1
EXHIBIT 1
AMERISTEEL CORPORATION
COMMON STOCK $.01 PAR VALUE
----------------------------------------------------------
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
(U.S. VERSION)
----------------------
November , 1997
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co.,
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
As representatives of the several Underwriters
named in Schedule I hereto,
c/o Goldman, Sachs & Co.
00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
AmeriSteel Corporation, a Florida corporation (the "Company"),
proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell
to the Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the "Underwriters") an aggregate
of - shares (the "Firm Shares") and, at the election of the Underwriters, up to
- additional shares (the "Optional Shares") of Class A Common Stock, par value
$.01 per share ("Stock"), of the Company. The Firm Shares and the Optional
Shares that the Underwriters elect to purchase pursuant to Section 2 hereof are
herein collectively called the "Shares".
It is understood and agreed to by all parties that the Company is
concurrently entering into an agreement (the "International Underwriting
Agreement") providing for the sale by the Company of up to a total of - shares
of Stock (the "International Shares"), including the overallotment option
thereunder, through arrangements with certain underwriters outside the United
States (the "International Underwriters"), for whom Xxxxxxx Xxxxx International
and Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co., International Limited are acting as lead managers.
Anything herein or therein to the contrary notwithstanding, the respective
closings under this Agreement and the International Underwriting Agreement are
hereby expressly made conditional on one another. The Underwriters hereunder and
the International Underwriters are simultaneously entering into an Agreement
between U.S. and International Underwriting Syndicates (the "Agreement between
Syndicates") which
2
provides, among other things, for the transfer of shares of Stock between
the two syndicates. Two forms of prospectus are to be used in connection with
the offering and sale of shares of Stock contemplated by the foregoing, one
relating to the Shares hereunder and the other relating to the International
Shares. The latter form of prospectus will be identical to the former except for
certain substitute pages. Except as used in Sections 2, 3, 4, 9 and 11 herein,
and except as the context may otherwise require, references hereinafter to the
Shares shall include all the shares of Stock which may be sold pursuant to
either this Agreement or the International Underwriting Agreement, and
references herein to any prospectus whether in preliminary or final form, and
whether as amended or supplemented, shall include both the U.S. and the
international versions thereof.
1. (a) The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with,
each of the Underwriters that:
(i) A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333- )
(the "Initial Registration Statement") in respect of
the Shares has been filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission"); the Initial Registration
Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, each in
the form heretofore delivered to you, and, excluding exhibits
thereto, to you for each of the other Underwriters, have been
declared effective by the Commission in such form; other than
a registration statement, if any, increasing the size of the
offering (a "Rule 462(b) Registration Statement"), filed
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Act"), which became effective upon filing, no
other document with respect to the Initial Registration
Statement has heretofore been filed with the Commission; and
no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Initial
Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment thereto
or the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, has been
issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated
or threatened by the Commission (any preliminary prospectus
included in the Initial Registration Statement or filed with
the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) of the rules and
regulations of the Commission under the Act, is hereinafter
called a "Preliminary Prospectus"); the various parts of the
Initial Registration Statement and the Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement, if any, including all exhibits thereto
and including the information contained in the form of final
prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b)
under the Act in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof and
deemed by virtue of Rule 430A under the Act to be part of the
Initial Registration Statement at the time it was declared
effective or such part of the Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement, if any, became or hereafter becomes effective, each
as amended at the time such part of the registration statement
became effective, are hereinafter collectively called the
"Registration Statement"; and such final prospectus, in the
form first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act, is
hereinafter called the "Prospectus";
(ii) No order preventing or suspending the use of any
Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and
each Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof,
conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the
Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder, and did not contain an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be
-2-
3
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading; provided, however, that this representation and
warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made
in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished
in writing to the Company by an Underwriter through Xxxxxxx,
Sachs & Co. expressly for use therein;
(iii) The Registration Statement conforms, and the
Prospectus and any further amendments or supplements to the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus will conform, in all
material respects to the requirements of the Act and the rules
and regulations of the Commission thereunder and do not and
will not, as of the applicable effective date as to the
Registration Statement and any amendment thereto and as of the
applicable filing date as to the Prospectus and any amendment
or supplement thereto, contain an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading; provided, however, that this representation and
warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made
in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished
in writing to the Company by an Underwriter through Xxxxxxx,
Sachs & Co. expressly for use therein;
(iv) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has
sustained since the date of the latest audited financial
statements included in the Prospectus any material loss or
interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or
other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from
any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or
decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the
Prospectus; and, since the respective dates as of which
information is given in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, there has not been any change in the capital stock
or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or
any material adverse change, or any development involving a
prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the
general affairs, management, financial position, shareholders'
equity or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in
the Prospectus;
(v) The Company and its subsidiaries have good and
marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good
and marketable title to all personal property owned by them,
in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and
defects except such as are described in the Prospectus or such
as do not materially affect the value of such property and do
not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of
such property by the Company and its subsidiaries; and any
real property and buildings held under lease by the Company
and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting
and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not
material and do not interfere with the use made and proposed
to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and
its subsidiaries;
(vi) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of
the state of Florida, with power and authority (corporate and
other) to own its properties and conduct its business as
described in the Prospectus, and has been duly qualified as a
foreign corporation for
-3-
4
the transaction of business and is in good standing under the
laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases
properties or conducts any business so as to require such
qualification, or is subject to no material liability or
disability by reason of the failure to be so qualified in any
such jurisdiction; and each subsidiary of the Company has been
duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in
good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of
incorporation;
(vii) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set
forth in the Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of Stock
and Class B Common Stock, par value $.01 per share ("Class B
Stock"), of the Company have been duly and validly authorized
and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and conform to
the description of the Stock and Class B Stock, respectively,
contained in the Prospectus; and all of the issued shares of
capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly
and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and
non-assessable and (except for directors' qualifying shares)
are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and
clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims;
(viii) The Shares to be issued and sold by the Company to
the Underwriters hereunder and under the International
Underwriting Agreement have been duly and validly authorized
and, when issued and delivered against payment therefor as
provided herein, will be duly and validly issued and fully
paid and non-assessable and will conform to the description of
the Stock contained in the Prospectus;
(ix) The issue and sale of the Shares to be sold by the
Company hereunder and under the International Underwriting
Agreement and the compliance by the Company with all of the
provisions of this Agreement and the International
Underwriting Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions herein and therein contemplated will not conflict
with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or
provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or
instrument to which the Company, any of its subsidiaries or
affiliates is a party or by which the Company, any of its
subsidiaries or affiliates is bound or to which any of the
property or assets of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or
affiliates is subject, nor will such action result in any
violation of the provisions of the Certificate of
Incorporation or By-laws of the Company or any statute or any
order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency
or body having jurisdiction over the Company, any of its
subsidiaries or affiliates or any of their properties; and no
consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or
qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency
or body is required for the issue and sale of the Shares or
the consummation by the Company of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement and the International
Underwriting Agreement, except the registration under the Act
of the Shares and such consents, approvals, authorizations,
registrations or qualifications as may be required under state
securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase
and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters and the
International Underwriters;
(x) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries or
affiliates is in violation of its Certificate of Incorporation
or By-laws or in default in the performance or
-4-
5
observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant or
condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust,
loan agreement lease or other agreement or instrument to which
it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be
bound;
(xi) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the
caption "Description of Capital Stock", insofar as they
purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Stock and
Class B Stock, and under the caption "Underwriting", insofar
as they purport to describe the provisions of the documents
referred to therein, are accurate, complete and fair;
(xii) Other than as set forth in the Prospectus, there are
no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the
Company, any of its subsidiaries or affiliates is a party or
of which any property of the Company, any of its subsidiaries
or affiliates is the subject which, if determined adversely to
the Company, any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, would
individually or in the aggregate have a material adverse
effect on the current or future consolidated financial
position, shareholders' equity or results of operations of the
Company and its subsidiaries; and, to the best of the
Company's knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or
contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by
others;
(xiii) Other than as set forth in the Prospectus, neither
the Company nor any of its subsidiaries or affiliates is in
violation of, or subject to any liability or claims relating
to any statute, rule, regulation, common law or any order or
directive of any governmental agency or court, relating to the
protection of the environment or human health and safety or
the use, disposal, release of, or exposure to, any substance
or waste regulated under such laws, including any hazardous or
toxic substances (collectively, "Environmental Laws"); has
owned or operated any real property contaminated with any
substance that might require remediation under any
Environmental Law; is liable for any off-site disposal or
contamination in connection with any Environmental Law; or is
subject to any other condition, circumstance, event, notice or
investigation which might lead to any claims, liabilities,
compliance expenditures, costs, damages or losses relating to
any Environmental Law except in each case as would not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse
effect on the financial condition, shareholders' equity or
result of operations of the Company, any of its subsidiaries
or affiliates;
(xiv) The Company is the only subsidiary of FLS Holdings,
Inc. and FLS Holdings, Inc. owns no assets other than, and
conducts no business other than the ownership of, - shares of
Class B Stock (representing 89.3% of the outstanding shares of
Class B Stock);
(xv) The New York choice of law provision contained in
Section 15 of this Agreement is valid and will be recognized
and given effect by the courts of the State of Florida;
(xvi) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the
offering and sale of the Shares, will not be an "investment
company" or an entity "controlled" by an
-5-
6
"investment company", as such terms are defined in the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment
Company Act");
(xvii) Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx LLP, who have certified certain
financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, are
independent public accountants as required by the Act and the
rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
2. Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, (a) the
Company agrees to sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters
agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company at a purchase
price per share of $......................, the number of Firm Shares (to be
adjusted by you so as to eliminate fractional shares) determined by multiplying
the aggregate number of Firm Shares to be sold by the Company by a fraction, the
numerator of which is the aggregate number of Firm Shares to be purchased by
such Underwriter as set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule
I hereto and the denominator of which is the aggregate number of Firm Shares to
be purchased by all of the Underwriters from the Company hereunder and (b) in
the event and to the extent that the Underwriters shall exercise the election to
purchase Optional Shares as provided below, the Company agrees to sell to each
of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not
jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the purchase price per share set forth
in clause (a) of this Section 2, that portion of the number of Optional Shares
as to which such election shall have been exercised (to be adjusted by you so as
to eliminate fractional shares) determined by multiplying such number of
Optional Shares by a fraction the numerator of which is the maximum number of
Optional Shares which such Underwriter is entitled to purchase as set forth
opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto and the denominator
of which is the maximum number of Optional Shares that all of the Underwriters
are entitled to purchase hereunder.
The Company hereby grants to the Underwriters the right to purchase at
their election up to - Optional Shares, at the purchase price per share set
forth in the paragraph above, for the sole purpose of covering overallotments in
the sale of the Firm Shares. Any such election to purchase Optional Shares may
be exercised only by written notice from you to the Company, given within a
period of 30 calendar days after the date of this Agreement and setting forth
the aggregate number of Optional Shares to be purchased and the date on which
such Optional Shares are to be delivered, as determined by you but in no event
earlier than the First Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 4 hereof) or,
unless you and the Company otherwise agree in writing, earlier than two or later
than ten business days after the date of such notice.
3. Upon the authorization by you of the release of the Firm Shares, the
several Underwriters propose to offer the Firm Shares for sale upon the terms
and conditions set forth in the Prospectus.
4. (a) The Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter hereunder, in
definitive form, and in such authorized denominations and registered
in such names as Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. may request upon at least
forty-eight hours' prior notice to the Company shall be delivered by or
on behalf of the Company to Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co., for the account of
such Underwriter, against payment by or on behalf of such Underwriter
of the purchase price therefor by certified or official bank check or
checks, payable to the order of the Company in New York Clearing House
(next day) funds. The Company will cause the certificates
-6-
7
representing the Shares to be made available for checking and packaging
at least twenty-four hours prior to the Time of Delivery (as defined
below) with respect thereto at the office of Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co., 00
Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 (the "Designated Office"). The
time and date of such delivery and payment shall be, with respect to
the Firm Shares, 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on ............., 1997
or such other time and date as Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. and the Company may
agree upon in writing, and, with respect to the Optional Shares, 9:30
a.m., New York City time, on the date specified by Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co.
in the written notice given by Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. of the
Underwriters' election to purchase such Optional Shares, or such other
time and date as Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. and the Company may agree upon in
writing. Such time and date for delivery of the Shares is herein called
the "First Time of Delivery", such time and date for delivery of the
Optional Shares, if not the First Time of Delivery, is herein called
the "Second Time of Delivery", and each such time and date for delivery
is herein called a "Time of Delivery".
(b) The documents to be delivered at each Time of Delivery by
or on behalf of the parties hereto pursuant to Section 7 hereof,
including the cross-receipt for the Shares and any additional documents
requested by the Underwriters pursuant to Section 7(k) hereof, will be
delivered at the offices of Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx, 000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx
Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 (the "Closing Location"), and the Shares will be
delivered at the Designated Office, all at each Time of Delivery. A
meeting will be held at the Closing Location at 3:00 p.m., New York
City time, on the New York Business Day next preceding each Time of
Delivery, at which meeting the final drafts of the documents to be
delivered pursuant to the preceding sentence will be available for
review by the parties hereto. For the purposes of this Section 4, "New
York Business Day" shall mean each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
and Friday which is not a day on which banking institutions in New York
are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to
close.
5. The Company agrees with each of the Underwriters:
(a) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by you and to
file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act not later
than the Commission's close of business on the second business day
following the execution and delivery of this Agreement, or, if
applicable, such earlier time as may be required by Rule 430A(a)(3)
under the Act; to make no further amendment or any supplement to the
Registration Statement or Prospectus which shall be disapproved by you
promptly after reasonable notice thereof; to advise you, promptly after
it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to the
Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any
supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus has been filed
and to furnish you copies thereof; to advise you, promptly after it
receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop
order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any
Preliminary Prospectus or prospectus, of the suspension of the
qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction,
of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such
purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending or
supplementing of the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for
additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any stop
order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any
-7-
8
Preliminary Prospectus or prospectus or suspending any such
qualification, promptly to use its best efforts to obtain the
withdrawal of such order;
(b) Promptly from time to time to take such action as you may
reasonably request to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under
the securities laws of such jurisdictions as you may request and to
comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and
dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary
to complete the distribution of the Shares, provided that in connection
therewith the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign
corporation or to file a general consent to service of process in any
jurisdiction;
(c) Prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the New York
Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and from time
to time, to furnish the Underwriters with copies of the Prospectus in
New York City in such quantities as you may reasonably request, and, if
the delivery of a prospectus is required at any time prior to the
expiration of nine months after the time of issue of the Prospectus in
connection with the offering or sale of the Shares and if at such time
any events shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as
then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading,
or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary during such period to
amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the Act, to
notify you and upon your request to prepare and furnish without charge
to each Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many copies as
you may from time to time reasonably request of an amended Prospectus
or a supplement to the Prospectus which will correct such statement or
omission or effect such compliance, and in case any Underwriter is
required to deliver a prospectus in connection with sales of any of the
Shares at any time nine months or more after the time of issue of the
Prospectus, upon your request but at the expense of such Underwriter,
to prepare and deliver to such Underwriter as many copies as you may
request of an amended or supplemented Prospectus complying with Section
10(a)(3) of the Act;
(d) To make generally available to its securityholders as soon
as practicable, but in any event not later than eighteen months after
the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule
158(c) under the Act), an earnings statement of the Company and its
subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a)
of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder
(including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158);
(e) During the period beginning from the date hereof and
continuing to and including the date 180 days after the date of the
Prospectus, not to offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, hypothecate,
grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise dispose
of, directly or indirectly, (which shall be deemed to include, without
limitation, the entering into of a cash-settled or Stock or Class B
Stock settled derivative instruments) any shares of Stock or Class B
Stock, except as provided hereunder and under the International
Underwriting Agreement, any securities of the Company that are
substantially similar to the Shares or any securities that are
convertible into or exchangeable for, or that represent the right to
-8-
9
receive, Stock or Class B Stock, or any such substantially similar
securities, (other than pursuant to employee stock option plans
existing on, or upon the conversion or exchange of convertible or
exchangeable securities outstanding as of, the date of this Agreement),
without your prior written consent;
(f) To furnish to its shareholders as soon as practicable
after the end of each fiscal year an annual report (including a balance
sheet and statements of income, shareholders' equity and cash flows of
the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries certified by independent
public accountants) and, as soon as practicable after the end of each
of the first three quarters of each fiscal year (beginning with the
fiscal quarter ending after the effective date of the Registration
Statement), consolidated summary financial information of the Company
and its subsidiaries for such quarter in reasonable detail;
(g) During a period of five years from the effective date of
the Registration Statement, to furnish to you copies of all reports or
other communications (financial or other) furnished to shareholders,
and to deliver to you (i) as soon as they are available, copies of any
reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the
Commission or any national securities exchange on which any class of
securities of the Company is listed; and (ii) such additional
information concerning the business and financial condition of the
Company as you may from time to time reasonably request (such financial
statements to be on a consolidated basis to the extent the accounts of
the Company and its subsidiaries are consolidated in reports furnished
to its shareholders generally or to the Commission);
(h) To use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of
the Shares pursuant to this Agreement and the International
Underwriting Agreement in the manner specified in the Prospectus under
the caption "Use of Proceeds";
(i) To use its best efforts to list, subject to notice of
issuance, the Shares on the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange");
and
(j) If the Company elects to rely upon Rule 462(b), the
Company shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the
Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) by 10:00 P.M., Washington,
D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement, and the Company shall at the
time of filing either pay to the Commission the filing fee for the Rule
462(b) Registration Statement or give irrevocable instructions for the
payment of such fee pursuant to Rule 111(b) under the Act.
6. The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that
(a) the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees,
disbursements and expenses of the Company's counsel and accountants in
connection with the registration of the Shares under the Act and all other
expenses in connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and
amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies
thereof to the Underwriters and dealers; (ii) the cost of printing or producing
any Agreement among Underwriters, this Agreement, the International Underwriting
Agreement, the Agreement between Syndicates, the Selling Agreements, the Blue
Sky Memorandum, closing documents (including any compilations thereof) and any
other documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of
the Shares; (iii) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the
Shares for offering and sale under state
-9-
10
securities laws as provided in Section 5(b) hereof, including the fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such
qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky surveys; (iv) all fees and
expenses in connection with listing the Shares on the Exchange; (v) the filing
fees incident to, and the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters
in connection with, securing any required review by the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. of the terms of the sale of the Shares; (vi) the cost
of preparing stock certificates; (vii) the cost and charges of any transfer
agent or registrar; and (viii) all other costs and expenses incident to the
performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically
provided for in this Section. It is understood, however, that except as provided
in this Section, and Sections 8 and 11 hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of
their own costs and expenses, including the fees of their counsel, stock
transfer taxes on resale of any of the Shares by them, and any advertising
expenses connected with any offers they may make.
7. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder, as to the Shares to
be delivered at each Time of Delivery, shall be subject, in their discretion, to
the condition that all representations and warranties and other statements of
the Company herein are, at and as of such Time of Delivery, true and correct,
the condition that the Company shall have performed all of its and their
obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following additional
conditions:
(a) The Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant
to Rule 424(b) within the applicable time period prescribed for such
filing by the rules and regulations under the Act and in accordance
with Section 5(a) hereof; if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule
462(b), the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have become
effective by 10:00 P.M., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this
Agreement; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and
no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened
by the Commission; and all requests for additional information on the
part of the Commission shall have been complied with to your reasonable
satisfaction;
(b) Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx, counsel for the Underwriters, shall have
furnished to you such opinion or opinions (a draft of each such opinion
is attached as Annex II(a) hereto), dated such Time of Delivery, with
respect to the incorporation of the Company, the validity of the Shares
being delivered at such Time of Delivery, the Registration Statement
and such other related matters as you may reasonably request, and such
counsel shall have received such papers and information as they may
reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters; Xxxxxxxx &
Xxxxxxxx may rely upon the opinion of Trenam, Kember, Scharf, Barkin,
Frye, O'Neil & Xxxxxx referenced in subsection (c) below as to all
matters of Florida law in connection with the matters covered by
paragraphs (i), (ii) and (viii) of subsection (c) below;
(c) Trenam, Kember, Scharf, Barkin, Frye, O'Neil & Xxxxxx, counsel
for the Company, shall have furnished to you their written opinion (a
draft of each such opinion is attached as Annex II(b) hereto), dated
such Time of Delivery, in form and substance satisfactory to you, to
the effect that:
-10-
11
(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as
a corporation in good standing under the laws of the state of Florida,
with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties
and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus;
(ii) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the
Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the
Company (including the Shares being delivered at such Time of Delivery)
have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and
non-assessable; and the Shares conform to the description of the Stock
contained in the Prospectus;
(iii) The Company has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation
for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws
of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or
conducts any business so as to require such qualification, or is
subject to no material liability or disability by reason of failure to
be so qualified in any such jurisdiction (such counsel being entitled
to rely in respect of the opinion in this clause upon opinions of local
counsel and in respect of matters of fact upon certificates of officers
of the Company, provided that such counsel shall state that they
believe that both you and they are justified in relying upon such
opinions and certificates);
(iv) Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated and is
validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of
its jurisdiction of incorporation; and all of the issued shares of
capital stock of each such subsidiary have been duly and validly
authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable, and (except
for directors' qualifying shares) are owned directly or indirectly by
the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or
claims (such counsel being entitled to rely in respect of the opinion
in this clause upon opinions of local counsel and in respect of matters
of fact upon certificates of officers of the Company or its
subsidiaries, provided that such counsel shall state that they believe
that both you and they are justified in relying upon such opinions and
certificates);
(v) The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title
in fee simple to all real property owned by them, in each case free and
clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as are
described in the Prospectus or such as do not materially affect the
value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and
proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its
subsidiaries; and any real property and buildings held under lease by
the Company and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid,
subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not
material and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made
of such property and buildings by the Company and its subsidiaries (in
giving the opinion in this clause, such counsel may state that no
examination of record titles for the purpose of such opinion has been
made, and that they are relying upon a general review of the titles of
the Company and its subsidiaries, upon opinions of local counsel and
abstracts, reports and policies of title companies rendered or issued
at or subsequent to the time of acquisition of such property by the
Company or its subsidiaries, upon opinions of counsel to the lessors of
such property and, in respect of matters of fact, upon certificates of
officers of the Company or its subsidiaries, provided that such counsel
shall state that they believe that both you and they are justified in
relying upon such opinions, abstracts, reports, policies and
certificates);
-11-
12
(vi) To the best of such counsel's knowledge and other than as set
forth in the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings
pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or
of which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the
subject which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a material
adverse effect on the current or future consolidated financial
position, shareholders' equity or results of operations of the Company
and its subsidiaries; and, to the best of such counsel's knowledge, no
such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental
authorities or threatened by others;
(vii) To the best of such counsel's knowledge and other than as set
forth in the Prospectus: neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries is in violation of, or subject to any liability or claims
relating to any Environmental Law; has owned or operated any real
property contaminated with any substance that might require remediation
under any Environmental Law; is liable for any off-site disposal or
contamination in connection with any Environmental Law; or is subject
to any other condition, circumstance, event, notice or investigation
which might lead to any claims, liabilities, compliance expenditures,
costs, damages or losses relating to any Environmental Law except in
each case as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a
material adverse effect on the financial condition, shareholders'
equity or result of operations of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries;
(viii) This Agreement and the International Underwriting Agreement
have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;
(ix) The issue and sale of the Shares being delivered at such Time of
Delivery to be sold by the Company and the compliance by the Company
with all of the provisions of this Agreement and the International
Underwriting Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein
and therein contemplated will not conflict with or result in a breach
or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a
default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement
or other agreement or instrument known to such counsel to which the
Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company
or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or
assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, nor will
such action result in any violation of the provisions of the
Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company or any statute
or any order, rule or regulation known to such counsel of any court or
governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any
of its subsidiaries or any of their properties;
(x) No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or
qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body
is required for the issue and sale of the Shares or the consummation by
the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the
International Underwriting Agreement, except the registration under the
Act of the Shares, and such consents, approvals, authorizations,
registrations or qualifications as may be required under state
securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and
distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters and the International
Underwriters;
-12-
13
(xi) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation
of its Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws or in default in the
performance or observance of any material obligation, agreement,
covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of
trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which
it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound;
(xii) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the caption
"Description of Capital Stock", insofar as they purport to constitute a
summary of the terms of the Stock and the Class B Stock, and under the
caption "Underwriting", insofar as they purport to describe the
provisions of the documents referred to therein, are accurate, complete
and fair;
(xiii) The Company is not an "investment company" or an entity
"controlled" by an "investment company", as such terms are defined in
the Investment Company Act; and
(xiv) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any further
amendments and supplements thereto made by the Company prior to such
Time of Delivery (other than the financial statements and related
schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion)
comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the
Act and the rules and regulations thereunder; although they do not
assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of
the statements contained in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus, except for those referred to in the opinion in subsection
(xii) of this Section 7(c), they have no reason to believe that, as of
its effective date, the Registration Statement or any further amendment
thereto made by the Company prior to such Time of Delivery (other than
the financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which
such counsel need express no opinion) contained an untrue statement of
a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading or that, as of its date, the Prospectus or any further
amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company prior to such Time
of Delivery (other than the financial statements and related schedules
therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) contained an
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact
necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading or that, as of
such Time of Delivery, either the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement thereto made by the
Company prior to such Time of Delivery (other than the financial
statements and related schedules therein, as to which such counsel need
express no opinion) contains an untrue statement of a material fact or
omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading; and they do not know of any amendment to the
Registration Statement required to be filed or of any contracts or
other documents of a character required to be filed as an exhibit to
the Registration Statement or required to be described in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus which are not filed or
described as required.
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may state that they express no
opinion as to the laws of any jurisdiction outside the United States and, in
connection with the matters covered by
-13-
14
paragraph (viii) of this subsection (c), such counsel may rely upon the opinion
of Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx as referenced in subsection (b) above as to matters of
New York law;
(d) On the date of the Prospectus at a time prior to the execution of
this Agreement, at 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on the effective date of any
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement filed subsequent to the
date of this Agreement and also at each Time of Delivery, Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx LLP
shall have furnished to you a letter or letters, dated the respective dates of
delivery thereof, in form and substance satisfactory to you, to the effect set
forth in Annex I hereto (the executed copy of the letter delivered prior to the
execution of this Agreement is attached as Annex I(a) hereto and a draft of the
form of letter to be delivered on the effective date of any post-effective
amendment to the Registration Statement and as of each Time of Delivery is
attached as Annex I(b) hereto);
(e) (i) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall have
sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in
the Prospectus any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion,
flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor
dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set
forth or contemplated in the Prospectus, and (ii) since the respective dates as
of which information is given in the Prospectus there shall not have been any
change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries or any change, or any development involving a prospective change,
in or affecting the general affairs, management, financial position,
shareholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus, the
effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is in the
judgment of the Representatives so material and adverse as to make it
impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery
of the Shares being delivered at such Time of Delivery on the terms and in the
manner contemplated in the Prospectus;
(f) On or after the date hereof (i) no downgrading shall have occurred
in the rating accorded the Company's debt securities by any "nationally
recognized statistical rating organization", as that term is defined by the
Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act, and (ii) no such
organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or
review, with possible negative implications, its rating of any of the Company's
debt securities;
(g) On or after the date hereof there shall not have occurred any of
the following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in securities
generally on the New York Stock Exchange; (ii) a suspension or material
limitation in trading in the Company's securities on the New York Stock
Exchange; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities declared
by either Federal or New York State authorities; or (iv) the outbreak or
escalation of hostilities involving the United States or the declaration by the
United States of a national emergency or war, if the effect of any such event
specified in this clause (iv) in the judgment of the Representatives makes it
impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery
of the Shares being delivered at such Time of Delivery on the terms and in the
manner contemplated in the Prospectus;
(h) The Shares to be sold by the Company at such Time of Delivery shall
have been duly listed, subject to notice of issuance, on the New York Stock
Exchange;
-14-
15
(i) The Company has obtained and delivered to the Underwriters executed
copies of an agreement from the parties listed on Schedule II hereto to the
effect set forth in Section 5(e) hereof in form and substance satisfactory to
you;
(j) The Company shall have complied with the provisions of Section 5(c)
hereof with respect to the furnishing of prospectuses on the New York Business
Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement; and
(k) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to you
at such Time of Delivery certificates of officers of the Company satisfactory to
you as to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company
herein at and as of such Time of Delivery, as to the performance by the Company
if all its obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to such Time of
Delivery, and as to such other matters as you may reasonably request, and the
Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished certificates as to the
matters set forth in subsections (a) and (e) of this Section, and as to such
other matters as you may reasonably request.
8. (a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which
such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out
of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise
out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, and will reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are
incurred; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such
case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of
or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or
alleged omission made in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement
or the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter
through Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. expressly for use therein.
(b) Each Underwriter will indemnify and hold harmless the Company
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may
become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based
upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based
upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement
or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any such
amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx
& Co. expressly for use therein; and will reimburse the Company for any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are
incurred.
-15-
16
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a)
or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party
shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party
under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the
commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall
not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party
otherwise than under such subsection. In case any such action shall be brought
against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the
commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate
therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other
indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with
counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (which shall not, except with the
consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and,
after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its
election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be
liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses of
other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such
indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable
costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the written consent
of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to
the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or
claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought
hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party
to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i)
includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability
arising out of such action or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to
or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of
any indemnified party.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is
unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
subsection (a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each
indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such
indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the
relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters
on the other from the offering of the Shares. If, however, the allocation
provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable
law or if the indemnified party failed to give the notice required under
subsection (c) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such
amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative
fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in
connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any
other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the
Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be
in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Shares
purchased under this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the
Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the
Underwriters with respect to the Shares purchased under this Agreement, in each
case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative
fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the
untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged
omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company
on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other and the
-16-
17
parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to
correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters
agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this
subsection (d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters
were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of
allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred
to above in this subsection (d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified
party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in
respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (d) shall be deemed to
include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified
party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no Underwriter shall be
required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total
price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public were
offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter
has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be
entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations in this subsection (d) to
contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting
obligations and not joint.
(e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 8 shall be in
addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend,
upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls any
Underwriter within the meaning of the Act; and the obligations of the
Underwriters under this Section 8 shall be in addition to any liability which
the respective Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same
terms and conditions, to each officer and director of the Company (including any
person who, with his or her consent, is named in the Registration Statement as
about to become a director of the Company) and to each person, if any, who
controls the Company within the meaning of the Act.
9. (a) If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase the
Shares which it has agreed to purchase hereunder at a Time of Delivery, you may
in your discretion arrange for you or another party or other parties to purchase
such Shares on the terms contained herein. If within thirty-six hours after such
default by any Underwriter you do not arrange for the purchase of such Shares,
then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of thirty-six hours
within which to procure another party or other parties satisfactory to you to
purchase such Shares on such terms. In the event that, within the respective
prescribed periods, you notify the Company that you have so arranged for the
purchase of such Shares, or the Company notifies you that they have so arranged
for the purchase of such Shares, you or the Company shall have the right to
postpone such Time of Delivery for a period of not more than seven days, in
order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any other documents or
arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendments to the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus which in your opinion may thereby be
made necessary. The term "Underwriter" as used in this Agreement shall include
any person substituted under this Section with like effect as if such person had
originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Shares.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the
Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by you and the Company as
provided in subsection (a) above, the
-17-
18
aggregate number of such Shares which remains unpurchased does not exceed
one-eleventh of the aggregate number of all of the Shares to be purchased at
such Time of Delivery, then the Company shall have the right to require each
non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of Shares which such
Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder at such Time of Delivery and, in
addition, to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase its pro rata
share (based on the number of Shares which such Underwriter agreed to purchase
hereunder) of the Shares of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for
which such arrangements have not been made; but nothing herein shall relieve a
defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the
Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by you and the Company as
provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such Shares which
remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate number of all of the
Shares to be purchased at such Time of Delivery, or if the Company shall not
exercise the right described in subsection (b) above to require non-defaulting
Underwriters to purchase Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters,
then this Agreement (or, with respect to the Second Time of Delivery, the
obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and of the Company to sell the
Optional Shares) shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of any
non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company, except for the expenses to be borne
by the Company and the Underwriters as provided in Section 6 hereof and the
indemnity and contribution agreements in Section 8 hereof; but nothing herein
shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
10. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and
other statements of the Company and the several Underwriters, as set forth in
this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this
Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any
investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf
of any Underwriter or any controlling person of any Underwriter, or the Company,
or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, and shall
survive delivery of and payment for the Shares.
11. If this Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 9 hereof, the
Company shall not then be under any liability to any Underwriter except as
provided in Sections 6 and 8 hereof; but, if for any other reason any Shares are
not delivered by or on behalf of the Company as provided herein, the Company
will reimburse the Underwriters through you for all out-of-pocket expenses
approved in writing by you, including fees and disbursements of counsel,
reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in making preparations for the purchase,
sale and delivery of the Shares not so delivered, but the Company shall then be
under no further liability to any Underwriter in respect of the Shares not so
delivered except as provided in Sections 6 and 8 hereof.
12. In all dealings hereunder, you shall act on behalf of each of the
Underwriters, and the parties hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any
statement, request, notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or
given by you jointly or by Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. on behalf of you as the
representatives.
All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in
writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or
facsimile transmission to you as the representatives in care of Xxxxxxx, Sachs &
Co., 00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000,
-18-
19
Attention: Registration Department; and if to the Company shall be delivered or
sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to the address of the Company set
forth in the Registration Statement, Attention: Secretary; provided, however,
that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 8 (c) hereof shall be
delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to such Underwriter
at its address set forth in its Underwriters' Questionnaire or telex
constituting such Questionnaire, which address will be supplied to the Company
by you upon request. Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall
take effect upon receipt thereof.
13. This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the
benefit of, the Underwriters and the Company, and, to the extent provided in
Sections 8 and 10 hereof, the officers and directors of the Company and each
person who controls the Company or any Underwriter, and their respective heirs,
executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no other person shall
acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. No purchaser of
any of the Shares from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by
reason merely of such purchase.
14. Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement. As used herein, the
term "business day" shall mean any day when the Commission's office in
Washington, D.C. is open for business.
15. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE
WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
16. This Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties
hereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an
original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same
instrument.
-19-
20
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign
and return to us one for the Company and for each of the Representatives plus
one for each counsel, counterparts hereof, and upon the acceptance hereof by
you, on behalf of each of the Underwriters, this letter and such acceptance
hereof shall constitute a binding agreement among each of the Underwriters and
the Company. It is understood that your acceptance of this letter on behalf of
each of the Underwriters is pursuant to the authority set forth in a form of
Agreement among Underwriters (U.S. Version), the form of which shall be
submitted to the Company for examination upon request, but without warranty on
your part as to the authority of the signers thereof.
Very truly yours,
AmeriSteel Corporation
By:
------------------------------
Name:
Title:
Accepted as of the date hereof at
00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx, 00000
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co.
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
By:
-------------------------------------
(Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co.)
On behalf of each of the Underwriters
-20-
21
SCHEDULE I
NUMBER OF
OPTIONAL
SHARES TO BE
TOTAL NUMBER OF PURCHASED IF
FIRM SHARES MAXIMUM OPTION
UNDERWRITER TO BE EXERCISED
PURCHASED
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co................................................
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated..................................
------------------ --------------
Total................................................
================== ==============
-21-
22
SCHEDULE II
-22-
23
ANNEX I
Pursuant to Section 7(d) of the Underwriting Agreement, the accountants
shall furnish letters to the Underwriters to the effect that:
(i) They are independent certified public accountants with respect
to the Company and its subsidiaries within the meaning of the Act and
the applicable published rules and regulations thereunder;
(ii) In their opinion, the financial statements and any
supplementary financial information and schedules (and, if applicable,
financial forecasts and/or pro forma financial information) examined by
them and included in the Prospectus or the Registration Statement
comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
accounting requirements of the Act and the related published rules and
regulations thereunder; and, if applicable, they have made a review in
accordance with standards established by the American Institute of
Certified Public Accountants of the unaudited consolidated interim
financial statements, selected financial data, pro forma financial
information, financial forecasts and/or condensed financial statements
derived from audited financial statements of the Company for the
periods specified in such letter, as indicated in their reports
thereon, copies of which have been [SEPARATELY] furnished to the
representatives of the Underwriters (the "Representatives")[AND ARE
ATTACHED HERETO];
(iii) They have made a review in accordance with standards
established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
of the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income,
consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows
included in the Prospectus as indicated in their reports thereon copies
of which [HAVE BEEN SEPARATELY FURNISHED TO THE REPRESENTATIVES][ARE
ATTACHED HERETO]; and on the basis of specified procedures including
inquiries of officials of the Company who have responsibility for
financial and accounting matters regarding whether the unaudited
condensed consolidated financial statements referred to in paragraph
(vi)(A)(i) below comply as to form in all material respects with the
applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the related published
rules and regulations, nothing came to their attention that caused them
to believe that the unaudited condensed consolidated financial
statements do not comply as to form in all material respects with the
applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the related published
rules and regulations;
(iv) The unaudited selected financial information with respect to
the consolidated results of operations and financial position of the
Company for the five most recent fiscal years included in the
Prospectus agrees with the corresponding amounts (after restatements
where applicable) in the audited consolidated financial statements for
such five fiscal years which were included or incorporated by reference
in the Company's Annual Reports on Form 10-K for such fiscal years;
(v) They have compared the information in the Prospectus under
selected captions with the disclosure requirements of Regulation S-K
and on the basis of limited procedures
-1-
24
specified in such letter nothing came to their attention as a result
of the foregoing procedures that caused them to believe that this
information does not conform in all material respects with the
disclosure requirements of Items 301, 302, 402 and 503(d),
respectively, of Regulation S-K;
(vi) On the basis of limited procedures, not constituting an
examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards,
consisting of a reading of the unaudited financial statements and other
information referred to below, a reading of the latest available
interim financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries,
inspection of the minute books of the Company and its subsidiaries
since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in
the Prospectus, inquiries of officials of the Company and its
subsidiaries responsible for financial and accounting matters and such
other inquiries and procedures as may be specified in such letter,
nothing came to their attention that caused them to believe that:
(A) (i) the unaudited consolidated statements of income,
consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of
cash flows included in the Prospectus do not comply as to form
in all material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of the Act and the related published rules and
regulations, or (ii) any material modifications should be made
to the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income,
consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of
cash flows included in the Prospectus for them to be in
conformity with generally accepted accounting principles;
(B) any other unaudited income statement data and balance
sheet items included in the Prospectus do not agree with the
corresponding items in the unaudited consolidated financial
statements from which such data and items were derived, and
any such unaudited data and items were not determined on a
basis substantially consistent with the basis for the
corresponding amounts in the audited consolidated financial
statements included in the Prospectus;
(C) the unaudited financial statements which were not
included in the Prospectus but from which were derived any
unaudited condensed financial statements referred to in Clause
(A) and any unaudited income statement data and balance sheet
items included in the Prospectus and referred to in Clause (B)
were not determined on a basis substantially consistent with
the basis for the audited consolidated financial statements
included in the Prospectus;
(D) any unaudited pro forma consolidated condensed
financial statements included in the Prospectus do not comply
as to form in all material respects with the applicable
accounting requirements of the Act and the published rules and
regulations thereunder or the pro forma adjustments have not
been properly applied to the historical amounts in the
compilation of those statements;
(E) as of a specified date not more than five days prior
to the date of such letter, there have been any changes in the
consolidated capital stock (other than issuances of capital
stock upon exercise of options and stock appreciation rights,
upon earn-outs of performance shares and upon conversions of
convertible
-2-
25
securities, in each case which were outstanding on the date of
the latest financial statements included in the Prospectus) or
any increase in the consolidated long-term debt of the Company
and its subsidiaries, or any decreases in consolidated net
current assets or stockholders' equity or other items
specified by the Representatives, or any increases in any
items specified by the Representatives, in each case as
compared with amounts shown in the latest balance sheet
included in the Prospectus, except in each case for changes,
increases or decreases which the Prospectus discloses have
occurred or may occur or which are described in such letter;
and
(F) for the period from the date of the latest financial
statements included in the Prospectus to the specified date
referred to in Clause (E) there were any decreases in
consolidated net revenues or operating profit or the total or
per share amounts of consolidated net income or other items
specified by the Representatives, or any increases in any
items specified by the Representatives, in each case as
compared with the comparable period of the preceding year and
with any other period of corresponding length specified by the
Representatives, except in each case for decreases or
increases which the Prospectus discloses have occurred or may
occur or which are described in such letter; and
(vii) In addition to the examination referred to in their report(s)
included in the Prospectus and the limited procedures, inspection of
minute books, inquiries and other procedures referred to in paragraphs
(iii) and (vi) above, they have carried out certain specified
procedures, not constituting an examination in accordance with
generally accepted auditing standards, with respect to certain amounts,
percentages and financial information specified by the Representatives,
which are derived from the general accounting records of the Company
and its subsidiaries, which appear in the Prospectus, or in Part II of,
or in exhibits and schedules to, the Registration Statement specified
by the Representatives, and have compared certain of such amounts,
percentages and financial information with the accounting records of
the Company and its subsidiaries and have found them to be in
agreement.
-3-
