlackRock Capital Stock to BlackRock as shall cause its Beneficial Ownership of BlackRock Capital Stock not to exceed its Voting Ownership Cap or Total Ownership Cap.
 

ARTICLE III
 
TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS
 
Section 3.1         General Transfer Restrictions.  The right of Merrill Lynch and its Affiliates to Transfer any BlackRock Capital Stock is subject to the restrictions set forth in this Article III, and no Transfer of BlackRock Capital Stock by Merrill Lynch or any of its Affiliates may be effected except in compliance with this Article III. Any attempted Transfer in violation of this Agreement shall be of no effect and null and void, regardless of whether the purported transferee has any actual or constructive knowledge of the Transfer restrictions set forth in this Agreement, and shall not be recorded on the stock transfer books of BlackRock.
 
Section 3.2         Restrictions on Transfer. 
 
(a)           Without the prior written consent of BlackRock (acting through a majority of the Independent Directors), during an initial period of three years following the Closing, Merrill Lynch shall not, and shall not permit its Affiliates to, Transfer any Beneficially Owned BlackRock Capital Stock or agree to Transfer, directly or indirectly, any Beneficially Owned BlackRock Capital Stock; provided that the foregoing restriction shall not prohibit Merrill Lynch or any of its Affiliates from Transferring any Beneficially Owned BlackRock Capital Stock (i) to BlackRock pursuant to Section 2.4 or (ii) to an Affiliate of Merrill Lynch that agrees in writing with BlackRock to be bound by this Agreement as fully as if it were an initial signatory hereto.
 
(b)           Following the third anniversary of the Closing, Merrill Lynch shall not, and shall not permit its Affiliates to, Transfer any Beneficially Owned BlackRock Capital Stock or agree to Transfer, directly or indirectly, any Beneficially Owned BlackRock Capital Stock; provided that the foregoing restriction shall not be applicable to Transfers:
 
  (i)           to an Affiliate of Merrill Lynch which agrees in writing with BlackRock to be bound by this Agreement as fully as if it were an initial signatory hereto;
 
  (ii)           pursuant to the restrictions of Rule 144 under the Securities Act applicable to sales of securities by Affiliates of an issuer (regardless of whether Merrill Lynch is deemed at such time to be an Affiliate of BlackRock) to any Person who after giving effect to such Transfer would not Beneficially Own BlackRock Capital Stock representing in the aggregate more than 5% of the Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock issued and outstanding;
 
  (iii)           pursuant to privately negotiated transactions, in each calendar quarter in an amount not in excess (together with Transfers pursuant to Section 3.2(b)(ii) and (iv) during such calendar quarter) of 4.5% of the Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock issued and outstanding to any Person who after giving effect to such Transfer would not Beneficially Own BlackRock Capital Stock representing in the aggregate more than 5% of the Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock issued and outstanding; provided, that Merrill Lynch or the Affiliate proposing to Transfer pursuant to this Section 3.2(b)(iii) (the "Transferring Party") promptly provide to BlackRock written notice (an "Initial Transfer Notice"), stating such Transferring Party's intention to effect such a Transfer, and stating that Merrill Lynch will
 

comply with the provisions of Section 3.3 and prior to making any Transfer or entering into any definitive agreement to do so shall provide to BlackRock a further written notice (a "Final Transfer Notice") stating such Transferring Party's intention to effect the specific transfer described therein (including price and terms (the "Last Look Price"));
 
   (iv)           in each calendar quarter, in an amount not in excess (together with Transfers pursuant to Section 3.2(b)(ii) and (iii)) of 4.5% of the Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock issued and outstanding, pursuant to a distribution to the public, registered under the Securities Act, in which Merrill Lynch uses its commercially reasonable efforts to (A) effect as wide a distribution of such BlackRock Capital Stock as is reasonably practicable, and (B) not knowingly sell BlackRock Capital Stock to any Person who after consummation of such offering would have Beneficial Ownership of BlackRock Capital Stock representing in the aggregate more than 5% of the Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock; or
 
   (v)           with the prior written consent of a majority of the Independent Directors.
 
(c)           Subject to Sections 3.2(a) and (b), if Merrill Lynch wishes or is required to Transfer an amount of BlackRock Capital Stock constituting more than 10% of the Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock, Merrill Lynch shall coordinate with BlackRock regarding optimizing the manner of distribution and sale of such shares, including whether such sale should occur through an underwritten offering and shall cooperate in the marketing of any such offering.
 
(d)           Merrill Lynch shall reimburse BlackRock for any fees and expenses incurred in connection with any Transfer by Merrill Lynch pursuant to this Section 3.2 (other than any Transfer pursuant to Sections 3.3(a) and 3.3(b)).
 
Section 3.3         Right of Last Refusal.
 
(a)           Upon receipt of a Final Transfer Notice, unless the proposed Transfer described therein is being made in a tax-free Transfer to a charitable organization or foundation, BlackRock will have an irrevocable and transferable option to purchase all of the BlackRock Capital Stock subject to such Final Transfer Notice at the Last Look Price and otherwise on the terms and conditions described in the Final Transfer Notice.  BlackRock and/or its transferees (collectively and/or separately, the "BlackRock Party") shall, within 10 Business Days from receipt of the Final Transfer Notice, indicate if it intends to exercise such option by sending irrevocable written notice of any such exercise to the Transferring Party, and such BlackRock Party shall then be obligated to purchase all such BlackRock Capital Stock on terms and conditions no less favorable (other than date of closing) to Transferring Party than those set forth in the Final Transfer Notice.
 
(b)           If a BlackRock Party elects to purchase all of such BlackRock Capital Stock, the BlackRock Party and the Transferring Party shall be legally obligated to consummate such transaction and shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to consummate such transaction as promptly as practicable but in any event within 10 Business Days following the delivery of such election notice or, if later, 5 Business Days after receipt of all required
 

regulatory approvals (but in no event more than 60 days after the delivery of such election notice).
 
(c)           If a BlackRock Party does not elect to purchase all of such BlackRock Capital Stock pursuant to this Section 3.3 (or if, having made such election, does not complete such purchase within the applicable time period specified in Section 3.3(b)), then the Transferring Party shall be free for a period of 30 days from the date the election notice was due to be received from a BlackRock Party to enter into definitive agreements to Transfer such BlackRock Capital Stock in accordance with Section 3.2(b)(ii) for not less than the Last Look Price; provided that any such definitive agreement provides for the consummation of such Transfer to take place within nine months from the date of such definitive agreement and is otherwise on terms not more favorable to the transferee in any material respect than were contained in the Final Transfer Notice.  In the event that the Transferring Party has not entered into such a definitive agreement with such 30-day period, or has so entered into such an agreement but has not consummated the sale of such BlackRock Capital Stock within nine months from the date of such definitive agreement, then the provisions of this Section 3.3 shall again apply, and such Transferring Party shall not Transfer or offer to Transfer such BlackRock Capital Stock not so Transferred without again complying with this Section 3.3, to the extent applicable.
 
(d)           Each of the time periods set forth in Section 3.3(a)-(c) above shall be doubled if the number of shares Merrill Lynch seeks to Transfer (as set forth in the Final Transfer Notice) exceeds 4.5% of the Total Voting Power of the BlackRock Capital Stock, or shares of Series B Preferred Stock convertible upon transfer into in excess of 4.5% of the Total Voting Power of the BlackRock Capital Stock, issued and outstanding at that time.
 
Section 3.4         Legend on Securities.
 
(a)           Each certificate representing shares of BlackRock Capital Stock Beneficially Owned by Merrill Lynch or its Affiliates and subject to the terms of this Agreement shall bear the following legend on the face thereof:
 
"THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER AND CERTAIN OTHER LIMITATIONS SET FORTH IN A CERTAIN SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED STOCKHOLDER AGREEMENT DATED AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2008, BETWEEN BLACKROCK, INC. (THE "COMPANY") AND MERRILL LYNCH & CO, INC., AS THE SAME MAY BE AMENDED FROM TIME TO TIME (THE "AGREEMENT"), COPIES OF WHICH AGREEMENT ARE ON FILE AT THE PRINCIPAL OFFICE OF THE COMPANY."
 
(b)           Upon any acquisition by Merrill Lynch or any of its Affiliates of additional shares of BlackRock Capital Stock, Merrill Lynch shall, or shall cause such Affiliate to, submit the certificates representing such shares of BlackRock Capital Stock to BlackRock so that the legend required by this Section 3.4 may be placed thereon (if not so endorsed upon issuance).
 

(c)           BlackRock may make a notation on its records or give instructions to any transfer agents or registrars for BlackRock Capital Stock in order to implement the restrictions on Transfer set forth in this Agreement.
 
(d)           In connection with any Transfer of shares of Beneficially Owned BlackRock Capital Stock, the transferor shall provide BlackRock with such customary certificates, opinions and other documents as BlackRock may reasonably request to assure that such Transfer complies fully with this Agreement and with applicable securities and other laws.  In connection with any Transfer pursuant to Section 3.2(b)(ii), (iii) or (iv), BlackRock shall remove such portion of the foregoing legend as is appropriate in the circumstances.
 
Section 3.5         Change of Control.  Upon a Change of Control of Merrill Lynch within the first five years after the Closing, Merrill Lynch (or any successor Person) shall, (a) within 30 days of such Change of Control, initiate and thereafter as promptly as practicable (consistent with applicable legal requirements) Transfer in accordance with the provisions of Sections 3.2 and/or 3.3 of this Agreement (or such other manner as the parties shall have agreed is optimal in the circumstances and will not result in an "assignment" of any investment advisory agreements of BlackRock and its Controlled Affiliates under the U.S. Investment Advisers Act of 1940) such number of Voting Securities of BlackRock as shall be necessary to reduce to 24.9 percent the Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock Beneficially Owned by Merrill Lynch and its Affiliates immediately after giving effect to such Change of Control or, at the election of Merrill Lynch, (b) Merrill Lynch shall exchange all of its shares of Common Stock for shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock or Series B Participating Preferred Stock on the basis of one share of Series A Participating Preferred Stock or Series B Participating Preferred Stock, as applicable, for each share of Common Stock so exchanged and shall agree to elect cash dividends on all such shares, and BlackRock shall effect such exchange. The parties shall cooperate in completing and marketing such Transfer, and shall take into account all relevant considerations, including market conditions, in determining the timing and manner of such Transfer.
 
ARTICLE IV
 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
 
Section 4.1         Composition of the Board
 
(a)            Following the Closing, BlackRock and Merrill Lynch shall each use its best efforts to cause the election at each meeting of stockholders of BlackRock of such nominees reasonably acceptable to the Board such that there are no more than 17 Directors; there are not more than four Directors who are members of BlackRock management (each a "Management Designee"); there are two Directors, each in a different class, who are individuals designated in writing to BlackRock by Merrill Lynch (each, a "Merrill Lynch Designee"); there are two Directors, each in a different class, who are individuals designated in writing to BlackRock by a Person who is a Significant Stockholder and has held such status since prior to the date of the Transaction Agreement (each, a "Significant Stockholder Designee"); and the remaining Directors are Independent Directors.
 

(b)           Following the Closing, upon the resignation, retirement or other removal from office of any Management Designee or Merrill Lynch Designee (i) BlackRock or Merrill Lynch, as the case may be, shall be entitled promptly to designate a replacement Management Designee or Merrill Lynch Designee, as the case may be, who meets the qualifications of a Director and is reasonably acceptable to the Board and (ii) BlackRock and Merrill Lynch shall each use its best efforts to cause the appointment or election of such replacement designee as a Director by the other Directors or by the stockholders of BlackRock.
 
Section 4.2         Vote Required for Board Action; Board Quorum.
 
(a)           Except as provided in this Section 4.2 and in Section 4.7, any determination or other action of or by the Board (other than action by unanimous written consent in lieu of a meeting) shall require the affirmative vote or consent, at a meeting at which a quorum is present, of a majority of directors present at such meeting.
 
(b)           In addition to the requirements of Section 4.2(a), BlackRock shall not enter into or effectuate any of the following transactions without the prior approval of either all of the Independent Directors then in office, or at least two-thirds of the Directors then in office, at a meeting with respect to which such transaction was specifically described in a written notice of meeting called at least two Business Days in advance; provided, however, that if a Director is not present (for the avoidance of doubt, a Director may attend, and be counted as present, at a meeting telephonically) at either of two meetings called and noticed in the foregoing manner to consider such transaction, such Director shall be deemed, solely for purposes of this Section 4.2(b), not to be a Director then in office if such Director is not present at the third meeting called and noticed in the foregoing manner to consider such transaction:
 
  (i)           appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer of BlackRock;
 
  (ii)           any merger, consolidation, exchange of shares, issuance of shares or similar transaction as a result of which a majority of the Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock or the Person surviving such transaction issued and outstanding immediately after giving effect to such transaction would be Beneficially Owned by one or more Persons other than Persons holding a majority of the Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock Issued and outstanding prior to the occurrence of such transaction, or any sale of all or substantially all of the assets of BlackRock to any Person;
 
  (iii)          any acquisition, whether by merger, consolidation, exchange of equity interests, purchase of equity interests or assets or similar transaction of any Person or business the consolidated net income after taxes of which for its preceding fiscal year equals or exceeds 20% of BlackRock's consolidated net income after taxes for it preceding fiscal year if such acquisition involves the current or potential issuance of BlackRock Capital Stock constituting more than 10% of the Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock issued and outstanding immediately after completion of such acquisition;
 
  (iv)          any acquisition, whether by merger, consolidation, exchange of equity interests, purchase of equity interests or assets or similar transaction of any Person or business constituting a line of business that is materially different from the lines of business
 

BlackRock and its Controlled Affiliates are engaged in immediately prior to such acquisition if such acquisition involves consideration in excess of 10% of the total assets of BlackRock on a consolidated basis;
 
   (v)           except for repurchases pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, any repurchase by BlackRock or any Subsidiary of BlackRock of shares of BlackRock Capital Stock such that after giving effect to such repurchase BlackRock and its Subsidiaries shall have repurchased more than 10% of the Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock within the 12-month period ending on the date of such repurchase;
 
   (vi)          any amendment, modification or waiver of BlackRock's Certificate of Incorporation;
 
   (vii)         any matter requiring stockholder approval pursuant to the New York Stock Exchange listed company manual;
 
   (viii)        any amendment, modification or waiver (as distinct from a consent or approval provided therein) of any restriction or prohibition on Merrill Lynch or its Affiliates provided for herein or any amendment, modification or waiver (as distinct from a consent or approval provided for therein) of any restriction or prohibition on a Significant Stockholder or its Affiliates provided for in a stockholders agreement between BlackRock and such Significant Stockholder;
 
provided, however, that if a Change of Control of Merrill Lynch occurs prior to the fifth anniversary of the Closing, the provisions of this Section 4.2(b) shall immediately cease.
 
(c)           In addition to the requirements of Section 4.2(a) and (b), BlackRock shall not enter into any agreement providing for, or effectuate any of the following transactions without the prior written approval of Merrill Lynch:
 
  (i)           until the fifth anniversary of the Closing, (A) any merger, consolidation, exchange of shares, issuance of shares or similar transaction as a result of which a majority of the Total Voting Power of the Capital Stock of BlackRock or the Person surviving such transaction issued and outstanding immediately after giving effect to such transactions would be Beneficially Owned by one or more Persons other than Persons holding a majority of the Total Voting Power of the BlackRock Capital Stock issued and outstanding prior to the occurrence of such transaction or (B), in the case of a merger, consolidation, exchange of shares, issuance of shares or similar transaction that is not covered by clause (A) above, more than 20% of the Total Voting Power of the Capital Stock of BlackRock or the other Person surviving such transaction issued and outstanding immediately after giving effect to such transaction would be Beneficially Owned by any Person who Beneficially Owned less than 20% of the Total Voting Power of the BlackRock Capital Stock or of the Capital Stock of such other Person immediately prior to such transaction;
 
  (ii)           after the fifth anniversary of the Closing, any merger, consolidation, exchange of shares, issuance of shares or similar transaction as a result of which a majority of the Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock would be Beneficially Owned
 

by a Restricted Person or any sale of all or substantially all of the assets of BlackRock to any Restricted Person;
 
  (iii)          any sale, whether by merger, consolidation, exchange of equity interests, sale of equity interests in or assets or similar transaction of any Subsidiary if the annualized revenues of such Subsidiary or assets, together with the annualized revenues of all other Subsidiaries so disposed of within the 12-month period ending on the date of such sales exceeds more than 20% of the annualized revenues of BlackRock for the preceding fiscal year on a consolidated basis;
 
  (iv)          any acquisition, whether by merger, consolidation, exchange of equity interests, purchase of equity interests or assets or similar transaction of any Person or business which would be reasonably likely in the opinion of counsel to Merrill Lynch require Merrill Lynch to register with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System as a bank holding company or become subject to regulation, supervision or restrictions under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, the Change of Bank Control Act or Section 10 of the Homeowners Loan Act;
 
  (v)          any amendment, modification, repeal or waiver of Section 3.2 of BlackRock's By-Laws or of BlackRock's Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws that would be viewed by a reasonable Person as being adverse to the rights of Merrill Lynch or more favorable to the rights of a Significant Stockholder than to the rights of Merrill Lynch;
 
  (vi)          any settlement or consent in a regulatory enforcement matter that would be reasonably likely, in the opinion of counsel to Merrill Lynch, to cause Merrill Lynch or any of its Affiliates to suffer (A) any regulatory disqualification, (B) suspension of registration or license or (C) other material adverse regulatory consequence (which approval may not be unreasonably withheld in the case of this clause (C));
 
  (vii)         any amendment, modification or waiver (as distinct from a consent or approval provided for therein) of any provision of a stockholders agreement between BlackRock and a Significant Stockholder that would be viewed by a reasonable Person as being adverse to Merrill Lynch or materially more favorable to the rights of such Significant Stockholder thereunder than to the rights of Merrill Lynch hereunder; or
 
  (viii)        any voluntary bankruptcy or similar filing or declaration by BlackRock.
 
provided, however, that if a Change of Control of Merrill Lynch occurs prior to the fifth anniversary of the Closing, the provisions of Section 4.2(c)(i), (ii) and (iii) shall immediately cease.
 
(d)           A quorum for any meeting of the Board shall require the presence of a majority of the total number of Directors then in office.
 
Section 4.3         Committees.  To the extent permitted by applicable laws, rules and regulations (including any requirements under the Exchange Act or the rules of the New York Stock Exchange or any other applicable securities exchange on which the Common Stock is then
 

listed) and except as otherwise determined by the Board (in accordance with Section 4.2) each committee of the Board shall consist of a majority of Independent Directors, the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee and, to the extent required by applicable laws, rules and regulations and self-regulatory organization requirements, the Nominating Committee shall consist entirely of Independent Directors and the Executive Committee shall consist of not less than five members of which one shall be a Merrill Lynch Designee. Subject to Sections 4.2 and 4.7 all decisions of such committees shall require the affirmative vote of a majority of the Directors then serving on such committee.
 
Section 4.4         Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws to be Consistent.  Each of BlackRock and Merrill Lynch shall use its best efforts to take or cause to be taken all lawful action necessary or appropriate to ensure that at all times the Certificate of Incorporation and the Bylaws of BlackRock contain provisions consistent with the terms of this Agreement (including without limitation this Article IV) and none of the Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of BlackRock or any of the corresponding constituent documents of BlackRock's Subsidiaries contain any provisions inconsistent therewith or which would in any way nullify or impair the terms of this Agreement or the rights of BlackRock or Merrill Lynch hereunder. Neither BlackRock nor Merrill Lynch shall take or cause to be taken any action inconsistent with the terms of this Agreement (including without limitation this Article IV) or the rights of BlackRock or Merrill Lynch hereunder.
 
Section 4.5         Information Rights. 
 
(a)           BlackRock acknowledges that the investments of Merrill Lynch in BlackRock are material and strategic to it. Accordingly, BlackRock shall provide to Merrill Lynch, on an ongoing and current basis, such access to and information with respect to BlackRock's business, operations, plans and prospects as either of them may from time to time reasonably determine it requires in order to appropriately manage and evaluate its investment in BlackRock.
 
(b)           Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, for so long as Merrill Lynch is required (the "Equity Accounting Period") to account for its investment in BlackRock under the equity method of accounting (determined in accordance with GAAP as applicable to Merrill Lynch), BlackRock agrees that:
 
  (i)           BlackRock shall provide Merrill Lynch with (A) consolidated financial results for the latest available period of the BlackRock consolidated group (the "BlackRock Group") in order to allow Merrill Lynch to prepare its US regulatory filings under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Merrill Lynch Public Filings"), including Merrill Lynch's quarterly financial statements and annual audited financial statements and (B) such financial information or documents in the possession of BlackRock and any of its Subsidiaries as Merrill Lynch may reasonably request; and
 
  (ii)           BlackRock shall cooperate, and use its reasonable best efforts to cause BlackRock's independent certified public accounts ("BlackRock's Auditors") to cooperate, with Merrill Lynch to the extent reasonably requested by Merrill Lynch in the preparation of Merrill Lynch's public earnings releases or other press releases, Current Reports on Form 8-K,
 

Annual Reports to Shareholders, Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and any other proxy, information and registration statements, reports, notices, prospectuses and any other filings made by Merrill Lynch with the Commission, or any other Governmental Authority or otherwise made publicly available (collectively, the "Merrill Lynch Public Filings").  BlackRock agrees to provide to Merrill Lynch all information that Merrill Lynch reasonably requests in connection with any Merrill Lynch Public Filings or that, in the reasonable judgment of Merrill Lynch or its legal counsel, is required to be disclosed or incorporated by reference therein under any applicable law.  BlackRock shall provide such information to enable Merrill Lynch to prepare, print and release all Merrill Lynch Public Filings on a timely basis.  BlackRock shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause BlackRock's Auditors to consent to any reference to them as experts in any Merrill Lynch Public Filings required under applicable law.
 
(c)           To the extent required in order for any Party to comply with applicable law, BlackRock and Merrill Lynch will work together in good faith to develop appropriate protocols for each to share with the other aggregate security position information for use in their respective compliance programs.  For so long as BlackRock shall be deemed a subsidiary of Merrill Lynch for purposes of the Home Owners Loan Act or Change in Bank Control Act, Merrill Lynch shall have appropriate coordination rights with respect to holdings of voting shares of savings and loan holdings companies, savings associations, banks and bank holding companies.
 
(d)           With respect to any information provided by BlackRock:
 
  (i)           Subject to the requirements of law, Merrill Lynch shall keep confidential, and shall cause its representatives to keep confidential, all information and documents obtained pursuant to this Section 4.5 unless such information (w) is or becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section 4.5(d) by it or its representatives; (x) was within its possession prior to being furnished to it by or on behalf of BlackRock, provided that the source of such information was not known by it to be bound by a confidentiality agreement with, or other contractual or legal obligation of confidentiality to, BlackRock with respect to such information; (y) is or becomes available to such Person or any of its representatives on a non-confidential basis from a source other than BlackRock or any of its representatives; provided that such source was not known to it to be bound by a confidentiality agreement with, or other contractual or legal obligation of confidentiality to, BlackRock with respect to such information; or (z) is independently developed by or on its behalf without violating any of its obligations under this Section 4.5(d).
 
  (ii)           In the event Merrill Lynch believes that it is legally required to disclose any information or documents contemplated by this Section 4.5(d), it shall to the extent possible under the circumstances provide reasonable prior notice to BlackRock so that BlackRock may, at its own expense, seek a protective order or otherwise take reasonable steps to protect the confidentiality of such information.
 
  (iii)          Notwithstanding the foregoing, Merrill Lynch may disclose any information or documents contemplated by this Section 4.5(d) in a filing with a governmental authority to the extent required by applicable law, provided that it shall to the extent practicable under the circumstances provide prior notice to BlackRock.
 

  (iv)          The rights of Merrill Lynch and the obligations of BlackRock hereunder shall be subject to applicable laws relating to the exchange of information and other applicable laws. The provisions of this Section 4.5(d) shall survive any termination of this Agreement.
 
Section 4.6         Voting Agreements.
 
(a)           Merrill Lynch shall, and shall cause any of its Affiliates, to vote or act by written consent all of the shares of BlackRock Capital Stock Beneficially Owned by it (i) in favor of each matter required to effectuate any provision of this Agreement and against any matter the approval of which would be inconsistent with any provision of this Agreement and (ii) to the extent consistent with clause (i) above, in accordance with the recommendation of the Board on all matters approved by the Board in accordance with the provisions of Article IV, including elections of Directors; provided, however, that if the Board shall either fail to nominate for election as a Director either or both of two individuals designated by Merrill Lynch who are reasonably acceptable to the Board, or shall unreasonably reject one or more Merrill Lynch designees who is otherwise eligible to serve, then, so long as such individuals otherwise meet the requirements for serving as a Director of BlackRock, Merrill Lynch and its Affiliates shall have the right to nominate such individuals at the applicable meeting of stockholders and to solicit proxies for the election of such individuals and, if such individuals are nominated at such meeting, may vote all of their shares of BlackRock Capital Stock entitled to vote on such matter in favor of the election of such individuals.
 
(b)           Merrill Lynch shall, and shall cause each of its Affiliates who hold BlackRock Capital Stock entitled to vote on any matter, be present in person or represented by proxy at all meetings of securityholders of BlackRock to the extent necessary so that all Voting Securities Beneficially Owned by Merrill Lynch and its Affiliates shall be counted as present for the purpose of determining the presence of a quorum at such meeting and to vote such shares in accordance with this Section 4.6.
 
Section 4.7         Related Party Transactions.  Neither BlackRock nor any of its Controlled Affiliates shall enter into or effectuate any transaction or agreement with Merrill Lynch or any Affiliate of Merrill Lynch or any director, officer or employee of Merrill Lynch or any such Affiliate (each a "Related Person") that is material to BlackRock, unless such transaction or agreement is in effect at the time of the Closing, relates to transactions by or on behalf of clients of BlackRock and its Controlled Affiliates in the ordinary course of business or has been approved by or is consistent with or pursuant to the terms of a policy, transaction or agreement (or form of agreement) approved by, the affirmative vote or consent of a majority of the Directors, excluding the Merrill Lynch Designees, present at a meeting at which a quorum is present.
 

ARTICLE V
 
NON-COMPETITION
 
Section 5.1         Non-Competition.
 
(a)           Subject to subsection (b) of this Section 5.1, from and after the Closing, Merrill Lynch agrees that it shall not, and that it shall cause its Controlled Affiliates (other than BlackRock and BlackRock's Controlled Affiliates should they at any time be Controlled Affiliates of Merrill Lynch) not to engage in Merrill Lynch Restricted Activities anywhere in the World (other than India to the extent required by the asset management joint venture to which Merrill Lynch and its Affiliates are party in that country) except on the terms and conditions set forth herein, and BlackRock agrees that it shall not, and that it shall cause its Controlled Affiliates not to engage in BlackRock Restricted Activities anywhere in the World except on the terms and conditions set forth herein.
 
  (i)           As used in this Section 5.1, the term "Merrill Lynch Restricted Activities" means (i) acting as an Asset Manager (as defined below) to a Fund (as defined below), or (ii) acting as an Asset Manager to a Separately Managed Account (as defined below).  Notwithstanding the previous sentence, the parties agree to establish a committee composed of two BlackRock managers and one Merrill Lynch manager to consider cases in which it would be acceptable and appropriate to allow Merrill Lynch and its Affiliates to engage on a limited, case-by-case basis, in Merrill Lynch Restricted Activities.  In particular, if Merrill Lynch or its Affiliates determine that (1) there is customer demand for a product that BlackRock does not provide, or desire to provide on commercially reasonable terms, and (2) Merrill Lynch and/or its Affiliates has made a reasonable exploration for alternative providers, then the committee will consider and decide in good faith, in the discretion of a majority of the committee members, whether to permit Merrill Lynch or an Affiliate to provide such product notwithstanding that to do so Merrill Lynch or such Affiliate would be engaged in Merrill Lynch Restricted Activities.
 
Furthermore, Merrill Lynch hereby agrees, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary other than as an incidental effect of the exceptions to the definitions of Fund and Separately Managed Account set forth below, that neither IQ Investment Advisors nor any other investment advisor controlled by Merrill Lynch during the term of this Agreement will (i) directly or through one or more sub-advisers create a family of open-end funds for the purpose of replicating that portion of the asset management business of BlackRock or establishing a direct competitive threat to BlackRock, or (ii) create an open-end fund or family of open-end funds for the purpose of replicating the MLIM FDP platform or establishing a direct competitive threat to MLIM FDP.
 
For purposes of this provision, "acting as an Asset Manager" means acting as a discretionary investment adviser or sub-adviser primarily responsible for making the day-to-day investment decisions with respect to which underlying securities or other assets will be purchased and sold by a Fund or a Separately Managed Account; provided, however, that neither Merrill Lynch nor any Affiliate will be deemed to be acting as an Asset Manager in instances where it serves as an investment adviser with responsibilities for manager selection and asset allocation (or other overlay functions) that delegates primary day-to-day selection of underlying
 

securities or other assets to a sub-adviser that is not under the control of Merrill Lynch (it being agreed that BlackRock is not under the control of Merrill Lynch for this purpose) and provided further, that Merrill Lynch will not be deemed to be acting as an Asset Manager to new financial technology, the primary purpose of which is not to provide active asset management services to third party investors.
 
For purposes of this section, "Fund" shall mean any collective investment fund, wherever domiciled.
 
For purposes of this provision, "Separately Managed Account" shall mean an account established in the name of and for the exclusive benefit of any person that is not a Fund pursuant to which such person receives investment advisory services; provided, however, Separately Managed Account shall not include an account of a customer or client of a retail broker, retail financial advisor, private wealth advisor or other retail sales person ("Retail Sales Person") for which (1) a Retail Salesperson acts as portfolio manager, or (2) a Merrill Lynch affiliated bank or trust company acts as trustee or investment advisor but qualifies for exclusion from acting as an Asset Manager pursuant to the first proviso to the definition thereof or supervises asset management services by the Retail Sales Person or an unaffiliated third party manager.
 
The term "Fund" shall not include any collective investment vehicle that, and the term "Separately Managed Account" shall not include any account that is not a Fund that:
 
(1)
invests primarily in collective investment vehicles such as hedge funds, private equity funds, ETFs, and/or mutual funds that are not Restricted Merrill Lynch Activities or that are managed by an unaffiliated third party manager, a Merrill Lynch Alternative Manager or a manager acquired by Merrill Lynch in conformity with Section  5.1(b)(i)(C) or (D),
 
(2)
invests substantially all of its assets in Real Estate.
   
  For purposes of this Section 5.1, "Real Estate" shall include, but not be limited to, any direct or indirect, public or private, wholly-owned, joint venture, TIC interest, partnership, total return swap, and/or participation or other interests (including, without limitation, debt, equity, hybrid security interests (e.g. preferred equity and convertible securities), and options) in and acquisitions, sales, and direct and indirect syndications of:
 
 
(i)
real estate properties, including licenses, space and ground leases, and sub-leases for such properties and any interests therein and all rights and interests appurtenant thereto (e.g., air rights, riparian rights, etc.),
 
 
(ii)
real estate operating, asset management, property management, loan servicing and special servicing, Section 1031 vehicle and/or holding companies,
 
 
(iii)
any entity or structure primarily representing interests in, or backed by, real estate-related credit instruments, real estate equity interests, real estate derivatives, CDO instruments or real estate properties,
 
 
(iv)
instruments, assets, or operating enterprises whose values are primarily driven or supported by real property or tangible assets attached to real property including,
 

 
but not limited to, hotels, homebuilding, commercial and residential real estate, land development, cell towers, real estate credit instruments, lease claims, lien (including tax lien) claims, timber, timeshare units, and fractional interests,
 
 
(v)
investment vehicles whose target investments include primarily Real Estate (e.g., partnerships, limited liability companies, hedge funds, private equity funds and REITs and their foreign counterparts),
 
 
(vi)
secured and unsecured performing and non-performing loans and obligations backed primarily by Real Estate (including Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities), or pools of such loans and obligations, and
 
 
(vii)
non-investment grade or high yield loans, bonds, mezzanine loans, B-notes, and preferred equity secured or backed primarily by Real Estate.
 
(3)
invests primarily in commodities, collateralized debt obligations (broadly defined), collateralized loan obligations (broadly defined), any types of residual equity interests of structured assets or infrastructure products,
 
(4)
is a "Structured Fund" or an "Enhanced Index Fund,"
 
 
(i)
For purposes of this section, a "Structured Fund" is defined to mean any collective investment vehicle or other account that reshapes, repackages, and/or reproduces traditional cash flows or risk-return profiles through derivatives or other financial instruments and is operated in a passive and mechanistic manner in accordance with a predetermined set of trading and investment rules that do not seek to replicate the active asset management techniques or performance of a particular investment product or manager, and
 
 
(ii)
For purposes of this section, an "Enhanced Index Fund" is defined to mean any collective investment vehicle or account that (1) seeks to replicate the performance of an index that is constructed in a customized manner to provide greater returns than those provided by traditional indexes, or replicate the performance of a proprietary index that is developed, co-developed, or exclusively licensed by Merrill Lynch or any of its Affiliates and (2) is operated in a passive and mechanistic manner in accordance with a predetermined set of trading and investment rules that do not seek to replicate active asset management techniques,
 
(5)
is a "Structured Finance Vehicle,"
   
  For purposes of this section, a "Structured Finance Vehicle" is any collective investment vehicle that relies on a trust, commodity pool, depositary facility or other collective investment entity that has the primary purpose of aggregating securities, commodities or other financial instruments for the purpose of (i) repackaging illiquid instruments or derivatives, or (ii) tranching or aggregating financial instruments to change their tax, cost, accounting, yield, credit, leverage, ERISA or risk characteristics,
 
(6)
is otherwise ancillary or incidental to any non Fund or non Separately Managed Account business of Merrill Lynch or its Affiliates, or
 

(7)
has the primary purpose of seeding funds and/or raising additional third-party capital to facilitate, support or assist in capitalizing current or future Merrill Lynch's proprietary trading and investing activities, including, but not limited to, equity and equity-linked products, fixed income and fixed income-linked products, loans, and distressed credit, Real Estate, private equity, venture capital, infrastructure, timber, foreign exchange and commodities assets or commodities products.
   
  Nothing herein shall prohibit Merrill Lynch or any of its Affiliates from engaging in any business activities of any kind or nature currently engaged in by Merrill Lynch or any of its Affiliates as of the date of the Transaction Agreement or July 16, 2008; provided, however, that the acquisition and holding of an Affiliate pursuant to Section 5.1(b)(i)(C) or (D) after the date of the Transaction Agreement shall not give rise to any rights on the part of Merrill Lynch or any other Affiliate of Merrill Lynch to engage in any business activities under this sentence.
 
  (ii)           As used in this Section 5.1, the term "BlackRock Restricted Activities" means engaging, whether directly or indirectly through ownership of any interest in or consensual arrangements relating to another Person that is directly or indirectly engaged, in the retail securities brokerage business; provided, however, that the term "BlackRock Restricted Activities" shall in no event include acting as the distributor of publicly offered Funds primarily through third party sales forces or acting as a placement agent for privately offered Funds.
 
(b)           Notwithstanding Section 5.1(a) above, Merrill Lynch and any Controlled Affiliates restricted thereby may, with respect to Merrill Lynch Restricted Activities, and BlackRock and any Controlled Affiliate restricted thereby may, with respect to BlackRock Restricted Activities:
 
  (i)           acquire or hold any interest (whether by way of a purchase, merger, consolidation or other transaction) in any Person or business unit engaged directly or indirectly in any Merrill Lynch Restricted Activities or BlackRock Restricted Activities, as applicable, if (and only if) (A) the direct and indirect interest Beneficially Owned by Merrill Lynch and its Controlled Affiliates (other than BlackRock and its Controlled Affiliates should they at any time be Controlled Affiliates of Merrill Lynch), in the case of Merrill Lynch Restricted Activities, or by BlackRock and its Controlled Affiliates, in the case of BlackRock Restricted Activities, represents less than 10 percent of the voting interests and less than 10 percent of the ownership, revenue and profits interests in such Person or business unit, assuming the exercise of all rights of Merrill Lynch and its Controlled Affiliates ((other than BlackRock and its Controlled Affiliates should they at any time be Controlled Affiliates of Merrill Lynch), or BlackRock and its Controlled Affiliates, as applicable, to acquire any such interests, (B) such Person or business unit is at all times a Merrill Lynch Alternative Manager (C) in connection with the bona fide third party venture capital business of Merrill Lynch or its Affiliates or (D) in connection with the bona fide third party merchant banking line of business of Merrill Lynch or its Affiliates (the term "third party" being intended to exclude any vehicle or arrangement in which Merrill Lynch or its Affiliates both have a 50% or greater ownership or economic interest and are not in the process of seeking to reduce such interest below 50%); or
 

  (ii)           acquire or hold any interest in any Person in excess of the amount set forth in clause (i) above if (and only if) either (A) both (x) the consolidated revenues of such Person from Merrill Lynch Restricted Activities or BlackRock Restricted Activities, as applicable, in the previous four fiscal quarters are less than 33.3% of such Person's consolidated revenues during such period and (y) the sum of the aggregate consolidated revenues of such Person and its Subsidiaries in the preceding four fiscal quarters from Merrill Lynch Restricted Activities or BlackRock Restricted Activities, as applicable, multiplied times the direct or indirect percentage economic interest of Merrill Lynch and its restricted Controlled Affiliates or BlackRock and its restricted Controlled Affiliates, as applicable, in such Person is, in the case of Merrill Lynch Restricted Activities, less than 10% of the consolidated revenues of BlackRock for such period and, in the case of BlackRock Restricted Activities, less than 10% of the consolidated revenues of Merrill Lynch derived from BlackRock Restricted Activities, Merrill Lynch or BlackRock, as applicable, shall, or shall cause such Affiliate to, take commercially reasonable actions necessary to cease and terminate such Restricted Activities or to sell such Person or business to a third party that is not an Affiliate, as soon as reasonably practicable, and BlackRock or Merrill Lynch, as applicable, shall have a right to participate as a bidder in respect of any such sale transaction, or (B) if such acquisition or holding satisfies Section 5.1(b)(ii)(A)(x) above but not Section 5.1(b)(ii)(A)(y) above,  then Merrill Lynch or BlackRock may continue to own such Person and operate its Merrill Lynch Restricted Activities or BlackRock Restricted Activities, as applicable (the "Continuing Business"); provided that, (1) for so long as the restrictions of Section 5.1(a) continue to apply to Merrill Lynch or BlackRock, as applicable, the Continuing Business shall not use the "Merrill Lynch" name or the "BlackRock" name, or any derivation thereof, and (2) for so long as the Distribution Agreement in the Transaction Agreement remains in effect, Merrill Lynch and its Affiliates or BlackRock and its Affiliates (in each case, other than the acquired Person and its Affiliates as of the time of acquisition) shall enter into any agreement similar to the Distribution Agreement with the acquired Person and its Affiliates; or
 
  (iii)          in the case of Merrill Lynch, merge, consolidate or otherwise engage in a business combination with, or sell all or substantially all of its assets or businesses to, any Person that is not an Affiliate of Merrill Lynch and that has an existing business engaged in Merrill Lynch Restricted Activities which such Person continues to operate; provided that members of the Merrill Lynch board of directors do not constitute a majority of the board of directors of the surviving entity of such transaction (or of the board of directors of its ultimate parent company) and that the Merrill Lynch shareholders immediately prior to consummation of such transaction do not immediately after consummation of such transaction own 60% or more of the outstanding capital stock or other equity interests of the surviving entity of such transaction (or of its ultimate parent company); the restrictions of Section 5.1(a) shall not apply to the activities of such surviving entity and its Affiliates (other than (x) Merrill Lynch, (y) the Subsidiaries and Controlled Affiliates of Merrill Lynch as of the closing of the transaction, and (z) any Subsidiary or Controlled Affiliate of Merrill Lynch or of such ultimate parent company which, following the closing, holds or operates the business that had been held or operated prior to such closing by Merrill Lynch and its Subsidiaries and Controlled Affiliates or all or substantially all of the assets of such business); or
 
  (iv)          engage in Merrill Lynch Restricted Activities or BlackRock Restricted Activities, as applicable, (including through an acquisition or holding in excess of that
 

permitted by Section 5.1(b)(i) or (ii) above) if and to the extent that, prior to engaging therein, (A) Merrill Lynch discloses to the Board of Directors of BlackRock, or BlackRock discloses to the Board of Directors of Merrill Lynch, as applicable, in reasonable detail and with reasonable particularity, including by responding to the inquiries and questions of such Board of Directors, the nature, extent and duration of the proposed Merrill Lynch Restricted Activities or BlackRock Restricted Activities; and (B) a majority of the Independent Directors on such Board of Directors approves the proposed Merrill Lynch Restricted Activities by Merrill Lynch or such Controlled Affiliate or BlackRock Restricted Activities by BlackRock or such Controlled Affiliate, as applicable.
 
ARTICLE VI
 
MISCELLANEOUS
 
Section 6.1         Conflicting Agreements.  Each party represents and warrants that it has not granted and is not a party to any proxy, voting trust or other agreement that is inconsistent with or conflicts with any provision of this Agreement.
 
Section 6.2         Termination.  Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, this Agreement shall terminate on the later of July 16, 2013 and the first date on which Merrill Lynch and its Affiliates Beneficially Own BlackRock Capital Stock representing less than its Ownership Threshold; provided, however, that in the case of a termination pursuant to this Section 6.2, the obligations of the parties pursuant to Article III hereof shall not terminate until the first date on which Merrill Lynch and its Affiliates Beneficially Own BlackRock Capital Stock representing less than five percent of the Total Voting Power of the BlackRock Capital Stock issued and outstanding at such time.  Nothing in this Section 6.2 shall be deemed to release any party from any liability for any willful and material breach of this Agreement occurring prior to the termination hereof or to impair the right of any party to compel specific performance by any other party of its obligations under this Agreement.
 
Section 6.3         Ownership Information. 
 
(a)           For purposes of this Agreement, all determinations of the amount of outstanding BlackRock Capital Stock shall be based on information set forth in the most recent quarterly or annual report, and any current report subsequent thereto, filed by BlackRock with the Commission, unless BlackRock shall have updated such information by delivery of written notice to Merrill Lynch.
 
(b)           If at any time or from time to time BlackRock becomes aware of any event that has caused, or which could reasonably be expected to cause, Beneficial Ownership by Merrill Lynch and its Affiliates of BlackRock Capital Stock to increase above its Ownership Cap, BlackRock shall promptly (but in no event more than five Business Days thereafter) notify Merrill Lynch thereof.
 
Section 6.4         Savings Clause.  No provision of this Agreement shall be construed to require any party or its Controlled Affiliates to take any action that would violate any applicable law (whether statutory or common), rule or regulation.
 

Section 6.5         Amendment and Waiver.  Except as otherwise provided herein, this Agreement may not be amended except by an instrument in writing signed on behalf of each of the parties hereto.  Except as otherwise provided herein, no modification, amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, and no giving of any consent provided for hereunder, shall be effective unless such modification, amendment, waiver or consent is approved by a majority of the Independent Directors. The failure of any party to enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement shall in no way be construed as a waiver of such provisions and shall not affect the right of such party thereafter to enforce each and every provision of this Agreement in accordance with its terms.
 
Section 6.6         Severability.  If any provision of this Agreement shall be declared by any court of competent jurisdiction to be illegal, void or unenforceable, all other provisions of this Agreement shall not be affected and shall remain in full force and effect.
 
Section 6.7         Entire Agreement.  Except as otherwise expressly set forth herein, this Agreement, together with the several agreements and other documents and instruments referred to herein or therein or annexed hereto, embody the complete agreement and understanding among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede and preempt any prior understandings, agreements or representations by or among the parties, written or oral, that may have related to the subject matter hereof in any way. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to the extent that any of the terms hereof are inconsistent with the rights or obligations of Merrill Lynch under any other agreement with BlackRock, the terms of this Agreement shall govern.
 
Section 6.8         Successors and Assigns.  Neither this Agreement nor any of the rights or obligations of any party under this Agreement shall be assigned, in whole or in part (except by operation of law pursuant to a merger or similar business combination transaction), by any party without the prior written consent of the other parties  (approved, in the case of BlackRock, by a majority of the Independent Directors), provided, that Merrill Lynch may assign its rights and obligations hereunder (in whole or in part) to an Affiliate that agrees in writing with BlackRock to be bound by this Agreement as fully as if it were an initial signatory hereto, and any such transferee may thereafter make corresponding assignments in accordance with this proviso; provided, further, that BlackRock may assign all or a portion of its rights under Sections 3.3 and 5.1(b)(ii) in connection with any particular transaction subject thereto so long as BlackRock remains, obligated in respect of any purchase obligations arising thereunder.  Subject to the foregoing, this Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns.
 
Section 6.9         Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts each of which shall be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
 
Section 6.10       Remedies. 
 
(a)           Each party hereto acknowledges that monetary damages would not be an adequate remedy in the event that each and every one of the covenants or agreements in this Agreement are not performed in accordance with their terms, and it is therefore agreed that, in
 

addition to and without limiting any other remedy or right it may have, the non-breaching party will have the right to an injunction, temporary restraining order or other equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction enjoining any such breach and enforcing specifically each and every one of the terms and provisions hereof.  Each party hereto agrees not to oppose the granting of such relief in the event a court determines that such a breach has occurred, and to waive any requirement for the securing or posting of any bond in connection with such remedy.
 
(b)           All rights, powers and remedies provided under this Agreement or otherwise available in respect hereof at law or in equity shall be cumulative and not alternative, and the exercise or beginning of the exercise of any thereof by any party shall not preclude the simultaneous or later exercise of any other such right, power or remedy by such party.
 
Section 6.11       Notices.  All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given if delivered personally, telecopied (upon telephonic confirmation of receipt), on the first Business Day following the date of dispatch if delivered by a recognized next day courier service, or on the third Business Day following the date of mailing if delivered by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid. All notices hereunder shall be delivered as set forth below, or pursuant to such other instructions as may be designated in writing by the party to receive such notice.
 
If to BlackRock:
 
   c/o BlackRock, Inc.
   40 East 52nd Street
   New York, NY 10022
   Facsimile:  212-810-8760
   Attn:          Laurence D. Fink
 
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
 
   Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
   Four Times Square
   New York, NY 10036
   Facsimile:   212-735-2000
   Attention:   Franklin M. Gittes, Esq.
                    Richard T. Prins, Esq.
 
If to Merrill Lynch:
 
   Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.
   Four World Financial Center
   250 Vesey Street
   New York, NY  10080
   Facsimile:  212-670-4518
   Attention:  Richard E. Alsop, Esq.
 

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
 
   Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
   51 West 52nd Street
   New York, NY 10019
   Facsimile:   212-403-2000
   Attention:   Nicholas G. Demmo, Esq.

Section 6.12       Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction. 
 
(a)           This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of law. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally consents to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or any court of the United States located in the State of Delaware, for any action, proceeding or investigation in any court or before any governmental authority ("Litigation") arising out of or relating to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, and agrees not to assert, by way of motion, as a defense, counterclaim or otherwise, in any such Litigation, the defense of sovereign immunity, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts for any reason other than the failure to serve process in accordance with this Section 6.12, that it or its property is exempt or immune from jurisdiction of any such court or from any legal process commenced in such courts (whether through service of notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution of judgment, execution of judgment or otherwise), and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, that the Litigation in any such court is brought in an inconvenient forum, that the venue of such Litigation is improper, or that this Agreement, or the subject matter hereof, may not be enforced in or by such courts and further irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the benefit of any defense that would hinder, fetter or delay the levy, execution or collection of any amount to which the party is entitled pursuant to the final judgment of any court having jurisdiction. Each of the parties irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all rights to trial by jury in connection with any Litigation arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
 
(b)           Each of the parties expressly acknowledges that the foregoing waiver is intended to be irrevocable under the laws of the State of Delaware and of the United States of America; provided that consent by Merrill Lynch and BlackRock to jurisdiction and service contained in this Section 6.12 is solely for the purpose referred to in this Section 6.12 and shall not be deemed to be a general submission to said courts or in the State of Delaware other than for such purpose.
 
Section 6.13       Interpretation.  The table of contents and headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. Whenever the words "include", "includes" or "including" are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words "without limitation". For the avoidance of doubt, this Agreement shall be interpreted in all respects to give effect to the Merger Change of Control, which shall constitute a "Change of Control of Merrill Lynch"
 

 
hereunder and under the Original Agreement, whether the Merrill Lynch Merger occurs prior to, concurrently with, or following the effectiveness of this Agreement.
 


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Second Amended and Restated Stockholder Agreement as of the date first written above.
 

 
BLACKROCK, INC.
       
       
 
By:
/s/ Daniel R. Waltcher
   
Name:
Daniel R. Waltcher
   
Title:
Managing Director and
     
Deputy General Counsel
       
       



 
MERRILL LYNCH & CO., INC.
       
       
 
By:
/s/ Teresa Brenner
   
Name:
Teresa Brenner
   
Title:
Associate General Counsel
       







Pursuant to Section 3.2(a) of this Agreement, the undersigned hereby undertakes and agrees with BlackRock that the undersigned shall be bound by this Agreement as fully as if it were an initial signatory hereto, effective as of the date hereof.


 
MERRILL LYNCH GROUP, INC.
       
       
 
By:
/s/ Teresa Brenner
   
Name:
Teresa Brenner
   
Title:
Associate General Counsel
       



EX-10.2 5 ex10-2.htm ex10-2.htm

EXHIBIT 10.2
 
 
 
 
 
 
 AMENDED AND RESTATED

IMPLEMENTATION AND STOCKHOLDER AGREEMENT

BETWEEN

THE PNC FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP, INC.

AND

BLACKROCK, INC.



DATED AS OF FEBRUARY 27, 2009

Table of Contents
 
 
 

Page
ARTICLE I
 
DEFINITIONS
 
Section 1.1
Certain Defined Terms
1
Section 1.2
Other Defined Terms
7
Section 1.3
Other Definitional Provisions
7
Section 1.4
Methodology for Calculations
8
 
ARTICLE II
 
SHARE OWNERSHIP
 
Section 2.1
BlackRock Capital Stock
8
Section 2.2
Prohibition of Certain Communications and Actions
9
Section 2.3
Additional Purchases of Voting Securities
11
Section 2.4
BlackRock Share Repurchases
12
 
ARTICLE III
 
TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS
 
Section 3.1
General Transfer Restrictions
12
Section 3.2
Restrictions on Transfer
12
Section 3.3
Right of Last Refusal
13
Section 3.4
Legend on Securities
14
Section 3.5
Change of Control
15
 
ARTICLE IV
 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
 
Section 4.1
Composition of the Board
15
Section 4.2
Vote Required for Board Action; Board Quorum
16
Section 4.3
Committees
18
Section 4.4
Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws to be Consistent
18
Section 4.5
Information Rights
19
Section 4.6
Voting Agreements
20
Section 4.7
Related Party Transactions
21
Section 4.8
Bank Holding Company
21
Section 4.9
Dividend Payout Ratio
21
 

i


ARTICLE V
 
[Intentionally Omitted]
 
ARTICLE VI
 
MISCELLANEOUS
 
Section 6.1
Conflicting Agreements
22
Section 6.2
Termination
22
Section 6.3
Ownership Information
22
Section 6.4
Savings Clause
22
Section 6.5
Amendment and Waiver
22
Section 6.6
Severability
23
Section 6.7
Entire Agreement
23
Section 6.8
Successors and Assigns
23
Section 6.9
Counterparts
23
Section 6.10
Remedies
23
Section 6.11
Notices
24
Section 6.12
Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction
25
Section 6.13
Interpretation
25


ii

AMENDED AND RESTATED
 
IMPLEMENTATION AND STOCKHOLDER AGREEMENT
 
AMENDED AND RESTATED IMPLEMENTATION AND STOCKHOLDER AGREEMENT dated as of February 27, 2009, between BlackRock, Inc., a Delaware corporation (formerly New Boise, Inc. a Delaware corporation ("BlackRock")), and The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation ("PNC").
 
WHEREAS, BlackRock and PNC are parties to an Implementation and  Stockholder Agreement, dated as of February 15, 2006, as amended by Amendment No. 1, dated as of September 29, 2006, (as so amended, the "Original Agreement");
 
WHEREAS, BlackRock and Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. ("Merrill Lynch") propose to enter into a series of transactions whereby Merrill Lynch will exchange (i) 49,865,000 shares of BlackRock Common Stock (as defined herein) for a like number of shares of Series B Participating Preferred Stock (as defined herein) and (ii) 12,604,918 shares of Series A Participating Preferred Stock (as defined herein) for a like number of shares of Series B Participating Preferred Stock (the "Merrill Lynch Exchanges");
 
WHEREAS, concurrently with the Merrill Lynch Exchange, PNC will exchange (i)17,872,000 shares of BlackRock Common Stock for a like number of shares of Series B Participating Preferred Stock and (ii) up to 2,940,866 shares of BlackRock common stock for a like number shares of Series C Participating Preferred Stock (as defined herein) (the "PNC Exchanges" and together with the Merrill Lynch Exchanges, the "Exchange Transactions");
 
WHEREAS, in connection with the Exchange Transactions, BlackRock and PNC wish to amend and restate the Original Agreement in its entirety;
 
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of the mutual covenants and obligations hereinafter set forth, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
 
ARTICLE I
 
DEFINITIONS
 
Section 1.1           Certain Defined Terms.  As used herein, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
 
"Affiliate" means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, such specified Person; provided, however, that solely for purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, neither BlackRock nor any of its Controlled Affiliates shall be deemed to be a Subsidiary or Affiliate of PNC solely by virtue of the Beneficial Ownership by PNC of BlackRock Capital Stock, the election of Directors nominated by PNC to the Board, the election of any other Directors nominated by the Board or any other action taken by PNC in accordance with the terms and conditions of, and subject to the limitations and restrictions set forth on such Person in, this Agreement (and irrespective of the
 

characteristics of the aforesaid relationships and actions under applicable law or accounting principles).
 
"Agreement" means this Amended and Restated Implementation and Stockholder Agreement as it may be amended, supplemented, restated or modified from time to time.
 
"Beneficial Ownership" by a Person of any securities includes ownership by any Person who, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, has or shares (i) voting power which includes the power to vote, or to direct the voting of, such security; and/or (ii) investment power which includes the power to dispose, or to direct the disposition, of such security; and shall otherwise be interpreted in accordance with the term "beneficial ownership" as defined in Rule 13d-3 adopted by the Commission under the Exchange Act; provided that for purposes of determining Beneficial Ownership, a Person shall be deemed to be the Beneficial Owner of any securities which may be acquired by such Person pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, warrants or options, or otherwise (irrespective of whether the right to acquire such securities is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time, including the passage of time in excess of 60 days, the satisfaction of any conditions, the occurrence of any event or any combination of the foregoing), except that in no event will PNC be deemed to Beneficially Own any securities which it has the right to acquire pursuant to Section 2.3 unless, and then only to the extent that, it shall have actually exercised such right.  For purposes of this Agreement, a Person shall be deemed to Beneficially Own any securities Beneficially Owned by its Affiliates (including as Affiliates for this purpose its officers and directors only to the extent they would be Affiliates solely by reason of their equity interest) or any Group of which such Person or any such Affiliate is or becomes a member; provided, however, that securities Beneficially Owned by PNC shall not include, for any purpose under this Agreement, any Voting Securities or other securities held by such Person and its Affiliates in trust, managed, brokerage, custodial, nominee or other customer accounts; in trading, inventory, lending or similar accounts of such Person and Affiliates of such Person which are broker-dealers or otherwise engaged in the securities business; or in pooled investment vehicles sponsored, managed and/or advised or subadvised by such Person and its Affiliates except, if they Beneficially Own more than 25% of the ownership interests in a pooled investment vehicle, to the extent of their ownership interests therein; provided that in each case, such securities were acquired in the ordinary course of business of their securities business and not with the intent or purpose of influencing control of BlackRock or avoiding the provisions of this Agreement.  The term "Beneficially Own" shall have a correlative meaning.
 
"Board" means the Board of Directors of BlackRock.
 
"Business Day" shall mean any day that is not a Saturday, a Sunday or other day on which banks are required or authorized by law to be closed in New York, New York.
 
"By-Laws" means the By-Laws of BlackRock, as amended or supplemented from time to time.
 
"Capital Stock" means, with respect to any Person at any time, any and all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated, whether voting or non-voting)
 
2

of capital stock, partnership interests (whether general or limited) or equivalent ownership interests in or issued by such Person.
 
A "Change of Control of PNC" shall be deemed to occur when the Board of Directors of PNC determines that a Change in Control of PNC has occurred, as a Change in Control of PNC may be defined from time to time by the Board of Directors of PNC.  Provided, however, that at a minimum, a Change in Control of PNC shall, without any action by the Board of Directors of PNC, be deemed to occur if:
 
(a)           any Person, excluding employee benefit plans of PNC, is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of PNC representing a majority of the combined voting power of PNC's then outstanding securities;
 
(b)           PNC consummates a merger, consolidation, share exchange, division or other reorganization or transaction of PNC (a "Fundamental Transaction") with any other Person, other than a Fundamental Transaction that results in the voting securities of PNC outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity) at least a majority of the combined voting power immediately after such Fundamental Transaction of (i) PNC's outstanding securities, (ii) the surviving entity's outstanding securities, or (iii) in the case of a division, the outstanding securities of each entity resulting from the division;
 
(c)           the shareholders of PNC approve a plan of complete liquidation or winding-up of PNC or an agreement for the sale or disposition (in one transaction or a series of transactions) of all or substantially all PNC's assets;
 
(d)           as a result of a proxy contest, individuals who prior to the conclusion thereof constituted the Board of Directors of PNC (including for this purpose any new director whose election or nomination for election by PNC's shareholders in connection with such proxy contest was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who were directors prior to such proxy contest) cease to constitute at least a majority of the Board of Directors of PNC (excluding any Board seat that is vacant or otherwise unoccupied); or
 
(e)           during any period of twenty-four (24) consecutive months, individuals who at the beginning of such period constituted the Board of Directors of PNC (including for this purpose any new director whose election or nomination for election by PNC's shareholders was approved by a vote of at least two thirds of the directors then still in office who were directors at the beginning of such period) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board of Directors of PNC (excluding any Board seat that is vacant or otherwise unoccupied).
 
"Commission" means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
 
"Common Stock" means the shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of BlackRock and any securities issued in respect thereof, or in substitution therefor, in connection with any stock split, dividend or combination, or any reclassification, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, exchange or other similar reorganization.
 
3

"control" (including the terms "controlled by" and "under common control with"), with respect to the relationship between or among two or more Persons, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the affairs or management of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, as trustee or executor, by contract or any other means, or otherwise to control such Person within the meaning of such term as used in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
 
"Controlled Affiliate" of any Person means a Person that is directly or indirectly controlled by such other Person.
 
"Director" means any member of the Board (other than any advisory, honorary or other non-voting member of the Board).
 
"Equivalent Securities" means at any time shares of any class of Capital Stock or other securities or interests of a Person which are substantially equivalent to the Voting Securities of such Person other than by reason of not having voting rights, including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Series A Participating Preferred Stock, Series B Participating Preferred Stock and Series C Participating Preferred Stock.
 
"Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission from time to time thereunder (or under any successor statute).
 
"Fair Market Value" means, as to any securities or other property, the cash price at which a willing seller would sell and a willing buyer would buy such securities or property in an arm's-length negotiated transaction without time constraints.  With respect to any securities that are traded on a national securities exchange, Fair Market Value shall mean the arithmetic average of the closing prices of such securities on their principal market for the ten consecutive trading days immediately preceding the applicable date of determination and with respect to shares of Participating Preferred Stock of any series shall be the same price per share as the Fair Market Value per share of the Common Stock.  The Fair Market Value of any property or assets, other than securities described in the preceding sentence, with an estimated value of less than 1% of the Fair Market Value of all of the issued and outstanding BlackRock Capital Stock shall be determined by the Board (acting through a majority of the Independent Directors) in its good faith judgment.  The Fair Market Value of all other property or assets shall be determined by an Independent Investment Banking Firm, selected by a majority of the Independent Directors, whose determination shall be final and binding on the parties hereto.  The fees and expenses of such Independent Investment Banking Firm shall be paid by BlackRock.
 
"Group" shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act.
 
"Independent Director" means any Director who (i) is or would be an "independent director" with respect to BlackRock, pursuant to Section 303A.02 of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual (or any successor provision) and (ii) was not nominated or proposed for nomination by or on behalf of, PNC, any Significant Stockholder, any Affiliates or Designated Directors of PNC or a Significant Stockholder.
 
4

"Independent Investment Banking Firm" means an investment banking firm of nationally recognized standing that in the reasonable judgment of the Person or Persons engaging such firm, taking into account any prior relationship with PNC, any Significant Stockholder, or BlackRock is independent of such Person or Persons.
 
"Material Effect" means a determination by the Board that the fundamental economics and operations of the business of BlackRock have been materially and adversely affected as a result of a Change of Control of PNC (taking into account BlackRock's revenues, earnings, corporate governance, management practices, culture and compensation practices).
 
"Ownership Cap" means, at any time of determination, with respect to PNC and its Affiliates, each of (i) 49.9 percent of the Total Voting Power of the Voting Securities of BlackRock issued and outstanding at such time (such percentage, the "Voting Ownership Cap") and (ii) 38.0 percent of the sum of the Voting Securities and the Participating Preferred Stock of BlackRock issued and outstanding at such time and issuable upon the exercise of any options or other rights outstanding at that time which, if exercised, would result in the issuance of additional Voting Securities or Participating Preferred Stock (the "Total Ownership Cap").
 
"Ownership Percentage" means, with respect to any Person, at any time, the quotient, expressed as a percentage, of (i) with respect to the Voting Ownership Cap (A) the Total Voting Power of all Voting Securities of another Person Beneficially Owned by such Person and its Affiliates divided by (B) the Total Voting Power of all Voting Securities of such other Person issued and outstanding at that time and (ii) with respect to the Total Ownership Cap, (A) the Total Voting Power of all Voting Securities and the total number of Equivalent Securities of another Person Beneficially Owned by such Person and its Affiliates divided by (B) the Total Voting Power of all Voting Securities and the total number of Equivalent Securities of such other Person issued and outstanding at that time and issuable upon the exercise of any options or other rights outstanding at that time which, if exercised, would result in the issuance of additional Voting Securities or Equivalent Securities.
 
"Ownership Threshold" means, at any time of determination, with respect to PNC and its Affiliates, 20 percent of the BlackRock Capital Stock issued and outstanding at such time.
 
"Participating Preferred Stock" means Series A Participating Preferred Stock, Series B Participating Preferred Stock and Series C Participating Preferred Stock.
 
"Person" means any individual, corporation, limited liability company, limited or general partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, other entity, government or any agency or political subdivision thereof or any Group comprised of two or more of the foregoing.
 
"Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission from time to time thereunder (or under any successor statute).
 
"Series A Participating Preferred Stock" means the Series A Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, of BlackRock and any securities issued in respect thereof, or in substitution therefor, or in substitution therefor in connection with any stock split,
 
5

dividend or combination, or any reclassification, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, exchange or other similar reorganization.
 
"Series B Participating Preferred Stock" means the Series B Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, of BlackRock and any securities issued in respect thereof, or in substitution therefor, or in substitution therefor in connection with any stock split, dividend or combination, or any reclassification, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, exchange or other similar reorganization.
 
"Series C Participating Preferred Stock" means the Series C Participating Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, of BlackRock and any securities issued in respect thereof, or in substitution therefor, or in substitution therefor in connection with any stock split, dividend or combination, or any reclassification, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, exchange or other similar reorganization.
 
"Significant Stockholder" means, at any time of determination, any Person other than PNC and its Affiliates that Beneficially Owns 20 percent or more of the BlackRock Capital Stock issued and outstanding at that time.
 
"Subsidiary" means, with respect to any Person, any corporation or other organization, whether incorporated or unincorporated, (i) of which such Person or any other Subsidiary of such Person is a general partner (excluding partnerships, the general partner interests of which held by such Person or any Subsidiary of such Person do not have a majority of the voting or similar interests in such partnership), or (ii) at least a majority of the securities or other interests of which having by their terms ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors or others performing similar functions with respect to such corporation or other organization is directly or indirectly owned or controlled by such Person or by any one or more of its Subsidiaries, or by such Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries.
 
"Total Voting Power" means the total number of votes entitled to be cast by the holders of the outstanding Capital Stock and any other securities entitled, in the ordinary course, to vote on matters put before the holders of the Capital Stock generally.
 
"Transfer" means, directly or indirectly, to sell, transfer, assign, pledge, encumber, hypothecate or similarly dispose of (by operation of law or otherwise), either voluntarily or involuntarily, or to enter into any contract, option or other arrangement or understanding with respect to the sale, transfer, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or similar disposition of (by operation of law or otherwise), any Capital Stock or any interest in any Capital Stock; provided, however, that a merger, amalgamation, plan of arrangement or consolidation or similar business combination transaction in which PNC is a constituent corporation (or otherwise a party including, for the avoidance of doubt, a transaction pursuant to which a Person acquires all or a portion of PNC's outstanding Capital Stock, whether by tender or exchange offer, by share exchange, or otherwise) shall not be deemed to be the Transfer of any BlackRock Capital Stock Beneficially Owned by PNC provided that the primary purpose of any such transaction is not to avoid the provisions of this Agreement and that the successor or surviving person to such a merger, amalgamation, plan of arrangement or consolidation or similar business combination transaction, if not PNC, expressly assumes all obligations of PNC under this Agreement.  For
 
6

purposes of this Agreement, the term Transfer shall include the sale of an Affiliate of PNC or PNC's interest in an Affiliate which Beneficially Owns BlackRock Capital Stock unless such Transfer is in connection with a merger, amalgamation, plan of arrangement or consolidation or similar business combination transaction referred to in the first proviso of the previous sentence.
 
"Voting Securities" means at any time shares of any class of Capital Stock or other securities or interests of a Person which are then entitled to vote generally, and not solely upon the occurrence and during the continuation of certain specified events, in the election of directors or Persons performing a similar function with respect to such Person, and any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable at the option of the holder thereof for such shares of Capital Stock.
 
Section 1.2           Other Defined Terms.   The following terms shall have the meanings defined for such terms in the Sections set forth below:
 
 
TERM
SECTION
 
 
Additional BlackRock Stock Purchase
Section 2.3
 
 
BlackRock
Preamble
 
 
PNC
Preamble
 
 
PNC Designee
Section 4.1(a)
 
 
BlackRock Party
Section 3.3(a)
 
 
Closing
Section 2.1(d)
 
 
DGCL
Section 1.4
 
 
Final Transfer Notice
Section 3.2(a)(ii)
 
 
Initial Transfer Notice
Section 3.2(a)(ii)
 
 
Last Look Price
Section 3.2(a)(ii)
 
 
Litigation
Section 6.12(a)
 
 
Management Designee
Section 4.1(a)
 
 
Merrill Lynch
Preamble
 
 
Merrill Lynch Exchanges
Preamble
 
 
Merrill Lynch Sale
Preamble
 
 
PNC Exchanges
Preamble
 
 
Prohibited Actions
Section 2.2(h)
 
 
Related Person
Section 4.7
 
 
Stock Issuance
Section 2.3
 
 
Transaction Agreement
Section 2.1(d)
 
 
Transferring Party
Section 3.2(a)(ii)
 
 
Section 1.3           Other Definitional Provisions.  The words "hereof", "herein" and "hereunder" and words of similar import when used in this Agreement shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement, and Article and Section references are to this Agreement unless otherwise specified.
 
The meanings given to terms defined herein shall be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of such terms.
 
7

Section 1.4           Methodology for Calculations.  For purposes of calculating the number of outstanding shares of Capital Stock or Voting Securities and the number of shares of Capital Stock or Voting Securities of any Person Beneficially Owned by any other Person as of any date, any shares of Capital Stock or Voting Securities held in treasury or belonging to any Subsidiary of such Person which are not entitled to be voted or counted for purposes of determining the presence of a quorum pursuant to Section 160(c) of the Delaware General Corporation Law (or any successor statute (the "DGCL")) shall be disregarded.
 
ARTICLE II
 
SHARE OWNERSHIP
 
Section 2.1           BlackRock Capital Stock.
 
(a)           Except as provided in paragraph (b) below, PNC covenants and agrees with BlackRock that it shall not, and shall not permit any of its Affiliates to, directly or indirectly, acquire, offer or propose to acquire or agree to acquire, whether by purchase, tender or exchange offer, through the acquisition of control of another Person (whether by way of merger, consolidation or otherwise), by joining a partnership, syndicate or other Group or otherwise, the Beneficial Ownership of any additional BlackRock Capital Stock, if after giving effect to such acquisition or action, PNC, together with its Affiliates, would Beneficially Own BlackRock Capital Stock representing more than its Voting Ownership Cap or Total Ownership Cap.
 
(b)           Notwithstanding the foregoing, the acquisition (whether by merger, consolidation, exchange of equity interests, purchase of all or part of the equity interests or assets or otherwise) by PNC or an Affiliate thereof of any Person that Beneficially Owns BlackRock Capital Stock, or the acquisition of BlackRock Capital Stock in connection with securing or collecting a debt previously contracted in good faith in the ordinary course of PNC's or such Affiliate's banking, brokerage or securities business, shall not constitute a violation of its Ownership Cap; provided that (i) the primary purpose of any such transaction is not to avoid the provisions of this Agreement, including its Ownership Cap (or the higher amount provided by Section 2.4 if then applicable), and (ii) that in the case of an acquisition of another Person, it uses reasonable best efforts to negotiate terms in connection with the relevant acquisition agreement requiring such other Person to divest itself of sufficient BlackRock Capital Stock it Beneficially Owns so that its Voting Ownership Cap or Total Ownership Cap (or the higher amount provided by Section 2.4 if then applicable) would not be exceeded pro forma for the acquisition, with such divestiture to be effected concurrently with, or as promptly as practicable following, the consummation of such acquisition (but in no event more than 120 days following such consummation, or such longer period not in excess of 243 days following such consummation as may be necessary due to the possession of material non-public information or so that neither it nor any of its Affiliates incurs any liability under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act if, for purposes of Section 16(b), they have not acquired Beneficial Ownership of any other shares of BlackRock Capital Stock or derivatives thereof after the date of the transaction that resulted in PNC exceeding its Ownership Cap) and, to the extent such divestiture does not occur despite the use of such reasonable best efforts, the successor or surviving Person to such transaction, if not PNC or such Affiliate, expressly assumes all obligations of PNC or such Affiliate, as the case
 
8

may be, under this Agreement; and provided, further, that the provisions of paragraph (c) below are complied with.
 
(c)           i) If at any time other than to the extent permitted by Section 2.4 PNC or any of its Affiliates Beneficially Owns in the aggregate BlackRock Capital Stock representing more than its Voting Ownership Cap or Total Ownership Cap, then PNC shall, as soon as is reasonably practicable after its Ownership Percentage first exceeds its Voting Ownership Cap or Total Ownership Cap (but in no event more than 120 days thereafter, or such longer period not in excess of 243 days following such consummation as may be necessary due to the possession of material non-public information or so that neither it nor any of its Affiliates incur liability under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act if, for purposes of Section 16(b), they have not acquired Beneficial Ownership of any other shares of BlackRock Capital Stock or derivatives thereof after the date of the transaction that resulted in PNC exceeding its Ownership Cap) Transfer (after the lapse of any minimum holding period) a number of shares of BlackRock Capital Stock sufficient to reduce the amount of BlackRock Capital Stock Beneficially Owned by it and its Affiliates to an amount representing not greater than its Ownership Cap (or the higher amount provided by Section 2.4 if then applicable).
 
  (ii)           Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, in no event may PNC or any of its Affiliates, directly or indirectly, including through any agreement or arrangement, exercise any voting rights, during the term of this Agreement, in respect of any BlackRock Capital Stock Beneficially Owned by it and its Affiliates representing in excess of its Voting Ownership Cap (or the higher amount provided by Section 2.4 if then applicable).
 
(d)           Any BlackRock Capital Stock acquired and Beneficially Owned by PNC following the Closing (the "Closing") of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of February 15,  2006 (the "Transaction Agreement") shall be subject to the restrictions contained in this Agreement as fully as if such shares of BlackRock Capital Stock were acquired by it at or prior to the Closing.
 
ii)           Notwithstanding Section 2.1(a), PNC shall not and shall cause its Affiliates not to acquire Beneficial Ownership of any shares of BlackRock Capital Stock from any Person other than BlackRock or a Significant Stockholder (other than pursuant to an acquisition effected in a manner contemplated by Section 2.1(b)) if after giving effect to such acquisition PNC, together with its Affiliates, would Beneficially Own BlackRock Capital Stock representing more than 90 percent of its Voting Ownership Cap.
 
Section 2.2           Prohibition of Certain Communications and Actions.  PNC shall not and shall cause its Affiliates and its and their directors, officers and other agents not to (w) solicit, seek or offer to effect, or effect, (x) negotiate with or provide any information to the Board, any director or officer of BlackRock, any stockholder of BlackRock, any employee or union or other labor organization representing employees of BlackRock or any other Person with respect to, (y) make any statement or proposal, whether written or oral, either alone or in concert with others, to the Board, any director or officer of BlackRock or any stockholder of, any employee or union or other labor organization representing employees of BlackRock or any other Person with respect to, or (z) make any public announcement (except as required by law in respect of actions permitted hereby) or proposal or offer whatsoever (including, but not limited
 
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to, any "solicitation" of "proxies" as such terms are defined or used in Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act) with respect to
 
(a)           any acquisition, offer to acquire, or agreement to acquire, directly or indirectly, by purchase or any other action the purpose or result of which would be to Beneficially Own (i) BlackRock Capital Stock or direct or indirect right to acquire any BlackRock Capital Stock or Voting Securities of any successor to or person in control of BlackRock in an amount which, when added to any other BlackRock Capital Stock then Beneficially Owned by PNC or any of its Affiliates would cause the total amount of Voting Securities of BlackRock Beneficially Owned by PNC or any of its Affiliates to exceed its Voting Ownership Cap or Total Ownership Cap, or (ii) any equity securities of any Controlled Affiliate of BlackRock (in each case except to the extent such acquisition, offer or agreement would be permissible under Section 2.1),
 
(b)           any form of business combination or similar or other extraordinary transaction involving BlackRock or any Controlled Affiliate of BlackRock, including, without limitation, a merger, tender or exchange offer or sale of any substantial portion of the assets of BlackRock or any Controlled Affiliate of BlackRock,
 
(c)           any form of restructuring, recapitalization or similar transaction with respect to BlackRock or any Controlled Affiliate of BlackRock,
 
(d)           any purchase of any assets, or any right to acquire any asset (through purchase, exchange, conversion or otherwise), of BlackRock or any Controlled Affiliate of BlackRock, other than investment assets of BlackRock or any Controlled Affiliate of BlackRock in the ordinary course of its banking, brokerage or securities business and other than an insubstantial portion of such assets in the ordinary course of business,
 
(e)           being a member of a Group for the purpose of acquiring, holding or disposing of any shares of Capital Stock of BlackRock or any Controlled Affiliate of BlackRock,
 
(f)           selling any share of BlackRock Capital Stock in an unsolicited tender offer that is opposed by the Board,
 
(g)           any proposal to seek representation on the Board except as contemplated by this Agreement or, other than as permitted by the proviso to Section 4.6(a) any proposal to seek to control or influence the management, Board or policies of BlackRock or any Controlled Affiliate of BlackRock, or
 
(h)           encourage, join, act in concert with or assist (including, but not limited to, providing or assisting in any way in the obtaining of financing for, or acting as a joint or co-bidder with) any third party to do any of the foregoing (the actions referred to in the foregoing provisions of this sentence being referred to as "Prohibited Actions").  If at any time PNC or any Affiliate thereof is approached by any Person requesting PNC or any Affiliate to encourage, join, act in concert with or assist any Person in a Prohibited Action involving the assets, businesses or securities of BlackRock or any of its Controlled Affiliates or any other Prohibited Actions, PNC will promptly inform BlackRock of the nature of such contact and the parties thereto.
 
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Nothing in this Section 2.2 shall limit the ability of any Director, including any PNC Designee, to act in his or her capacity as a Director in respect of Board matters.
 
Section 2.3           Additional Purchases of Voting Securities.  From and after the Closing, at any time that BlackRock effects an issuance (a "Stock Issuance") of additional Voting Securities other than in connection with any employee restricted stock, stock option, incentive or other employee benefit plan to any Person or Persons other than PNC or any Affiliate thereof PNC shall, subject to Section 2.1, have the right (a) to purchase from BlackRock (in each instance, an "Additional BlackRock Stock Purchase") additional Voting Securities of the same class or series issued in the Stock Issuance or, at PNC's option, additional shares of Series B Participating Preferred Stock, such that following the Stock Issuance, such purchase and any exchange pursuant to clause (b) of this Section 2.3, PNC will Beneficially Own shares and/or other securities representing the lesser of (x) its Voting Ownership Cap and its Total Ownership Cap and (y) the same Ownership Percentage as it owned immediately prior to such Stock Issuance and (b) if as a result of such Stock Issuance PNC's Beneficial Ownership of the Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock decreases to less than 38.0%, to exchange such number of shares of Series B Participating Preferred Stock for shares of Common Stock on a one-for-one basis such that following the Stock Issuance, any purchase pursuant to clause (a) of this Section 2.3 and such exchange, PNC will Beneficially Own shares of Common Stock and/or other securities representing not more than 38.0% of the Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock; provided, however, that PNC shall not have such right to purchase additional shares of Common Stock and/or Series B Participating Preferred Stock pursuant to clause (a) of this Section 2.3 to the extent that the total of all Stock Issuances (other than in connection with any employee restricted stock, stock option or stock incentive plan) constituting a public offering including the Stock Issuance in question since the Closing do not have the effect, after taking into account any repurchases of BlackRock Capital Stock by BlackRock since the Closing and any Transfers of BlackRock Capital Stock by PNC and its Affiliates in accordance with Section 3.2(a)(i) or (ii), of decreasing the Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock issued and outstanding after giving effect to such Stock Issuance Beneficially Owned by PNC and its Affiliates to 90% or less of PNC's Ownership Cap.  If PNC exercises its right pursuant to clause (a)  of this Section 2.3 within 30 days after the pricing date of such Stock Issuance and if the purchaser or purchasers of Voting Securities in such Stock Issuance pays cash in consideration for such securities, PNC shall pay an equal per security amount of cash consideration in the Additional BlackRock Stock Purchase following such Stock Issuance.  In all other cases, the price that PNC shall pay to purchase the additional Voting Securities shall be the Fair Market
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To illustrate the foregoing, assume that immediately before a Stock Issuance by BlackRock, the Ownership Percentage of PNC and its Affiliates was 38% (which increase resulted from repurchases conducted by BlackRock as contemplated by Section 2.4).  If such Stock Issuance was a public offering and resulted in PNC's Ownership Percentage being diluted to 35%, then PNC would not be entitled to acquire additional Voting Securities or shares of Series B Participating Preferred Stock in connection with that Stock Issuance. If, however, a subsequent Stock Issuance diluted PNC's Ownership Percentage to, e.g., 30%, PNC would be entitled to acquire additional Voting Securities or shares of Series B Participating Preferred Stock which, after taking into account all of Merrill Lynch's purchases pursuant to the comparable provision of its Second Amended and Restated Stockholder Agreement with BlackRock, dated the date hereof, would be sufficient to give PNC an Ownership Percentage of 90% of its initial Ownership Cap.  Any subsequent Stock Issuance could also result in PNC having the right to make an Additional BlackRock Stock Purchase.
 
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Value per unit of the class or series of Voting Securities.  BlackRock shall give PNC written notice of any Stock Issuance as far in advance as practicable and also on the date of completion.
 
Section 2.4           BlackRock Share Repurchases.  If BlackRock engages in any share repurchase program or self-tender that has the effect of causing the Beneficial Ownership of BlackRock Capital Stock by PNC and its Affiliates to exceed its Voting Ownership Cap or Total Ownership Cap, subject to any restrictions in the Exchange Act, PNC shall, at the request of BlackRock, promptly sell such number of shares of BlackRock Capital Stock to BlackRock as shall cause the Beneficial Ownership of BlackRock Capital Stock by PNC and its Affiliates not to exceed its Voting Ownership Cap or Total Ownership Cap; provided, that PNC shall be permitted to Beneficially Own not more than 49.9 percent of the Total Voting Power of the Voting Securities of BlackRock issued and outstanding if such increased Beneficial Ownership by PNC is solely due to share repurchases or self-tenders by BlackRock.
 
ARTICLE III
 
TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS
 
Section 3.1           General Transfer Restrictions.  The right of PNC and its Affiliates to Transfer any BlackRock Capital Stock is subject to the restrictions set forth in this Article III, and no Transfer of BlackRock Capital Stock by PNC or any of its Affiliates may be effected except in compliance with this Article III.  Any attempted Transfer in violation of this Agreement shall be of no effect and null and void, regardless of whether the purported transferee has any actual or constructive knowledge of the Transfer restrictions set forth in this Agreement, and shall not be recorded on the stock transfer books of BlackRock.
 
Section 3.2           Restrictions on Transfer.
 
(a)           PNC shall not, and shall not permit its Affiliates to, Transfer any Beneficially Owned BlackRock Capital Stock or agree to Transfer, directly or indirectly, any Beneficially Owned BlackRock Capital Stock; provided that the foregoing restriction shall not be applicable to Transfers:
 
  (i)           to an Affiliate of PNC which agrees in writing with BlackRock to be bound by this Agreement as fully as if it were an initial signatory hereto;
 
  (ii)           pursuant to (A) the restrictions of Rule 144 under the Securities Act applicable to sales of securities by Affiliates of an issuer (regardless of whether PNC is deemed at such time to be an Affiliate of BlackRock) or (B) privately negotiated transactions to any Person described in Rule 13d-1(b)(1) under the Exchange Act who is eligible to report the holdings of BlackRock Capital Stock on Schedule 13G and who after consummation of such transaction would have Beneficial Ownership of BlackRock Capital Stock representing in the aggregate not more than 10% of the Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock; or any other Person who after consummation of such transaction would have Beneficial Ownership of BlackRock Capital Stock representing in the aggregate not more than 5% of the Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock; provided, that PNC or the Affiliate proposing to Transfer pursuant to this Section 3.2(a)(ii)(B) (the "Transferring Party") promptly provide to BlackRock
 
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written notice (an "Initial Transfer Notice"), stating such Transferring Party's intention to effect such a Transfer, and stating that PNC will comply with the provisions of Section 3.3 and prior to making any Transfer or entering into any definitive agreement to do so shall provide to BlackRock a further written notice (a "Final Transfer Notice") stating such Transferring Party's intention to effect the specific transfer described therein (including price and terms (the "Last Look Price"));
 
  (iii)           pursuant to a distribution to the public, registered under the Securities Act, in which PNC uses its commercially reasonable efforts to (A) effect as wide a distribution of such BlackRock Capital Stock as is reasonably practicable, and (B) not knowingly, after inquiry, sell any shares of BlackRock Capital Stock to:
 
(1)         any Person described in Section 13d-1(b)(1) under the Exchange Act who is eligible to report the holdings of BlackRock Capital stock on Schedule 13G and who after consummation of such offering would have Beneficial Ownership of BlackRock Capital Stock representing in the aggregate more than 10% of the Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock; or
 
(2)         any other Person who after consummation of such offering would have Beneficial Ownership of BlackRock Capital Stock representing in the aggregate more than 5% of the Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock; or
 
  (iv)           with the prior written consent of a majority of the Independent Directors.
 
(b)           If PNC wishes or is required to Transfer an amount of BlackRock Capital Stock constituting more than 10% of the Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock, PNC and BlackRock shall coordinate regarding optimizing the manner of distribution and sale of such shares, including whether such sale should occur through an underwritten offering and shall cooperate in the marketing of any such offering.
 
(c)           PNC shall reimburse BlackRock for any fees and expenses incurred in connection with any Transfer by PNC pursuant to this Section 3.2 (other than any Transfer pursuant to Sections 3.3(a) and 3.3(b)).
 
Section 3.3           Right of Last Refusal.
 
(a)           Upon receipt of a Final Transfer Notice, unless the proposed Transfer described therein is being made in a tax-free or tax-deferred Transfer, including to a charitable organization or foundation, BlackRock will have an irrevocable and transferable option to purchase all of the BlackRock Capital Stock subject to such Final Transfer Notice at the Last Look Price and otherwise on the terms and conditions described in the Final Transfer Notice.  BlackRock and/or its transferees (collectively, and/or separately the "BlackRock Party") shall, within 10 Business Days from receipt of the Final Transfer Notice, indicate if it intends to exercise such option by sending irrevocable written notice of any such exercise to the Transferring Party, and such BlackRock Party shall then be obligated to purchase all such
 
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BlackRock Capital Stock on terms and conditions no less favorable (other than date of closing) to Transferring Party than those set forth in the Final Transfer Notice.
 
(b)           If a BlackRock Party elects to purchase all of such BlackRock Capital Stock, the BlackRock Party and the Transferring Party shall be legally obligated to consummate such transaction and shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to consummate such transaction as promptly as practicable but in any event within 10 Business Days following the delivery of such election notice or, if later, 5 Business Days after receipt of all required regulatory approvals (but in no event more than 60 days after the delivery of such election notice).
 
(c)           If a BlackRock Party does not elect to purchase all of such BlackRock Capital Stock pursuant to this Section 3.3 (or if, having made such election, does not complete such purchase within the applicable time period specified in Section 3.3(b)), then the Transferring Party shall be free for a period of 30 days from the date the election notice was due to be received from a BlackRock Party to enter into definitive agreements to Transfer such BlackRock Capital Stock in accordance with Section 3.2(a)(ii) for not less than the Last Look Price; provided that any such definitive agreement provides for the consummation of such Transfer to take place within nine months from the date of such definitive agreement and is otherwise on terms not more favorable to the transferee in any material respect than were contained in the Final Transfer Notice.  In the event that the Transferring Party has not entered into such a definitive agreement with such 30-day period, or has so entered into such an agreement but has not consummated the sale of such BlackRock Capital Stock within nine months from the date of such definitive agreement, then the provisions of this Section 3.3 shall again apply, and such Transferring Party shall not Transfer or offer to Transfer such BlackRock Capital Stock not so Transferred without again complying with this Section 3.3, to the extent applicable.
 
(d)           Each of the time periods set forth in Section 3.3(a)-(c) above shall be doubled if the number of shares PNC seeks to Transfer (as set forth in the Final Transfer Notice) exceeds 4.5% of the Total Voting Power of the BlackRock Capital Stock, or shares of Series B Preferred Stock convertible upon transfer into in excess of 4.5% of the Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock, issued and outstanding at that time.
 
Section 3.4           Legend on Securities.
 
(a)           Each certificate representing shares of BlackRock Capital Stock Beneficially Owned by PNC or its Affiliates and subject to the terms of this Agreement shall bear the following legend on the face thereof:
 
"THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER AND CERTAIN OTHER LIMITATIONS SET FORTH IN A CERTAIN AMENDED AND RESTATED IMPLEMENTATION AND STOCKHOLDER AGREEMENT DATED AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2008, BETWEEN BLACKROCK, INC.  (THE "COMPANY") AND THE PNC FINANCIAL SERVICES
 
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GROUP, INC., AS THE SAME MAY BE AMENDED FROM TIME TO TIME (THE "AGREEMENT"), COPIES OF WHICH AGREEMENT ARE ON FILE AT THE PRINCIPAL OFFICE OF THE COMPANY."
 
(b)           Upon any acquisition by PNC or its Affiliates of additional shares of BlackRock Capital Stock, PNC shall, or shall cause such Affiliate to, submit the certificates representing such shares of BlackRock Capital Stock to BlackRock so that the legend required by this Section 3.4 may be placed thereon (if not so endorsed upon issuance).
 
(c)           BlackRock may make a notation on its records or give instructions to any transfer agents or registrars for BlackRock Capital Stock in order to implement the restrictions on Transfer set forth in this Agreement.
 
(d)           In connection with any Transfer of shares of Beneficially Owned BlackRock Capital Stock, the transferor shall provide BlackRock with such customary certificates, opinions and other documents as BlackRock may reasonably request to assure that such Transfer complies fully with this Agreement and with applicable securities and other laws.  In connection with any Transfer pursuant to Section 3.2(a)(ii), (iii) or (iv), BlackRock shall remove such portion of the foregoing legend as is appropriate in the circumstances.
 
Section 3.5           Change of Control.  Upon a Change of Control of PNC within the first five years after the Closing and a determination of Material Effect by the Board within twelve months after the occurrence of such Change in Control, PNC (or any successor Person) shall, as promptly as practicable after receiving notice of such Material Effect, initiate and thereafter as promptly as practicable (consistent with applicable legal requirements including normal blackout periods and Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act) Transfer in accordance with the provisions of Sections 3.2 and/or 3.3 of this Agreement or such other manner as the parties shall have agreed is optimal in the circumstances and will not result in an "assignment" of any investment advisory agreements of BlackRock and its Controlled Affiliates under the U.S. Investment Advisers Act of 1940) all shares of BlackRock Capital Stock Beneficially Owned by it and its Affiliates immediately after giving effect to such Change of Control.  The parties shall cooperate in completing and marketing such Transfer, and shall take into account all relevant considerations, including market conditions, in determining the timing and manner of such Transfer.
 
ARTICLE IV
 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
 
Section 4.1           Composition of the Board.
 
(a)           Following the Closing, BlackRock and PNC shall each use its best efforts to cause the election of each meeting of stockholders of BlackRock of such nominees reasonably acceptable to the Board such that there are no more than 17 Directors; there are not more than four Directors who are Management Designees; there are two Directors, each in a different class, who are PNC Designees; there are two Directors, each in a different class, who are individuals
 
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designated in writing to BlackRock by a Person who is a Significant Stockholder and who obtained such status in connection with the Closing, and the remaining Directors are Independent Directors.
 
(b)           Following the Closing, upon the resignation, retirement or other removal from office of any Management Designee or PNC Designee, (i) BlackRock or PNC, as the case may be, shall be entitled promptly to designate a replacement Management Designee or PNC Designee, as the case may be, who meets the qualifications of a Director and is reasonably acceptable to the Board and (ii) BlackRock and PNC shall each use its best efforts to cause the appointment or election of such replacement designee as a Director by the other Directors or by the stockholders of BlackRock.
 
Section 4.2           Vote Required for Board Action; Board Quorum.
 
(a)           Except as provided in this Section 4.2 and in Section 4.7, any determination or other action of or by the Board (other than action by unanimous written consent in lieu of a meeting) shall require the affirmative vote or consent, at a meeting at which a quorum is present, of a majority of Directors present at such meeting.
 
(b)           In addition to the requirements of Section 4.2(a), BlackRock shall not enter into or effectuate any of the following transactions without the prior approval of either all of the Independent Directors then in office, or at least two-thirds of the Directors then in office, at a meeting with respect to which such transaction was specifically described in a written notice of meeting called at least two Business Days in advance; provided, however, that if a Director is not present (for the avoidance of doubt, a Director may attend, and be counted as present, at a meeting telephonically) at either of two meetings called and noticed in the foregoing manner to consider such transactions, such Director shall be deemed, solely for purposes of this Section 4.2(b), not to be a Director then in office if such Director is not present at the third meeting called and noticed in the foregoing manner to consider such transactions:
 
  (i)           appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer of BlackRock;
 
  (ii)           any merger, consolidation, exchange of shares, issuance of shares or similar transaction as a result of which a majority of the Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock or the Person surviving such transaction issued and outstanding immediately after giving effect to such transaction would be Beneficially Owned by one or more Persons other than the Persons holding a majority of the Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock issued and outstanding prior to the occurrence of such transaction, or any sale of all or substantially all of the assets of BlackRock to any Person;
 
  (iii)           any acquisition, whether by merger, consolidation, exchange of equity interests, purchase of equity interests or assets or similar transaction, of any Person or business the consolidated net income after taxes of which for its preceding fiscal year equals or exceeds 20% of BlackRock's consolidated net income after taxes for it preceding fiscal year if such acquisition involves the current or potential issuance of BlackRock Capital Stock constituting more than 10% of the Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock issued and outstanding immediately after completion of such acquisition;
 
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  (iv)          any acquisition, whether by merger, consolidation, exchange of equity interests, purchase of equity interests or assets or similar transaction, of any Person or business constituting a line of business that is materially different from the lines of business BlackRock and its Controlled Affiliates are engaged in immediately prior to such acquisition if such acquisition involves consideration in excess of 10% of the total assets of BlackRock on a consolidated basis;
 
  (v)           except for repurchases pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, any repurchase by BlackRock or any Subsidiary of BlackRock of shares of BlackRock Capital Stock such that after giving effect to such repurchase BlackRock and its Subsidiaries shall have repurchased more than 10% of the Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock within the 12-month period ending on the date of such repurchase;
 
  (vi)          any amendment, modification or waiver of BlackRock's Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws;
 
  (vii)         any matter requiring stockholder approval pursuant to the requirements of the New York Stock Exchange listed Company manual; or
 
  (viii)        any amendment, modification or waiver (as distinct from a consent or approval provided for herein) of any restriction or prohibition on PNC or its Affiliates or any amendment, modification or waiver (as distinct from a consent or approval provided for therein) of any restriction or prohibition on a Significant Stockholder or its Affiliates provided for in a stockholder agreement between BlackRock and such Significant Stockholder.
 
(c)           In addition to the requirements of Section 4.2(a) and (b), BlackRock shall not enter into any agreement providing for or effectuate any of the following transactions without the prior written approval of PNC:
 
  (i)           until the fifth anniversary of the Closing, (A) any merger, consolidation, exchange of shares, issuance of shares or similar transaction as a result of which a majority of the Total Voting Power of the Capital Stock of BlackRock or the Person surviving such transaction issued and outstanding immediately after giving effect to such transactions would be Beneficially Owned by one or more Persons other than the Persons holding a majority of the Total Voting Power of BlackRock Capital Stock issued and outstanding prior to the occurrence of such transaction or (B) in the case of a merger, consolidation, exchange of shares, issuance of shares or similar transaction that is not covered by clause (A) above, more than 20% of the Total Voting Power of the Capital Stock of BlackRock or the other Person surviving such transaction issued and outstanding immediately after giving effect to such transaction would be Beneficially Owned by any Person who Beneficially Owned less than 20% of the Total Voting Power of the BlackRock Capital Stock or of the Capital Stock of such other Person immediately prior to such transaction;
 
  (ii)           for so long as BlackRock shall be deemed to be a subsidiary of PNC for purposes of the U.S. Bank Holding Company Act, entering into any business or engaging in any activity that is prohibited for any such Subsidiary;
 
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  (iii)           any sale, whether by merger, consolidation, exchange of equity interests, sale of equity interests in or assets or similar transaction of any Subsidiary if the annualized revenues of such Subsidiary or assets, together with the annualized revenues of all other Subsidiaries or assets so disposed of within the 12-month period ending on the date of such sales exceeds more than 20% of the annualized revenues of BlackRock for the preceding fiscal year on a consolidated basis;
 
  (iv)           any amendment, modification, repeal or waiver of Section 3.2 of BlackRock's By-Laws or of BlackRock's Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws that would be viewed by a reasonable Person as being adverse to the rights of PNC or more favorable to the rights of a Significant Stockholder than to the rights of PNC;
 
  (v)           any settlement or consent in a regulatory matter that would be reasonably likely, in the opinion of counsel for PNC, to cause PNC or any of its Affiliates to suffer (A) any regulatory disqualification, (B) suspension of registration or license or (C) other material adverse regulatory consequence (which approval may not be unreasonably withheld in the case of this clause (C));
 
  (vi)          any amendment, modification or waiver (as distinct from a consent or approval provided for therein) of any provision of a stockholder agreement between BlackRock and a Significant Stockholder that would be viewed by a reasonable Person as being adverse to PNC or materially more favorable to the rights of such Significant Stockholder thereunder than to the rights of PNC hereunder; or
 
  (vii)         any voluntary bankruptcy or similar filing or declaration by BlackRock;
 
provided, however, that if a Change of Control of PNC occurs prior to the fifth anniversary of the Closing, the provisions of Section 4.2(c)(i) and (iii) shall immediately cease.
 
(d)           A quorum for any meeting of the Board shall require the presence of a majority of the total number of Directors then in office.
 
Section 4.3           Committees.  To the extent permitted by applicable laws, rules and regulations (including any requirements under the Exchange Act or the rules of the New York Stock Exchange or any other applicable securities exchange on which the Common Stock is then listed) each committee of the Board shall consist of a majority of Independent Directors, the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee and, to the extent required by applicable laws, rules and regulations and self-regulatory organization requirements, the Nominating Committee shall consist entirely of Independent Directors and the Executive Committee shall consist of not less than five members of which one shall be a PNC Designee.  Subject to Sections 4.2 and 4.7 all decisions of such committees shall require the affirmative vote of a majority of the Directors then serving on such committee.
 
Section 4.4           Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws to be Consistent.  Each of BlackRock and PNC shall use its best efforts to take or cause to be taken all lawful action necessary or appropriate to ensure that at all times the Certificate of Incorporation and the Bylaws of BlackRock contain provisions consistent with the terms of this Agreement (including
 
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without limitation this Article IV) and none of the Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of BlackRock or any of the corresponding constituent documents of BlackRock's Subsidiaries contain any provisions inconsistent therewith or which would in any way nullify or impair the terms of this Agreement or the rights of BlackRock or PNC hereunder.  Neither BlackRock nor PNC shall take or cause to be taken any action inconsistent with the terms of this Agreement (including without limitation this Article IV) or the rights of BlackRock or PNC hereunder.
 
Section 4.5           Information Rights.
 
(a)           BlackRock acknowledges that the investments PNC in BlackRock are material and strategic to it.  Accordingly, BlackRock shall provide to PNC, on an ongoing and current basis, such access to and information with respect to BlackRock's business, operations, plans and prospects as either of them may from time to time reasonably determine it requires in order to appropriately manage and evaluate its investment in BlackRock.
 
(b)           Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, for so long as PNC is required (the “Equity Accounting Period”) to account for its investment in BlackRock under the equity method of accounting (determined in accordance with GAAP as applicable to PNC), BlackRock agrees that:
 
  (i)           BlackRock shall provide PNC with (A) consolidated financial results for the latest available period of the BlackRock consolidated group (the “BlackRock Group”) in order to allow PNC to prepare its US regulatory filings under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“PNC Public Filings”), including PNC’s quarterly financial statements and annual audited financial statements and (B) such financial information or documents in the possession of BlackRock and any of its Subsidiaries as PNC may reasonably request; and
 
  (ii)           BlackRock shall cooperate, and use its best reasonable efforts to cause BlackRock’s independent certified public accounts (“BlackRock’s Auditors”) to cooperate, with PNC to the extent reasonably requested by PNC in the preparation of PNC’s public earnings releases or other press releases, Current Reports on Form 8-K, Annual Reports to Shareholders, Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and any other proxy, information and registration statements, reports, notices, prospectuses and any other filings made by PNC with the Commission, or any other Governmental Authority or otherwise made publicly available (collectively, the “PNC Public Filings”).  BlackRock agrees to provide to PNC all information that PNC reasonably requests in connection with any PNC Public Filings or that, in the reasonable judgment of PNC or its legal counsel, is required to be disclosed or incorporated by reference therein under any applicable law.  BlackRock shall provide such information to enable PNC to prepare, print and release all PNC Public Filings on a timely basis.  BlackRock shall use its best reasonable efforts to cause BlackRock’s Auditors to consent to any reference to them as experts in any PNC Public Filings required under applicable law.
 
(c)           BlackRock will negotiate in good faith with PNC to develop appropriate protocols for each to share with the other aggregate security position information for use in their respective compliance programs and to coordinate share ownership reporting with PNC and any Significant Stockholder for such purpose.
 
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(d)           With respect to any information provided by BlackRock:
 
  (i)           Subject to the requirements of law, PNC shall keep confidential, and shall cause its representatives to keep confidential, all information and documents obtained pursuant to this Section 4.5 unless such information (A) is or becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section 4.5(d) by it or its representatives; (B) was within its possession prior to being furnished to it by or on behalf of BlackRock, provided that the source of such information was not known by it to be bound by a confidentiality agreement with, or other contractual or legal obligation of confidentiality to, BlackRock with respect to such information; (C) is or becomes available to such Person or any of its representatives on a non-confidential basis from a source other than BlackRock or any of its representatives; provided that such source was not known to it to be bound by a confidentiality agreement with, or other contractual or legal obligation of confidentiality to, BlackRock with respect to such information; or (D) is independently developed by or on its behalf without violating any of its obligations under this Section 4.5(d).
 
  (ii)           In the event PNC believes that it is legally required to disclose any information or documents contemplated by this Section 4.5(d), it shall to the extent possible under the circumstances provide reasonable prior notice to BlackRock so that BlackRock may, at its own expense, seek a protective order or otherwise take reasonable steps to protect the confidentiality of such information.
 
  (iii)          Notwithstanding the foregoing, PNC may disclose any information or documents contemplated by this Section 4.5(d) in a filing with a governmental authority to the extent required by applicable law, provided that it shall to the extent practicable under the circumstances provide prior notice to BlackRock.
 
  (iv)          The rights of PNC and the obligations of BlackRock hereunder shall be subject to applicable laws relating to the exchange of information and other applicable laws.  The provisions of this Section 4.5(d) shall survive any termination of this Agreement.
 
Section 4.6           Voting Agreements.
 
(a)           PNC shall, and shall cause any of its Affiliates, to vote or act by written consent all of the shares of BlackRock Capital Stock Beneficially Owned by it (i) in favor of each matter required to effectuate any provision of this Agreement and against any matter the approval of which would be inconsistent with any provision of this Agreement and (ii) to the extent consistent with clause (i) above, in accordance with the recommendation of the Board on all matters approved by the Board in accordance with the provisions of Article IV, including elections of Directors; provided, however, that if the Board shall fail to nominate for election as a Director either or both of the two individuals designated by PNC who are reasonably acceptable to the Board, or shall unreasonably reject one or more PNC designees who is otherwise eligible to serve, then, so long as such individuals otherwise meet the requirements for serving as a Director of BlackRock, PNC and its Affiliates shall have the right to nominate such individuals at the applicable meeting of stockholders and to solicit proxies for the election of such individuals and, if such individuals are nominated at such meeting, may vote all of their shares of
 
20

BlackRock Capital Stock entitled to vote on such matter in favor of the election of such individuals.
 
(b)           PNC shall, and shall cause each of its Affiliates who hold BlackRock Capital Stock entitled to vote on any matter, be present in person or represented by proxy at all meetings of securityholders of BlackRock to the extent necessary so that all Voting Securities Beneficially Owned by PNC and its Affiliates shall be counted as present for the purpose of determining the presence of a quorum at such meeting and to vote such shares in accordance with this Section 4.6.
 
Section 4.7           Related Party Transactions.  Neither BlackRock nor any of its Controlled Affiliates shall enter into or effectuate any transaction or agreement with PNC or any Affiliate of PNC or any director, officer or employee of PNC or any such Affiliate (each a "Related Person"), unless such transaction or agreement is in effect at the time of the Closing, relates to transactions by or on behalf of clients of BlackRock and its Controlled Affiliates in the ordinary course of business or has been approved by or is consistent with or pursuant to the terms of a policy, transaction or agreement (or form of agreement) approved by, the affirmative vote or consent of a majority of the Directors, excluding the PNC Designees, present at a meeting at which a quorum is present.
 
Section 4.8           Bank Holding Company.
 
(a)           For so long as BlackRock shall be deemed to be a subsidiary of PNC for purposes of the U.S. Bank Holding Company Act, PNC shall have appropriate access and input regarding regulatory compliance and risk management practices at BlackRock as needed to satisfy bank holding company regulatory safety and soundness requirements.
 
(b)           From and after the first date on which PNC and its Affiliates Beneficially Own BlackRock Capital Stock representing less than PNC's Ownership Threshold, PNC shall cooperate with BlackRock in seeking to prevent BlackRock from continuing to be classified as the subsidiary of PNC for purposes of the U.S. Bank Holding Company Act.
 
Section 4.9           Dividend Payout Ratio.  In connection with its approval of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Agreement and related matters, the Board of Directors of BlackRock has adopted a dividend policy establishing a 40% targeted payout ratio, with all subsequent quarterly dividend declarations under such policy remaining subject to the relevant board's fiduciary discretion.  In the resolutions adopting such policy, the Board of BlackRock has committed not to revise the dividend payout ratio downward, except in furtherance of the Board of Directors' fiduciary duties or other prudential financial considerations.
 
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ARTICLE V
 
[INTENTIONALLY OMITTED]
 
 
ARTICLE VI
 
MISCELLANEOUS
 
Section 6.1           Conflicting Agreements.  Each party represents and warrants that it has not granted and is not a party to any proxy, voting trust or other agreement that is inconsistent with or conflicts with any provision of this Agreement.
 
Section 6.2           Termination.  Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, this Agreement shall terminate upon the first date on which PNC and its Affiliates Beneficially Own BlackRock Capital Stock representing less than PNC's Ownership Threshold (unless PNC has, within ten Business Days of notice that it has fallen below such Ownership Threshold, indicated its intent to increase its Beneficial Ownership above such Ownership Threshold, and PNC in fact so increases such ownership in excess of its Ownership Threshold within twenty Business Days after such notice); provided, however, that in the case of a termination pursuant to this Section 6.2, the obligations of the parties pursuant to Article III, 4.2(c)(ii) and 4.8 hereof shall not terminate until the first date on which PNC and its Affiliates Beneficially Own BlackRock Capital Stock representing less than five percent of the Total Voting Power of the BlackRock Capital Stock issued and outstanding at such time.  Nothing in this Section 6.2 shall be deemed to release any party from any liability for any willful and material breach of this Agreement occurring prior to the termination hereof or to impair the right of any party to compel specific performance by any other party of its obligations under this Agreement.
 
Section 6.3           Ownership Information.
 
(a)           For purposes of this Agreement, all determinations of the amount of outstanding BlackRock Capital Stock shall be based on information set forth in the most recent quarterly or annual report, and any current report subsequent thereto, filed by BlackRock with the Commission, unless BlackRock shall have updated such information by delivery of written notice to PNC.
 
(b)           If at any time or from time to time BlackRock becomes aware of any event that has caused, or which could reasonably be expected to cause, the Beneficial Ownership by PNC and its Affiliates of BlackRock Capital Stock to increase above its Ownership Cap, BlackRock shall promptly (but in no event more than five Business Days thereafter) notify PNC thereof.
 
Section 6.4           Savings Clause. No provision of this Agreement shall be construed to require any party or its Controlled Affiliates to take any action that would violate any applicable law (whether statutory or common), rule or regulation.
 
Section 6.5           Amendment and Waiver.  Except as otherwise provided herein, this Agreement may not be amended except by an instrument in writing signed on behalf of each of the parties hereto.  Except as otherwise provided herein, no modification, amendment or
 
22

waiver of any provision of this Agreement, and no giving of any consent provided for hereunder, shall be effective unless such modification, amendment, waiver or consent is approved by a majority of the Independent Directors.  The failure of any party to enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement shall in no way be construed as a waiver of such provisions and shall not affect the right of such party thereafter to enforce each and every provision of this Agreement in accordance with its terms.
 
Section 6.6           Severability.  If any provision of this Agreement shall be declared by any court of competent jurisdiction to be illegal, void or unenforceable, all other provisions of this Agreement shall not be affected and shall remain in full force and effect.
 
Section 6.7           Entire Agreement.  Except as otherwise expressly set forth herein, this Agreement embodies the complete agreement and understanding among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede and preempt any prior understandings, agreements or representations by or among the parties, written or oral, that may have related to the subject matter hereof in any way.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to the extent that any of the terms hereof are inconsistent with the rights or obligations of PNC under any other agreement with BlackRock, the terms of this Agreement shall govern.
 
Section 6.8           Successors and Assigns.  Neither this Agreement nor any of the rights or obligations of any party under this Agreement shall be assigned, in whole or in part (except by operation of law pursuant to a merger or similar business combination transaction), by any party without the prior written consent of the other parties (approved, in the case of BlackRock, by a majority of the Independent Directors), provided, that PNC may assign its rights and obligations hereunder (in whole or in part) to an Affiliate that agrees in writing with BlackRock to be bound by this Agreement as fully as if it were an initial signatory hereto, and any such transferee may thereafter make corresponding assignments in accordance with this proviso; and provided, further, that BlackRock may assign all or a portion of its rights under Section 3.3 in connection with any particular transaction subject thereto so long as BlackRock remains obligated in respect of any purchase obligation arising thereunder.  Subject to the foregoing, this Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns.
 
Section 6.9           Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts each of which shall be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
 
Section 6.10         Remedies.
 
(a)           Each party hereto acknowledges that monetary damages would not be an adequate remedy in the event that each and every one of the covenants or agreements in this Agreement are not performed in accordance with their terms, and it is therefore agreed that, in addition to and without limiting any other remedy or right it may have, the non-breaching party will have the right to an injunction, temporary restraining order or other equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction enjoining any such breach and enforcing specifically each and every one of the terms and provisions hereof.  Each party hereto agrees not to oppose the
 
23

granting of such relief in the event a court determines that such a breach has occurred, and to waive any requirement for the securing or posting of any bond in connection with such remedy.
 
(b)           All rights, powers and remedies provided under this Agreement or otherwise available in respect hereof at law or in equity shall be cumulative and not alternative, and the exercise or beginning of the exercise of any thereof by any party shall not preclude the simultaneous or later exercise of any other such right, power or remedy by such party.
 
Section 6.11         Notices.  All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given if delivered personally, telecopied (upon telephonic confirmation of receipt), on the first Business Day following the date of dispatch if delivered by a recognized next day courier service, or on the third Business Day following the date of mailing if delivered by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid.  All notices hereunder shall be delivered as set forth below, or pursuant to such other instructions as may be designated in writing by the party to receive such notice.
 
If to BlackRock:
 
   c/o BlackRock, Inc.
   40 East 52nd Street
   New York, NY 10022
   Facsimile:  212-810-8760
   Attn:          Laurence D. Fink
 
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
 
   Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
   Four Times Square
   New York, NY 10036
   Facsimile:  212-735-2000
   Attention:   Franklin M. Gittes, Esq.
                    Richard T. Prins, Esq.
 
If to PNC:
 
   The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.
   One PNC Plaza
   249 Fifth Avenue
   Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
   Facsimile: 412-705-2679
   Attention: General Counsel
 
24

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
 
   Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
   51 West 52nd Street
   New York, NY  10019
   Facsimile:  212-403-2000
   Attention:  Nicholas G. Demmo, Esq.

Section 6.12         Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction.
 
(a)           This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of law.  Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally consents to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or any court of the United States located in the State of Delaware, for any action, proceeding or investigation in any court or before any governmental authority ("Litigation") arising out of or relating to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.  Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, and agrees not to assert, by way of motion, as a defense, counterclaim or otherwise, in any such Litigation, the defense of sovereign immunity, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts for any reason other than the failure to serve process in accordance with this Section 6.12, that it or its property is exempt or immune from jurisdiction of any such court or from any legal process commenced in such courts (whether through service of notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution of judgment, execution of judgment or otherwise), and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, that the Litigation in any such court is brought in an inconvenient forum, that the venue of such Litigation is improper, or that this Agreement, or the subject matter hereof, may not be enforced in or by such courts and further irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the benefit of any defense that would hinder, fetter or delay the levy, execution or collection of any amount to which the party is entitled pursuant to the final judgment of any court having jurisdiction.  Each of the parties irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all rights to trial by jury in connection with any Litigation arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
 
(b)           Each of the parties expressly acknowledges that the foregoing waiver is intended to be irrevocable under the laws of the State of Delaware and of the United States of America; provided that consent by PNC and BlackRock to jurisdiction and service contained in this Section 6.12 is solely for the purpose referred to in this Section 6.12 and shall not be deemed to be a general submission to said courts or in the State of Delaware other than for such purpose.
 
Section 6.13         Interpretation.  The table of contents and headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.  Whenever the words "include", "includes" or "including" are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words "without limitation".
 

25

 
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this AMENDED AND RESTATED IMPLEMENTATION AND STOCKHOLDER Agreement as of the date first written above.
 

 
 
BLACKROCK, INC.
       
       
 
By:
/s/ Daniel R. Waltcher
   
Name:
Daniel R. Waltcher
   
Title:
Managing Director and
     
Deputy General Counsel
       
       

 
THE PNC FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP, INC.
       
       
 
By:
/s/ Samuel R. Patterson
   
Name:
Samuel R. Patterson
   
Title:
Controller
       





EX-10.3 6 ex10-3.htm ex10-3.htm

EXHIBIT 10.3
 
 
THIRD AMENDMENT TO
SHARE SURRENDER AGREEMENT
 
This Third Amendment to the Share Surrender Agreement is made and entered into as of February 27, 2009, by and between BlackRock, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("BlackRock"), PNC Bancorp, Inc. ("Bancorp"), a Delaware corporation (as successor to PNC Asset Management, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("PAM") under an Assignment and Assumption Agreement entered into as January 14, 2005 (the "Assignment and Assumption Agreement")), and The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation ("PNC").  Bancorp is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PNC.  Capitalized terms used in this Third Amendment and not defined have the meanings set forth in the Amended Share Surrender Agreement (as defined below).
 
RECITALS
 
BlackRock, PAM and PNC entered into the Share Surrender Agreement as of October 10, 2002 (the "Share Surrender Agreement"), as amended by the First Amendment to the Share Surrender Agreement as of February 15, 2006, between BlackRock, Bancorp and PNC (the "First Amendment") and the Second Amendment to the Share Surrender Agreement as of June 11, 2007 between BlackRock, Bancorp and PNC (the "Second Amendment" and, collectively with the First Amendment and the Share Surrender Agreement, the "Amended Share Surrender Agreement"), under which PAM agreed to surrender shares of the Common Stock of BlackRock ("BlackRock Stock") held by it to Award Holders under the BlackRock, Inc. 2002 Long-Term Retention and Incentive Plan (the "Plan") and to make available for use in future long-term retention and incentive programs approved by BlackRock to retain BlackRock employees. Bancorp, which now holds the shares of BlackRock Common Stock formerly held by PAM, has, pursuant to the Assignment and Assumption Agreement, assumed and agreed to be liable for all responsibilities, duties, liabilities and obligations of PAM under the Amended Share Surrender Agreement.
 
BlackRock has entered into an Exchange Agreement with PNC (the "Exchange Agreement") pursuant to which, among other things, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein Bancorp will exchange (the "Exchange") up to 2,940,866 shares of Common Stock for a like number of shares of BlackRock's series C non-voting convertible participating preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "Series C Preferred Stock");
 
In light of the Exchange, BlackRock, Bancorp and PNC wish to amend the provisions relating to PAM's obligations to make shares available for use to fulfill its obligations under the Amended Share Surrender Agreement.
 
Accordingly, the parties to this Third Amendment agree as follows:

1.           Amendment to Section 1.1.1 (Defined Terms).  The definition of "Series C Preferred Stock" shall be inserted following the definition for "Plan Period" and prior to
 
1

the definition for "Vesting Event" (which shall be redesignated as clause (r) of Section 1.1.1) and shall read as follows:

"(q) "Series C Preferred Stock" shall mean series C convertible participating preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share, of BlackRock and any securities issued in respect thereof, or in substitution therefor, in connection with any stock split, dividend or combination, or any reclassification, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, exchange or other similar reorganization."

3.           Future Share Surrender Obligations.  (a)  Section 1.2(a) of the Amended Share Surrender Agreement is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:
 
"(a)           The parties hereto agree that upon a Payment Date (as defined in the Plan) PAM shall, and PNC shall cause PAM to, as soon as is reasonably practicable (1)  surrender and assign, transfer, convey and deliver to BlackRock, free and clear of all Encumbrances, all of PAM's right, title and interest to and in such number of shares (i) if prior to February 27, 2009, of Common Stock and (ii) if on or after February 27, 2009, of Series C Preferred Stock (in either case, the "Payment Date Shares"), equal in the aggregate to the lesser of (A) the product of (I) 4,000,000 (as may be adjusted pursuant to Section 1.4.1) multiplied by (II) the Applicable Vesting Percentage and (B) the product of (I) a number of shares of Common Stock and/or Series C Preferred Stock having a value as of the Payment Date equal to the aggregate value of Awards (as defined in the Plan) to be paid to Award Holders pursuant to the Plan, as directed by BlackRock, multiplied by (II) 0.8333; in either case less an aggregate number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock and/or Common Stock having a value as of the Payment Date equal to the amount of federal, state and local taxes BlackRock is required to withhold with respect to the Awards (such shares, collectively, the "Tax Withholding Shares"); and (2)  surrender and assign, transfer, convey and deliver to BlackRock, as directed by BlackRock, free and clear of all Encumbrances, all of PAM's right, title and interest to and in the Tax Withholding Shares.  The Parties hereby agree that for purposes of this Section 1.2, the value per share of Series C Preferred Stock shall be equal to the value per share of Common Stock on such Payment Date."

(b) Section 1.2(b) of the Amended Share Surrender Agreement is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

"(b)           The parties hereto also agree that if, pursuant to Section 1.2(a)(1)(B), PAM delivers a number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock and/or Common Stock to BlackRock on the Payment Date calculated pursuant to Section 1.2(a)(1)(B), in addition, PAM shall, and PNC shall cause PAM to, continue to own a number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock (collectively, the "Remainder Shares") in the aggregate equal to the excess, if any, of (1) 4,000,000 (as may be adjusted pursuant to Section 1.4.1) over (2) the aggregate number of shares of Series C Preferred Stock and Common Stock surrendered on
 
2

 
the Payment Date pursuant to Section 1.2(a)(1)(B) (as may be adjusted pursuant to Section 1.4.1).  PAM shall, and PNC shall cause PAM to, make the Remainder Shares available for use in future incentive plans or programs approved by BlackRock's Board of Directors for the benefit of BlackRock employees; provided that any such future plans or programs ("Future Incentive Plans") will have the following characteristics:  (1) grants will be awards measured by, and satisfied through delivery by BlackRock of, a number of shares of Common Stock (regardless of whether the Remainder Shares are Series C Preferred Stock), (2) the vesting of grants will be dependent on BlackRock's achievement of performance goals to be approved by the compensation committee of its Board of Directors, and (3) although the vesting of grants may take place based on achievement of either annual or multi-year performance goals, the grants will finally vest and be paid in not less than three years following the effectiveness of the grant, subject to customary acceleration provisions relating to a change in control of BlackRock.  Subject to the terms set forth in the Second Amendment, BlackRock will not make grants using Remainder Shares under any Future Incentive Plans to the extent that such grants would result in PNC recognizing in the aggregate more than $50 million in expense in any one year as a result of the use of Remainder Shares in Future Incentive Plans.  For the purposes of the prior sentence, the aggregate expense recognized by PNC in any year as a result of the use of Remainder Shares in Future Incentive Plans will equal the sum of

(1) (x) the pre-tax expense recognized by BlackRock (under generally accepted accounting principles as may be applicable to BlackRock from time to time) in such year as a result of the grant, whether in that or prior years, to its employees of awards to be satisfied through the use of the Remainder Shares multiplied by (y) PNC's ownership percentage in BlackRock calculated on the basis used to determine PNC's recognition of BlackRock's income under equity accounting principles, and

(2) the pre-tax expense directly recognized by PNC (under generally accepted accounting principles as may be applicable to PNC from time to time) in such year as a result of its making Remainder Shares available for use by BlackRock in respect of grants, whether in that or prior years, under Future Incentive Programs.

For illustrative purposes only, an example of such calculation is set forth as Exhibit A.

If BlackRock should at any time make grants in excess of this limitation, BlackRock will promptly take whatever steps are appropriate to correct this situation so that PNC is not required to recognize such expense in excess of the $50 million per year maximum. PAM shall, and PNC shall cause PAM to, deliver shares in accordance with the terms of any such Future Incentive Plans that satisfy the criteria set forth herein. Nothing in this Agreement restricts in any way
 
3

 
the grant of other incentive awards to BlackRock employees, including other awards using Common Stock other than the Remainder Shares."

(c)           Section 1.3.1 of the Amended Share Surrender Agreement is amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

"Covenants of PNC and PAM. PAM and PNC agree that any and all shares of Series C Preferred Stock and Common Stock surrendered and assigned, transferred, conveyed and delivered by PAM to Award Holders and to BlackRock, as directed by BlackRock, pursuant to this agreement shall be contributed free and clear of any and all Encumbrances.  PNC and PAM shall take such steps as may be necessary to assure that at all times PAM directly owns for its own account sufficient shares of Common Stock or Series C Preferred Stock as may be required to be surrendered pursuant to the terms hereof."

3.           Acknowledgement. For the avoidance of doubt, PNC and PAM agree and acknowledge that the Exchange shall not constitute satisfaction of such parties' respective obligations under Section 1.2(a) of the Amended Share Surrender Agreement, as amended hereby.

4           No Other Amendments.  Except as expressly amended by this Third Amendment, the Amended Share Surrender Agreement shall remain in full force and effect in accordance with its terms.


[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

4


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have duly executed this Third Amendment as of the date first above mentioned.
 

 
BLACKROCK, INC.
       
       
 
By:
/s/ Daniel R. Waltcher
   
Name:
Daniel R. Waltcher
   
Title:
Managing Director and
     
Deputy General Counsel

 
PNC BANCORP, INC.
       
       
 
By:
/s/ George P. Long, III
   
Name:
George P. Long, III
   
Title:
Assistant Secretary
       

 
THE PNC FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP, INC.
       
       
 
By:
/s/ Samuel R. Patterson
   
Name:
Samuel R. Patterson
   
Title:
Controller
       

 
5



Exhibit A:  Illustrative Expense Calculation

Hypothetical 2007 Future Incentive Plan award:

·
BLK undertakes $200 million grant with four-year vesting

·
Hypothetical per share BLK stock price:  $150

·
Total shares based on grant and stock price:  1,333,333


BLK Books
 
 
BLK annual pre-tax GAAP expense/year
$50,000,000
PNC's hypothetical ownership percentage
34%
Amount calculated under clause (1)
$17,000,000
   
PNC Books
 
 
Remainder shares provided for 2007 grant
1,333,333 shares
Total hypothetical BLK shares outstanding on grant date
 
130,000,000 shares
% of LTIP
1.0256%
BLK Hypothetical Book Equity at grant date
$8,500,000,000
PNC total pre-tax GAAP expense over vesting period
$87,179,487
Amount calculated under clause (2)
$21,794,872
Total amount counted against $50 million limitation under Section 1.2(b) (i.e., sum of amounts calculated under clauses (1) and (2)):
$38,794,871.79

 
 
 
 

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