S-3ASR

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 3, 2013

Registration No. 333-          

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	95-4274680
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)

777 North Broadway

Los Angeles, California 90012

(213) 625-4700

(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices)

Perry P. Oei, Esq.

Senior Vice President and General Counsel

Cathay General Bancorp

777 North Broadway

Los Angeles, California 90012

(213) 625-4700

(Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)

Copy to:

David E. Shapiro, Esq.

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

51 West 52nd Street

New York, New York 10019

(212) 403-1000

Approximate Date of Commencement of Proposed Sale to the Public: From time to time after this Registration Statement becomes effective.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Large accelerated filer	x	Accelerated filer	¨
Non-accelerated filer	¨ (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)	Smaller reporting company	¨

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

Title of each class of securities to be registered	Amount to be registered(1)	Proposed maximum offering price per unit(1)	Proposed maximum aggregate offering price(1)	Amount of registration fee(2)
Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share	—	—	—	—
Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share	—	—	—	—
Debt Securities	—	—	—	—
Warrants	—	—	—	—

(1) This registration covers an indeterminate number of securities of each identified class that the Registrant may issue from time to time at indeterminate prices. Any registered securities may be sold separately or as units with other securities registered under this Registration Statement. The indeterminate amount includes securities which may be purchased by underwriters to cover over-allotments, if any. The proposed maximum offering price per security will be determined by the Registrant in connection with the issuance of the securities registered hereunder.

(2) In accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r), the Registrant is deferring payment of the registration fee, which will be paid on a pay-as-you-go basis.

PROSPECTUS

COMMON STOCK

PREFERRED STOCK

DEBT SECURITIES

WARRANTS

We, Cathay General Bancorp, and/or one or more selling securityholders to be identified in the future may offer and sell from time to time the following securities separately or together in any combination:

• our common stock;

• our preferred stock;

• debt securities; and

• warrants.

Our debt securities may consist of debentures, notes, or other types of debt. The preferred stock, debt securities, and warrants may be convertible, exercisable or exchangeable for common or preferred stock or other securities of ours. We and/or one or more selling securityholders to be identified in the future, as applicable, will determine when securities are sold, the amounts and types of securities that are sold and the prices and other terms on which securities are sold.

We and/or one or more selling securityholders to be identified in the future may sell securities, on a continuous or delayed basis, to or through underwriters, dealers or agents or directly to purchasers. If any agents or underwriters are involved in the sale of any of these securities, the applicable prospectus supplement will provide their names and any applicable fees, commissions or discounts.

Each time securities are sold pursuant to this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement and attach it to this prospectus. The prospectus supplements will contain more specific information about the offering and the securities being offered. The prospectus supplements may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. This prospectus may not be used to sell securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement describing the method and terms of the offering.

You should carefully read this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement, together with the documents we incorporate by reference, before you invest.

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should consider carefully the risks and uncertainties in the section entitled “Risk Factors” beginning on page 5 of this prospectus, in any prospectus supplement relating to an offering of those securities, and in the documents we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission before investing in our securities.

These securities are our unsecured obligations and are not savings accounts, deposits, or other obligations of any bank or non-bank subsidiary of ours and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.

Our common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “CATY”. You are urged to obtain current market quotations of the common stock. The applicable prospectus supplement will contain information, where applicable, as to any listing on the NASDAQ Global Market or any securities market or other exchange of the securities covered by the applicable prospectus supplement.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission, any state securities commission, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, nor any regulatory agency has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy, completeness, or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The date of this prospectus is December 3, 2013.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Prospectus

	Page
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS		1
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION		1
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE		2
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS		3
RISK FACTORS		5
CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP		5
USE OF PROCEEDS		6
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED DIVIDENDS		6
REGULATORY CONSIDERATIONS		7
DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK		8
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK		9
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES		12
DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS		19
ANTI-TAKEOVER PROVISIONS IN CATHAY’S CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION AND BYLAWS		20
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION		21
LEGAL MATTERS		22
EXPERTS		23

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we and/or one or more selling securityholders to be identified in the future may, from time to time, offer and sell, in one or more offerings:

• common stock;

• preferred stock;

• debt securities; and

• warrants.

This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time securities are sold under this prospectus we will provide a prospectus supplement containing specific information about the terms of the securities being offered. That prospectus supplement may include a discussion of any risk factors or other special considerations that apply to those securities. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change the information in this prospectus. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in that prospectus supplement. You should read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

The registration statement containing this prospectus, including exhibits to the registration statement, provides additional information about us and the securities offered under this prospectus. The registration statement can be read at the SEC website or at the SEC offices mentioned under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

THIS PROSPECTUS MAY NOT BE USED TO SELL ANY SECURITIES UNLESS

ACCOMPANIED BY A PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT.

You should rely only on the information we incorporate by reference or present in this prospectus or the relevant prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone else, including any underwriter or agent, to provide you with different or additional information. This prospectus may only be used to sell securities if it is accompanied by a prospectus supplement which includes the specific terms of that offering. These securities are only offered in states where the offer is permitted. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus or the applicable prospectus supplement is accurate as of any date other than the dates on the front of those documents.

In this prospectus, “Cathay,” “we,” “our,” “ours,” and “us” refer to Cathay General Bancorp, which is a Delaware corporation headquartered in Los Angeles, California, and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, unless the context otherwise requires. References to “Cathay Bank” or the “Bank” means Cathay Bank, a California state-chartered bank, which is our bank subsidiary.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We file annual, quarterly, and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our SEC filings are available to the public over the Internet at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and on the investor relations page of our website at www.cathaygeneralbancorp.com. Except for those SEC filings incorporated by reference in this prospectus, none of the other information on our website is part of this prospectus. You may also read and copy any document we file with the SEC at its public reference facilities at 100 F Street N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You can also obtain copies of the documents upon the payment of a duplicating fee to

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the SEC. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the operation of the public reference facilities.

This prospectus omits some information contained in the registration statement in accordance with SEC rules and regulations. You should review the information and exhibits included in the registration statement for further information about us and the securities we are offering. Statements in this prospectus concerning any document we filed as an exhibit to the registration statement or that we otherwise filed with the SEC are not intended to be comprehensive and are qualified by reference to these filings. You should review the complete document to evaluate these statements.

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to other documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this prospectus, and information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. In all cases, you should rely on the later information over different information included in this prospectus.

We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and all future filings we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, prior to the termination of the offering, except to the extent that any information contained in such filings is deemed “furnished” in accordance with SEC rules:

• Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012, filed with the SEC on March 1, 2013, including portions incorporated by reference therein to our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A, filed with the SEC on April 11, 2013;

• Our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2013 filed on May 8, 2013, for the fiscal quarter June 30, 2013 filed on August 8, 2013, and for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2013 filed on November 7, 2013;

• Our Current Reports on Form 8-K (in each case, other than information and exhibits “furnished” to and not “filed” with the SEC in accordance with SEC rules and regulations), filed on March 20, 2013, April 8, 2013, May 14, 2013, September 20, 2013, September 23, 2013, September 30, 2013 and October 1, 2013; and

• The description of our common stock contained in the registration statement on Form 8-A filed on September 16, 1999, including any amendment or report filed to update such description.

These documents contain important information about us and our financial condition. Information contained in this prospectus supersedes information incorporated by reference that we have filed with the SEC prior to the date of this prospectus, while information that we file with the SEC after the date of this prospectus that is incorporated by reference will automatically update and supersede this information.

Our filings are available on our website, www.cathaygeneralbancorp.com. Information contained in or linked to our website is not a part of this prospectus. You may also request a copy of these filings, at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at:

Cathay General Bancorp

777 North Broadway

Los Angeles, California 90012

(213) 625-4700

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

The statements in this prospectus include forward-looking statements within the meaning of the applicable provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding management’s beliefs, projections, and assumptions concerning future results and events. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provision for forward-looking statements in these provisions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are “forward-looking statements” for purposes of federal and state securities laws, including statements about anticipated future operating and financial performance, financial position and liquidity, growth opportunities and growth rates, growth plans, acquisition and divestiture opportunities, business prospects, strategic alternatives, business strategies, financial expectations, regulatory and competitive outlook, investment and expenditure plans, financing needs and availability, and other similar forecasts and statements of expectation and statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Words such as “aims,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “can,” “continue,” “could,” “estimates,” “expects,” “hopes,” “intends,” “may,” “optimistic,” “plans,” “potential,” “possible,” “predicts,” “projects,” “seeks,” “shall,” “should,” “will,” and variations of these words and similar expressions are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements by us are based on estimates, beliefs, projections, and assumptions of management and are not guarantees of future performance. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from our historical experience and our present expectations or projections. Such risks and uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to, adverse developments or conditions related to or arising from:

Risks relating to our business—

• U.S. and international business and economic conditions;

• credit risks of lending activities and deterioration in asset or credit quality;

• potential supervisory action by bank supervisory authorities;

• increased costs of compliance and other risks associated with changes in regulation and the current regulatory environment, including the requirements of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”), and the potential for substantial changes in the legal, regulatory, and enforcement framework and oversight applicable to financial institutions in reaction to recent adverse financial market events, including changes pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Act;

• potential goodwill impairment;

• liquidity risk;

• fluctuations in interest rates;

• inflation and deflation;

• risks associated with acquisitions and the expansion of our business into new markets;

• real estate market conditions and the value of real estate collateral;

• environmental liabilities;

• our ability to compete with larger competitors;

• the possibility of higher capital requirements, including implementation of the Basel III capital standards of the Basel Committee;

• our ability to retain key personnel;

• successful management of reputational risk;

• natural disasters and geopolitical events;

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• general economic or business conditions in California, Asia, and other regions where the Bank has operations;

• failures, interruptions, or security breaches of our information systems;

• our ability to adapt our systems to technological changes, including successfully implementing our core system conversion;

• adverse results in legal proceedings;

• changes in accounting standards or tax laws and regulations;

• market disruption and volatility;

• restrictions on dividends and other distributions by laws and regulations and by our regulators and our capital structure;

• successfully raising additional capital, if needed, and the resulting dilution of interests of holders of our common stock; and

• the soundness of other financial institutions.

Forward-looking statements by us are based on estimates, projections, beliefs and assumptions of management and are not guarantees of future performance. Such forward-looking statements may be contained in this prospectus (and the documents incorporated by reference herein) under “Risk Factors,” or may be contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K or in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q under headings such as “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operations” and “Business,” or in our Current Reports on Form 8-K, among other places. Any investor in Cathay should consider all risks and uncertainties disclosed in our filings with the SEC described above under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information,” all of which are accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

These and other factors are further described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 (Item 1A in particular), other reports and registration statements we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) from time to time. Actual results in any future period may also vary from the past results discussed in this prospectus. Given these risks and uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak to the date of this prospectus. We have no intention and undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement or to publicly announce any revision of any forward-looking statement to reflect future developments or events, except as required by law.

Cathay General Bancorp’s filings with the SEC are available at the website maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov, or by request directed to Cathay General Bancorp, 9650 Flair Drive, El Monte, California 91731, Attention: Investor Relations (626) 279-3286. The information contained in our website is not a part of this prospectus.

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RISK FACTORS

An investment in our securities involves will involve risks. Before making an investment decision, you should read carefully and consider the risk factors incorporated by reference in this prospectus, as well as those contained in any applicable prospectus supplement, as the same may be updated from time to time by our future filings with the SEC under the Exchange Act. You should also refer to other information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, including our financial statements and the related notes incorporated by reference herein. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us at this time or that we currently deem immaterial may also materially and adversely affect our business and operations.

CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP

Cathay General Bancorp is a corporation that was organized in 1990 under the laws of the State of Delaware. We are the holding company of Cathay Bank, a California state-chartered commercial bank (“Cathay Bank” or the “Bank”), six limited partnerships investing in affordable housing investments in which Cathay Bank is the sole limited partner, and GBC Venture Capital, Inc. We also own 100% of the common stock of five statutory business trusts created for the purpose of issuing capital securities. In the future, we may become an operating company or acquire savings institutions, other banks, or companies engaged in bank-related activities and may engage in or acquire such other businesses, or activities as may be permitted by applicable law.

Cathay Bank was incorporated under the laws of the State of California on August 22, 1961, was licensed by the DBO (then known as the California State Banking Department) and commenced operations as a California state-chartered bank on April 19, 1962. Cathay Bank is an insured bank under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act by the FDIC, but it is not a member of the Federal Reserve.

The Bank’s head office is located in the Chinatown area of Los Angeles, at 777 North Broadway, Los Angeles, California 90012. In addition, as of December 31, 2012, the Bank had branch offices in Southern California (20 branches), Northern California (11 branches), New York (eight branches), Massachusetts (one branch), Texas (two branches), Washington (three branches), Illinois (three branch locations and one drive-through location), New Jersey (one branch), and Hong Kong (one branch) and a representative office in Shanghai and in Taipei. Deposit accounts at the Hong Kong branch are not insured by the FDIC. Each branch has loan approval rights subject to the branch manager’s authorized lending limits. Current activities of the Shanghai and Taipei representative offices are limited to coordinating the transportation of documents to the Bank’s head office and performing liaison services.

Our primary market area is defined by the Community Reinvestment Act delineation, which includes the contiguous areas surrounding each of the Bank’s branch offices. It is the Bank’s policy to reach out and actively offer services to low and moderate income groups in the delineated branch service areas. Many of the Bank’s employees speak both English and one or more Chinese dialects or Vietnamese, and are thus able to serve the Bank’s Chinese, Vietnamese, and English speaking customers.

As a commercial bank, the Bank accepts checking, savings, and time deposits, and makes commercial, real estate, personal, home improvement, automobile, and other installment and term loans. From time to time, the Bank invests available funds in other interest-earning assets, such as U.S. Treasury securities, U.S. government agency securities, state and municipal securities, mortgage-backed securities, asset-backed securities, corporate bonds, and other security investments. The Bank also provides letters of credit, wire transfers, forward currency spot and forward contracts, traveler’s checks, safe deposit, night deposit, Social Security payment deposit, collection, bank-by-mail, drive-up and walk-up windows, automatic teller machines (“ATM”), Internet banking services, and other customary bank services.

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The Bank primarily services individuals, professionals, and small to medium-sized businesses in the local markets in which its branches are located and provides commercial mortgage loans, commercial loans, Small Business Administration (“SBA”) loans, residential mortgage loans, real estate construction loans, equity lines of credit, and installment loans to individuals for automobile, household, and other consumer expenditures.

Through Cathay Wealth Management, the Bank provides its customers the ability to trade securities online and to purchase mutual funds, annuities, equities, bonds, and short-term money market instruments. All securities and insurance products provided by Cathay Wealth Management are offered by, and all Financial Consultants are registered with, Cetera Financial Services, a registered securities broker/dealer and licensed insurance agency and member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and Security Investor Protection Corporation. Cetera Financial Services and Cathay Bank are independent entities. These products are not insured by the FDIC.

Cathay General Bancorp is regulated as a bank holding company by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, or Federal Reserve Board. Cathay Bank is regulated as a California commercial bank by the California Department of Business Oversight, or DBO, and the FDIC.

USE OF PROCEEDS

Unless the applicable prospectus supplement states otherwise, the net proceeds from the sale by us of the securities registered hereby will be added to our general funds and will be available for general corporate purposes, including, among other things, the payment of dividends on preferred stock and common stock, repayment of existing indebtedness, investments in, or extensions of credit to, our existing or future subsidiaries, and the financing of possible acquisitions.

Pending such use, we may temporarily invest the net proceeds from the sale by us of the securities registered hereby in short-term securities or reduce our short-term indebtedness, or we may hold the net proceeds in deposit accounts in our subsidiary bank.

We will not receive any proceeds from sales by selling securityholders of the securities registered hereby.

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED DIVIDENDS

The following table shows our ratio of earnings to fixed charges and preferred dividends on a consolidated basis.

For purposes of determining the ratio of earnings to fixed charges and preferred dividends, earnings are defined as the sum of pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations, fixed charges and amortization of capitalized interest; less interest capitalized, preference security dividend requirements of consolidated subsidiaries and minority interest in pre-tax income of subsidiaries that have not incurred fixed charges. Fixed charges means the sum of interest expensed and capitalized, amortized premiums, discounts and capitalized expenses related to indebtedness and an estimate of the interest within rental expense and preference security dividend requirements of consolidated subsidiaries.

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CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges and Preferred Stock Dividends

	For the nine months ended September 30,				For the Year Ended December 31,
(Dollars in thousands, except ratios)	2013		2012		2012		2011		2010			2009			2008
Income/(Loss) before income tax expense	$	143,730	$	139,984	$	183,567	$	151,411	$	(3,064	)	$	(129,302	)	$	70,075
Plus fixed charges		64,689		86,256		111,156		142,533		194,102			247,540			299,477
Earnings		208,419		226,240		294,723		293,944		191,038			118,238			369,552
Fixed charges		64,689		86,256		111,156		142,533		194,102			247,540			299,477
Preferred stock dividends		10,137		12,813		17,093		17,042		16,998			16,948			1,750
Fixed charges and preferred stock dividends	$	74,826	$	99,069	$	128,249	$	159,575	$	211,100		$	264,488		$	301,227
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges		3.22		2.62		2.65		2.06		0.98			0.48			1.23
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges and preferred dividends		2.79		2.28		2.30		1.84		0.90			0.45			1.23

REGULATORY CONSIDERATIONS

As a financial holding company and a bank holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended, Cathay General Bancorp is subject to regulation, supervision and examination by the Federal Reserve Board. For a discussion of the material elements of the regulatory framework applicable to financial holding companies, bank holding companies and their subsidiaries and specific information relevant to Cathay General Bancorp please refer to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012, and any subsequent reports Cathay General Bancorp files with the SEC, which are incorporated by reference into the prospectus.

Dividends from the Bank are our primary source of funds for payment of principal and interest on our debt and dividends to our stockholders. In the year ended December 31, 2012, Cathay General Bancorp declared cash dividends to the holders of our common stock of $3.1 million. There are, however, statutory limits on the amount of dividends that the Bank can pay to Cathay General Bancorp without regulatory approval.

The Bank may not, without the prior approval of the DBO, pay a dividend in an amount which exceeds the lesser of (a) the retained earnings of the Bank; or (b) the net income of the Bank for its last three fiscal years, less the amount of any distributions made by the Bank or by any majority-owned subsidiary of the Bank during such period. At September 30, 2013, the Bank did not have any funds available for payment of dividends to Cathay General Bancorp.

If, in the opinion of the applicable regulatory authority, a bank under its jurisdiction is engaged in or is about to engage in an unsafe or unsound practice, such authority may require, after notice and hearing, that such bank cease and desist from such practice. Depending on the financial condition of the bank, the applicable regulatory authority might deem the bank to be engaged in an unsafe or unsound practice if the bank were to pay dividends. The Federal Reserve Board has issued policy statements that provide that insured banks and bank holding companies should generally only pay dividends out of current operating earnings. In addition, Cathay General Bancorp is subject to Federal Reserve Board supervisory policies, including informing and consulting with the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco sufficiently in advance of any planned capital actions (i.e. increased dividend payments, stock redemptions).

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DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK

The following is a brief description of the terms of our common stock. This summary does not purport to be complete in all respects. This description is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to our restated certificate of incorporation and our restated bylaws (each as amended), copies of which have been filed with the SEC and are also available upon request from us, as well as the description of our common stock which is incorporated by reference herein through our previous filings with the SEC, including the description of our common stock contained in our registration statement on Form 8-A filed on September 16, 1999, and any amendment or report filed to update such description.

General

Our restated certificate of incorporation, as amended, provides the authority to issue 100,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $.01 per share. At November 25, 2013, there were 79,503,450 shares of common stock outstanding. Each share of our common stock has the same relative rights and is identical in all respects to each other share of our common stock.

Voting Rights

Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share that they hold and are vested with all of the voting power except as our board of directors has provided, or may provide in the future, with respect to preferred stock or any other class or series of preferred stock that the board of directors may hereafter authorize.

Except in very limited circumstances, holders of our common stock may not cumulate their votes in the election of directors, which means that a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock are generally able to elect all of the directors standing for election each year, subject to the rights of any preferred stock that is then issued and outstanding.

Dividends

Although we have historically paid cash dividends on our common stock, we are not required to do so. Holders of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends if, as and when declared by our board of directors, out of any funds legally available for dividends subject to certain restrictions on payment of dividends imposed by the Delaware General Corporation Law and state and federal banking laws. We pay dividends on our common stock only if we have paid or provided for all dividends on our outstanding series of preferred stock, for the then current period and, in the case of any cumulative preferred stock, all prior periods. Our preferred stock, upon issuance, will have preference over our common stock with respect to the payment of dividends. Additionally, dividends on the common stock are further limited to the extent we are not current in making payments on our outstanding subordinated debt securities.

As a holding company, our ability to pay distributions is affected by the ability of our subsidiaries to pay dividends. The ability of the Bank’s and our ability to pay dividends in the future is, and could in the future be further, limited by bank regulatory requirements and capital guidelines. The Bank’s ability to pay dividends to us are limited to the extent it is not current in paying interest on its subordinated debt or if another event of default has occurred.

Liquidation Rights

The holders of our common stock will become entitled to participate ratably in the distribution of any of our assets remaining after we have paid all of our debts and liabilities and after we have paid to the holders of any class of stock having preference over the common stock in the event of liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, the full preferential amounts, if any, to which they are entitled.

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Certain Provisions of California and Federal Law

The following discussion is a summary of certain provisions of California and federal law and regulations, relating to stock ownership and transfers and business combinations, all of which may be deemed to have “antitakeover” effects. The description of these provisions is necessarily general and reference should be made to the actual laws and regulations and to the restated certificate of incorporation and restated bylaws of the Company (each as amended).

Federal law prohibits a person or group of persons “acting in concert” from acquiring “control” of a bank holding company unless the Federal Reserve Board has been given 60 days prior written notice of such proposed acquisition and, within that time period, the Federal Reserve Board has not issued a notice disapproving the proposed acquisition or extending for up to another 30 days the period during which such a disapproval may be issued. An acquisition may be made prior to the expiration of the disapproval period if the Federal Reserve Board issues written notice of its intent not to disapprove the action. Under a rebuttable presumption established by the Federal Reserve Board, the acquisition of more than 10% of a class of voting stock of a bank or bank holding company with a class of securities registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, would, under the circumstances set forth in the presumption, constitute the acquisition of control. In addition, any “company” would be required to obtain the approval of the Federal Reserve Board under the Bank Holding Company Act before acquiring 25% (5% in the case of an acquiror that is, or is deemed to be, a bank holding company) or more of any class of voting stock, or such lesser number of shares as may constitute control.

Under the California Financial Code, no person shall, directly or indirectly, acquire control of a California state bank or its holding company unless the DBO has approved such acquisition of control. A person would be deemed to have acquired control of the Company, and thereby indirectly control of the Bank, if such person, directly or indirectly, has the power (i) to vote 25% or more of the voting power of the Company or (ii) to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of the Company. For purposes of this law, a person who directly or indirectly owns or controls 10% or more of the common stock would be presumed to control the Company.

Miscellaneous

Shares of our common stock are not redeemable, and have no subscription, conversion or preemptive rights. Outstanding shares of our common stock are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. Holders of our common stock are not, and will not be, subject to any liability as shareholders.

NASDAQ Listing

Our common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “CATY.”

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is American Stock Transfer & Trust Company.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK

The following briefly summarizes some of the provisions in our restated certificate of incorporation and restated bylaws (each as amended) and Delaware law regarding our preferred stock that we may offer from time to time. The specific terms of a series of preferred stock that we may offer will be described in a prospectus supplement relating to that series of preferred stock. The following description, and any description of our preferred stock in a prospectus supplement, may not be complete and is qualified in all respects by reference to

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the provisions of our restated certificate of incorporation and our restated bylaws (each as amended), Delaware law and the certificate of designations relating to the particular series of our preferred stock as well as the description of our preferred stock which is incorporated by reference herein through our previous filings with the SEC, and any amendment or report filed to update such description. We will file such certificate of designations with the SEC at or prior to the time of sale of that series of preferred stock. You are encouraged to read the more detailed provisions of these documents and laws for provisions that may be important to you. You can obtain copies of our restated certificate of incorporation and restated bylaws (including amendments to each) by following the directions under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information”.

General

Under our restated certificate of incorporation, as amended, we have authority to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $.01 par value per share. Of such number of shares of preferred stock, 100,000 shares have been designated as Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock (“Series A Junior Preferred Stock”), and 258,000 shares have been designated as Series B Fixed Rate Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock (“Series B Preferred Stock”). No shares of our Series A Junior Preferred Stock or our Series B Preferred Stock are currently outstanding. The specific terms of a series of preferred stock that we may offer will be described in a prospectus supplement relating to that series of preferred stock.

Authorization and Issuance

Our board of directors, without stockholder approval, can authorize preferred stock to be issued with voting, conversion and other rights that could adversely affect the voting power and other rights of our common stockholders or other outstanding series of preferred stock. Pursuant to our restated bylaws (as amended), our board of directors may grant authority to a special committee to authorize and determine the terms of any series of preferred stock issued.

Each series of preferred stock will have the dividend, liquidation, redemption and voting rights described below, unless otherwise described in a prospectus supplement pertaining to a specific series of preferred stock. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the following terms of the series of preferred stock in respect of which this prospectus is being delivered:

• the designation of that series, the number of shares offered and the stated value thereof if different from the par value thereof;

• the amount of the liquidation preference, if any, per share or the method of calculating that amount;

• the subscription or purchase price and form of consideration for which the shares of such series shall be issued;

• the dividend rate, if any, or the method of calculating that rate, the dates on which dividends will be paid and the dates from which dividends will begin to cumulate, if applicable;

• any redemption provisions;

• any conversion or exchange rights and provisions;

• any additional voting and other rights, preferences, privileges, qualifications, limitations and restrictions;

• any securities exchange listing;

• the relative ranking and preferences of that series as to dividend rights and rights upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up; and

• any other terms of that series.

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Shares of our preferred stock, when issued against full payment of their purchase price, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

Voting Rights

The voting rights of preferred stock of any series will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Under regulations of the Federal Reserve Board, if the holders of any series of preferred stock become entitled to vote for the election of directors because dividends on that series are in arrears, that series may then be deemed a “class of voting securities”, and a holder of 25% of more of that series (or a holder of 5% or more if it otherwise exercises a “controlling influence” over us) may then be subject to regulation as a bank holding company. In addition, in that event:

• any bank holding company may be required to obtain Federal Reserve Board approval, and any foreign bank, and any company that controls a foreign bank, that has certain types of U.S. banking operations may be required to obtain Federal Reserve Board approval under the International Banking Act of 1978, to acquire 5% or more of that series of preferred stock; and

• any person other than a bank holding company may be required to obtain Federal Reserve Board approval under the Change in Bank Control Act of 1978 to acquire 10% or more of that series of preferred stock.

Dividends

Holders of each series of preferred stock will be entitled to receive, when, as, and if our board declares, cash dividends payable at the dates and at the rates per share as described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Those rates may be fixed, variable or both. Dividends may be cumulative or noncumulative and may be payable in preference to, or in such relation to, the dividends payable on any other class or classes or series of our stock, as described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Liquidation Rights

In the event of our voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, or winding up, preferred stockholders of any particular series will be entitled, subject to creditors’ rights and holders of any series of preferred stock ranking senior as to liquidation rights, but before any distribution to common stockholders or holders of any series of preferred stock ranking junior as to liquidation rights, to receive a liquidating distribution in the amount of the liquidation preference, if any, per share as mentioned in the applicable prospectus supplement, plus accrued and unpaid dividends for the current dividend period. This would include any accumulation of unpaid dividends for prior dividend periods, if dividends on that series of preferred stock are cumulative. If the amounts available for distribution upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up are not sufficient to satisfy the full liquidation rights of all the outstanding preferred stock of that series and all stock ranking equal to that series of preferred stock, then the holders of each series of that stock will share ratably in any distribution of assets in proportion to the full respective preferential amount, which may include accumulated dividends, to which they are entitled. After the full amount of the liquidation preference is paid, the holders of preferred stock will not be entitled to any further participation in any distribution of our assets.

Conversion and Exchange

The terms on which preferred stock of any series may be converted into or exchanged for another class or series of securities will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

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Redemption

The terms on which any series of preferred stock may be redeemed will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. All shares of preferred stock which we redeem, purchase or acquire, including shares surrendered for conversion or exchange, shall be retired and restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock undesignated as to series.

Other Rights

The shares of a series of preferred stock may have the preferences, conversion, or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends, qualifications, terms or conditions of redemption, or other rights as may be described in the applicable prospectus supplement, our restated certificate of incorporation, or as otherwise required by law.

Title

We, the transfer agent and the registrar for a series of preferred stock, and any of our or their agents may treat the registered owner of that preferred stock as the absolute owner of that stock, whether or not any payment for that preferred stock shall be overdue and despite any notice to the contrary, for any purposes.

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

The following briefly summarizes the general terms and provisions of the debt securities that we may offer. The specific terms of a series of debt securities that we may offer will be described in a prospectus supplement relating to that series of debt securities. The debt securities will be issued under an indenture to be entered into between us and the trustee identified in the applicable prospectus supplement. A form of the indenture has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is part. The terms of the debt securities will include those stated in the indenture (including any supplemental indenture that specifies the terms of a particular series of debt securities) as well as those made part of the indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as in effect on the date of the indenture. The indenture will be subject to and governed by the terms of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939. We have summarized the material portions of the indenture below, but you should read the indenture for other provisions that may be important to you.

The following description, and any description of our debt securities in a prospectus supplement, may not be complete and is qualified in all respects by reference to the provisions of the indenture and the form of certificates evidencing the debt securities relating to the particular series of our debt securities. You are encouraged to read the more detailed provisions of these documents and laws for provisions that may be important to you. You can obtain copies of our restated certificate of incorporation and restated bylaws (including amendments to each) by following the directions under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information”.

General

The debt securities will be our direct unsecured general obligations. The debt securities will be either senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities. We will establish the terms of each series of debt securities that we will issue under the indenture by a resolution of our board of directors. We will detail the terms of the debt securities that we will offer in an officers’ certificate under the indenture or by a supplemental indenture. We will describe the particular terms of each series of debt securities that we issue in a prospectus supplement relating to that series. The specific terms described in any prospectus supplement may differ from the terms described below.

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Under the indenture, we can issue an unlimited amount of debt securities, including debt securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for our other securities, including our common stock. We may issue the debt securities:

• in one or more series,

• with the same or various maturities,

• at par,

• at a premium, or

• at a discount.

We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms of the series of debt securities being offered, including:

• the initial offering price,

• the aggregate principal amount of that series of debt securities,

• the title of the debt securities,

• any limit on the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities,

• the date or dates on which we will pay the principal on the debt securities,

• the maturity date,

• the per annum rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) or the method used to determine such rate or rates (including any commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index) at which the debt securities will bear interest,

• the date or dates from which interest will accrue,

• the date or dates on which interest will commence and be payable,

• any regular record date for the interest payable on any interest payment date,

• the place or places where we will pay the principal, premium, and interest with respect to the debt securities,

• the terms and conditions upon which we may redeem the debt securities,

• any obligation we have to redeem or purchase the debt securities under any sinking fund or similar provisions or at the option of a holder of debt securities,

• the denominations in which we will issue the debt securities, if we issue them other than in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof,

• whether we will issue the debt securities in the form of certificated debt securities or global securities,

• the currency of denomination of the debt securities,

• any addition to or change in the events of default that are described in this prospectus or in the indenture,

• any change in the acceleration provisions that are described in this prospectus or in the indenture,

• the ranking of the debt securities of the series, including the relative degree, if any, to which the debt securities of such series shall be subordinated to one or more other series of debt securities or other obligations of the Company in right of payment, whether outstanding or not,

• any addition to or change in the covenants described in this prospectus or in the indenture with respect to the debt securities,

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• any other terms of the debt securities, which may modify or delete any provision of the indenture as it applies to that series, and

• any depositaries, interest rate calculation agents, exchange rate calculation agents or other agents with respect to the debt securities.

We may issue debt securities that provide that we must only pay an amount less than our stated principal amount if our maturity date accelerates. In the prospectus supplement, we will also provide you with information on the federal income tax considerations and other special considerations that apply to any of the particular debt securities.

Conversion or Exchange Rights

We will set forth in the prospectus supplement the terms under which a series of debt securities may be convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock or our other securities. We will include provisions as to whether conversion or exchange is mandatory, at the option of the holder or at our option. We may include provisions pursuant to which the number of shares of our common stock or our other securities that the holders of the series of debt securities receive would be subject to adjustment.

Form, Exchange and Transfer

Each debt security will be represented by either one or more global securities registered in the name of The Depository Trust Company, or DTC, as depositary, or a nominee of DTC (a “book-entry debt security”), or a certificate issued in definitive registered form (a “certificated debt security”).

We will describe whether the particular series of debt securities will be a book-entry debt security or a certificated debt security in the applicable prospectus supplement. Except as described under “Global Debt Securities and Book-Entry System” below, we will not issue book-entry debt securities in certificated form.

Certificated Debt Securities

If you hold certificated debt securities, you may transfer or exchange certificated debt securities at the trustee’s office or at paying agencies as provided for in the indenture. We will not charge you any service charge for any transfer or exchange of certificated debt securities, but may require you to pay a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be required in connection with your transfer or exchange.

You may transfer certificated debt securities and the right to receive the principal, premium and interest on certificated debt securities only by surrendering the certificate representing your certificated debt securities. After you surrender your certificated debt securities, we or the trustee will reissue your certificate to the new holder or we or the trustee will issue a new certificate to the new holder.

Global Debt Securities and Book-Entry System

A global debt security is a debt security that represents, and is denominated in an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of, all outstanding debt securities of a series, or any portion thereof, in either case having the same terms, including the same:

• original issue date,

• date or dates on which we must pay principal and interest, and

• interest rate or method of determining interest.

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If we decide to issue debt securities in the form of one or more global securities, then we will deposit each global debt security representing book-entry debt securities with, or on behalf of, the depositary and will also register the global debt security in the name of the depositary or its nominee.

The prospectus supplement will describe the specific terms of the depositary arrangement for debt securities of a series that are issued in global form. None of our company, the trustee, any payment agent or the security registrar will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in a global debt security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to these beneficial ownership interests.

Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets

Unless we provide otherwise in the prospectus supplement applicable to a particular series of debt securities, the indenture will not contain any covenant that restricts our ability to merge or consolidate, or sell, convey, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets. However, any successor to or acquirer of such assets must assume all of our obligations under the indenture or the debt securities, as appropriate. If the debt securities are convertible into or exchangeable for our other securities, the person with whom we consolidate or merge or to whom we sell all of our property must make provisions for the conversion of the debt securities into securities that the holders of the debt securities would have received if they had converted the debt securities before the consolidation, merger or sale.

Covenants

Unless stated otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement and in a supplement to the indenture, a resolution of our board of directors or an officers’ certificate delivered under the indenture, the debt securities will not contain any restrictive covenants, including covenants that limit or restrict our business or operations, the pledging of our assets or the incurrence by us of indebtedness. We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement any material covenants in respect of a series of debt securities.

Ranking

Unless stated otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement and in a supplement to the indenture, a resolution of our board of directors or an officers’ certificate delivered under the indenture, the debt securities will rank equally and ratably with our other unsecured and unsubordinated debt. The debt securities will not be secured by any properties or assets and will represent our unsecured debt.

We are a holding company and we will depend upon the earnings and cash flow of our subsidiaries to meet our obligations under the debt securities. Since the creditors of any of our subsidiaries would generally have a right to receive payment that is superior to our right to receive payment from the assets of that subsidiary, holders of our debt securities will be effectively subordinated to creditors of our subsidiaries. In addition, there are regulatory provisions which limit the amount of dividends the Bank can pay to us as well as regulatory provisions which limit the Bank’s ability to make loans and advances to us.

Events of Default Under the Indenture

Under the indenture, an “event of default” means, with respect to any series of debt securities, any of the following:

• default in the payment of any interest on any debt security of that series when it becomes due and payable, and the continuance of that default for a period of 30 days (unless we deposit the entire amount of the payment with the trustee or with a paying agent prior to the expiration of the 30-day period);

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• default in the payment of principal or premium on any debt security of that series when due and payable;

• default in the deposit of any sinking fund payment, when and as due on any debt security of that series;

• default in the performance or breach of any of our other covenants or warranties in the indenture (other than a covenant or warranty that has been included in the indenture solely for the benefit of a series of debt securities other than that series), which default continues uncured for a period of 60 days after we receive written notice from the trustee or we and the trustee receive written notice from the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series as provided in the indenture;

• some events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of the Company; and

• any other event of default provided with respect to debt securities of that series that is described in the applicable supplement to this prospectus.

No event of default for a particular series of debt securities, except for the events of default relating to events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, will necessarily constitute an event of default for any other series of debt securities.

If an event of default for debt securities of any series occurs and is continuing, then the trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may declare to be due and payable immediately the principal (or, if the debt securities of that series are discount securities, that portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of that series) and premium of all debt securities of that series. In the case of an event of default resulting from events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, the principal (or such specified amount) and premium of all outstanding debt securities will become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act by the trustee or any holder of outstanding debt securities. At any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to debt securities of any series, but before the trustee has obtained a judgment or decree for payment of the money due, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may, subject to us having paid or deposited with the trustee a sum sufficient to pay overdue interest and principal that has become due other than by acceleration and certain other conditions, rescind and annul such acceleration if all events of default, other than the non-payment of accelerated principal and premium with respect to debt securities of that series, have been cured or waived as provided in the indenture. For information as to waiver of defaults see the discussion under “Modification of Indenture; Waiver” below. We refer you to the prospectus supplement relating to any series of debt securities that are discount securities for the particular provisions relating to acceleration of a portion of the principal amount of the discount securities upon the occurrence of an event of default and the continuation of an event of default.

The indenture provides that the trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the indenture at the request of any holder of outstanding debt securities unless the trustee receives indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense. Subject to some rights of the trustee, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the trustee with respect to the debt securities of that series.

No holder of any debt security of any series will have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to the indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any remedy under the indenture, unless:

• that holder has previously given the trustee written notice of a continuing event of default under the debt securities of that series; and

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• the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series have made written request, and offered reasonable indemnity, to the trustee to institute such proceeding as trustee, and the trustee shall not have received from the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series a direction inconsistent with that request and has failed to institute the proceeding within 60 days.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the holder of any debt security will have an absolute and unconditional right to receive payment of the principal, premium and any interest with respect to that debt security on or after the due dates expressed in that debt security and to institute suit for the enforcement of payment.

The indenture requires us, within 90 days after the end of our fiscal year, to furnish to the trustee a statement of our compliance with the indenture. The indenture provides that the trustee may withhold notice to the holders of debt securities of any series of any default or event of default (except in payment on any debt securities of that series) with respect to debt securities of that series if it in good faith determines that withholding notice is in the interest of the holders of those debt securities.

Modification of Indenture; Waiver

We and the trustee may modify and amend the indenture with the consent of the holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series affected by the modifications or amendments. We and the trustee may not make any modification or amendment without the consent of the holder of each affected debt security then outstanding if that amendment will:

• change the amount of debt securities whose holders must consent to an amendment or waiver;

• reduce the rate of, or extend the time for payment of, interest (including default interest) on any debt security;

• reduce the principal of, or premium on, or change the fixed maturity of any debt security or reduce the amount of, or postpone the date fixed for, the deposit of any sinking fund payment or analogous obligation with respect to any series of debt securities;

• reduce the principal amount of discount securities payable upon acceleration of maturity;

• waive a default in the payment of the principal, premium or interest with respect to any debt security (except a rescission of acceleration of the debt securities of any series by the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding debt securities of that series and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from that acceleration);

• make the principal, premium or interest with respect to any debt security payable in currency other than that stated in the debt security;

• make any change to certain provisions of the indenture relating to, among other things, the right of holders of debt securities to receive payment of the principal, premium and interest with respect to those debt securities and to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment and to waivers or amendments; or

• waive a redemption payment with respect to any debt security or change any of the provisions with respect to the redemption of any debt securities.

Except for some specified provisions of the indenture, the holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may on behalf of the holders of all debt securities of that series waive our compliance with provisions of the indenture. The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may on behalf of the holders of all the debt securities of that series waive any past default under the indenture with respect to that series and its consequences, except a default in the payment of the principal, premium or any interest with respect to any debt security of that series; provided,

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however, that the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may rescind an acceleration and its consequences, including any related payment default that resulted from the acceleration.

Defeasance of Debt Securities and Certain Covenants in Certain Circumstances

The indenture provides that, unless the terms of the applicable series of debt securities provide otherwise we may defease such series of debt securities. Upon defeasance, we may be discharged from any and all obligations under the debt securities of any series (except for some obligations to register the transfer or exchange of debt securities of the series, to replace stolen, lost or mutilated debt securities of the series, and to maintain paying agencies and certain provisions relating to the treatment of funds held by paying agents) (“legal defeasance”) or we may be excused from compliance with certain restrictive covenants contained in the indenture, as well as any additional covenants contained in a supplement to the indenture, a resolution of the board of directors or an officers’ certificate delivered pursuant to the indenture (“covenant defeasance”). We will be discharged, under either legal defeasance or covenant defeasance, on the 91st day after we deposit with the trustee, in trust, money and/or U.S. government obligations or, in the case of debt securities denominated in a single currency other than U.S. dollars, foreign government obligations, that, through the payment of interest and principal in accordance with their terms, will provide money in an amount sufficient in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants to pay and discharge each installment of principal, premium and interest, and any mandatory sinking fund payments for the debt securities of that series on the stated maturity in accordance with the terms of the indenture and those debt securities.

Legal defeasance or covenant defeasance will be effective only if, among other things, we have delivered to the trustee an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel stating that holders of the debt securities of the series which we wish to defease will:

• not recognize income, gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes as a result of the deposit, defeasance and discharge and

• will be subject to United States federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if the deposit, defeasance and discharge had not occurred.

We may exercise our legal defeasance option even though we have also exercised our covenant defeasance option.

Regarding the Trustee

We will identify the trustee with respect to any series of debt securities in the prospectus supplement relating to the applicable debt securities. If the trustee becomes one of our creditors, it will be subject to limitations in the indenture on its rights to obtain payment of claims or to realize on some property received for any such claim, as security or otherwise. The trustee is permitted to engage in other transactions with us. If, however, it acquires any conflicting interest, it must eliminate that conflict or resign.

The holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding debt securities of any series may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for exercising any remedy available to the trustee.

If an event of default occurs and is continuing, the trustee will be required to use the degree of care and skill of a prudent man in the conduct of his own affairs. The trustee will become obligated to exercise any of its powers under the indenture at the request of any of the holders of debt securities only after those holders have offered the trustee indemnity satisfactory to it.

Governing Law

The indenture and the debt securities will be governed by and construed under the laws of the State of New York.

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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

The following summary of the terms of our warrants describes general terms that apply to the warrants. The particular terms of any warrants will be described more specifically in the prospectus supplement relating to such warrants.

We may issue warrants to purchase common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, or other securities of the Company or any combination of the foregoing. We may issue warrants independently or together with other securities. Warrants sold with other securities may be attached to or separate from the other securities. We will issue warrants under one or more warrant agreements between us and a warrant agent that we will name in the prospectus supplement.

The prospectus supplement relating to any warrants we are offering will include specific terms relating to the offering. We will file the form of any warrant agreement with the SEC, and you should read the warrant agreement for provisions that may be important to you. The prospectus supplement will include some or all of the following terms:

• the title of the warrants;

• the aggregate number of warrants offered;

• the designation, number and terms of the common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, or other securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants, and procedures that will result in the adjustment of those numbers;

• the exercise price or prices of the warrants;

• the dates or periods during which the warrants are exercisable;

• the designation and terms of any securities with which the warrants are issued;

• if the warrants are issued as a unit with another security, the date, if any, on and after which the warrants and the other security will be separately transferable;

• if the exercise price is not payable in U.S. dollars, the foreign currency, currency unit or composite currency in which the exercise price is denominated;

• any minimum or maximum amount of warrants that may be exercised at any one time;

• any terms, procedures and limitations relating to the transferability, exchange or exercise of the warrants; and

• any other terms of the warrants.

Before exercising their warrants, holders of warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of the securities purchasable upon such exercise, including the right to receive dividends, if any, or payments upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding-up or to exercise voting rights, if any.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The Transfer Agent and Registrar for any warrant will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

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ANTI-TAKEOVER PROVISIONS IN

CATHAY’S CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION AND BYLAWS

The following includes a brief description of certain of the provisions of Cathay’s restated certificate of incorporation and restated bylaws (each as amended). This description is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to our restated certificate of incorporation and restated bylaws (each as amended), copies of which have been filed with the SEC and are also available upon request from us.

General

Our restated certificate of incorporation and restated bylaws (each as amended) contain certain provisions that deal with matters of corporate governance and certain rights of stockholders which might be deemed to have a potential “anti-takeover” effect. These provisions may have the effect of discouraging a future takeover attempt which is not approved by the board of directors but which individual stockholders may deem to be in their best interest, or in which stockholders may receive a substantial premium for their shares over then current market prices. As a result, stockholders who might desire to participate in such a transaction may not have an opportunity to do so. Such provisions will also render the removal of an incumbent board of directors or management more difficult.

Certain Certificate of Incorporation Provisions

Our restated certificate of incorporation has certain provisions that could make more difficult the acquisition of Cathay by means of a tender offer, a proxy contest, merger or otherwise. These provisions include: (i) a requirement that any “Business Combination” (as defined in the restated certificate of incorporation) be approved by the affirmative vote of not less than 80% of the voting power of the then outstanding shares, voting together as a single class, excluding voting stock beneficially owned by an interested stockholder unless certain conditions are met, including without limitation: (a) the Business Combination is approved by a majority of “Continuing Directors” (as defined in the restated certificate of incorporation) or certain minimum price requirements are satisfied, (b) consideration to be received by holders of a particular series of stock is in cash or in the same form as has been previously paid by an “Interested Stockholder” (as defined in the restated certificate of incorporation) in connection with its acquisition of beneficial ownership of shares of such class, (c) there has been no failure to declare and pay at the regular date thereof any full regular dividends payable in accordance with the terms of any outstanding capital stock, other than common stock, except as approved by a majority of the Continuing Directors, (d) there has been no reduction in the amount, or change in the frequency of payment, of any dividends regularly paid on the common stock, (e) the Interested Stockholder has not received the benefit, directly or indirectly, of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial assistance or tax credits or tax advantages by the Corporation, and (f) a proxy or information statement describing the Business Combination has been mailed to all stockholders of the Corporation at least 30 days prior to consummation of such Business Combination, (ii) a requirement that any “Stock Repurchase” (as defined in the restated certificate of incorporation) from an Interested Stockholder shall be approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes entitled to be cast by the holders of such stock which is beneficially owned by persons other than such Interested Stockholder, voting together as a single class, unless (a) the Stock Repurchase is made pursuant to a tender offer or exchange offer made available on the same basis to all holders of such class of capital stock, or (b) the Stock Repurchase is made pursuant to an open market program approved by a majority of the Continuing Directors, and (iii) the ability of the board of directors to issue preferred stock at such time and on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate.

Directors

Certain provisions of our restated certificate of incorporation and restated bylaws (each as amended) will impede changes in majority control of the board of directors. Our restated certificate of incorporation and/or restated bylaws (each as amended) provide that: our board is divided into three classes so that approximately

20

one-third of the total number of directors is elected each year (this “classified” board of directors is intended to provide for continuity of the board of directors and to make it more difficult and time consuming for a stockholder group to use its voting power to gain control of the board of directors without consent of the incumbent board of directors); any vacancy occurring in the board of directors, including a vacancy created by an increase in the number of directors, is generally filled by a majority vote of the directors then in office for the remainder of the unexpired term; a director, in general, may be removed from office at any time only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of eighty percent (80%) of the then-outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class; stockholders may vote their shares cumulatively for directors in the event there is a holder of forty percent (40%) or more of our outstanding capital stock entitled to vote; prohibition on taking action by shareholder written consent or for shareholders to call for a special meeting; and procedures for the nomination of directors and submission of matters to the vote of our stockholders.

Delaware Anti-Takeover Statute

We are subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a business combination with an interested stockholder for a period of three years after the date of the transaction in which the person becomes an interested stockholder, unless:

• before that date, the board of directors of the corporation approves either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the stockholder’s becoming an interested stockholder;

• upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder’s becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owns at least 85% of the outstanding voting stock, excluding shares held by directors, officers and employee stock plans; or

• on or after the consummation date, the business combination is approved by the board of directors and by the affirmative vote at an annual or special meeting of stockholders of at least 66-2/3% of the outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested stockholder.

For purposes of Section 203, a business combination includes a merger, asset sale or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. An interested stockholder is generally a person who, together with affiliates and associates of that person, (a) owns 15% or more of the corporation’s voting stock or (b) is an affiliate or associate of the corporation and was the owner of 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation at any time within the three year period immediately prior to the date on which it is to be determined whether such person is an interested stockholder.

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may sell these securities offered under this prospectus in public offerings through one or more underwriters or dealers, through other agents, or directly to one or more purchasers or a combination thereof. Underwriters and agents in any distribution contemplated hereby will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement. The terms of any distribution, including, but not limited to, “at the market” equity offerings as defined in Rule 415 of the Securities Act, will also be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. Underwriters or agents could make sales in privately negotiated transactions and/or any method permitted by law, including sales deemed to be “at the market” equity offerings, which includes sales made directly on or through the facilities of the NASDAQ Global Select Market (the existing trading market for our common stock), or any other securities exchange or quotation or trading service on which such securities may be listed, quoted or traded at the time of sale, or sales made to or through a market maker other than on an exchange.

Underwriters, dealers and agents that participate in the distribution of these securities may be underwriters as defined in the Securities Act and any discounts or commissions received by them and any profit on the resale

21

of these securities by them may be treated as underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. Any underwriting compensation paid to underwriters or agents in connection with the offering of securities, and any discounts, concessions or commissions allowed by underwriters to participating dealers, will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. The prospectus supplement will also describe other terms of the offering, including the initial public offering price, any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers and any securities exchanges on which these securities may be listed.

The distribution of these securities may occur from time to time in one or more transactions at a fixed price or prices, at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to the prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices.

This prospectus, together with any applicable prospectus supplement, may also be used by our affiliates in connection with offers and sales of the securities in market-making transactions at negotiated prices related to prevailing market prices at the time of sale. Such affiliates may act as principals or agents in such transactions. None of our affiliates have any obligation to make a market in the securities and each may discontinue any market-making activities at any time, without notice, at its sole discretion.

This prospectus, together with any applicable prospectus supplement, may also be used by one or more selling securityholders to be identified in the future in connection with the resale of securities. The applicable prospectus supplement will identify the selling securityholders and the terms of the securities. Selling securityholders may be deemed to be underwriters in connection with the securities they resell and any profits on the sales may be deemed underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. The selling securityholders will receive all the proceeds from the sale of securities. We will not receive any proceeds from sales by selling securityholders.

We and/or one or more selling securityholders may have agreements with the underwriters, dealers and agents, including our affiliates, to indemnify them against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute with respect to payments which the underwriters, dealers, or agents may be required to make as a result of those certain civil liabilities.

If we and/or one or more selling securityholders sell a security offered by this prospectus to an underwriter for public offering and sale, the underwriter may make a market for that security, but the underwriter will not be obligated to do so and could discontinue any market-making without notice at any time. Therefore, we cannot give any assurances to you concerning the liquidity of any security offered by this prospectus.

Underwriters and agents and their affiliates may be customers of, engage in transactions with, or perform services for us or our subsidiaries in the ordinary course of their businesses. In connection with the distribution of the securities offered under this prospectus, we and/or one or more selling securityholders may enter into swap or other hedging transactions with, or arranged by, underwriters or agents or their affiliates. These underwriters or agents or their affiliates may receive compensation, trading gain, or other benefits from these transactions.

LEGAL MATTERS

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, certain legal matters will be passed upon for us by Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, New York, New York and Perry P. Oei, Esquire, our General Counsel. As of November 8, 2013, Mr. Oei was the beneficial owner of 1,685 shares of our common stock, options to purchase 17,000 shares of our common stock and 8,558 restricted stock units. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, certain legal matters will be passed upon for any underwriters or agents by their own counsel.

22

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of Cathay General Bancorp and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2012 and 2011, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2012, and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2012, have been incorporated by reference herein and in the registration statement in reliance upon the reports of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

23

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

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

SEC registration fee	$	*
Legal fees and expenses		**
Accounting fees and expenses		**
Printing fees and expenses		**
Miscellaneous expenses		**
Total Expenses	$	**

* To be deferred pursuant to Rule 456(b) under the Securities Act and calculated in connection with the offering of securities under this Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 457(r) under the Securities Act.

** Because an indeterminate amount of securities is covered by this registration statement, the expenses in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities are not currently determinable.

Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

Pursuant to Section 102(b)(7) of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”), our restated certificate of incorporation (as amended) contains a provision that eliminates the personal liability of its directors to the registrant and its stockholders for monetary damages resulting from breaches of their fiduciary duty as directors, other than liability for breaches of the duty of loyalty, acts, or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, violations under Section 174 of the DGCL or any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

Section 145 of the DGCL permits, and under certain circumstances requires, registrant to indemnify its directors, officers, employees, and agents subject to certain conditions and limitations. We have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and officers. Our restated bylaws (as amended) also contain provisions to indemnify its agents, including its directors and officers. In addition, the registrant maintains directors’ and officers’ liability insurance which insures against certain liabilities that its officers and directors may incur in such capacities and has entered into indemnity agreements with such officers and directors.

The foregoing is only a general summary of certain aspects of Delaware law dealing with indemnification of directors and officers and does not purport to be complete. It is qualified in its entirety by reference to the relevant statutes, which contain detailed provisions regarding the circumstances under which and the persons for whose benefit indemnification shall or may be made.

Item 16. Exhibits.

EXHIBIT NUMBER	DESCRIPTION
1.1	Form of Underwriting Agreement or Distribution Agreement*
3.1	Restated Certificate of Incorporation(1)
3.2	Certificate of Amendment of Restated Certificate of Incorporation(2)
3.3	Restated Bylaws(3)

II-1

EXHIBIT NUMBER	DESCRIPTION
3.4	Amendment to the Restated Bylaws(4)
3.5	Amendment to the Restated Bylaws(5)
3.6	Certificate of Designation of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock(6)
3.7	Certificate of Designations of Fixed Rate Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series B(7)
3.8	Certificate of Designation of Preferred Stock*
4.1	Form of Preferred Stock Certificate*
4.2	Form of Indenture**
4.3	Form of Debt Security*
4.4	Form of Warrant Agreement and Warrant Certificate*
5.1	Opinion of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz**
8.1	Opinion Regarding Tax Matters*
12.1	Statement of ratio of earnings to fixed charges and preferred dividends**
23.1	Consent of KPMG LLP**
23.2	Consent of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz (included in Exhibit 5.1 filed herewith)
24.1	Powers of Attorney (included in the signature pages to the Registration Statement)

* To be filed by amendment or as an exhibit to a document incorporated by reference herein.

** Filed herewith.

(1) Filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference.

(2) Filed as Exhibit 3.1.1 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference.

(3) Filed as Exhibit 3.2 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference.

(4) Filed as Exhibit 3.2.1 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference.

(5) Filed as Exhibit 3.2.2 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 and incorporated herein by reference.

(6) Filed as Exhibit 3.3 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006 and incorporated herein by reference.

(7) Filed as Exhibits 3.1 and 4.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on December 5, 2008 and incorporated hereby by reference.

Item 17. Undertakings.

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

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

(i) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act of 1933”);

II-2

(ii) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of this registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in the volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

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

provided, however, that paragraphs (1)(i), (1)(ii) and (1)(iii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), that are incorporated by reference in this registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of this registration statement.

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

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

(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

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

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

(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities:

The undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the

II-3

purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized in the City of Los Angeles, State of California, on December 3, 2013.

CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP
By:	/s/ Dunson K. Cheng
	Dunson K. Cheng Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer

Power of Attorney and Signatures

Each person whose signature appears below appoints Dunson K. Cheng and Heng W. Chen, and each of them acting individually, as his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement and any registration statement (including any amendment thereto) of the Registrant to be filed after the date hereof pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or would do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them or their or his or her substitute and substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Signature	Title	Date
/s/    Dunson K. Cheng         Dunson K. Cheng	President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman of the Board (Principal Executive Officer)	December 3, 2013
/s/    Heng W. Chen         Heng W. Chen	Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Treasurer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)	December 3, 2013
/s/    Peter Wu         Peter Wu	Director	December 3, 2013
/s/    Anthony M. Tang         Anthony M. Tang	Director	December 3, 2013
/s/    Kelly L. Chan         Kelly L. Chan	Director	December 3, 2013
/s/    Michael M. Y. Chang         Michael M. Y. Chang	Director	December 3, 2013
/s/    Thomas C. T. Chiu         Thomas C. T. Chiu	Director	December 3, 2013

/s/    Nelson Chung         Nelson Chung	Director	December 3, 2013
/s/    Felix S. Fernandez         Felix S. Fernandez	Director	December 3, 2013
/s/    Jane Jelenko         Jane Jelenko	Director	December 3, 2013
/s/    Patrick S. D. Lee         Patrick S. D. Lee	Director	December 3, 2013
/s/    Ting Liu         Ting Liu	Director	December 3, 2013
/s/    Joseph C.H. Poon         Joseph C.H. Poon	Director	December 3, 2013

EX-4.2

EXHIBIT 4.2

CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP

INDENTURE

Dated as of                 ,

                , as Trustee

TABLE OF CONTENTS

		Page
ARTICLE I	DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE		1
Section 1.1	Definitions		1
Section 1.2	Other Definitions		4
Section 1.3	Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act		4
Section 1.4	Rules of Construction		4
ARTICLE II	THE SECURITIES		5
Section 2.1	Issuable in Series		5
Section 2.2	Establishment of Terms of Series of Securities		5
Section 2.3	Execution and Authentication		7
Section 2.4	Registrar and Paying Agent		7
Section 2.5	Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust		8
Section 2.6	Securityholder Lists		8
Section 2.7	Transfer and Exchange		8
Section 2.8	Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities		9
Section 2.9	Outstanding Securities		9
Section 2.10	Treasury Securities		9
Section 2.11	Temporary Securities		10
Section 2.12	Cancellation		10
Section 2.13	Defaulted Interest		10
Section 2.14	Global Securities		10
Section 2.15	CUSIP Numbers		11
ARTICLE III	REDEMPTION		11
Section 3.1	Notice to Trustee		11
Section 3.2	Selection of Securities to be Redeemed		11
Section 3.3	Notice of Redemption		12
Section 3.4	Effect of Notice of Redemption		12
Section 3.5	Deposit of Redemption Price		12
Section 3.6	Securities Redeemed in Part		12
ARTICLE IV	COVENANTS		13
Section 4.1	Payment of Principal and Interest		13
Section 4.2	SEC Reports		13
Section 4.3	Compliance Certificate		13
Section 4.4	Stay, Extension and Usury Laws		13
ARTICLE V	SUCCESSOR ENTITY		13
Section 5.1	Company May Consolidate, Etc.		13
Section 5.2	Successor Entity Substituted		14
Section 5.3	Evidence of Consolidation, Etc. to Trustee		14
ARTICLE VI	DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES		14
Section 6.1	Events of Default		14
Section 6.2	Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment		15
Section 6.3	Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee		16
Section 6.4	Trustee May File Proofs of Claim		17
Section 6.5	Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities		17
Section 6.6	Application of Money Collected		17
Section 6.7	Limitation on Suits		18
Section 6.8	Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and Interest		18
Section 6.9	Restoration of Rights and Remedies		18
Section 6.10	Rights and Remedies Cumulative		18
Section 6.11	Delay or Omission Not Waiver		19
Section 6.12	Control by Holders		19
Section 6.13	Waiver of Past Defaults		19
Section 6.14	Undertaking for Costs		19

i

		Page
ARTICLE VII	TRUSTEE		20
Section 7.1	Duties of Trustee		20
Section 7.2	Rights of Trustee		21
Section 7.3	Individual Rights of Trustee		21
Section 7.4	Trustee’s Disclaimer		21
Section 7.5	Notice of Defaults		21
Section 7.6	Reports by Trustee to Holders		22
Section 7.7	Compensation and Indemnity		22
Section 7.8	Replacement of Trustee		22
Section 7.9	Successor Trustee by Merger, Etc.		23
Section 7.10	Eligibility; Disqualification		23
Section 7.11	Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company		23
ARTICLE VIII	SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE; DEFEASANCE		23
Section 8.1	Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture		23
Section 8.2	Application of Trust Funds; Indemnification		24
Section 8.3	Legal Defeasance of Securities of Any Series		25
Section 8.4	Covenant Defeasance		26
Section 8.5	Repayment to Company		26
ARTICLE IX	AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS		27
Section 9.1	Without Consent of Holders		27
Section 9.2	With Consent of Holders		27
Section 9.3	Limitations		27
Section 9.4	Compliance with Trust Indenture Act		28
Section 9.5	Revocation and Effect of Consents		28
Section 9.6	Notation on or Exchange of Securities		28
Section 9.7	Trustee Protected		28
ARTICLE X	MISCELLANEOUS		29
Section 10.1	Trust Indenture Act		29
Section 10.2	Notices		29
Section 10.3	Communication by Holders with Other Holders		29
Section 10.4	Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent		30
Section 10.5	Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion		30
Section 10.6	Rules by Trustee and Agents		30
Section 10.7	Legal Holidays		30
Section 10.8	No Recourse Against Others		30
Section 10.9	Counterparts		30
Section 10.10	Governing Laws		30
Section 10.11	No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements		31
Section 10.12	Successors		31
Section 10.13	Severability		31
Section 10.14	Table of Contents, Headings, Etc.		31
Section 10.15	Securities in a Foreign Currency		31
Section 10.16	Judgment Currency		31
ARTICLE XI	SINKING FUNDS		32
Section 11.1	Applicability of Article		32
Section 11.2	Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities		32
Section 11.3	Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund		33

Reconciliation and tie between Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and

Indenture, dated as of                 ,

SECTION 310	(A)(1)	7.10
	(A)(2)	7.10
	(A)(3)	NOT APPLICABLE

ii

	(A)(4)	NOT APPLICABLE
	(A)(5)	7.10
	(B)	7.10
SECTION 311	(A)	7.11
	(B)	7.11
	(C)	NOT APPLICABLE
SECTION 312	(A)	2.6
	(B)	10.3
	(C)	10.3
SECTION 313	(A)	7.6
	(B)(1)	7.6
	(B)(2)	7.6
	(C)(1)	7.6
	(D)	7.6
SECTION 314	(A)	4.2, 10.5
	(B)	NOT APPLICABLE
	(C)(1)	10.4
	(C)(2)	10.4
	(C)(3)	NOT APPLICABLE
	(D)	NOT APPLICABLE
	(E)	10.5
	(F)	NOT APPLICABLE
SECTION 315	(A)	7.1
	(B)	7.5
	(C)	7.1
	(D)	7.1
	(E)	6.14
SECTION 316	(A)	2.10
	(A)(1)(A)	6.12
	(A)(1)(B)	6.13
	(B)	6.8
SECTION 317	(A)(1)	6.3
	(A)(2)	6.4
	(B)	2.5
SECTION 318	(A)	10.1

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

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INDENTURE

Indenture dated as of                     ,                      between Cathay General Bancorp, a Delaware corporation (“Company”), and                     , as trustee (“Trustee”).

Each party agrees as follows for the benefit of the other party and for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities issued under this Indenture.

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

Section 1.1 Definitions

“Additional Amounts” means any additional amounts which are required hereby or by any Security, under circumstances specified herein or therein, to be paid by the Company in respect of certain taxes imposed on Holders specified therein and which are owing to such Holders.

“Affiliate” of any specified person means any other person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as used with respect to any person, shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such person, whether through the ownership of voting securities or by agreement or otherwise.

“Agent” means any Registrar, Paying Agent or Service Agent.

“Authorized Newspaper” means a newspaper in an official language of the country of publication customarily published at least once a day for at least five days in each calendar week and of general circulation in the place in connection with which the term is used. If it shall be impractical in the opinion of the Trustee to make any publication of any notice required hereby in an Authorized Newspaper, any publication or other notice in lieu thereof that is made or given by the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient publication of such notice.

“Bearer” means anyone in possession from time to time of a Bearer Security.

“Bearer Security” means any Security, including any interest coupon appertaining thereto, that does not provide for the identification of the Holder thereof.

“Board of Directors” means the Board of Directors of the Company or any duly authorized committee thereof.

“Board Resolution” means a copy of a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been adopted by the Board of Directors or pursuant to authorization by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of the certificate and delivered to the Trustee.

“Business Day” means, unless otherwise provided by Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture hereto for a particular Series, any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.

“Company” means the party named as such above until a successor replaces it and thereafter means the successor.

“Company Order” means a written order signed in the name of the Company by two Officers.

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

“Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be principally administered.

“Debt” of any person as of any date means, without duplication, all indebtedness of such person in respect of borrowed money, including all interest, fees and expenses owed in respect thereto (whether or not the recourse of the lender is to the whole of the assets of such person or only to a portion thereof), or evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or similar instruments.

“Default” means any event which is, or after notice or passage of time would be, an Event of Default.

“Depository” means, with respect to the Securities of any Series issuable or issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities, the person designated as Depository for such Series by the Company, which Depository shall be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act; and if at any time there is more than one such person, “Depository” as used with respect to the Securities of any Series shall mean the Depository with respect to the Securities of such Series.

“Discount Security” means any Security that provides for an amount less than the stated principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.2.

“Dollars” means the currency of the United States of America.

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

“Foreign Currency” means any currency or currency unit issued by a government other than the government of the United States of America.

“Foreign Government Obligations” means, with respect to Securities of any Series that are denominated in a Foreign Currency, (a) direct obligations of the government that issued or caused to be issued such currency for the payment of which obligations its full faith and credit is pledged or (b) obligations of a person controlled or supervised by or acting as an agency or instrumentality of such government the timely payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by such government, which, in either case under clause (a) or (b), are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof.

“Global Security” or “Global Securities” means a Security or Securities, as the case may be, in the form established pursuant to Section 2.2 evidencing all or part of a Series of Securities, issued to the Depository for such Series or its nominee, and registered in the name of such Depository or nominee.

“Holder” or “Securityholder” means a person in whose name a Security is registered or the holder of a Bearer Security.

“Indenture” means this Indenture as amended from time to time and shall include the form and terms of particular Series of Securities established as contemplated hereunder.

“interest” with respect to any Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity.

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

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“Officer” means the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, any President, any Vice-President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, the Secretary, any Assistant Treasurer or any Assistant Secretary of the Company.

“Officers’ Certificate” means a certificate signed by two Officers.

“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of legal counsel, which counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Company.

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

“principal” of a Security means the principal of the Security plus, when appropriate, the premium, if any, on, and any Additional Amounts in respect of, the Security.

“Responsible Officer” means any officer of the Trustee in its Corporate Trust Office and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of his or her knowledge of and familiarity with a particular subject.

“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

“Securities” means the debentures, notes or other debt instruments of the Company of any Series authenticated and delivered under this Indenture.

“Series” or “Series of Securities” means each series of debentures, notes or other debt instruments of the Company created pursuant to Sections 2.1 and 2.2 hereof.

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

“Subsidiary” of any specified person means any corporation of which an amount of outstanding stock representing by the terms thereof at least a majority of the ordinary voting power for the election of directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether or not at the time stock of any other class or classes of such corporation shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency) is at the time directly or indirectly owned by such person, or by one or more other Subsidiaries, or by such person and one or more other Subsidiaries.

“TIA” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S.C. §§ 77aaa-77bbbb (1939)) as in effect on the date of this Indenture; provided, however, that in the event the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is amended after such date, “TIA” means, to the extent required by any such amendment, the Trust Indenture Act as so amended.

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

“U.S. Government Obligations” means securities which are (a) direct obligations of the United States of America for the payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged or (b) obligations of a person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America, and which in the case of (a) and (b) are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such U.S. Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of any such U.S. Government Obligation held by such

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custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the U.S. Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.

Section 1.2 Other Definitions.

Term	Defined in Section
“Bankruptcy Law”	6.1
“Custodian”	6.1
“Event of Default”	6.1
“Journal”	10.15
“Judgment Currency”	10.16
“Legal Holiday”	10.7
“mandatory sinking fund payment”	11.1
“Market Exchange Rate”	10.15
“New York Banking Day”	10.16
“optional sinking fund payment”	11.1
“Paying Agent”	2.4
“Registrar”	2.4
“Required Currency”	10.16
“Service Agent”	2.4
“successor person”	5.1

Section 1.3 Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act.

Whenever this Indenture refers to a provision of the TIA, the provision is incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Indenture. The following TIA terms used in this Indenture have the following meanings:

“Commission” means the SEC.

“indenture securities” means the Securities.

“indenture security holder” means a Securityholder.

“indenture to be qualified” means this Indenture.

“indenture trustee” or “institutional trustee” means the Trustee.

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

All other terms used in this Indenture that are defined by the TIA, defined by TIA reference to another statute or defined by SEC rule under the TIA and not otherwise defined herein are used herein as so defined.

Section 1.4 Rules of Construction.

Unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) a term has the meaning assigned to it;

(b) an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

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(c) references to “generally accepted accounting principles” shall mean generally accepted accounting principles in effect as of the time when and for the period as to which such accounting principles are to be applied;

(d) “or” is not exclusive;

(e) words in the singular include the plural, and in the plural include the singular; and

(f) provisions apply to successive events and transactions.

ARTICLE II

THE SECURITIES

Section 2.1 Issuable in Series.

The aggregate principal amount of Securities that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more Series. All Securities of a Series shall be identical except as may be set forth in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture or an Officers’ Certificate detailing the adoption of the terms thereof pursuant to the authority granted under a Board Resolution. In the case of Securities of a Series to be issued from time to time, the Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture may provide for the method by which specified terms (such as interest rate, maturity date, record date or date from which interest shall accrue) are to be determined. Securities may differ between Series in respect of any matters, provided that all Series of Securities shall be equally and ratably entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.

Section 2.2 Establishment of Terms of Series of Securities.

At or prior to the issuance of any Securities within a Series, the following shall be established (as to the Series generally, in the case of Subsection 2.2.1, and, either as to such Securities within the Series or as to the Series generally, in the case of Subsections 2.2.2 through 2.2.21) by a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture or an Officers’ Certificate pursuant to authority granted under a Board Resolution:

2.2.1 the title of the Series (which shall distinguish the Securities of that particular Series from the Securities of any other Series);

2.2.2 the price or prices (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount thereof) at which the Securities of the Series will be issued;

2.2.3 any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the Series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of the Series pursuant to Section 2.7, 2.8, 2.11, 3.6 or 9.6);

2.2.4 the date or dates on which the principal of the Securities of the Series is payable;

2.2.5 the rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) per annum or, if applicable, the method used to determine such rate or rates (including, but not limited to, any commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index) at which the Securities of the Series shall bear interest, if any, the date or dates from which such interest, if any, shall accrue, the date or dates on which such interest, if any, shall commence and be payable and any regular record date for the interest payable on any interest payment date;

2.2.6 the place or places where the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series shall be payable, or the method of such payment, if by wire transfer, mail or other means;

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2.2.7 if applicable, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which the Securities of the Series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company;

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

2.2.9 the dates, if any, on which and the price or prices at which the Securities of the Series will be repurchased by the Company at the option of the Holders thereof and other detailed terms and provisions of such repurchase obligations;

2.2.10 if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof, the denominations in which the Securities of the Series shall be issuable;

2.2.11 the forms of the Securities of the Series in bearer or fully registered form (and, if in fully registered form, whether the Securities will be issuable as Global Securities);

2.2.12 if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of the Securities of the Series that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.2;

2.2.13 the currency of denomination of the Securities of the Series, which may be Dollars or any Foreign Currency;

2.2.14 the designation of the currency, currencies or currency units in which payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series will be made;

2.2.15 if payments of principal of or interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series are to be made in one or more currencies or currency units other than that or those in which such Securities are denominated, the manner in which the exchange rate with respect to such payments will be determined;

2.2.16 the manner in which the amounts of payment of principal of or interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series will be determined, if such amounts may be determined by reference to an index based on a currency or currencies or by reference to a commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index;

2.2.17 the provisions, if any, relating to any security provided for the Securities of the Series;

2.2.18 any addition to or change in the Events of Default which applies to any Securities of the Series and any change in the right of the Trustee or the requisite Holders of such Securities to declare the principal amount thereof due and payable pursuant to Section 6.2;

2.2.19 the ranking of the Securities of the Series, including the relative degree, if any, to which the Securities of such Series shall be subordinated to one or more other Series of Securities or other obligations of the Company in right of payment, whether outstanding or not;

2.2.20 any addition to or change in the covenants set forth in Article IV or V which applies to Securities of the Series;

2.2.21 any other terms of the Securities of the Series (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, except as permitted by Section 9.1, but which may modify or delete any provision of this Indenture insofar as it applies to such Series); and

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2.2.22 any depositories, interest rate calculation agents, exchange rate calculation agents or other agents with respect to Securities of such Series if other than those appointed herein.

2.2.23 All Securities of any one Series need not be issued at the same time and may be issued from time to time, consistent with the terms of this Indenture, if so provided by or pursuant to the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officers’ Certificate referred to above, and the authorized principal amount of any Series may not be increased to provide for issuances of additional Securities of such Series, unless otherwise provided in such Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officers’ Certificate.

Section 2.3 Execution and Authentication.

Two Officers shall sign the Securities for the Company by manual or facsimile signature.

If an Officer whose signature is on a Security no longer holds that office at the time the Security is authenticated, the Security shall nevertheless be valid.

A Security shall not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of the Trustee or an authenticating agent. The signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Security has been authenticated under this Indenture.

The Trustee shall at any time, and from time to time, authenticate Securities for original issue in the principal amount provided in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers’ Certificate, upon receipt by the Trustee of a Company Order. Such Company Order may authorize authentication and delivery pursuant to oral or electronic instructions from the Company or its duly authorized agent or agents, which oral instructions shall be promptly confirmed in writing. Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication unless otherwise provided by a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate.

The aggregate principal amount of Securities of any Series outstanding at any time may not exceed any limit upon the maximum principal amount for such Series set forth in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers’ Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2, except as provided in Section 2.8.

Prior to the issuance of Securities of any Series, the Trustee shall have received and (subject to Section 7.2) shall be fully protected in relying on: (a) the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers’ Certificate establishing the form of the Securities of that Series or of Securities within that Series and the terms of the Securities of that Series or of Securities within that Series, (b) an Officers’ Certificate complying with Section 10.4 and (c) an Opinion of Counsel complying with Section 10.4.

The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent acceptable to the Company to authenticate Securities. An authenticating agent may authenticate Securities whenever the Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by such agent. An authenticating agent has the same rights as an Agent to deal with the Company or an Affiliate.

Section 2.4 Registrar and Paying Agent.

The Company shall maintain, with respect to each Series of Securities, at the place or places specified with respect to such Series pursuant to Section 2.2, an office or agency where Securities of such Series may be presented or surrendered for payment (“Paying Agent”), where Securities of such Series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange (“Registrar”) and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such Series and this Indenture may be served (“Service Agent”). The Registrar shall keep a register with respect to each Series of Securities and to their transfer and exchange. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the name and address, and any change in the name or address, of each Registrar, Paying Agent or Service Agent. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required Registrar, Paying Agent or Service Agent or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the name and address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.

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The Company may also from time to time designate one or more co-registrars, additional paying agents or additional service agents and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided, however, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligations to maintain a Registrar, Paying Agent and Service Agent in each place so specified pursuant to Section 2.2 for Securities of any Series for such purposes. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the name or address of any such co-registrar, additional paying agent or additional service agent. The term “Registrar” includes any co-registrar; the term “Paying Agent” includes any additional paying agent; and the term “Service Agent” includes any additional service agent.

The Company hereby appoints the Trustee the initial Registrar, Paying Agent and Service Agent for each Series unless another Registrar, Paying Agent or Service Agent, as the case may be, is appointed prior to the time Securities of that Series are first issued.

Section 2.5 Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust.

The Company shall require each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to agree in writing that the Paying Agent will hold in trust, for the benefit of Securityholders of any Series of Securities, or the Trustee, all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal of or interest on the Series of Securities, and will notify the Trustee of any default by the Company in making any such payment. While any such default continues, the Trustee may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. The Company at any time may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. Upon payment over to the Trustee, the Paying Agent (if other than the Company or a Subsidiary) shall have no further liability for the money. If the Company or a Subsidiary acts as Paying Agent, it shall segregate and hold in a separate trust fund for the benefit of Securityholders of any Series of Securities all money held by it as Paying Agent.

Section 2.6 Securityholder Lists.

The Trustee shall preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of Securityholders of each Series of Securities and shall otherwise comply with TIA Section 312(a). If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee at least ten days before each interest payment date and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing a list, in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of Securityholders of each Series of Securities.

Section 2.7 Transfer and Exchange.

Where Securities of a Series are presented to the Registrar or a co-registrar with a request to register a transfer or to exchange them for an equal principal amount of Securities of the same Series, the Registrar shall register the transfer or make the exchange if its requirements for such transactions are met. To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Trustee shall authenticate Securities at the Registrar’s request. No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange (except as otherwise expressly permitted herein), but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than any such transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable upon exchanges pursuant to Section 2.11, 3.6 or 9.6).

Neither the Company nor the Registrar shall be required (a) to issue, register the transfer of, or exchange Securities of any Series for the period beginning at the opening of business fifteen days immediately preceding the mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities of that Series selected for redemption and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing or (b) to register the transfer of or exchange Securities of any Series selected, called or being called for redemption as a whole or the portion being redeemed of any such Securities selected, called or being called for redemption in part.

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Section 2.8 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Section 2.9 Outstanding Securities.

The Securities outstanding at any time are all the Securities authenticated by the Trustee except for those canceled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation, those reductions in the interest on a Global Security effected by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions hereof and those described in this Section as not outstanding.

If a Security is replaced pursuant to Section 2.8, it ceases to be outstanding until the Trustee receives proof satisfactory to it that the replaced Security is held by a bona fide purchaser.

If the Paying Agent (other than the Company, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate of any thereof) holds on the Maturity of Securities of a Series money sufficient to pay such Securities payable on that date, then on and after that date such Securities of the Series cease to be outstanding and interest on them ceases to accrue.

A Security shall cease to be outstanding if the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates holds the Security.

In determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, the principal amount of a Discount Security that shall be deemed to be outstanding for such purposes shall be the amount of the principal thereof that would be due and payable as of the date of such determination upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.2.

Section 2.10 Treasury Securities.

In determining whether the Holders of the required principal amount of Securities of a Series have concurred in any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver Securities of a Series owned by

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the Company or an Affiliate shall be disregarded, except that for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver only Securities of a Series that the Trustee knows are so owned shall be so disregarded.

Section 2.11 Temporary Securities.

Until definitive Securities are ready for delivery, the Company may prepare and the Trustee shall authenticate temporary Securities upon a Company Order. Temporary Securities shall be substantially in the form of definitive Securities but may have variations that the Company considers appropriate for temporary Securities. Without unreasonable delay, the Company shall prepare and the Trustee upon request shall authenticate definitive Securities of the same Series and date of maturity in exchange for temporary Securities. Until so exchanged, temporary securities shall have the same rights under this Indenture as the definitive Securities.

Section 2.12 Cancellation.

The Company at any time may deliver Securities to the Trustee for cancellation. The Registrar and the Paying Agent shall forward to the Trustee any Securities surrendered to them for registration of transfer, exchange or payment. The Trustee shall cancel all Securities surrendered for transfer, exchange, payment, replacement or cancellation and shall destroy such canceled Securities (subject to the record retention requirement of the Exchange Act) and deliver a certificate of such destruction to the Company, unless the Company otherwise directs. The Company may not issue new Securities to replace Securities that it has paid or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.

Section 2.13 Defaulted Interest.

If the Company defaults in a payment of interest on a Series of Securities, it shall pay the defaulted interest, plus, to the extent permitted by law, any interest payable on the defaulted interest, to the persons who are Securityholders of the Series on a subsequent special record date. The Company shall fix the record date and payment date. At least 30 days before the record date, the Company shall mail to the Trustee and to each Securityholder of the Series a notice that states the record date, the payment date and the amount of interest to be paid. The Company may pay defaulted interest in any other lawful manner.

Section 2.14 Global Securities.

2.14.1 Terms of Securities. A Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate shall establish whether the Securities of a Series shall be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities and the Depository for such Global Security or Securities.

2.14.2 Transfer and Exchange. Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary contained in Section 2.7 of the Indenture and in addition thereto, any Global Security shall be exchangeable pursuant to Section 2.7 of the Indenture for Securities registered in the names of Holders other than the Depository for such Security or its nominee only if (a) such Depository notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depository for such Global Security or if at any time such Depository ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and, in either case, the Company fails to appoint a successor Depository within 90 days of such event, or (b) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate to the effect that such Global Security shall be so exchangeable. Any Global Security that is exchangeable pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be exchangeable for Securities registered in such names as the Depository shall direct in writing in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global Security with like tenor and terms.

Except as provided in this Section 2.14.2, a Global Security may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depository with respect to such Global Security to a nominee of such Depository, by a nominee of such Depository to such Depository or another nominee of such Depository or by the Depository or any such nominee to a successor Depository or a nominee of such a successor Depository.

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2.14.3 Legend. Any Global Security issued hereunder shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:

“This Security is a Global Security within the meaning of the Indenture hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name of the Depository or a nominee of the Depository. This Security is exchangeable for Securities registered in the name of a person other than the Depository or its nominee only in the limited circumstances described in the Indenture, and may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depository to a nominee of the Depository, by a nominee of the Depository to the Depository or another nominee of the Depository or by the Depository or any such nominee to a successor Depository or a nominee of such a successor Depository.”

2.14.4 Acts of Holders. The Depository, as a Holder, may appoint agents and otherwise authorize participants to give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action which a Holder is entitled to give or take under the Indenture.

2.14.5 Payments. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Indenture, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 2.2, payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on any Global Security shall be made to the Holder thereof.

2.14.6 Consents, Declaration and Directions. Except as provided in Section 2.14.5, the Company, the Trustee and any Agent shall treat a person as the Holder of such principal amount of outstanding Securities of such Series represented by a Global Security as shall be specified in a written statement of the Depositary with respect to such Global Security, for purposes of obtaining any consents, declarations, waivers or directions required to be given by the Holders pursuant to this Indenture.

Section 2.15 CUSIP Numbers.

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

ARTICLE III

REDEMPTION

Section 3.1 Notice to Trustee.

The Company may, with respect to any Series of Securities, reserve the right to redeem and pay the Series of Securities or may covenant to redeem and pay the Series of Securities or any part thereof prior to the Stated Maturity thereof at such time and on such terms as provided for in such Securities. If a Series of Securities is redeemable and the Company wants or is obligated to redeem prior to the Stated Maturity thereof all or part of the Series of Securities pursuant to the terms of such Securities, it shall notify the Trustee of the redemption date and the principal amount of Series of Securities to be redeemed. The Company shall give the notice at least 30 days before the redemption date (or such shorter notice as may be acceptable to the Trustee).

Section 3.2 Selection of Securities to be Redeemed.

Unless otherwise indicated for a particular Series by a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture or an Officers’ Certificate, if less than all the Securities of a Series are to be redeemed, the Trustee shall select the Securities of the Series to be redeemed in any manner that the Trustee deems fair and appropriate. The Trustee shall make the selection from Securities of the Series outstanding not previously called for redemption. The Trustee may select for redemption portions of the principal of Securities of the Series that have denominations larger than $1,000. Securities of the Series and portions of them it selects shall be in amounts of $1,000 or whole multiples of $1,000 or,

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with respect to Securities of any Series issuable in other denominations pursuant to Section 2.2.10, the minimum principal denomination for each Series and integral multiples thereof. Provisions of this Indenture that apply to Securities of a Series called for redemption also apply to portions of Securities of that Series called for redemption.

Section 3.3 Notice of Redemption.

Unless otherwise indicated for a particular Series by Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate, at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before a redemption date, the Company shall mail a notice of redemption by first-class mail to each Holder whose Securities are to be redeemed and if any Bearer Securities are outstanding, publish on one occasion a notice in an Authorized Newspaper.

The notice shall identify the Securities of the Series to be redeemed and shall state:

(a) the redemption date;

(b) the redemption price;

(c) the name and address of the Paying Agent;

(d) that Securities of the Series called for redemption must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the redemption price;

(e) that interest on Securities of the Series called for redemption ceases to accrue on and after the redemption date; and

(f) any other information as may be required by the terms of the particular Series or the Securities of a Series being redeemed.

At the Company’s request, the Trustee shall give the notice of redemption in the Company’s name and at its expense.

Section 3.4 Effect of Notice of Redemption.

Once notice of redemption is mailed or published as provided in Section 3.3, Securities of a Series called for redemption become due and payable on the redemption date and at the redemption price. A notice of redemption may not be conditional. Upon surrender to the Paying Agent, such Securities shall be paid at the redemption price plus accrued interest to the redemption date.

Section 3.5 Deposit of Redemption Price.

On or before the redemption date, the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the redemption price of and accrued interest, if any, on all Securities to be redeemed on that date.

Section 3.6 Securities Redeemed in Part.

Upon surrender of a Security that is redeemed in part, the Trustee shall authenticate for the Holder a new Security of the same Series and the same maturity equal in principal amount to the unredeemed portion of the Security surrendered.

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ARTICLE IV

COVENANTS

Section 4.1 Payment of Principal and Interest.

The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of each Series of Securities that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of that Series in accordance with the terms of such Securities and this Indenture.

Section 4.2 SEC Reports.

The Company shall deliver to the Trustee within 45 days after it files them with the SEC copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents, and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the SEC may by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company is required to file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company will be deemed to have delivered such reports to the Trustee if the Company has filed such reports with the SEC via the EDGAR filing system and such reports are publicly available. The Company also shall comply with the other provisions of TIA Section 314(a).

Section 4.3 Compliance Certificate.

The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, an Officers’ Certificate as to the signer’s knowledge of the Company’s compliance with all conditions and covenants under this Indenture (determined without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice provided herein) and if the Company shall not be in compliance, specifying such non-compliance and the nature and status thereof.

The Company will, so long as any of the Securities are outstanding, deliver to the Trustee, forthwith upon becoming aware of any Default or Event of Default, an Officers’ Certificate specifying such Default or Event of Default and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.

Section 4.4 Stay, Extension and Usury Laws.

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

ARTICLE V

SUCCESSOR ENTITY

Section 5.1 Company May Consolidate, Etc.

Except as otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 2.2 for a particular Series by a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture or an Officers’ Certificate, nothing contained in this Indenture shall prevent any consolidation or merger of the Company with or into any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company) or successive consolidations or mergers in which the Company or its successor or successors shall be a party or parties, or shall prevent any sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition of the property of the Company or its successor or successors as an entirety, or substantially as an entirety, to any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company or its successor or successors) authorized to acquire and operate the same; provided, however,

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(a) the Company hereby covenants and agrees that, upon any such consolidation or merger (in each case, if the Company is not the survivor of such transaction), sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition, the due and punctual payment of the principal of (premium, if any) and interest on all of the Securities in accordance with the terms of each Series, according to their tenor, and the due and punctual performance and observance of all the covenants and conditions of this Indenture with respect to each Series or established with respect to such Series pursuant to Section 2.2 to be kept or performed by the Company shall be expressly assumed, by supplemental indenture (which shall conform to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act, as then in effect) executed and delivered to the Trustee by the entity formed by such consolidation, or into which the Company shall have been merged, or by the entity which shall have acquired such property and (b) in the event that the Securities of any Series then outstanding are convertible into or exchangeable for shares of common stock or other securities of the Company, such entity shall, by such supplemental indenture, make provision so that the Holders of Securities of that Series shall thereafter be entitled to receive upon conversion or exchange of such Securities the number of securities or property to which a holder of the number of shares of common stock or other securities of the Company deliverable upon conversion or exchange of those Securities would have been entitled had such conversion or exchange occurred immediately prior to such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition.

Section 5.2 Successor Entity Substituted.

(a) In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition and upon the assumption by the successor entity by supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the Trustee, of the obligations set forth under Section 5.1 on all of the Securities of all Series outstanding, such successor entity shall succeed to and be substituted for the Company with the same effect as if it had been named as the Company herein, and thereupon the predecessor corporation shall be relieved of all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities.

(b) In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition, such changes in phraseology and form (but not in substance) may be made in the Securities thereafter to be issued as may be appropriate.

(c) Nothing contained in this Article (including, without limitation, Section 5.3) shall require any action by the Company in the case of a consolidation or merger of any Person into the Company where the Company is the survivor of such transaction, or the acquisition by the Company, by purchase or otherwise, of all or any part of the property of any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company).

Section 5.3 Evidence of Consolidation, Etc. to Trustee.

The Trustee may receive an Officers’ Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel as conclusive evidence that any such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition, and any such assumption, comply with the provisions of this Article.

ARTICLE VI

DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

Section 6.1 Events of Default.

“Event of Default,” wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any Series, means any one of the following events, unless in the establishing Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officers’ Certificate, it is provided that such Series shall not have the benefit of said Event of Default:

(a) default in the payment of any interest on any Security of that Series when it becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days (unless the entire amount of such payment is deposited by the Company with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent prior to the expiration of such period of 30 days); or

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(b) default in the payment of the principal of any Security of that Series at its Maturity; or

(c) default in the deposit of any sinking fund payment, when and as due in respect of any Security of that Series; or

(d) default in the performance or breach of any covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture (other than a covenant or warranty that has been included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of Series of Securities other than that Series), which default continues uncured for a period of 60 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

(e) the Company pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:

(i) commences a voluntary case,

(ii) consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case,

(iii) consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property, or

(iv) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors; or

(f) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that:

(i) is for relief against the Company in an involuntary case,

(ii) appoints a Custodian of the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or

(iii) orders the liquidation of the Company, and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 60 days; or

(g) any other Event of Default provided with respect to Securities of that Series, which is specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate, in accordance with Section 2.2.18.

The term “Bankruptcy Law” means Title 11, U.S. Code or any similar Federal or State law for the relief of debtors. The term “Custodian” means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.

Section 6.2 Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment.

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any Series at the time outstanding occurs and is continuing (other than an Event of Default referred to in Section 6.1(e) or (f)) then in every such case the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series may declare the principal amount (or, if any Securities of that Series are Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such Securities) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all of the Securities of that Series to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal amount (or specified amount) and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, shall become immediately due and payable. If an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(e) or (f) shall occur, the principal amount (or specified amount) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all outstanding Securities shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder.

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

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

(i) all overdue interest, if any, on all Securities of that Series,

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

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

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

(b) all Events of Default with respect to Securities of that Series, other than the non-payment of the principal of Securities of that Series which have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 6.13.

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

Section 6.3 Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee.

The Company covenants that if:

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

(b) default is made in the payment of principal of any Security at the Maturity thereof; or

(c) default is made in the deposit of any sinking fund payment when and as due by the terms of a Security,

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

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

If an Event of Default with respect to any Securities of any Series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such

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Series by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.

Section 6.4 Trustee May File Proofs of Claim.

In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or the property of the Company or of such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company for the payment of overdue principal or interest) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:

(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel) and of the Holders allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

(b) to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same, and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.7.

Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or the rights of any Holder thereof or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding.

Section 6.5 Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities.

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

Section 6.6 Application of Money Collected.

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

First: to the payment of all amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.7; and

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

Third: to the Company.

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Section 6.7 Limitation on Suits.

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

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

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

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

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

(e) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series,

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

Section 6.8 Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and Interest.

Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on such Security on the Stated Maturity or Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the redemption date) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such rights shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.

Section 6.9 Restoration of Rights and Remedies.

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

Section 6.10 Rights and Remedies Cumulative.

Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities in Section 2.8, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

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Section 6.11 Delay or Omission Not Waiver.

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

Section 6.12 Control by Holders.

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

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

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

(c) subject to the provisions of Section 6.1, the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee in good faith shall, by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, determine that the proceeding so directed would involve the Trustee in personal liability.

Section 6.13 Waiver of Past Defaults.

The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series may on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such Series waive any past Default hereunder with respect to such Series and its consequences, except a Default in the payment of the principal of or interest on any Security of such Series (provided, however, that the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series may rescind an acceleration and its consequences, including any related payment default that resulted from such acceleration). Upon any such waiver, such Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 6.14 Undertaking for Costs.

All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Company, to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of or interest on any Security on or after the Stated Maturity or Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the redemption date).

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ARTICLE VII

TRUSTEE

Section 7.1 Duties of Trustee.

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

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

(i) The Trustee need perform only those duties that are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no others;

(ii) In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon Officers’ Certificates or Opinions of Counsel furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; however, in the case of any such Officers’ Certificates or Opinions of Counsel which by any provisions hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall examine such Officers’ Certificates and Opinions of Counsel to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture.

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

(i) This paragraph does not limit the effect of paragraph (b) of this Section;

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

(iii) The Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it with respect to Securities of any Series in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such Series relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such Series.

(d) Every provision of this Indenture that in any way relates to the Trustee is subject to paragraph (a), (b) and (c) of this Section.

(e) The Trustee may refuse to perform any duty or exercise any right or power unless it receives indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense.

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

(g) No provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk is not reasonably assured to it.

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(h) The Paying Agent, the Registrar and any authenticating agent shall be entitled to the protections, immunities and standard of care as are set forth in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of this Section with respect to the Trustee.

Section 7.2 Rights of Trustee.

(a) The Trustee may rely on and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper person. The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document.

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

(c) The Trustee may act through agents and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any agent appointed with due care. No Depository shall be deemed an agent of the Trustee and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any act or omission by any Depository.

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

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

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

Section 7.3 Individual Rights of Trustee.

The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and may otherwise deal with the Company or an Affiliate with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. Any Agent may do the same with like rights. The Trustee is also subject to Sections 7.10 and 7.11.

Section 7.4 Trustee’s Disclaimer.

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

Section 7.5 Notice of Defaults.

If a Default or Event of Default occurs and is continuing with respect to the Securities of any Series and if it is known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, the Trustee shall mail to each Securityholder of the Securities of that Series and, if any Bearer Securities are outstanding, publish on one occasion in an Authorized Newspaper, notice of a Default or Event of Default within 90 days after it occurs or, if later, after a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has knowledge of such Default or Event of Default. Except in the case of a Default or Event of Default in payment of principal of or interest on any Security of any Series, the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as its corporate trust committee or a committee of its Responsible Officers in good faith determines that withholding the notice is in the interests of Securityholders of that Series.

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Section 7.6 Reports by Trustee to Holders.

Within 60 days after May 15 in each year, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Securityholders, as their names and addresses appear on the register kept by the Registrar and, if any Bearer Securities are outstanding, publish in an Authorized Newspaper, a brief report dated as of such May 15, in accordance with, and to the extent required under, TIA Section 313.

A copy of each report at the time of its mailing to Securityholders of any Series shall be filed with the SEC and each stock exchange on which the Securities of that Series are listed. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee when Securities of any Series are listed on any stock exchange.

Section 7.7 Compensation and Indemnity.

The Company shall pay to the Trustee from time to time reasonable compensation for its services in amounts agreed to by the Company and the Trustee. The Trustee’s compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust. The Company shall reimburse the Trustee upon request for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by it. Such expenses shall include the reasonable compensation and expenses of the Trustee’s agents and counsel.

The Company shall indemnify the Trustee (including the cost of defending itself) against any loss, liability or expense incurred by it except as set forth in the next paragraph in the performance of its duties under this Indenture as Trustee or Agent. The Trustee shall notify the Company promptly of any claim for which it may seek indemnity. The Company shall defend the claim and the Trustee shall cooperate in the defense. The Trustee may have one separate counsel and the Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel. The Company need not pay for any settlement made without its consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. This indemnification shall apply to officers, directors, employees, shareholders and agents of the Trustee.

The Company need not reimburse any expense or indemnify against any loss or liability incurred by the Trustee or by any officer, director, employee, shareholder or agent of the Trustee through negligence or bad faith.

To secure the Company’s payment obligations in this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities of any Series on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee, except that held in trust to pay principal and interest on particular Securities of that Series.

When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services after an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(e) or (f) occurs, the expenses and the compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any Bankruptcy Law.

Section 7.8 Replacement of Trustee.

A resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment of a successor Trustee shall become effective only upon the successor Trustee’s acceptance of appointment as provided in this Section.

The Trustee may resign with respect to the Securities of one or more Series by so notifying the Company. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities of any Series may remove the Trustee with respect to that Series by so notifying the Trustee and the Company. The Company may remove the Trustee with respect to Securities of one or more Series if:

(a) the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.10;

(b) the Trustee is adjudged a bankrupt or an insolvent or an order for relief is entered with respect to the Trustee under any Bankruptcy Law;

(c) a Custodian or public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property; or

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(d) the Trustee becomes incapable of acting.

If the Trustee resigns or is removed or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee for any reason, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee. If a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any one or more Series does not take office within 60 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee, the Company or the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the Securities of the applicable Series may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.

If the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any one or more Series fails to comply with Section 7.10, any Securityholder of the applicable Series may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee.

A successor Trustee shall deliver a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Company. Immediately after that, the retiring Trustee shall transfer all property held by it as Trustee to the successor Trustee subject to the lien provided for in Section 7.7, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective, and the successor Trustee shall have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee with respect to each Series of Securities for which it is acting as Trustee under this Indenture. A successor Trustee shall mail a notice of its succession to each Securityholder of each such Series and, if any Bearer Securities are outstanding, publish such notice on one occasion in an Authorized Newspaper. Notwithstanding replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section 7.8, the Company’s obligations under Section 7.7 hereof shall continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee with respect to expenses and liabilities incurred by it prior to such replacement.

Section 7.9 Successor Trustee by Merger, Etc.

If the Trustee consolidates with, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all of its corporate trust business to, another corporation, the successor corporation without any further act shall be the successor Trustee.

Section 7.10 Eligibility; Disqualification.

This Indenture shall always have a Trustee who satisfies the requirements of TIA Section 310(a)(1), (2) and (5). The Trustee shall always have a combined capital and surplus of at least $25,000,000 as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition. The Trustee shall comply with TIA Section 310(b).

Section 7.11 Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company.

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

ARTICLE VIII

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE; DEFEASANCE

Section 8.1 Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture.

This Indenture shall upon Company Order cease to be of further effect (except as hereinafter provided in this Section 8.1), and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, when:

(a) either:

(i) all Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than Securities that have been destroyed, lost or stolen and that have been replaced or paid) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

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

(1) have become due and payable, or

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

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

(4) are deemed paid and discharged pursuant to Section 8.3, as applicable;

and the Company, in the case of (1), (2) or (3) above, has deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust an amount sufficient for the purpose of paying and discharging the entire indebtedness on such Securities not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal and interest to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable on or prior to the date of such deposit) or to the Stated Maturity or redemption date, as the case may be;

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

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

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 7.7, and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to clause (a) of this Section, the provisions of Sections 2.4, 2.7, 2.8, 8.1, 8.2 and 8.5 shall survive.

Section 8.2 Application of Trust Funds; Indemnification.

(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 8.5, all money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.1, all money and U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.3 or 8.4 and all money received by the Trustee in respect of U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.3 or 8.4, shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the persons entitled thereto, of the principal and interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with or received by the Trustee or to make mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments as contemplated by Sections 8.3 or 8.4.

(b) The Company shall pay and shall indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Sections 8.3 or 8.4 or the interest and principal received in respect of such obligations other than any payable by or on behalf of Holders.

(c) The Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request any U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations or money held by it as provided in Sections 8.3 or 8.4 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent certified public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are then in excess of the amount thereof which then would have been required to be deposited for the purpose for which such U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations or money were deposited or received. This provision shall not authorize the sale by the Trustee of any U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations held under this Indenture.

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Section 8.3 Legal Defeasance of Securities of Any Series.

Unless this Section 8.3 is otherwise specified pursuant to Section 2.2.20 to be inapplicable to Securities of any Series (and notwithstanding whether the Company has previously satisfied the conditions set forth in clause (a) through (f) of Section 8.4, the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness on all the outstanding Securities of such Series on the 91st day after the date of the deposit referred to in subparagraph (d) hereof, and the provisions of this Indenture, as it relates to such outstanding Securities of such Series, shall no longer be in effect (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall, at Company Request, execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), except as to:

(a) the rights of Holders of Securities of such Series to receive, from the trust funds described in subparagraph (d) hereof, (i) payment of the principal of and each installment of principal of and interest on the outstanding Securities of such Series on the Stated Maturity of such principal or installment of principal or interest and (ii) the benefit of any mandatory sinking fund payments applicable to the Securities of such Series on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and the Securities of such Series;

(b) the provisions of Sections 2.4, 2.7, 2.8, 8.2, 8.3 and 8.5; and

(c) the rights, powers, trust and immunities of the Trustee hereunder;

provided that, the following conditions shall have been satisfied:

(d) the Company shall have deposited or caused to be deposited irrevocably with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for and dedicated solely to the benefit of the Holders of such Securities, (i) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in Dollars, cash in Dollars (or such other money or currencies as shall then be legal tender in the United States) and/or U.S. Government Obligations or (ii) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in a Foreign Currency (other than a composite currency), money and/or Foreign Government Obligations, which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof, in accordance with their terms, will provide (and without reinvestment and assuming no tax liability will be imposed on such Trustee), not later than one day before the due date of any payment of money, an amount in cash, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge each installment of principal (including mandatory sinking fund or analogous payments) of and interest, if any, on all the Securities of such Series on the dates such installments of interest or principal are due;

(e) such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;

(f) no Default or Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such Series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or during the period ending on the 91st day after such date;

(g) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of the Securities of such Series will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit, defeasance and discharge and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit, defeasance and discharge had not occurred;

(h) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of preferring the Holders of the Securities of such Series over any other creditors of the Company or with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any other creditors of the Company;

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(i) such deposit shall not result in the trust arising from such deposit constituting an investment company (as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended), or such trust shall be qualified under such Act or exempt from regulation thereunder; and

(j) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent provided for relating to the defeasance contemplated by this Section have been complied with.

Section 8.4 Covenant Defeasance.

Unless this Section 8.4 is otherwise specified pursuant to Section 2.2.20 to be inapplicable to Securities of any Series, on and after the 91st day after the date of the deposit referred to in subparagraph (a) hereof, the Company may omit to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth under Sections 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, and 5.1 as well as any additional covenants contained in a supplemental indenture hereto for a particular Series of Securities or a Board Resolution or an Officers’ Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2.20 (and the failure to comply with any such covenants shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default under Section 6.1), with respect to the Securities of such Series, provided that the following conditions shall have been satisfied:

(a) with reference to this Section 8.4, the Company has deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited (except as provided in Section 8.2(c)) with the Trustee as trust funds in trust, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities, (i) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in Dollars, cash in Dollars (or such other money or currencies as shall then be legal tender in the United States) and/or U.S. Government Obligations or (ii) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in a Foreign Currency (other than a composite currency), money and/or Foreign Government Obligations, which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof, in accordance with their terms, will provide (and without reinvestment and assuming no tax liability will be imposed on such Trustee), not later than one day before the due date of any payment of money, an amount in cash, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent certified public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay principal and interest, if any, on and any mandatory sinking fund in respect of the Securities of such Series on the dates such installments of interest or principal are due;

(b) such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture;

(c) no Default or Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such Series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or during the period ending on the 91st day after such date;

(d) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel confirming that Holders of the Securities of such Series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and defeasance had not occurred;

(e) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of preferring the Holders of the Securities of such Series over any other creditors of the Company or with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any other creditors of the Company; and

(f) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the defeasance contemplated by this Section have been complied with.

Section 8.5 Repayment to Company.

The Trustee and the Paying Agent shall pay to the Company upon request any money held by them for the payment of principal and interest that remains unclaimed for two years. After that, Securityholders entitled to the money must look to the Company for payment as general creditors unless an applicable abandoned property law designates another person.

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ARTICLE IX

AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS

Section 9.1 Without Consent of Holders.

The Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture or the Securities of one or more Series without the consent of any Securityholder:

(a) to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency;

(b) to comply with Article V;

(c) to provide for uncertificated Securities in addition to or in place of certificated Securities;

(d) to make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any Securityholder;

(e) to provide for the issuance of and establish the form and terms and conditions of Securities of any Series as permitted by this Indenture;

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

(g) to comply with requirements of the SEC in order to effect or maintain the qualification of this Indenture under the TIA.

Section 9.2 With Consent of Holders.

The Company and the Trustee may enter into a supplemental indenture with the written consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of each Series affected by such supplemental indenture (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Securities of such Series), for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Securityholders of each such Series. Except as provided in Section 6.13, the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of each Series affected by such waiver by notice to the Trustee (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Securities of such Series) may waive compliance by the Company with any provision of this Indenture or the Securities with respect to such Series.

It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders of Securities under this Section 9.2 to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture or waiver, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof. After a supplemental indenture or waiver under this section becomes effective, the Company shall mail to the Holders of Securities affected thereby and, if any Bearer Securities affected thereby are outstanding, publish on one occasion in an Authorized Newspaper, a notice briefly describing the supplemental indenture or waiver. Any failure by the Company to mail or publish such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such supplemental indenture or waiver.

Section 9.3 Limitations.

Without the consent of each Securityholder affected, an amendment or waiver may not:

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(a) change the amount of Securities whose Holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;

(b) reduce the rate of or extend the time for payment of interest (including default interest) on any Security;

(c) reduce the principal or change the Stated Maturity of any Security or reduce the amount of, or postpone the date fixed for, the payment of any sinking fund or analogous obligation;

(d) reduce the principal amount of Discount Securities payable upon acceleration of the maturity thereof;

(e) waive a Default or Event of Default in the payment of the principal of or interest, if any, on any Security (except a rescission of acceleration of the Securities of any Series by the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such Series and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);

(f) make the principal of or interest, if any, on any Security payable in any currency other than that stated in the Security;

(g) make any change in Section 6.8, 6.13, 9.3 (this sentence), 10.15 or 10.16; or

(h) waive a redemption payment with respect to any Security or change any of the provisions with respect to the redemption of any Securities.

Section 9.4 Compliance with Trust Indenture Act.

Every amendment to this Indenture or the Securities of one or more Series shall be set forth in a supplemental indenture hereto that complies with the TIA as then in effect.

Section 9.5 Revocation and Effect of Consents.

Until an amendment or waiver becomes effective, a consent to it by a Holder of a Security is a continuing consent by the Holder and every subsequent Holder of a Security or portion of a Security that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Security, even if notation of the consent is not made on any Security. However, any such Holder or subsequent Holder may revoke the consent as to his Security or portion of a Security if the Trustee receives the notice of revocation before the date the amendment or waiver becomes effective.

Any amendment or waiver once effective shall bind every Securityholder of each Series affected by such amendment or waiver unless it is of the type described in any of clauses (a) through (g) of Section 9.3. In that case, the amendment or waiver shall bind each Holder of a Security who has consented to it and every subsequent Holder of a Security or portion of a Security that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Security.

Section 9.6 Notation on or Exchange of Securities.

The Trustee may place an appropriate notation about an amendment or waiver on any Security of any Series thereafter authenticated. The Company in exchange for Securities of that Series may issue and the Trustee shall authenticate upon request new Securities of that Series that reflect the amendment or waiver.

Section 9.7 Trustee Protected.

In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Section 7.1) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture. The Trustee shall sign all supplemental indentures, except that the Trustee need not sign any supplemental indenture that adversely affects its rights.

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ARTICLE X

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 10.1 Trust Indenture Act.

The provisions of TIA Sections 310 through 317 that impose duties on any person (including the provisions automatically deemed included herein unless expressly excluded by this Indenture) are a part of and govern this Indenture, whether or not expressly set forth herein. If any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies, or conflicts with another provision which is required or deemed to be included in this Indenture by the TIA, such required or deemed provision shall control. If any provision of this Indenture modifies or excludes any provision of the TIA that may be so modified or excluded, the latter provision shall be deemed to apply to this Indenture as so modified or excluded, as the case may be.

Section 10.2 Notices.

Any notice or communication by the Company or the Trustee to the other is duly given if in writing and delivered in person or mailed by first-class mail:

if to the Company:

Cathay General Bancorp

777 North Broadway

Los Angeles, California 90012

Attention: General Counsel

if to the Trustee:

The Company or the Trustee by notice to the other may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.

Any notice or communication to a Securityholder shall be mailed by first-class mail to his address shown on the register kept by the Registrar and, if any Bearer Securities are outstanding, published in an Authorized Newspaper. Failure to mail a notice or communication to a Securityholder of any Series or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Securityholders of that or any other Series.

If a notice or communication is mailed or published in the manner provided above, within the time prescribed, it is duly given, whether or not the Securityholder receives it.

If the Company mails a notice or communication to Securityholders, it shall mail a copy to the Trustee and each Agent at the same time.

Section 10.3 Communication by Holders with Other Holders.

Securityholders of any Series may communicate pursuant to TIA Section 312(b) with other Securityholders of that Series or any other Series with respect to their rights under this Indenture or the Securities of that Series or all Series. The Company, the Trustee, the Registrar and anyone else shall have the protection of TIA Section 312(c).

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Section 10.4 Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent.

Upon any request or application by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with.

Section 10.5 Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion.

Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (other than a certificate provided pursuant to TIA Section 314(a)(4)) shall comply with the provisions of TIA Section 314(e) and shall include:

(a) a statement that the person making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition;

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

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

(d) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such person, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Section 10.6 Rules by Trustee and Agents.

The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by or a meeting of Securityholders of one or more Series. Any Agent may make reasonable rules and set reasonable requirements for its functions.

Section 10.7 Legal Holidays.

Unless otherwise provided by Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture for a particular Series, a “Legal Holiday” is any day that is not a Business Day. If a payment date is a Legal Holiday at a place of payment, payment may be made at that place on the next succeeding day that is not a Legal Holiday, and no interest shall accrue for the intervening period.

Section 10.8 No Recourse Against Others.

A director, officer, employee or stockholder, as such, of the Company shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company under the Securities or the Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. Each Securityholder by accepting a Security waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issue of the Securities.

Section 10.9 Counterparts.

This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

Section 10.10 Governing Laws.

THIS INDENTURE AND THE SECURITIES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICT OF LAWS PROVISIONS THEREOF.

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Section 10.11 No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements.

This Indenture may not be used to interpret another indenture, loan or debt agreement of the Company or a Subsidiary. Any such indenture, loan or debt agreement may not be used to interpret this Indenture.

Section 10.12 Successors.

All agreements of the Company in this Indenture and the Securities shall bind its successor. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture shall bind its successor.

Section 10.13 Severability.

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

Section 10.14 Table of Contents, Headings, Etc.

The Table of Contents, Cross-Reference Table, and headings of the Articles and Sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be considered a part hereof, and shall in no way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.

Section 10.15 Securities in a Foreign Currency.

Unless otherwise specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2 of this Indenture with respect to a particular Series of Securities, whenever for purposes of this Indenture any action may be taken by the Holders of a specified percentage in aggregate principal amount of Securities of all Series or all Series affected by a particular action at the time outstanding and, at such time, there are outstanding Securities of any Series which are denominated in a coin or currency other than Dollars, then the principal amount of Securities of such Series which shall be deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of taking such action shall be that amount of Dollars that could be obtained for such amount at the Market Exchange Rate at such time. For purposes of this Section 10.15, “Market Exchange Rate” shall mean the noon Dollar buying rate in New York City for cable transfers of that currency as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. If such Market Exchange Rate is not available for any reason with respect to such currency, the Trustee shall use, in its sole discretion and without liability on its part, such quotation of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York as of the most recent available date, or quotations or rates of exchange from one or more major banks in the City of New York or in the country of issue of the currency in question or such other quotations or rates of exchange as the Trustee, upon consultation with the Company, shall deem appropriate. The provisions of this paragraph shall apply in determining the equivalent principal amount in respect of Securities of a Series denominated in currency other than Dollars in connection with any action taken by Holders of Securities pursuant to the terms of this Indenture.

All decisions and determinations of the Trustee regarding the Market Exchange Rate or any alternative determination provided for in the preceding paragraph shall be in its sole discretion and shall, in the absence of manifest error, be conclusive to the extent permitted by law for all purposes and irrevocably binding upon the Company and all Holders.

Section 10.16 Judgment Currency.

The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal of or interest or other amount on the Securities of any Series (the “Required Currency”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “Judgment Currency”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in the City of New York the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the day on which final unappealable judgment is entered, unless such day is not a New York Banking Day, then, the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with

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normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in the City of New York the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which final unappealable judgment is entered and (b) its obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with subsection (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture. For purposes of the foregoing, “New York Banking Day” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in the City of New York on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.

ARTICLE XI

SINKING FUNDS

Section 11.1 Applicability of Article.

The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of the Securities of a Series, except as otherwise permitted or required by any form of Security of such Series issued pursuant to this Indenture.

The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of the Securities of any Series is herein referred to as a “mandatory sinking fund payment” and any other amount provided for by the terms of Securities of such Series is herein referred to as an “optional sinking fund payment.” If provided for by the terms of Securities of any Series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 11.2. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any Series as provided for by the terms of the Securities of such Series.

Section 11.2 Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities.

The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of any Series to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities, (a) deliver outstanding Securities of such Series to which such sinking fund payment is applicable (other than any of such Securities previously called for mandatory sinking fund redemption) and (b) apply as credit Securities of such Series to which such sinking fund payment is applicable and which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such Series of Securities (except pursuant to any mandatory sinking fund) or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments or other optional redemptions pursuant to the terms of such Securities, provided that such Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received by the Trustee, together with an Officers’ Certificate with respect thereto, not later than 15 days prior to the date on which the Trustee begins the process of selecting Securities for redemption, and shall be credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly. If as a result of the delivery or credit of Securities in lieu of cash payments pursuant to this Section 11.2, the principal amount of Securities of such Series to be redeemed in order to exhaust the aforesaid cash payment shall be less than $100,000, the Trustee need not call Securities of such Series for redemption, except upon receipt of a Company Order that such action be taken, and such cash payment shall be held by the Trustee or a Paying Agent and applied to the next succeeding sinking fund payment, provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall from time to time upon receipt of a Company Order pay over and deliver to the Company any cash payment so being held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of Securities of that Series purchased by the Company having an unpaid principal amount equal to the cash payment required to be released to the Company.

32

Section 11.3 Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund.

Not less than 40 days (unless otherwise indicated in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers’ Certificate in respect of a particular Series of Securities) prior to each sinking fund payment date for any Series of Securities, the Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that Series pursuant to the terms of that Series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting of Securities of that Series pursuant to Section 11.2, and the optional amount, if any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 30 days (unless otherwise indicated in the Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture in respect of a particular Series of Securities) before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 3.2 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 3.3. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Sections 3.4, 3.5 and 3.6.

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

CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP
By:
	Name:
	Title:

[TRUSTEE]
By:
	Name:
	Title:

33

EX-5.1

Exhibit 5.1

[LETTERHEAD OF WACHTELL, LIPTON, ROSEN & KATZ]

December 3, 2013

Cathay General Bancorp

777 North Broadway

Los Angeles, California 90012

Re:        Cathay General Bancorp Registration Statement on Form S-3

Ladies and Gentlemen:

At your request, we have examined the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”) to be filed on the date hereof by Cathay General Bancorp, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”). The Registration Statement relates to the issuance and sale from time to time, pursuant to Rule 415 of the General Rules and Regulations of the Commission promulgated under the Securities Act, of an unspecified amount of securities of the Company, consisting of shares of Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), shares of Preferred Stock, $0.01 par value per share (the “Preferred Stock”), debt securities of the Company (the “Debt Securities”), which may be issued in one or more series under one or more indentures or supplemental indentures (the “Indentures”), and warrants (the “Warrants”), and such indeterminate amount of Debt Securities and number of shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock as may be issued upon conversion, exchange or exercise of any Debt Securities, Preferred Stock or Warrants, including such shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock as may be issued pursuant to anti-dilution adjustments, in amounts, at prices and on terms to be determined at the time of offering. The Common Stock, the Preferred Stock, the Debt Securities, and the Warrants are collectively referred to herein as the “Securities.”

We have examined and relied on originals or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction of such documents, corporate records, certificates of public officials and other instruments as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for the purposes of this opinion. In such examination, we have assumed (a) the authenticity of original documents and the genuineness of all signatures; (b) the conformity to the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies; (c) the truth, accuracy and completeness of the information, representations and warranties contained in the records, documents, instruments and certificates we have reviewed; (d) the Registration Statement, and any amendments thereto (including post-effective amendments), will have become effective under the Act (and will remain effective at the time of issuance of any Securities thereunder); (e) a prospectus supplement will have been timely filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission describing the Securities offered thereby; (f) all Securities will be issued and sold in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and in the manner stated in the Registration Statement and the applicable prospectus supplement; (g) a definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement with respect to any Securities offered will have been duly authorized and validly executed and delivered by the Company and the other parties thereto; (h) any Debt Securities that may be issued will be issued in a form that complies with the Indentures and the Indentures and any supplemental indenture to be entered into in connection with the issuance of such Debt Securities will be manually signed or countersigned, as the case may be, by duly authorized officers of the Trustee; (i) the final form of all documents for the Securities will not have any material differences from those customarily used in transactions of this type; (j) any Securities issuable upon conversion, exchange, redemption or exercise of any Securities being offered will be duly authorized, created and, if appropriate, reserved for issuance upon such conversion, exchange, redemption or exercise and (k) with respect to shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock offered, there will be sufficient shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock authorized under the Company’s organizational documents and not otherwise reserved for issuance. We have assumed that the terms of the Securities will have been established so as not to, and that the execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance of its obligations under, the Securities will not, violate, conflict with or constitute a default under (i) any agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, (ii) any law, rule or regulation to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, (iii) any judicial or regulatory order or decree of any governmental authority or (iv) any consent, approval, license, authorization or validation of, or filing, recording or registration with any governmental authority. As to any facts material to the opinions expressed herein that we did not independently establish or verify, we have relied upon statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the Company and others.

We are members of the Bar of the State of New York, and we have not considered, and we express no opinion as to, the laws of any jurisdiction other than the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware as in effect on the date hereof.

Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications set forth in this letter, it is our opinion that:

1. With respect to any shares of Common Stock to be offered by the Company pursuant to the Registration Statement (the “Offered Common Shares”), when (i) the Registration Statement, as finally amended (including all necessary post-effective amendments), has become effective under the Act, (ii) an appropriate prospectus supplement or term sheet with respect to the Offered Common Shares has been prepared, delivered and filed in compliance with the Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder, (iii) if the Offered Common Shares are to be sold pursuant to a firm commitment underwritten offering, the underwriting agreement with respect to the Offered Common Shares has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the other parties thereto, (iv) the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”), including any appropriate committee appointed thereby, and appropriate officers of the Company have taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issuance of the Offered Common Shares, the consideration to be received therefor and related matters (and such action is in full force and effect at all times at which the Offered Common Shares are offered or sold by the Company), (v) the terms of the issuance and sale of the Offered Common Shares have been duly established in conformity with the organizational documents of the Company, do not violate any applicable law or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company and comply with any requirement or restriction imposed by any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company and (vi) certificates in the form required under the Delaware General Corporation Law representing the Offered Common Shares are duly executed, countersigned, registered and delivered upon payment of the agreed upon consideration therefor, the Offered Common Shares (including any shares of Common Stock duly issued upon conversion, exchange or exercise of any Warrants, Debt Securities or Preferred Stock registered on the Registration Statement), when issued and sold in accordance with the applicable underwriting agreement with respect to the Offered Common Shares or any other duly authorized, executed and delivered valid and binding purchase or agency agreement, will be legally issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

2. With respect to the shares of any series of Preferred Stock to be offered by the Company pursuant to the Registration Statement (the “Offered Preferred Shares”), when (i) the Registration Statement, as finally amended (including all necessary post-effective amendments), has become effective under the Act, (ii) an appropriate prospectus supplement or term sheet with respect to the Offered Preferred Shares has been prepared, delivered and filed in compliance with the Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder, (iii) if the Offered Preferred Shares are to be sold pursuant to a firm commitment underwritten offering, the underwriting agreement with respect to the Offered Preferred Shares has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the other parties thereto, (iv) the Board, including any appropriate committee appointed thereby, and appropriate officers of the Company have taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issuance, terms and sale of the Offered Preferred Shares, the consideration to be received therefor and related matters (and such action is in full force and effect at all times at which the Offered Preferred Shares are offered or sold by the Company), (v) a Certificate of Designation conforming to the Delaware General Corporation Law regarding such series of Preferred Stock has been filed with, and accepted for record by, the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, (vi) the terms of the Offered Preferred Shares and of their issuance and sale have been duly established in conformity with the terms of the particular series as established by the Board, so as not to violate any applicable law, the organizational documents of the Company or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company and so as to comply with any requirement or restriction imposed by any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company, and (vii) certificates in the form required under the Delaware General Corporation Law representing the Offered Preferred Shares are duly executed, countersigned, registered and delivered upon payment of the agreed-upon consideration therefor, the Offered Preferred Shares (including any shares of Preferred Stock duly issued upon conversion, exchange or exercise of any Warrants, Debt Securities or Preferred Stock), when issued or sold in accordance with the applicable underwriting agreement or any other duly authorized, executed and delivered valid and binding purchase or agency agreement, will be legally issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

3. With respect to any series of Debt Securities to be offered by the Company pursuant to the Registration Statement (the “Offered Debt Securities”), when (i) the Registration Statement, as finally amended (including all necessary post-effective amendments), has become effective under the Act and the Indentures have been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, (ii) an appropriate prospectus supplement or term sheet with respect to the Offered Debt Securities has been prepared, delivered and filed in compliance with the Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder, (iii) if the Offered Debt Securities are to be sold pursuant to a firm commitment underwritten offering, the underwriting agreement with respect to the Offered Debt Securities has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the other parties thereto, (iv) the Board, including any appropriate committee appointed thereby, and appropriate officers of the Company have taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issuance and terms of the Offered Debt Securities and related matters (and such action is in full force and effect at all times at which the Offered Debt Securities are offered or sold by the Company), (v) the Indentures and any supplemental indenture in respect of such Offered Debt Securities have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each party thereto, (vi) the terms of the Offered Debt Securities and of their issuance and sale have been duly established in conformity with the Indentures and reflected in appropriate documentation approved by us and, if applicable, executed and delivered by each party thereto, so as not to violate any applicable law, the organizational documents of the Company or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company and so as to comply with any requirement or restriction imposed by any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company, and (vii) the Offered Debt Securities have been issued in a form that complies with, and have been duly executed and authenticated in accordance with, the provisions of the Indentures and any supplemental indenture to be entered into in connection with the issuance of such Offered Debt Securities and duly delivered to the purchasers thereof upon payment of the agreed-upon consideration therefor, the Offered Debt Securities (including any Debt Securities duly issued upon conversion, exchange or exercise of any Warrants, Debt Securities or Preferred Stock), when issued and sold in accordance with the Indentures, any supplemental indenture to be entered into in connection with the issuance of such Offered Debt Securities and the applicable underwriting agreement, if any, or any other duly authorized, executed and delivered valid and binding purchase or agency agreement, will be valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms.

4. With respect to any Warrants to be offered by the Company pursuant to the Registration Statement (the “Offered Warrants”), when (i) the Registration Statement, as finally amended (including all necessary post-effective amendments), has become effective under the Act, (ii) an appropriate prospectus supplement or term sheet with respect to the Offered Warrants has been prepared, delivered and filed in compliance with the Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder, (iii) the Board, including any appropriate committee appointed thereby, and appropriate officers of the Company have taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issuance of the Offered Warrants, the consideration to be received therefor and related matters (and such action is in full force and effect at all times at which the Offered Warrants are offered or sold by the Company), (iv) the warrant agreement with respect to the Offered Warrants (the “Warrant Agreement”) has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the other parties thereto, (v) the terms of the issuance and sale of the Offered Warrants have been duly established in conformity with the Warrant Agreement, so as not to violate any applicable law, the organizational documents of the Company or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company and so as to comply with any requirement or restriction imposed by any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company, and (vi) the Offered Warrants have been duly executed and delivered against payment therefore, pursuant to the Warrant Agreement, the Offered Warrants will be legally issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

To the extent that the obligations of the Company under an Indenture may be dependent on such matters, we further have assumed for purposes of this opinion that the Trustee under each Indenture (i) is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization; (ii) is duly qualified to engage in activities contemplated by such Indenture; (iii) has duly authorized, executed and delivered such Indenture and such Indenture constitutes the legally valid and binding obligation of such Trustee enforceable against such Trustee in accordance with its terms; (iv) is in compliance, with respect to acting as a trustee under such Indenture, with all applicable laws and regulations; and (v) has the requisite organizational and legal power and authority to perform its obligations under such Indenture.

To the extent that the obligations of the Company under any Warrant or Warrant Agreement may be dependent on such matters, we further have assumed for purposes of this opinion that the Warrant Agent under each

Warrant Agreement (i) is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization; (ii) is duly qualified to engage in the activities contemplated by such Warrant Agreement; (iii) has duly authorized, executed and delivered such Warrant Agreement and such Warrant Agreement constitutes the legally valid and binding obligation of such Warrant Agent enforceable against such Warrant Agent in accordance with its terms; (iv) is in compliance, with respect to acting as a Warrant Agent under such Warrant Agreement, with all applicable laws and regulations; and (v) has the requisite organizational and legal power and authority to perform its obligations under such Warrant Agreement.

The opinion set forth above is subject to the effects of (a) bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (b) general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), (c) an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, (d) provisions of law that require that a judgment for money damages rendered by a court in the United States be expressed only in United States dollars, (e) limitations by any governmental authority that limit, delay or prohibit the making of payments outside the United States and (f) generally applicable laws that (i) provide for the enforcement of oral waivers or modifications where a material change of position in reliance thereon has occurred or provide that a course of performance may operate as a waiver, (ii) limit the availability of a remedy under certain circumstances where another remedy has been elected, (iii) limit the enforceability of provisions releasing, exculpating or exempting a party from, or requiring indemnification of a party for, liability for its own action or inaction, to the extent the action or inaction involves gross negligence, recklessness, willful misconduct or unlawful conduct, (iv) may, where less than all of a contract may be unenforceable, limit the enforceability of the balance of the contract to circumstances in which the unenforceable portion is not an essential part of the agreed exchange, (v) may limit the enforceability of provisions providing for compounded interest, imposing increased interest rates or late payment charges upon delinquency in payment or default or providing for liquidated damages or for premiums upon acceleration and (vi) limit the waiver of rights under usury laws. We express no opinion as to whether, or the extent to which, the laws of any particular jurisdiction apply to the subject matter hereof, including, without limitation, the enforceability of the governing law provision contained in any Securities and their governing documents.

This opinion is rendered as of the date hereof, and we disclaim any undertaking to advise you of any subsequent changes in the facts stated or assumed herein or any subsequent changes in applicable law that may come to our attention, and we have assumed that no change in the facts stated or assumed herein or in applicable law after the date hereof will affect adversely our ability to render an opinion letter after the date hereof (i) containing the same legal conclusions set forth herein and (ii) subject only to such (or fewer) assumptions, limitations and qualifications as are contained herein.

This opinion has been prepared solely for your use in connection with the transmitting for filing of the Registration Statement on the date of this opinion letter and should not be quoted in whole or in part or otherwise be referred to, nor filed with or furnished to any governmental agency or other person or entity, without our prior written consent.

We hereby consent to the filing of copies of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the use of our name in the prospectus forming a part of the Registration Statement under the caption “Legal Matters.” In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. This opinion speaks as of its date, and we undertake no (and hereby disclaim any) obligation to update this opinion.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

EX-12.1

EXHIBIT 12.1

CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES

Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges and Preferred Stock Dividends

	For the nine months ended September 30,				For the Year Ended December 31,
(Dollars in thousands, except ratios)	2013		2012		2012		2011		2010			2009			2008
Income/(Loss) before income tax expense	$	143,730	$	139,984	$	183,567	$	151,411	$	(3,064	)	$	(129,302	)	$	70,075
Plus fixed charges		64,689		86,256		111,156		142,533		194,102			247,540			299,477
Earnings		208,419		226,240		294,723		293,944		191,038			118,238			369,552
Fixed charges		64,689		86,256		111,156		142,533		194,102			247,540			299,477
Preferred stock dividends		10,137		12,813		17,093		17,042		16,998			16,948			1,750
Fixed charges and preferred stock dividends	$	74,826	$	99,069	$	128,249	$	159,575	$	211,100		$	264,488		$	301,227
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges		3.22		2.62		2.65		2.06		0.98			0.48			1.23
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges and preferred dividends		2.79		2.28		2.30		1.84		0.90			0.45			1.23

EX-23.1

EXHIBIT 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

The Board of Directors

Cathay General Bancorp:

We consent to the use of our reports with respect to the consolidated financial statements and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting incorporated by reference herein and to the reference to our firm under the heading “Experts” in the prospectus.

/s/ KPMG LLP

Los Angeles, California

December 3, 2013