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EXHIBIT 1.1
_____________, 1999
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc.
Xxxxxxxxx & Xxxxx LLC
c/o Morgan Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
0000 Xxxxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Dear Sirs and Mesdames:
Ask Jeeves, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "COMPANY"), proposes to
issue and sell to the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the
"UNDERWRITERS") ________ shares of its common stock, $0.001 par value per share
(the "FIRM SHARES"). The Company also proposes to issue and sell to the several
Underwriters not more than an additional ________ shares of its common stock,
$0.001 par value per share (the "ADDITIONAL SHARES"), if and to the extent that
you, as Managers of the offering, shall have determined to exercise, on behalf
of the Underwriters, the right to purchase such shares of common stock granted
to the Underwriters in Section 2 hereof. The Firm Shares and the Additional
Shares are hereinafter collectively referred to as the "SHARES." The shares of
common stock, $0.001 par value per share, of the Company to be outstanding after
giving effect to the sales contemplated hereby are hereinafter referred to as
the "COMMON STOCK."
The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"COMMISSION") a registration statement, including a prospectus, relating to the
Shares. The registration statement as amended at the time it becomes effective,
including the information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration
statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "SECURITIES ACT"), is hereinafter
referred to as the "REGISTRATION STATEMENT", the prospectus in the form first
used to confirm sales of Shares is hereinafter referred to as the "PROSPECTUS."
If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement to register
additional shares of Common Stock pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities
Act (the "RULE 462 REGISTRATION STATEMENT"), then any reference herein to the
term "REGISTRATION STATEMENT" shall be deemed to include such Rule 462
Registration Statement.
As part of the offering contemplated by this Agreement, Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx &
Co. Incorporated ("XXXXXX XXXXXXX") has agreed to reserve out of the Shares set
forth opposite its name on Schedule I to this Agreement, up to _________ shares,
for sale to certain of the Company's business associates and other parties
associated with the Company (collectively, "PARTICIPANTS"), as set forth in the
Prospectus under the heading "Underwriting" (the "DIRECTED SHARE PROGRAM"). The
Shares to be sold by Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx pursuant to the Directed Share Program (the
"DIRECTED SHARES") will be sold by Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx pursuant to this Agreement at
the public offering price. Any Directed Shares not orally confirmed for purchase
by any Participants by the end of the first business day after the date on which
this Agreement is executed will be offered to the public by Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx as
set forth in the Prospectus.
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1. Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants
to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:
(a) The Registration Statement has become effective; no stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect,
and no proceedings for such purpose are pending before or threatened by the
Commission.
(b) (i) The Registration Statement, when it became effective, did
not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any
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,
(ii) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply and, as amended or
supplemented, if applicable, will comply in all material respects with the
Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder and (iii) the Prospectus does not contain and, as amended or
supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein,
in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading,
except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do
not apply to statements or omissions in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the
Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein.
(c) The Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing
as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, has
the corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct its
business as described in the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact
business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of
its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such
qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in
good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the Company. The
execution and delivery of the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of
_________, 1999 (the "MERGER AGREEMENT") between Ask Jeeves, Inc., a California
corporation (the "CALIFORNIA CORPORATION"), and the Company, effecting the
reincorporation of the California Corporation under the laws of the State of
Delaware, was duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of
each of the California Corporation and the Company. Each of the California
Corporation and the Company had all corporate power and authority to execute and
deliver the Merger Agreement, to file the Merger Agreement with the Secretary of
State of California and the Secretary of State of Delaware and to consummate the
reincorporation contemplated by the Merger Agreement. The Merger Agreement at
the time of its execution and filing constituted a binding obligation of each of
the California Corporation and the Company, enforceable in accordance with its
terms, and the reincorporation contemplated by the Merger Agreement has been
consummated in accordance with its terms.
(d) The Company does not have and has never had any subsidiaries
or affiliated companies and does not otherwise own and has never otherwise owned
any shares of capital stock or any interest in, and does not control and has
never controlled, directly or indirectly, any other corporation, partnership,
association, joint venture or other business entity.
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(e) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company.
(f) The authorized capital stock of the Company conforms as to
legal matters to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus.
(g) The shares of Common Stock outstanding prior to the issuance
of the Shares have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable.
(h) The Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued and
delivered in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be validly
issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the issuance of such Shares will not
be subject to any preemptive or similar rights.
(i) The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the
performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement will not
contravene any provision of applicable law or the certificate of incorporation
or by-laws of the Company or any agreement or other instrument binding upon the
Company that is material to the Company, or any judgment, order or decree of any
governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company, and no
consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any
governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the Company of
its obligations under this Agreement, except such as may be required by the
securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer
and sale of the Shares.
(j) There has not occurred any material adverse change, or any
development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition,
financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the
Company, from that set forth in the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendments or
supplements thereto subsequent to the date of this Agreement).
(k) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or
threatened to which the Company is a party or to which any of the properties of
the Company is subject that are required to be described in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus and are not so described or any statutes,
regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the
Registration Statement that are not described or filed as required.
(l) Each preliminary prospectus filed as part of the registration
statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed
pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, complied when so filed in all
material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(m) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information
is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (i) the Company has
not incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, nor
entered into any material transaction not in the ordinary course of business;
(ii) the Company has not purchased any of its outstanding capital stock, nor
declared, paid or otherwise made any dividend or distribution of any kind on its
capital stock other than
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ordinary and customary dividends; and (iii) there has not been any material
change in the capital stock, short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company,
except in each case as described in the Prospectus.
(n) The Company has good and marketable title in fee simple to
all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned
by them which is material to the business of the Company, 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 any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company 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, in each case except as
described in the Prospectus.
(o) The Company owns or possesses, or can acquire on reasonable
terms, all material patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights,
know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable
proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks,
service marks and trade names currently employed by them in connection with the
business now operated by them, and, except as described in the Prospectus, the
Company has not received any notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted
rights of others with respect to any of the foregoing which, singly or in the
aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would
have a material adverse affect on the Company.
(p) No material labor dispute with the employees of the Company
exists, except as described in the Prospectus, or, to the knowledge of the
Company, is imminent; and the Company is not aware of any existing, threatened
or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its principal
suppliers, manufacturers or contractors that could have a material adverse
effect on the Company.
(q) The Company is insured by insurers of recognized financial
responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent
and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged; the Company has not
been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and the Company does
not have any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing
insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar
coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a
cost that would not have a material adverse effect on the Company, except as
described in the Prospectus.
(r) The Company has complied and is in compliance with all
federal, state, local and foreign statutes, executive orders, proclamations,
regulations, rules, directives, decrees, ordinances and similar provisions
having the force or effect of law and all judicial and administrative orders,
rulings, determinations and common law concerning the importation of
merchandise, the export or reexport of products, services and technology, and
the terms and conduct of international transactions applicable to the Company in
connection with the conduct of the Company's business (including as the same
relates to record keeping requirements) ("INTERNATIONAL TRADE LAWS AND
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REGULATIONS"); the Company has not made or provided any material false statement
or material omission to any agency of any federal, state or local government,
purchasers of products, or foreign government or foreign agency, in connection
with the exportation of merchandise (including with respect to export licenses,
exceptions and other export authorizations and any filings required for or
related to exportation of any item), the importation of merchandise or other
approvals required by a foreign government or agency or any other requirement
relating to any International Trade Laws and Regulations; the Company has not
made any payment, offer, gift, promise to give, or authorized or otherwise
participated in, assisted or facilitated any payment or gift related to the
Company's business that is prohibited by the United States Foreign Corrupt
Practices Act.
(s) The Company possesses all certificates, authorizations and
permits issued by the appropriate federal, state or foreign regulatory
authorities necessary to conduct its business, and the Company has not received
any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such
certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the
subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a material
adverse effect on the Company, except as described the Prospectus.
(t) The Company maintains a system of internal accounting
controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are
executed in accordance with management's general or specific authorizations;
(ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial
statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to
maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in
accordance with management's general or specific authorization; and (iv) the
recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at
reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any
differences.
(u) Ernst & Young LLP are independent public accountants with
respect to the Company as required by the Securities Act.
(v) The financial statements included in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement thereto), together
with related schedules and notes, present fairly the financial position, results
of operations and changes in financial position of the Company on the basis
stated therein at the respective dates or for the respective periods to which
they apply; such statements and related schedules and notes have been prepared
in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied
throughout the periods involved, except as disclosed therein; the supporting
schedules, if any, included in the Registration Statement present fairly in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles the information
required to be stated therein; and the other financial and statistical
information and data set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus
(and any amendment or supplement thereto) are, in all material respects,
accurately presented and prepared on a basis consistent with such financial
statements and the books and records of the Company.
(w) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering
and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described
in the Prospectus, will not be an "investment company" as such term is defined
in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
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(x) The Company (i) is in compliance with any and all applicable
foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the
protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic
substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants ("ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS"), (ii)
has received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of it under
applicable Environmental Laws to conduct its business and (iii) is in compliance
with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except
where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required
permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and
conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not, singly or in the
aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company.
(y) There are no costs or liabilities associated with
Environmental Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating
expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with
Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints
on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties) which
would, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the
Company.
(z) There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between
the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company
to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any
securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such securities
with the Shares registered pursuant to the Registration Statement, except such
as have been validly waived.
(aa) The Company has reviewed its operations and the operations
of any third parties with which the Company has a material relationship to
evaluate the extent to which the business or operations of the Company will be
affected by the Year 2000 Problem. As a result of such review, the Company has
no reason to believe, and does not believe, that the Year 2000 Problem will have
a material adverse effect on the Company. The "Year 2000 Problem" as used herein
means any significant risk that the computer hardware or software used in the
receipt, transmission, storage, retrieval, retransmission or other utilization
of data or in the operation of mechanical or electrical systems of any kind will
not, in the case of dates or time periods occurring after December 31, 1999,
function at least as effectively as in the case of dates or time periods
occurring prior to January 1, 2000.
(bb) The Company has complied with all provisions of Section
517.075, Florida Statutes relating to doing business with the Government of Cuba
or with any person or affiliate located in Cuba.
(cc) The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. has approved the Common Stock
for listing on the Nasdaq National Market, subject only to official notice of
issuance.
(dd) Except for the Shares or as disclosed in the Prospectus,
all outstanding shares of Common Stock, and all securities convertible into or
exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock, are subject to valid and binding
agreements (collectively, the "LOCK-UP AGREEMENTS") that restrict the holders
thereof from selling, making any short sale of, granting any option for the
purchase of, or otherwise transferring or disposing of, any of such shares of
Common Stock, or any
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such securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common
Stock, for a period of 180 days after the date of the Prospectus without the
prior written consent of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated.
(ee) The Company (i) has notified each holder of a currently
outstanding option issued under the 1996 Equity Incentive Plan or the 1999
Equity Incentive Plan (the "OPTION PLANS") and each person who has acquired
shares of Common Stock pursuant to the exercise of any option granted under the
Option Plans that pursuant to the terms of the Option Plans, that none of such
options or shares may be sold or otherwise transferred or disposed of for a
period of 180 days after the date of the Prospectus and (ii) has imposed a
stop-transfer instruction with the Company's transfer agent in order to enforce
the foregoing lock-up provision imposed pursuant to the Option Plans.
(ff) The Company (i) has notified each shareholder who is party
to the Amended and Restated Investor Rights Agreement dated February 24, 1999,
(the "Registration Rights Agreement"), that pursuant to the terms of the
Registration Rights Agreement, none of the shares of the Company's capital stock
held by such stockholder or capital stock into which such shares are convertible
may be sold or otherwise transferred or disposed of for a period of 180 days
after the date of the Prospectus and (ii) has imposed a stop-transfer
instruction with the Company's transfer agent in order to enforce the foregoing
lock-up provision imposed pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement.
Furthermore, the Company represents and warrants to Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx that
(i) the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any preliminary prospectus
comply, and any further amendments or supplements thereto will comply, with any
applicable laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions in which the Prospectus
or any preliminary prospectus, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, are
distributed in connection with the Directed Share Program, and that (ii) no
authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration or qualification
of or with any government, governmental instrumentality or court, other than
such as have been obtained, is necessary under the securities laws and
regulations of foreign jurisdictions in which the Directed Shares are offered.
Moreover, the Company has not offered, or caused the Underwriters to
offer, Shares to any person pursuant to the Directed Share Program with the
specific intent to unlawfully influence (i) a customer or supplier of the
Company to alter the customer's or supplier's level or type of business with the
Company or (ii) a trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable
information about the Company or its products.
2. Agreements to Sell and Purchase. The Company hereby agrees to sell to
the several Underwriters, and each Underwriter, upon the basis of the
representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the conditions
hereinafter stated, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the
Company the respective numbers of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto
opposite the Underwriter's name at $______ a share (the "PURCHASE PRICE").
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On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this
Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions, the Company agrees to sell
to the Underwriters the Additional Shares, and the Underwriters shall have a
one-time right to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to _______________
Additional Shares at the Purchase Price. If you, on behalf of the Underwriters,
elect to exercise such option, you shall so notify the Company in writing not
later than 30 days after the date of this Agreement, which notice shall specify
the number of Additional Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters and the date
on which such shares are to be purchased. Such date may be the same as the
Closing Date (as defined below) but not earlier than the Closing Date nor later
than ten business days after the date of such notice. Additional Shares may be
purchased as provided in Section 4 hereof solely for the purpose of covering
over-allotments made in connection with the offering of the Firm Shares. If any
Additional Shares are to be purchased, each Underwriter agrees, severally and
not jointly, to purchase the number of Additional Shares (subject to such
adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as you may determine) that bears the
same proportion to the total number of Additional Shares to be purchased as the
number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite the name of such
Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares.
The Company hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the period
ending 180 days after the date of the Prospectus, (i) offer, pledge, sell,
contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option
or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or
otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common
Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for
Common Stock or (ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to
another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of
the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii)
above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in
cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) the Shares to
be sold hereunder, (B) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock
upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a security
outstanding on the date hereof of which the Underwriters have been advised in
writing or (C) any options granted under any Company stock option plan or any
shares issued under the Company's Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
3. Terms of Public Offering. The Company is advised by you that the
Underwriters propose to make a public offering of their respective portions of
the Shares as soon after the Registration Statement and this Agreement have
become effective as in your judgment is advisable. The Company is further
advised by you that the Shares are to be offered to the public initially at
$_____________ a share (the "PUBLIC OFFERING PRICE") and to certain dealers
selected by you at a price that represents a concession not in excess of $______
a share under the Public Offering Price, and that any Underwriter may allow, and
such dealers may reallow, a concession, not in excess of $_____ a share, to any
Underwriter or to certain other dealers.
4. Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Firm Shares shall be made to
the Company in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City
against delivery of such Firm Shares for the respective accounts of the several
Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on _________, 1999, or at such
other time on the same or such other date, not later than _________,
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1999, as shall be designated in writing by you. The time and date of such
payment are hereinafter referred to as the "CLOSING DATE."
Payment for any Additional Shares shall be made to the Company in
Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery
of such Additional Shares for the respective accounts of the several
Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date specified in the
notice described in Section 2 or at such other time on the same or on such other
date, in any event not later than _______, 1999, as shall be designated in
writing by you. The time and date of such payment are hereinafter referred to as
the "OPTION CLOSING DATE."
Certificates for the Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be in
definitive form and registered in such names and in such denominations as you
shall request in writing not later than one full business day prior to the
Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be. The certificates
evidencing the Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be delivered to you on
the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, for the
respective accounts of the several Underwriters, with any transfer taxes payable
in connection with the transfer of the Shares to the Underwriters duly paid,
against payment of the Purchase Price therefor.
5. Conditions to the Underwriters' Obligations. The obligations of the
Company to sell the Shares to the Underwriters and the several obligations of
the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Shares on the Closing Date are
subject to the condition that the Registration Statement shall have become
effective not later than [_____] (New York City time) on the date hereof.
The several obligations of the Underwriters are subject to the following
further conditions:
(a) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement
and prior to the Closing Date:
(i) there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor
shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of
any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the
possible change, in the rating accorded any of the Company's securities by any
"nationally recognized statistical rating organization," as such term is defined
for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act; and
(ii) there shall not have occurred any change, or any
development involving a prospective change, in the condition, financial or
otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company, from that
set forth in the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendments or supplements thereto
subsequent to the date of this Agreement) that, in your judgment, is material
and adverse and that makes it, in your judgment, impracticable to market the
Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.
(b) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a
certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the
Company, to the effect set forth in Section 5(a)(i) above and to the effect that
the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement
are true and correct as of the Closing Date and that the Company has complied
with
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all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be
performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date.
The officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon the
best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened.
(c) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an
opinion of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx LLP, outside counsel to the Company, dated the Closing
Date, to the effect that:
(i) the Company has been duly incorporated, is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of
Delaware, has the corporate power and authority to own its property and to
conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and is duly qualified to
transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the
conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such
qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in
good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the Company;
(ii) the execution and delivery of the Merger Agreement
effecting the reincorporation of the California Corporation into the State of
Delaware pursuant to the laws of the State of California and the State of State
of Delaware, was duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part
of each of the California Corporation and the Company;
(iii) each of the California Corporation and the Company
had all corporate power and authority to execute and deliver the Merger
Agreement, to file the Merger Agreement with the Secretary of State of
California and the Secretary of State of Delaware and to consummate the
reincorporation contemplated by the Merger Agreement; the Merger Agreement at
the time of execution and filing constituted a valid and binding obligation of
each of the California Corporation and the Company; and the reincorporation
contemplated by the Merger Agreement has been consummated in accordance with its
terms;
(iv) the Company does not have and has never had any
subsidiaries or affiliated companies and does not otherwise own and has never
otherwise owned any shares of capital stock or any interest in, and does not
control and has never controlled, directly or indirectly, any other corporation,
partnerships, association, joint venture or other business entity;
(v) the authorized capital stock of the Company conforms
as to legal matters to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus;
(vi) the shares of Common Stock outstanding prior to the
issuance of the Shares have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully
paid and non-assessable;
(vii) the Shares have been duly authorized and, when
issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be
validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the issuance of such Shares
will not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights; except as set forth in
the Prospectus, the Company has no statutory preemptive rights or to such
counsel's
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knowledge, any outstanding options to purchase, or other rights to subscribe for
or to purchase, any securities or obligations convertible into, or any contracts
or commitments to issue or sell, shares of its capital stock or any such
options, rights, convertible securities or obligations; and all outstanding
shares of capital stock and options and other rights to acquire capital stock
were not issued in violation of any preemptive rights or to such counsel's
knowledge, rights of first refusal or other similar rights;
(viii) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed
and delivered by the Company;
(ix) the execution and delivery by the Company of, and the
performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement will not
contravene any provision of applicable law or the certificate of incorporation
or by-laws of the Company or, to the best of such counsel's knowledge, any
agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company that is material to the
Company, or, to the best of such counsel's knowledge, any judgment, order or
decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the
Company, and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification
with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the
Company of its obligations under this Agreement, except such as may be required
by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the
offer and sale of the Shares;
(x) the statements (A) in the Prospectus under the
captions "Risk Factors--After This Offering, Our Officers and Directors Will Own
a Large Percentage of Our Outstanding Shares and Xxxx Xxxxxxx be Able to
Significantly Influence Matters Regarding Stockholder Approval," "Risk
Factors--Provisions in Our Charter or Agreements May Prevent or Delay a Change
of Control," "Management--Employee Benefit Plans," "Management--Compensation
Arrangements," "Management--Indemnification of Directors and Executive Officers
and Limitation of Liability," "Certain Transactions," "Description of Capital
Stock," "Shares Eligible for Future Sale" and "Underwriters" and (B) in the
Registration Statement in Items 14 and 15, in each case insofar as such
statements constitute summaries of the legal matters, documents or proceedings
referred to therein, fairly present the information called for with respect to
such legal matters, documents and proceedings and fairly summarize the matters
referred to therein;
(xi) after due inquiry, such counsel does not know of any
legal or governmental proceedings pending or threatened to which the Company is
a party or to which any of the properties of the Company is subject that are
required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are
not so described or of any statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents
that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not
described or filed as required;
(xii) the Company is not and, after giving effect to the
offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as
described in the Prospectus, will not be an "investment company" as such term is
defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended;
-11-
12
(xiii) to such counsel's knowledge there is no legal or
beneficial owner of any securities of the Company who has any rights, not
effectively satisfied or waived, to require registration of any shares of
capital stock of the Company in connection with the filing of the Registration
Statement;
(xiv) the Company (A) is in compliance with any and all
applicable Environmental Laws, (B) has received all permits, licenses or other
approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their
respective businesses and (C) is in compliance with all terms and conditions of
any such permit, license or approval, except where such noncompliance with
Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other
approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits,
licenses or approvals would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material
adverse effect on the Company;
(xv) such counsel (A) is of the opinion that the
Registration Statement and Prospectus (except for financial statements and
schedules included therein and financial and statistical data derived therefrom,
as to which such counsel need not express any opinion) comply as to form in all
material respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder, (B) has no reason to believe that
(except for financial statements and schedules included therein and financial
and statistical data derived therefrom, as to which such counsel need not
express any belief) the Registration Statement and the prospectus included
therein at the time the Registration Statement became effective contained any
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
and (C) has no reason to believe that (except for financial statements and
schedules included therein and financial and statistical data derived therefrom,
as to which such counsel need not express any belief) the Prospectus contains
any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
(xvi) to the best of such counsel's knowledge: (A) the
Registration Statement has become effective under the Securities Act, no stop
order proceedings with respect thereto have been instituted or are pending or
threatened under the Securities Act and nothing has come to such counsel's
attention to lead it to believe that such proceedings are contemplated; and (B)
any required filing of the Prospectus and any supplement thereto pursuant to
Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act has been made in the manner and within the
time period required by Rule 424(b); and
(xvii) the Shares to be sold under this Agreement to the
Underwriters are duly authorized for listing on the Nasdaq National Market.
(d) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an
opinion of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxx, Professional Corporation, counsel
for the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date, covering the matters referred to
in Sections 5(c)(vii), 5(c)(viii), 5(c)(x) (but only as to the statements in the
Prospectus under "Description of Capital Stock" and "Underwriters"), and
5(c)(xv) above.
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With respect to Section 5(c)(xv) above, Xxxxxx Godward LLP and
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxx, Professional Corporation may state that their
belief is based upon their participation in the preparation of the Registration
Statement and Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and review
and discussion of the contents thereof, but are without independent check or
verification, except as specified.
The opinion of Xxxxxx Godward LLP described in Section 5(c) above
shall be rendered to the Underwriters at the request of the Company and shall so
state therein.
(e) The Underwriters shall have received, on each of the date
hereof and the Closing Date, a letter dated the date hereof or the Closing Date,
as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, from
Ernst & Young LLP, independent public accountants, containing statements and
information of the type ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to
underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial
information contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus;
provided, however, that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a
"cut-off date" not earlier than the date hereof.
(f) The "lock-up" agreements, each substantially in the form
attached hereto as Exhibit A, between you and certain shareholders, officers and
directors of the Company relating to sales and certain other dispositions of
shares of Common Stock or certain other securities, delivered to you on or
before the date hereof, shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date.
All of the agreements, opinions, certificates and letters
mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed in compliance
with the provisions hereof only if Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxx,
Professional Corporation, counsel for the Underwriters, shall be reasonably
satisfied that they comply in form and scope.
The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase
Additional Shares hereunder are subject to the delivery to you on the Option
Closing Date of such documents as you may reasonably request with respect to the
good standing of the Company, the due authorization and issuance of the
Additional Shares and other matters related to the issuance of the Additional
Shares and an opinion or opinions of Xxxxxx Godward LLP in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxx, Professional
Corporation, counsel for the Underwriters.
6. Covenants of the Company. In further consideration of the agreements
of the Underwriters herein contained, the Company covenants with each
Underwriter as follows:
(a) To furnish to you, without charge, four (4) signed copies of
the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and for delivery to each
other Underwriter a conformed copy of the Registration Statement (without
exhibits thereto) and to furnish to you in New York City, without charge, prior
to 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the business day next succeeding the date of
this Agreement and during the period mentioned in Section 6(c) below, as many
copies of the Prospectus and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the
Registration Statement as you may reasonably request.
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14
(b) Before amending or supplementing the Registration Statement
or the Prospectus, to furnish to you a copy of each such proposed amendment or
supplement and not to file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which
you reasonably object, and to file with the Commission within the applicable
period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus required
to be filed pursuant to such Rule.
(c) If, during such period after the first date of the public
offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters the
Prospectus is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an
Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of
which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is
delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the opinion of counsel for
the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to
comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and
furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to the dealers (whose names
and addresses you will furnish to the Company) to which Shares may have been
sold by you on behalf of the Underwriters and to any other dealers upon request,
either amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the
Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the
circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or
so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with law.
(d) To endeavor to qualify the Shares for offer and sale under
the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as you shall reasonably
request.
(e) To make generally available to the Company's security holders
and to you as soon as practicable an earning statement covering the twelve-month
period ending June 30, 2000 that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of
the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(f) Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this
Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, to pay or cause to be
paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this
Agreement, including: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company's
counsel and the Company's accountants in connection with the registration and
delivery of the Shares under the Securities Act and all other fees or expenses
in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, any
preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and amendments and supplements to any of
the foregoing, including all printing costs associated therewith, and the
mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers, in the
quantities hereinabove specified, (ii) all costs and expenses related to the
transfer and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters, including any transfer
or other taxes payable thereon, (iii) the cost of printing or producing any Blue
Sky or Legal Investment memorandum in connection with the offer and sale of the
Shares under state securities laws and all expenses in connection with the
qualification of the Shares for offer and sale under state securities laws as
provided in Section 6(d) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees
and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such
qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky or Legal Investment
memorandum, (iv) all filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of
counsel to
-14-
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the Underwriters incurred in connection with the review and qualification of the
offering of the Shares by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
(the "NASD"), (v) all fees and expenses in connection with the preparation and
filing of the registration statement on Form 8-A relating to the Common Stock
and all costs and expenses incident to listing the Shares on the Nasdaq National
Market, (vi) the cost of printing certificates representing the Shares, (vii)
the costs and charges of any transfer agent, registrar or depositary, (viii) the
costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any
"road show" undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the
Shares, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the production
of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged
in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the
Company, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the
Company and any such consultants, and the cost of any aircraft chartered in
connection with the road show, (ix) all fees and disbursements of counsel
incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program and
stamp duties, similar taxes or duties or other taxes, if any, incurred by the
Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program, and (x) all other
costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company
hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section. It is
understood, however, that except as provided in this Section, Section 7 entitled
"Indemnity and Contribution," and the last paragraph of Section 9 below, the
Underwriters will pay all of their costs and expenses, including fees and
disbursements of their counsel, stock transfer taxes payable on resale of any of
the Shares by them and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they
may make.
(g) That in connection with the Directed Share Program, the
Company will ensure that the Directed Shares will be restricted to the extent
required by the NASD or the NASD rules from sale, transfer, assignment, pledge
or hypothecation for a period of three months following the date of the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement. Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx will notify the
Company as to which Participants will need to be so restricted. The Company will
direct the transfer agent to place stop transfer restrictions upon such
securities for such period of time.
Furthermore, the Company covenants with Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx that the Company
will comply with all applicable securities and other applicable laws, rules and
regulations in each foreign jurisdiction in which the Directed Shares are
offered in connection with the Directed Share Program.
7. Indemnity and Contribution.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each
Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the
meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "EXCHANGE ACT"), from and
against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without
limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with
defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the
Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any preliminary prospectus or
the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished
any amendments or supplements thereto), or caused by any omission or alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not
-15-
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misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are
caused by any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or
omission based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the
Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein.
(b) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx and each person, if any, who controls Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx within the meaning
of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act
("XXXXXX XXXXXXX ENTITIES"), from and against any and all losses, claims,
damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any
such action or claim) (i) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the prospectus wrapper material
prepared by or with the consent of the Company for distribution in foreign
jurisdictions in connection with the Directed Share Program attached to the
Prospectus or any preliminary prospectus, or caused by any omission or alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statement therein, when considered in conjunction with the
Prospectus or any applicable preliminary prospectus, not misleading; (ii) caused
by the failure of any Participant to pay for and accept delivery of the shares
which, immediately following the effectiveness of the Registration Statement,
were subject to a properly confirmed agreement to purchase; or (iii) related to,
arising out of, or in connection with the Directed Share Program, provided that,
the Company shall not be responsible under this subparagraph (iii) for any
losses, claim, damages or liabilities (or expenses relating thereto) that are
finally judicially determined to have resulted from the bad faith or gross
negligence of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Entities.
(c) Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to
indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who sign
the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company
within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of
the Exchange Act to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company
to such Underwriter, but only with reference to information relating to such
Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you
expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the
Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto.
(d) In case any proceeding (including any governmental
investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which
indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 7(a) or 7(c), such person (the
"INDEMNIFIED PARTY") shall promptly notify the person against whom such
indemnity may be sought (the "INDEMNIFYING PARTY") in writing and the
indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel
reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified
party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and
shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding.
In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its
own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense
of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified
party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the
named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include
both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both
parties by the same
-16-
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counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests
between them. It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in respect
of the legal expenses of any indemnified party in connection with any proceeding
or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and
expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for
all such indemnified parties and that all such fees and expenses shall be
reimbursed as they are incurred. Such firm shall be designated in writing by
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 7(a), and
by the Company, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 7(c). The
indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding
effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if
there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to
indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason
of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at
any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to
reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated
by the second and third sentences of this paragraph, the indemnifying party
agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected
without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30
days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii)
such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in
accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No
indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified
party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect
of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could
have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement
includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability
on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding. Notwithstanding
anything contained herein to the contrary, if indemnity may be sought pursuant
to Section 7(b) hereof in respect of such action or proceeding, then in addition
to such separate firm for the indemnified parties, the indemnifying party shall
be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of not more than one separate
firm (in addition to any local counsel) for Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx for the defense of
any losses, claims, damages and liabilities arising out of the Directed Share
Program, and all persons, if any, who control Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx within the meaning
of either Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act.
(e) To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section
7(a), 7(b) or 7(c) is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in
respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then
each indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such
indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by
such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (i) 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 hand from the offering of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by
clause 7(e)(i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as
is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause
7(e)(i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of
the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the statements or
omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, 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 hand in
connection with the offering of the Shares shall be deemed to be in the same
respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Shares
-17-
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(before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the total underwriting
discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set
forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate Public
Offering Price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand
and the Underwriters on the other hand 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 or by the Underwriters and the parties'
relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or
prevent such statement or omission. The Underwriters' respective obligations to
contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to the
respective number of Shares they have purchased hereunder, and not joint.
(f) The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be
just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 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 that does not take account of
the equitable considerations referred to in Section 7(e). The amount paid or
payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and
liabilities referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed
to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, 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 Section 7, 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 that 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 Securities Act) shall be entitled to
contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation. The remedies provided for in this Section 7 are not exclusive
and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to
any indemnified party at law or in equity.
(g) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this
Section 7 and the representations, warranties and other statements of the
Company contained in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and
effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any
investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any person controlling
any Underwriter or by or on behalf of the Company, its officers or directors or
any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any
of the Shares.
8. Termination. This Agreement shall be subject to termination by notice
given by you to the Company, if (a) after the execution and delivery of this
Agreement and prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been
suspended or materially limited on or by, as the case may be, any of the New
York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc., the Chicago Board of Options Exchange, the Chicago
Mercantile Exchange or the Chicago Board of Trade, (ii) trading of any
securities of the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any
over-the-counter market, (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking
activities in New York shall have been declared by either Federal or New York
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State authorities or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation
of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis
that, in your judgment, is material and adverse and (b) in the case of any of
the events specified in clauses 8(a)(i) through 8(a)(iv), such event, singly or
together with any other such event, makes it, in your judgment, impracticable to
market the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.
9. Effectiveness; Defaulting Underwriters. This Agreement shall become
effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.
If, on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be,
any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares that
it has or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate
number of Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but
failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate number
of the Shares to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be
obligated severally in the proportions that the number of Firm Shares set forth
opposite their respective names in Schedule I bears to the aggregate number of
Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting
Underwriters, or in such other proportions as you may specify, to purchase the
Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or
refused to purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the number of
Shares that any Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to this Agreement be
increased pursuant to this Section 9 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such
number of Shares without the written consent of such Underwriter. If, on the
Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase
Firm Shares and the aggregate number of Firm Shares with respect to which such
default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Firm Shares to
be purchased, and arrangements satisfactory to you and the Company for the
purchase of such Firm Shares are not made within 36 hours after such default,
this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any
non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company. In any such case either you or the
Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for
longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in the
Registration Statement and in the Prospectus or in any other documents or
arrangements may be effected. If, on the Option Closing Date, any Underwriter or
Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Additional Shares and the
aggregate number of Additional Shares with respect to which such default occurs
is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Additional Shares to be
purchased, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the option (i) to
terminate their obligation hereunder to purchase Additional Shares or (ii) to
purchase not less than the number of Additional Shares that such non-defaulting
Underwriters would have been obligated to purchase in the absence of such
default. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting
Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under
this Agreement.
If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters, or any of
them, because of any failure or refusal on the part of the Company to comply
with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for
any reason the Company shall be unable to perform its obligations under this
Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters or such Underwriters as
have so terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves, severally, for all
out-
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of-pocket expenses (including the fees and disbursements of their counsel)
reasonably incurred by such Underwriters in connection with this Agreement or
the offering contemplated hereunder.
10. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in two or more
counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the
signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.
11. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York.
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12. Headings. The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been
inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of
this Agreement.
Very truly yours,
ASK JEEVES, INC.
By:
-------------------------------------
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
President and Chief Executive Officer
Accepted as of the date hereof
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc.
Xxxxxxxxx & Xxxxx LLC
Acting severally on behalf
of themselves and the
several Underwriters named
in Schedule I hereto.
By: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
By:
------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
22
SCHEDULE I
NUMBER OF SHARES TO BE
UNDERWRITER PURCHASED
----------- ----------------------
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc.
Xxxxxxxxx & Xxxxx LLC
--------------
Total...... ==============
23
EXHIBIT A
LOCK-UP AGREEMENT
April ___, 1999
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc.
Xxxxxxxxx & Xxxxx LLC
c/o Morgan Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
0000 Xxxxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Dear Sirs and Mesdames:
The undersigned understands that Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
("XXXXXX XXXXXXX") proposes to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the
"UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT") with Ask Xxxxxx, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"COMPANY"), providing for the initial public offering (the "PUBLIC OFFERING") by
the several Underwriters, including Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx (the "UNDERWRITERS"), of
shares (the "SHARES") of Common Stock, par value $.001 per share, of the Company
(the "COMMON STOCK").
To induce the Underwriters that may participate in the Public Offering
to continue their efforts in connection with the Public Offering, the
undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the period commencing
on the date hereof and ending 180 days after the date of the final prospectus
relating to the Public Offering (the "PROSPECTUS"), (1) offer, pledge, sell,
contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option
or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or
otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common
Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for
Common Stock or (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to
another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of
the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2)
above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in
cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (a) the sale of any
Shares to the Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, (b)
transactions relating to shares of Common Stock or other securities acquired in
open market transactions after the completion of the Public Offering or (c)
transfers by gift or distributions by a partnership to its partners, provided,
however, that in any such case, it shall be a condition to the transfer that the
transferee execute an agreement stating that the transferee is receiving and
holding the Shares subject to the provisions of this agreement, and there shall
be no further transfer of such Shares except in accordance with this agreement.
In addition, the undersigned agrees that, without the prior written consent of
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the period
commencing on the date hereof and ending 180 days after the date of the
Prospectus, make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to, the
registration of any shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or
exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock.
Whether or not the Public Offering actually occurs depends on a number
of factors, including market conditions. Any Public Offering will only be made
pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to
negotiation between the Company and the Underwriters.
Very truly yours,
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(Name)
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(Address)
24
_______________ SHARES(1)
ASK JEEVES, INC.
COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE $0.001 PER SHARE
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
__________, 1999
