The Offer and the Merger 2 1.1 The Offer 2 1.2 Company Actions 5 1.3 Directors 6 1.4 The Merger 8 1.5 Closing and Effective Time of the Merger 9 1.6 Meeting of Stockholders to Approve the Merger 9 1.7 Merger Without Meeting of Stockholders 10 1.8 Top-Up Option 10
The Offer (a) Subject to this Agreement not having theretofore been terminated in accordance with the provisions of Section 8.1 hereof, Sub shall, and Parent shall cause Sub to, as promptly as practicable after, but in no event later than five business days from, the date of this Agreement, commence an offer to purchase for cash (as it may be amended in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the "Offer") all shares of common stock, par value $0.25 per share (the "Company Common Stock"), of the Company outstanding immediately prior to the consummation of the Offer (the "Shares"), subject only to the conditions set forth in Exhibit A hereto (the "Conditions"), at a price of $19.50 (the "Offer Price") per Share, net to the seller in cash. Subject only to the Conditions, Sub shall, and Parent shall cause Sub to, accept for payment and pay for all Shares validly tendered pursuant to the Offer and not withdrawn prior to the expiration date of the Offer as promptly as practicable following the expiration date of the Offer. Sub expressly reserves the right to amend the terms and conditions of the Offer, PROVIDED that without the consent of the Company, no amendment may be made which (i) decreases the price per Share or changes the form of consideration payable in the Offer, (ii) decreases the number of Shares sought, or (iii) changes any of the Conditions or imposes additional conditions to the Offer or amends any other term of the Offer in either case in any manner adverse to the holders of Shares (it being understood that extensions of the Offer as contemplated by this Section 1.1(a) are not adverse to the holders of Shares); and PROVIDED, FURTHER, that the Minimum Condition (as defined in Exhibit A hereto) is for the benefit of the Company and may not be waived without the Company's consent. The Offer may only be extended with the prior written consent of the Company or as required by law; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, Parent and Sub may extend the Offer without the consent of the Company (A) if at the scheduled expiration date of the Offer any of the Conditions shall not have been satisfied or waived or (B) for any period required by any Laws (as hereinafter defined) applicable to the Offer and PROVIDED, FURTHER, that if the Conditions are not satisfied or, to the extent permitted by this Agreement, waived as of any scheduled expiration date, Parent and Sub shall extend the Offer from time to time for up to five (5) business days at a time (or such longer period as shall be approved by the Company) until the earlier of the consummation of the Offer or sixty (60) calendar days after the date hereof, provided that such extension shall not be required if in the reasonable judgment of Parent or Sub, any Condition is incapable of being satisfied prior to the expiration of the sixty (60) calendar days. Upon the terms hereof and subject to the Conditions, Sub will accept for payment and purchase all Shares validly tendered and not withdrawn prior to the expiration of the Offer. (b) The Company will not, nor will it permit any of its Subsidiaries (as defined below) to, tender into the Offer any Shares beneficially owned by it. For purposes of this Agreement, "Subsidiary" means, as to any Person (as defined below), any corporation, limited liability company, partnership or joint venture, whether now existing or hereafter organized or acquired: (i) in the case of a corporation, of which at least a majority of the outstanding shares of stock having by the terms thereof ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors of such corporation (other than stock having such voting power solely by reason of the happening of any contingency) is at the time directly or indirectly owned or controlled by such Person and/or one or more of its Subsidiaries or (ii) in the case of a limited liability company, partnership or joint venture, in which such Person or Subsidiary of such Person is a managing member, general partner or joint venturer or of which a majority of the partnership or other ownership interests are at the time owned by such Person and/or one or more of its Subsidiaries. For purposes of this Agreement, "Person" means any individual, corporation, company, voluntary association, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization or other entity.
Public Offering of the Offered Shares The Representatives hereby advise the Company that the Underwriters intend to offer for sale to the public, initially on the terms set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, their respective portions of the Offered Shares as soon after this Agreement has been executed as the Representatives, in their sole judgment, have determined is advisable and practicable.
CONDITIONS TO THE OFFER (a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of the Offer, Acquisition shall not be required to accept for payment or, subject to any applicable rules and regulations of the SEC including Rule 14e-l(c) under the Exchange Act (relating to Acquisition's obligation to pay for or return tendered Shares promptly after termination or withdrawal of the Offer), pay for, and may delay the acceptance for payment of or, subject to the restrictions referred to above, the payment for, any tendered Shares, if (w) any waiting periods applicable to the Offer under the HSR Act shall not have been terminated or shall not have expired and any required approvals or notices under the Bank Act, the Bank Holding Company Act and required approvals from state Governmental Entities responsible for regulating, in the aggregate, ninety percent (90%) of the Company's and its subsidiary's average mortgage origination volume for the period 1998 and 1999 shall not have been obtained, and, in the case of any approval, authorization or consent, shall not be in full force and effect and all conditions applicable thereto shall not have been satisfied; (x) any of the consents or approvals of any Person other than a Governmental Entity, in connection with the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement shall not have been obtained; except where the failure to have obtained any such consent or approval would not have a Material Adverse Effect; (y) the Minimum Condition shall not have been satisfied or (z) at any time on or after the date of this Agreement and before the time of acceptance of such Shares for payment pursuant to the Offer, any of the following events shall occur: (i) [reserved]; (ii) from the date of this Agreement until the Tender Offer Purchase Time, any Governmental Entity or court of competent jurisdiction shall have enacted, issued, promulgated, enforced or entered any statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree, injunction or other order which is in effect at the Tender Offer Purchase Time and which (A) makes the acceptance for payment of, or the payment for, some or all of the Shares illegal or otherwise prohibits consummation of the Offer, the Merger or any of the other transactions contemplated hereby, or (B) prohibits Acquisition from operating or deriving benefits from the majority of the value of the operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole to operate the Company; provided, however, that the parties shall use reasonable efforts (subject to the proviso in Section 5.6(b)) to cause any such decree, judgment or other order to be vacated or lifted prior to September 30, 2000; (iii) [reserved]; (iv) the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in this Agreement shall not be true and correct on the date of this Agreement or the Company shall have breached or failed in any respect to perform or comply with any material obligation, agreement or covenant required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by it at or prior to such time except, where the failure of representations and warranties (without regard to materiality qualifications therein contained) to be true and correct, or the performance or compliance with such obligations, agreements or covenants, would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; (v) this Agreement shall have been terminated in accordance with its terms; (vi) there shall have occurred an acceptance by the Company of a Superior Proposal; (vii) [reserved]; (viii) the Board shall have withdrawn or modified in a manner adverse to Parent its approval or recommendation of the Offer, shall have recommended to the Company's stockholders a Third Party Acquisition or shall have adopted any resolution to effect any of the foregoing; (ix) [reserved]; (x) [reserved]; (xi) [reserved]; (xii) from the date of this Agreement until the Tender Offer Purchase Time, there shall have occurred the commencement of a war having a Material Adverse Effect on the Company; which, in the reasonable judgment of Parent and Acquisition, in any such case, and regardless of the circumstances giving rise to any such condition, makes it inadvisable to proceed with the Offer and/or with such acceptance for payment or payments. (b) The conditions set forth in Section 6.1(a) (other than the Minimum Condition) are for the sole benefit of Acquisition and may be asserted by Acquisition regardless of any circumstances giving rise to any condition and may be waived (other than the Minimum Condition) by Acquisition, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, in the sole discretion of Acquisition. The failure by Parent or Acquisition (or any affiliate of Acquisition) at any time to exercise any of the foregoing rights will not be deemed a waiver of any right and each right will be deemed an ongoing right which may be asserted at any time and from time to time.
Payment for the Offered Shares (i) Payment for the Offered Shares shall be made at the First Closing Date (and, if applicable, at each Option Closing Date) by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the order of the Company. (ii) It is understood that the Representative has been authorized, for its own account and the accounts of the several Underwriters, to accept delivery of and receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Firm Shares and any Optional Shares the Underwriters have agreed to purchase. Jefferies, individually and not as the Representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment for any Offered Shares to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds shall not have been received by the Representative by the First Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be, for the account of such Underwriter, but any such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from any of its obligations under this Agreement.
Purchase Sale and Delivery of the Offered Shares (a) The Company agrees to issue and sell to the several Underwriters the Firm Offered Shares upon the terms herein set forth. On the basis of the representations, warranties, and agreements herein contained, and upon the terms but subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Underwriters agree, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective number of Firm Offered Shares set forth opposite their names on Schedule A (the “List of the Underwriters”) attached hereto. The purchase price per Firm Offered Share to be paid by the several Underwriters to the Company shall be $[ ] per share (the “Purchase Price”). (b) The Company shall deliver the Firm Offered Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) against payment of the Purchase Price therefor in Federal (same day) funds by official bank check or checks or wire transfer drawn to the order of the Company and payment therefor at the offices of [ ], [ ], [ ], [ ] [ ] (or such other place as may be agreed to by the Company and the Representative) at [10:00] a.m. New York City time, on [ ], 20[ ], or such other time and date not later than [10:00] a.m. New York City time, not later than seven full business days thereafter as the Representative shall designate by notice to the Company (the time and date of such closing are called the “First Closing Date”); provided, however, that if the Company has not made available to the Representative copies of the Prospectus within the time provided in Section 2(g) (the “Payment for the Offered Shares”) and Section 3(d) (the “Copies of Any Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus”) hereof, the Representative may, in its sole discretion, postpone the First Closing Date until no later than two (2) full business days following delivery of copies of the Prospectus to the Representative. The Company hereby acknowledges that circumstances under which the Representative may provide notice to postpone the First Closing Date as originally scheduled include, but are in no way limited to, any determination by the Company or the Representative to recirculate to the public copies of an amended or supplemented Prospectus or a delay as contemplated by the provisions of Section 8 (the “Default of One or More of the Several Underwriters”). (c) In addition, on the basis of the representations, warranties, and agreements herein contained, and upon the terms but subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the several Underwriters to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to an aggregate of [ ] Optional Offered Shares from the Company at the Purchase Price. The option granted hereunder is for use by the Underwriters solely in covering any over-allotments in connection with the sale and distribution of the Firm Offered Shares. The option granted hereunder may be exercised at any time (but not more than once) upon notice by the Representative to which notice may be given at any time within thirty (30) days from the date of this Agreement. Such notice shall set forth (i) the aggregate number of Optional Offered Shares as to which the Underwriters are exercising the option, (ii) the names and denominations in which the Optional Offered Shares are to be registered, and (iii) the time, date, and place at which the Optional Offered Shares will be delivered (which time and date may be simultaneous with, but not earlier than, the First Closing Date, and in such case the term “First Closing Date” shall refer to the time and date of delivery of the Firm Offered Shares and the Optional Offered Shares). Such time and date of delivery of the Optional Offered Shares, if subsequent to the First Closing Date, is called the “Second Closing Date” and shall be determined by the Representative and shall not be earlier than three (3) nor later than five (5) full business days after delivery of such notice of exercise. The First Closing Date and the Second Closing Date are each a “Closing Date” as referenced herein. If any Optional Offered Shares are to be purchased, (a) each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Optional Offered Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as the Representative may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Optional Offered Shares to be purchased as the number of Firm Offered Shares set forth on Schedule A (the “List of the Underwriters”) attached hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Offered Shares and (b) the Company agrees, severally and not jointly, to sell the number of Optional Offered Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as the Representative may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Optional Offered Shares to be sold as the number of Firm Offered Shares to be sold by the Company as set forth on Schedule A attached hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Offered Shares. The Representative may cancel the option or excersie thereof at any time prior to its expiration by giving written notice of such cancellation to the Company. (d) The Representative hereby advises the Company that the Underwriters intend to offer for sale to the public, as described in the Prospectus, their respective portions of the Offered Shares as soon after this Agreement has been executed as the Representative, in its sole judgment, has determined is advisable and practicable. (e) Payment for the Offered Shares shall be made at the First Closing Date (and, if applicable, at the Second Closing Date) by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the order of the Company against delivery of such Offered Shares through the facilities of DTC. It is understood that the Representative has been authorized, for its own accounts and the accounts of the several Underwriters, to accept delivery of and receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Firm Offered Shares and any Optional Offered Shares that the Underwriters have agreed to purchase. [ ] individually and not as the Representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment for any Offered Shares to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds shall not have been received by the Representative by the First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, for the account of such Underwriter, but any such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from any of its obligations under this Agreement. (f) The Company shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, a credit representing the Firm Offered Shares to an account or accounts at DTC as designated by the Representative for the accounts of the Representative and the several Underwriters at the First Closing Date, against the irrevocable release of a wire transfer of immediately available funds for the amount of the purchase price therefor. The Company shall also deliver, or cause to be delivered, a credit representing the Optional Offered Shares that the Representative and the Underwriters have agreed to purchase to an account or accounts at DTC as designated by the Representative for the accounts of the Representative and the several Underwriters, at the Second Closing Date, against the irrevocable release of a wire transfer of immediately available funds for the amount of the purchase price therefor. (g) Not later than 12:00 p.m. on the third business day following the date that the Offered Shares are first released by the Underwriters for sale to the public, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered, copies of the Prospectus in such quantities and at such places as the Representative shall request.
The Offering The Bank, in accordance with the plan of conversion and reorganization adopted by the Board of Directors of each of the OBA Parties, as amended (the “Plan”), intends to convert from the mutual holding company form of organization to the stock holding company form of organization (the “Conversion”). In connection with the Conversion, the Bank will become a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, and the corporate existence of the MHC and OBA Bancorp will cease. Pursuant to the Plan, the Company will offer and sell up to 4,025,000 shares (subject to increase up to 4,628,750 shares) of its common stock, $0.01 par value per share (the “Shares” or “Common Shares”), in a subscription offering (the “Subscription Offering”) to (1) depositors of the Bank with Qualifying Deposits (as defined in the Plan) as of April 30, 2008 (“Eligible Account Holders”), (2) the Bank’s tax-qualified employee benefit plans, including the employee stock ownership plan established by the Bank (the “ESOP”), (3) depositors of the Bank with Qualifying Deposits as of ___________ (“Supplemental Eligible Account Holders”), and (4) Other Members of the MHC as defined in the Plan. Subject to the prior subscription rights of the above-listed parties, the Company may offer for sale in a community offering (the “Community Offering” and when referred to together with or subsequent to the Subscription Offering, the “Subscription and Community Offering”) the Shares not subscribed for or ordered in the Subscription Offering to members of the general public to whom a copy of the Prospectus (as hereinafter defined) is delivered with a preference given first to natural persons residing in the State of Maryland. It is anticipated that shares not subscribed for in the Subscription and Community Offering may be offered to certain members of the general public on a best efforts basis through a selected dealers agreement (the “Syndicated Community Offering”) (the Subscription Offering, Community Offering and Syndicated Community Offering are collectively referred to as the “Offering”). It is acknowledged that the purchase of Shares in the Offering is subject to the maximum and minimum purchase limitations as described in the Plan and that the Company may reject, in whole or in part, any orders received in the Community Offering or Syndicated Community Offering. In December 2007, the Bank’s mutual predecessor reorganized into the mutual holding company form of organization by forming the MHC. The MHC currently owns 100% of the outstanding shares of OBA Bancorp. The MHC is a mutual holding company that has no stockholders and is controlled by its members. OBA Bancorp currently owns 100% of the outstanding shares of common stock of the Bank. OBA Bancorp has not issued shares of its stock to the public. Pursuant to the terms of the Plan, upon completion of the Conversion and the Offering, the MHC and OBA Bancorp will cease to exist and the Bank will be a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. __________) (the “Registration Statement”), containing a prospectus relating to the Offering, for the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “1933 Act”), and has filed such amendments thereof and such amended prospectuses as may have been required to the date hereof. The term “Registration Statement” shall include any documents incorporated by reference therein and all financial schedules and exhibits thereto, as amended, including post-effective amendments. The prospectus, as amended, on file with the Commission at the time the Registration Statement initially became effective is hereinafter called the “Prospectus,” except that if any prospectus is filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 424(b) or (c) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1933 Act (the “1933 Act Regulations”) differing from the prospectus on file at the time the Registration Statement initially became effective, the term “Prospectus” shall refer to the prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) or (c) from and after the time said prospectus is filed with the Commission. In accordance with Title 12, Part 563b of the Code of Federal Regulations (the “Conversion Regulations”), the MHC has filed with the Office of Thrift Supervision (the “OTS”) an Application For Conversion on Form AC (the “Form AC”), including the Prospectus and the Conversion Valuation Appraisal Report prepared by RP Financial, LC., dated September __, 2009 and as amended or supplemented, regarding the estimated pro forma value of the Common Shares (the “Appraisal”), and has filed such amendments thereto as may have been required by the OTS. The Form AC has been approved by the OTS and the related Prospectus has been authorized for use by the OTS. In addition, the Company has filed with the OTS an Application H-(e)l-S (the “Holding Company Application”) to become a savings and loan holding company under the Home Owners’ Loan Act, as amended (“HOLA”) and the regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Control Act Regulations”).
Repurchase Offers In the event that, pursuant to Sections 4.10 and 4.14 hereof, the Company shall be required to commence an offer to all Holders to purchase their respective Notes (a “Repurchase Offer”), it shall follow the procedures specified below. The Repurchase Offer shall remain open for a period of 20 Business Days following its commencement and no longer, except to the extent that a longer period is required by applicable law (the “Offer Period”). No later than five Business Days after the termination of the Offer Period (the “Purchase Date”), the Company shall purchase the principal amount of Notes required to be purchased pursuant to Sections 4.10 and 4.14 hereof (the “Offer Amount”) or, if less than the Offer Amount has been tendered, all Notes tendered in response to the Repurchase Offer. Payment for any Notes so purchased shall be made in the same manner as interest payments are made. If the Purchase Date is on or after an interest record date and on or before the related interest payment date, any accrued and unpaid interest shall be paid to the Person in whose name a Note is registered at the close of business on such record date, and no additional interest shall be payable to Holders who tender Notes pursuant to the Repurchase Offer. Upon the commencement of a Repurchase Offer, the Company shall send, by first class mail, a notice to the Trustee and each of the Holders, with a copy to the Trustee. The notice shall contain all instructions and materials necessary to enable such Holders to tender Notes pursuant to the Repurchase Offer. The Repurchase Offer shall be made to all Holders. The notice, which shall govern the terms of the Repurchase Offer, shall state: (i) that the Repurchase Offer is being made pursuant to this Section 3.08 and Section 4.10 or Section 4.14 hereof, and the length of time the Repurchase Offer shall remain open; (ii) the Offer Amount, the purchase price and the Purchase Date; (iii) that any Note not tendered or accepted for payment shall continue to accrete or accrue interest and Liquidated Damages, if any; (iv) that, unless the Company defaults in making such payment, any Note (or portion thereof) accepted for payment pursuant to the Repurchase Offer shall cease to accrete or accrue interest and Liquidated Damages, if any, after the Purchase Date; (v) that Holders electing to have a Note purchased pursuant to a Repurchase Offer may elect to have Notes purchased in principal amounts of $2,000 or in integral multiples of $1,000 only; (vi) that Holders electing to have a Note purchased pursuant to any Repurchase Offer shall be required to surrender the Note, with the form entitled “Option of Holder to Elect Purchase” on the reverse of the Note completed, or transfer by book-entry transfer, to the Company, the Depositary, if appointed by the Company, or a Paying Agent at the address specified in the notice at least three days before the Purchase Date; (vii) that Holders shall be entitled to withdraw their election if the Company, the Depositary or the Paying Agent, as the case may be, receives, not later than the expiration of the Offer Period, a facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of the Holder, the principal amount of the Note the Holder delivered for purchase and a statement that such Xxxxxx is withdrawing his election to have such Note purchased; (viii) that, if the aggregate amount of Notes surrendered by Holders exceeds the Offer Amount, the Trustee shall select the Notes to be purchased on a pro rata basis or in accordance with the procedures of the Depositary (with such adjustments as may be deemed appropriate by the Trustee so that only Notes in denominations of $2,000, or integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof, shall be purchased); and (ix) that Holders whose Notes were purchased only in part shall be issued new Notes equal in principal amount to the unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered (or transferred by book-entry transfer). On the Purchase Date, the Company shall, to the extent lawful, accept for payment, on a pro rata basis to the extent necessary, the Offer Amount of Notes (or portions thereof) tendered pursuant to the Repurchase Offer, or if less than the Offer Amount has been tendered, all Notes tendered, and shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that such Notes (or portions thereof) were accepted for payment by the Company in accordance with the terms of this Section 3.08. The Company, the Depositary or the Paying Agent, as the case may be, shall promptly (but in any case not later than five days after the Purchase Date) mail or deliver to each tendering Holder an amount equal to the purchase price of Notes tendered by such Holder, as the case may be, and accepted by the Company for purchase, and the Company, shall promptly issue a new Note. The Trustee, upon written request from the Company shall authenticate and mail or deliver such new Note to such Holder, in a principal amount at maturity equal to any unpurchased portion of the Note surrendered. Any Note not so accepted shall be promptly mailed or delivered by the Company to the respective Holder thereof. The Company shall publicly announce the results of the Repurchase Offer as soon as practicable after the Purchase Date. The Company shall comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act, and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent such laws or regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Notes pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer. Other than as specifically provided in this Section 3.08, any purchase pursuant to this Section 3.08 shall be made pursuant to the provisions of Sections 3.01 through 3.06 hereof.
Purchase Sale and Delivery of the Offered Securities Unless otherwise specified in the Underwriting Agreement, payment for the Offered Securities shall be made by certified or official bank check or checks payable to the order of the Depositor in immediately available or next day funds, at the time and place set forth in the Underwriting Agreement, upon delivery to the Representative for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters of the Offered Securities registered in definitive form and in such names and in such denominations as the Representative shall request in writing not less than five full business days prior to the date of delivery. The time and date of such payment and delivery with respect to the Offered Securities are herein referred to as the "Closing Date".
Purchase and Sale of the Notes (a) The Issuer agrees to issue and sell the Notes to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and each Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Issuer the respective principal amount of Notes set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 hereto at a price equal to [ ]% of the principal amount of the Notes, plus accrued interest, if any, from [ ], [ ], to the Closing Date (as defined below). (b) The Issuer acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters may offer and sell Notes to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter and that any such affiliate may offer and sell Notes purchased by it to or through any Underwriter. (c) The Issuer understands that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Notes as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Representatives is advisable, and initially to offer the Notes on the terms set forth in the Time of Sale Information. (d) The Issuer and each Guarantor acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters are acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Issuer and each Guarantor with respect to the offering of the Notes contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as financial advisors or fiduciaries to, or agents of, the Issuer, any Guarantor or any other person. Additionally, neither the Representatives nor any other Underwriter are advising the Issuer, any Guarantor or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. The Issuer and each Guarantor shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and neither the Representatives nor any other Underwriter shall have any responsibility or liability to the Issuer or any Guarantor with respect thereto. Any review by the Representatives or any Underwriter of the Issuer, any Guarantor, and the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Representatives or such Underwriter, as the case may be, and shall not be on behalf of the Issuer, any Guarantor or any other person. The Issuer agrees that it will not claim that the Underwriters have rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owe an agency, fiduciary or similar duty to the Issuer, in connection with such transactions or the process leading thereto.