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EXHIBIT 1.1
Document processed with T&W WPClean by XXXXXXX (CO) on Tuesday, 05/05/98
at 9:44 PM
3,300,000 Shares
NATURAL NUTRITION GROUP, INC.
Common Stock
($.001 Par Value)
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
_______________, 1998
BT Xxxx. Xxxxx Incorporated
Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Xxxx, Inc.
As Representatives of the
Several Underwriters
c/o BT Xxxx. Xxxxx Incorporated
One Bankers Trust Plaza
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Gentlemen:
Natural Nutrition Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), proposes to sell to the several underwriters (the "Underwriters")
named in Schedule I hereto for whom you are acting as representatives (the
"Representatives") an aggregate of 3,300,000 shares of the Company's Common
Stock, $.001 par value (the "Firm Shares"). The respective amounts of the Firm
Shares to be so purchased by the several Underwriters are set forth opposite
their names in Schedule I hereto. The Company also proposes to sell at the
Underwriters' option an aggregate of up to 495,000 additional shares of the
Company's Common Stock (the "Option Shares") as set forth below.
As the Representatives, you have advised the Company (a) that
you are authorized to enter into this Agreement on behalf of the several
Underwriters, and (b) that the several Underwriters are willing, acting
severally and not jointly, to purchase the numbers of Firm Shares set forth
opposite their respective names in Schedule I, plus their pro rata portion of
the Option Shares if you elect to exercise the over-allotment option in whole or
in part for the accounts of the several Underwriters. The Firm Shares and the
Option Shares (to the extent the aforementioned option is exercised) are herein
collectively called the "Shares."
In consideration of the mutual agreements contained herein and
of the interests of the parties in the transactions contemplated hereby, the
parties hereto agree as follows:
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A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No.
333-53501) with respect to the Shares has been prepared by the Company in
conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Act"), and the Rules and Regulations (the "Rules and Regulations") of the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") thereunder and has been
filed with the Commission. Copies of such registration statement, including any
amendments thereto, the preliminary prospectuses (meeting the requirements of
the Rules and Regulations) contained therein and the exhibits, financial
statements and schedules, as finally amended and revised, have heretofore been
delivered by the Company to you. Such registration statement, together with any
registration statement filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 462 (b) of the
Act, is herein referred to as the "Registration Statement," which shall be
deemed to include all information omitted therefrom in reliance upon Rule 430A
and contained in the Prospectus referred to below. "Prospectus" means (i) the
form of prospectus first filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) or
(ii) the last preliminary prospectus included in the Registration Statement
filed prior to the time it becomes effective or filed pursuant to Rule 424(a)
under the Act that is delivered by the Company to the Underwriters for delivery
to purchasers of the Shares, together with the term sheet or abbreviated term
sheet filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b)(7) under the Act. Each
preliminary prospectus included in the Registration Statement prior to the time
it becomes effective is herein referred to as a "Preliminary Prospectus."
1. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY.
The Company represents and warrants to each of the
Underwriters as follows:
(a)
The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in
good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware with corporate power and
authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its business as described
in the Registration Statement. Each of the subsidiaries of the Company as
listed in Exhibit 21 to Item 16(a) of the Registration Statement (collectively,
the "Subsidiaries") has been duly organized and is validly existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
incorporation, with corporate power and authority to own or lease its
properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement.
The Subsidiaries are the only subsidiaries, direct or indirect, of the Company.
The Company and each of the Subsidiaries are duly qualified to transact
business in all jurisdictions in which the conduct of their business requires
such qualification, except for such jurisdiction where the failure to so
qualify would not result in a material adverse change in the earnings,
business, management, properties, assets, operations, condition (financial or
otherwise) or prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole.
The outstanding shares of capital stock of each of the Subsidiaries have been
duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are
owned by the Company or another Subsidiary free and clear of all liens,
encumbrances and equities and claims; and no options,
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warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue
or other rights to convert any obligations into shares of capital stock or
ownership interests in the Subsidiaries are outstanding.
(b) The outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company have
been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable;
the Shares to be issued and sold by the Company have been duly authorized and
when issued, paid for and delivered as contemplated herein will be validly
issued, fully paid and non-assessable; and no preemptive rights of stockholders
exist with respect to any of the Shares or the issue and sale thereof. Neither
the filing of the Registration Statement nor the offering or sale of the Shares
as contemplated by this Agreement gives rise to any rights, other than those
which have been disclosed in the Prospectus, waived or satisfied, for or
relating to the registration of any shares of Common Stock. This Agreement has
been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(c) The information set forth under the caption
"Capitalization" in the Prospectus is true and correct. All of the Shares
conform to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement. The
form of certificates for the Shares conforms to the corporate law of the
jurisdiction of the Company's incorporation.
(d) The Registration Statement (other than any registration
statement filed by the Company after the effectiveness of this Agreement
pursuant to Rule 462(b)) has become effective under the Act and no
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed as of the
date of this Agreement. Any registration statement filed by the Company pursuant
to Rule 462(b) after the effectiveness of this Agreement will become effective
no later than 10:00 P.M., New York City time, on the date of this Agreement. The
Commission has not issued an order preventing or suspending the use of any
Prospectus relating to the proposed offering of the Shares nor instituted
proceedings for that purpose. The Registration Statement complies, and the
Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto will comply, with the
requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations. The Registration
Statement and any amendment thereto do not contain, and will not contain, any
untrue statement of a material fact, and do not omit, and will not omit, to
state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading. The Prospectus and any amendments and
supplements thereto do not contain, and will not contain, any untrue statement
of material fact and do not omit, and will not omit, to state any material fact
required to be 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 the Company makes no representations or warranties as to
information contained in or omitted from 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 or on behalf of
any Underwriter through the Representatives, specifically for use in the
preparation thereof.
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(e) The consolidated financial statements of the Company and
the Subsidiaries, together with related notes and schedules as set forth in the
Registration Statement, present fairly the consolidated financial position and
the results of operations and cash flows of the Company and the Subsidiaries, at
the indicated dates and for the indicated periods. Such financial statements and
related schedules have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted
principles of accounting, consistently applied throughout the periods involved,
except as disclosed therein, and all adjustments necessary for a fair
presentation of results for such periods have been made. The summary financial
and statistical data included in the Registration Statement presents fairly the
information shown therein and such data has been compiled on a basis consistent
with the financial statements presented therein and the books and records of the
Company. The pro forma financial information included in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein, have
been prepared in accordance with the Commission's rules and guidelines with
respect to pro forma financial statements, have been properly compiled on the
pro forma bases described therein, and, in the opinion of the Company, the
assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments
used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions or circumstances
referred to therein.
(f) Xxxxxxxx & Touche LLP, who has certified certain of the
financial statements, as set forth under the heading "Experts", filed with the
Commission as part of the Registration Statement, are independent public
accountants as required by the Act and the Rules and Regulations.
(g) There is no action, suit, claim or proceeding pending or,
to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or any of the
Subsidiaries before any court or administrative agency or otherwise which if
determined adversely to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries might result in
any material adverse change in the earnings, business, management, properties,
assets, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the
Company and of the Subsidiaries taken as a whole or to prevent the consummation
of the transactions contemplated hereby, except as set forth in the Registration
Statement.
(h) The Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable
title to all of the properties and assets reflected as owned by them in the
financial statements (or as described in the Registration Statement) hereinabove
described, subject to no lien, mortgage, pledge, charge or encumbrance of any
kind, except as otherwise reflected in such financial statements (or as
described in the Registration Statement) or which are not material to the
earnings, business, management, properties, assets, operations, condition
(financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken
as a whole. The Company and the Subsidiaries occupy their leased properties
under valid and enforceable leases conforming in all material respects to the
description thereof set forth in the Registration Statement, with such
exceptions as do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be
made of such property by the Company or a Subsidiary.
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(i) The Company and the Subsidiaries have filed all Federal,
State, local and foreign income tax returns which have been required to be filed
and have paid all taxes indicated by said returns and all assessments received
by them or any of them to the extent that such taxes have become due and are not
being contested in good faith. All tax liabilities have been adequately provided
for in the financial statements of the Company.
(j) Since the respective dates as of which information is
given in the Registration Statement, as it may be amended or supplemented, there
has not been any material adverse change or any development involving a
prospective material adverse change in or affecting the earnings, business,
management, properties, assets, operations, condition (financial or otherwise),
or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or
not occurring in the ordinary course of business, and there has not been any
material transaction entered into or any material transaction that is probable
of being entered into by the Company or the Subsidiaries, other than
transactions in the ordinary course of business and changes and transactions
described in the Registration Statement, as it may be amended or supplemented.
The Company and the Subsidiaries have no material contingent obligations which
are not disclosed in the Company's financial statements which are included in
the Registration Statement.
(k) Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is or with
the giving of notice or lapse of time or both, will be, in violation of or in
default under its Charter or By-Laws or under any agreement, lease, contract,
indenture or other instrument or obligation to which it is a party or by which
it, or any of its properties, is bound and which default is of material
significance in respect of the condition, financial or otherwise of the Company
and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole or the business, management, properties,
assets, rights, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of
the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole. The execution and delivery of
this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated and
the fulfillment of the terms hereof will not conflict with or result in a breach
of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust or other agreement or instrument to which the
Company or any Subsidiary is a party, or of the Charter or by-laws of the
Company or any order, rule or regulation applicable to the Company or any
Subsidiary of any court or of any regulatory body or administrative agency or
other governmental body having jurisdiction, except for such conflicts, breaches
or defaults which would not result in a material adverse change to the earnings,
business, management, properties, assets, operations, condition (financial or
otherwise) or prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole.
(l) No approval, consent, order, authorization, designation,
declaration or filing by or with any regulatory, administrative or other
governmental body is required in connection with the execution and delivery by
the Company of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein
contemplated, except as required by the Commission, the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") or as may be necessary to qualify the
Shares for public
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offering by the Underwriters under state securities or Blue Sky laws.
(m) The Company and each of the Subsidiaries holds all
material licenses, certificates and permits from governmental authorities which
are necessary to the conduct of their businesses.
(n) Neither the Company, nor to the Company's best knowledge,
any of its affiliates, has taken or may take, directly or indirectly, any action
designed to cause or result in, or which has constituted or which might
reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the
price of the shares of Common Stock to facilitate the sale or resale of the
Shares.
(o) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is an "investment
company" within the meaning of such term under the Investment Company Act of
1940 and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(p) The Company maintains a system of internal accounting
controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are
executed in accordance with management's general or specific authorization; (ii)
transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial
statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to
maintain accountability for assets; (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 existing assets at
reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any
differences.
(q) The Company and each of its Subsidiaries carry, or are
covered by, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as is adequate for
the conduct of their respective businesses and the value of their respective
properties, as is customary for companies engaged in similar industries.
(r) The Company is in compliance in all material respects with
all presently applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security
Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations
thereunder ("ERISA"); no "reportable event" (as defined in ERISA) has occurred
with respect to any "pension plan" (as defined in ERISA) for which the Company
would have any liability; the Company has not incurred and does not expect to
incur liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or
withdrawal from, any "pension plan" or (ii) Sections 412 or 4971 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including the regulations and published
interpretations thereunder (the "Code"); and each "pension plan" for which the
Company would have any liability that is intended to be qualified under Section
401(a) of the Code is so qualified in all material respects
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and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would
cause the loss of such qualification.
(s) The Company confirms as of the date hereof that it is in
compliance with all provisions of Section 1 of Laws of Florida, Chapter 92-198,
An Act Relating to Disclosure of doing Business with Cuba, and the Company
further agrees that if it commences engaging in business with the government of
Cuba or with any person or affiliate located in Cuba after the date the
Registration Statement becomes or has become effective with the Commission or
with the Florida Department of Banking and Finance (the "Department"), whichever
date is later, or if the information reported or incorporated by reference in
the Prospectus, if any, concerning the Company's business with Cuba or with any
person or affiliate located in Cuba changes in any material way, the Company
will provide the Department notice of such business or change, as appropriate,
in a form acceptable to the Department.
(t) Except as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus, no labor
dispute with the employees of the Company or any Subsidiary exists or, to the
knowledge of the Company, has been threatened, and the Company is not aware of
any existing or threatened labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or
any Subsidiary's principal suppliers, manufacturers or contractors, which, in
either case, might reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse change
in the earnings, business, management, properties, assets, operating conditions
(financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company and of the Subsidiaries
taken as a whole.
(u) The Company and its Subsidiaries license, own or possess,
or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate 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, trade names or other intellectual
property (collectively, "Intellectual Property") necessary to carry on the
business as now operated by them, except where the failure to own or possess or
otherwise be able to acquire such Intellectual Property would not result in a
material adverse change to the earnings, business, management, properties,
assets, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the
Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, and neither the Company nor any
of its Subsidiaries has received any notice or is otherwise aware of any
infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any
Intellectual Property or of any facts or circumstances which would render any
Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries therein, and which infringement or conflict
(if the subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity or
inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would result in a material adverse
change in the earnings, business, management, properties, assets, operating
conditions (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company and of the
Subsidiaries taken as a whole.
(v) Except as described in the Registration Statement and
except as would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a material adverse
change in the earnings, business, management, properties, assets, operating
conditions (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company and of the
Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (i) neither the Company nor any of its
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Subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute,
law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any
judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or
administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or
protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation,
ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or
wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the
release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes,
toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products
(collectively, "Hazardous Materials") or to the manufacture, processing,
distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of
Hazardous Materials (collectively, "Environmental Laws"), (ii) the Company and
its Subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under
any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their
requirements, (iii) there are no pending or, to the Company's knowledge,
threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands,
demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation,
investigation or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries and (iv) there are no events or circumstances
that might reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or
remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or
governmental body or agency, against or affecting the Company or any of its
subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws.
2. PURCHASE, SALE AND DELIVERY OF THE FIRM SHARES.
(a) On the basis of the representations, warranties and
covenants herein contained, and subject to the conditions herein set forth, the
Company agrees to sell to the Underwriters and each Underwriter agrees,
severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at a price of $_____
per share, the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of each
Underwriter in Schedule I hereof, subject to adjustments in accordance with
Section 9 hereof.
(b) Payment for the Firm Shares to be sold hereunder is to be
made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the order of the Company
against delivery of certificates therefor to the Representatives for the several
accounts of the Underwriters. Such payment and delivery are to be made at the
Chicago, Illinois offices of Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx, at 10:00 a.m., Eastern time, on
__________________________ or at such other time and date not later than five
business days thereafter as you and the Company shall agree upon, such time and
date being herein referred to as the "Closing Date." (As used herein, "business
day" means a day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading and on
which banks in New York are open for business and not permitted by law or
executive order to be closed.) The certificates for the Firm Shares will be
delivered in such denominations and in such registrations as the Representatives
request in writing not later than the second full business day prior to the
Closing Date, and will be made available for inspection by the Representatives
at least one business day prior to the Closing Date.
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(c) In addition, on the basis of the representations and
warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set
forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the several Underwriters to
purchase the Option Shares at the price per share as set forth in the first
paragraph of this Section 2. The option granted hereby may be exercised in whole
or in part by giving written notice (i) at any time before the Closing Date and
(ii) only once thereafter within 30 days after the date of this Agreement, by
you, as Representatives of the several Underwriters, to the Company setting
forth the number of Option Shares as to which the several Underwriters are
exercising the option, the names and denominations in which the Option Shares
are to be registered and the time and date at which such certificates are to be
delivered. The time and date at which certificates for Option Shares are to be
delivered shall be determined by the Representatives but shall not be earlier
than three nor later than 10 full business days after the exercise of such
option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Date (such time and date being
herein referred to as the "Option Closing Date"). If the date of exercise of the
option is three or more days before the Closing Date, the notice of exercise
shall set the Closing Date as the Option Closing Date. The number of Option
Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be in the same proportion to
the total number of Option Shares being purchased as the number of Firm Shares
being purchased by such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares,
adjusted by you in such manner as to avoid fractional shares. The option with
respect to the Option Shares granted hereunder may be exercised only to cover
over-allotments in the sale of the Firm Shares by the Underwriters. You, as
Representatives of the several Underwriters, may cancel such option at any time
prior to its expiration by giving written notice of such cancellation to the
Company. To the extent, if any, that the option is exercised, payment for the
Option Shares shall be made on the Option Closing Date by wire transfer of
immediately available funds to the order of the Company against delivery of
certificates therefor at the Chicago, Illinois offices of Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx.
3. OFFERING BY THE UNDERWRITERS.
It is understood that the several Underwriters are to make a
public offering of the Firm Shares as soon after the execution and delivery of
this Agreement as the Representatives deem it advisable to do so. The Firm
Shares are to be initially offered to the public at the initial public offering
price set forth in the Prospectus. The Representatives may from time to time
thereafter change the public offering price and other selling terms. To the
extent, if at all, that any Option Shares are purchased pursuant to Section 2
hereof, the Underwriters will offer them to the public on the foregoing terms.
It is further understood that you will act as the
Representatives for the Underwriters in the offering and sale of the Shares in
accordance with a Master Agreement Among Underwriters entered into by you and
the several other Underwriters.
4. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.
The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters
that:
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(a) The Company will (i) use its best efforts to cause the
Registration Statement to become effective or, if the procedure in Rule 430A of
the Rules and Regulations is followed, to prepare and timely file with the
Commission under Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations a Prospectus in a form
approved by the Representatives containing information previously omitted at the
time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement in reliance on Rule 430A of
the Rules and Regulations, (ii) not file any amendment to the Registration
Statement or supplement to the Prospectus of which the Representatives shall not
previously have been advised and furnished with a copy or to which the
Representatives shall have reasonably objected in writing or which is not in
compliance with the Rules and Regulations and (iii) file on a timely basis all
reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed
by the Company with the Commission subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and
prior to the termination of the offering of the Shares by the Underwriters.
(b) The Company will advise the Representatives promptly (i)
when the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto shall
have become effective, (ii) of receipt of any comments from the Commission,
(iii) of any request of the Commission for amendment of the Registration
Statement or for supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional information,
and (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the use of the Prospectus or of
the institution of any proceedings for that purpose. The Company will use its
best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order preventing or
suspending the use of the Prospectus and to obtain as soon as possible the
lifting thereof, if issued.
(c) The Company will cooperate with the Representatives in
endeavoring to qualify the Shares for sale under (or obtain exemptions from the
application of) the Blue Sky or state securities laws of such jurisdictions as
the Representatives may reasonably have designated in writing and will make such
applications, file such documents, and furnish such information as may be
reasonably required for that purpose, provided 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 where it is not now so qualified or required to file
such a consent or where it would be subject to taxation as a foreign
corporation. The Company will, from time to time, prepare and file such
statements, reports, and other documents, as are or may be required to continue
such qualifications in effect for so long a period as the Representatives may
reasonably request for distribution of the Shares.
(d) The Company will deliver to, or upon the order of, the
Representatives, from time to time, as many copies of any Preliminary Prospectus
as the Representatives may reasonably request. The Company will deliver to, or
upon the order of, the Representatives during the period when delivery of a
Prospectus is required under the Act, as many copies of the Prospectus in final
form, or as thereafter amended or supplemented, as the Representatives may
reasonably request. The Company will deliver to the Representatives at or before
the Closing Date, four signed copies of the Registration Statement and all
amendments thereto including all exhibits filed therewith, and will deliver to
the Representatives such number of copies of the Registration Statement
(including such number of copies of the exhibits filed therewith that may
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reasonably be requested), and of all amendments thereto, as the Representatives
may reasonably request.
(e) The Company will comply with the Act and the Rules and
Regulations, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"), and
the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, so as to permit the
completion of the distribution of the Shares as contemplated in this Agreement
and the Prospectus. If, during the period in which a prospectus is required by
law to be delivered by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur as a
result of which, in the judgment of the Company or in the reasonable opinion of
the Representatives, it becomes necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus
in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
existing at the time the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading,
or, if it is necessary at any time to amend or supplement the Prospectus to
comply with any law, the Company promptly will prepare and file with the
Commission an appropriate amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement
to the Prospectus so that the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not,
in the light of the circumstances when it is so delivered, be misleading, or so
that the Prospectus will comply with the law.
(f) The Company will make generally available to its security
holders, as soon as it is practicable to do so, but in any event not later than
15 months after the effective date of the Registration Statement, an earning
statement (which need not be audited) in reasonable detail, covering a period of
at least 12 consecutive months beginning after the effective date of the
Registration Statement, which earning statement shall satisfy the requirements
of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 of the Rules and Regulations and will
advise you in writing when such statement has been so made available.
(g) The Company will, for a period of five years from the
Closing Date, deliver to the Representatives copies of annual reports and copies
of all other documents, reports and information furnished by the Company to its
stockholders or filed with any securities exchange pursuant to the requirements
of such exchange or with the Commission pursuant to the Act or the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company will deliver to the
Representatives similar reports with respect to significant subsidiaries, as
that term is defined in the Rules and Regulations, which are not consolidated in
the Company's financial statements.
(h) No offering, sale, short sale or other disposition of any
shares of Common Stock of the Company or other securities convertible into or
exchangeable or exercisable for shares of Common Stock or derivative of Common
Stock (or agreement for such) will be made for a period of 180 days after the
date of this Agreement, directly or indirectly, by the Company otherwise than
hereunder or with the prior written consent of BT Xxxx. Xxxxx Incorporated;
provided, however, that the Company may issue shares of its Common Stock or
options to purchase its Common Stock, or shares of Common Stock upon exercise of
options, pursuant to any stock option, stock bonus or other stock plan or
arrangement described in the Registration Statement and may issue shares of
Common Stock in connection with acquisitions.
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(i) The Company will use its best efforts to list, subject to
notice of issuance, the Shares on the Nasdaq National Market.
(j) The Company has caused each officer, director, present
stockholder and option holder of the Company to furnish to you, on or prior to
the date of this Agreement, a letter or letters, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Underwriters, pursuant to which each such person shall agree
not to offer, sell, sell short or otherwise dispose of any shares of Common
Stock of the Company or other capital stock of the Company, or any other
securities convertible, exchangeable or exercisable for Common Shares or
derivative of Common Shares owned by such person or request the registration for
the offer or sale of any of the foregoing (or as to which such person has the
right to direct the disposition of) for a period of 180 days after the date of
this Agreement, directly or indirectly, except with the prior written consent of
BT Xxxx. Xxxxx Incorporated ("Lockup Agreements").
(k) The Company shall apply the net proceeds of its sale of
the Shares as set forth in the Prospectus and shall file such reports with the
Commission with respect to the sale of the Shares and the application of the
proceeds therefrom as may be required in accordance with Rule 463 under the Act.
(l) The Company shall not invest, or otherwise use the
proceeds received by the Company from its sale of the Shares in such a manner as
would require the Company or any of the Subsidiaries to register as an
investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the
"1940 Act").
(m) The Company will maintain a transfer agent and, if
necessary under the jurisdiction of incorporation of the Company, a registrar
for the Common Stock.
(n) The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any
action designed to cause or result in, or that has constituted or might
reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the
price of any securities of the Company.
5. COSTS AND EXPENSES.
The Company will pay all costs, expenses and fees incident to
the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement,
including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the following:
accounting fees of the Company; the fees and disbursements of counsel for the
Company; the cost of printing and delivering to, or as requested by, the
Underwriters copies of the Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectuses, the
Prospectus, this Agreement, the Underwriters' Selling Memorandum, the
Underwriters' Invitation Letter, the Listing Application, the Blue Sky Survey
and any supplements or amendments thereto; the filing fees of the Commission;
the filing fees and expenses (including legal fees and disbursements) incident
to securing any required review by the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") of the terms of the sale of the Shares; the listing
fee of the Nasdaq National Market; and the expenses, including the fees and
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disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters, incurred in connection with the
qualification of the Shares under State securities or Blue Sky laws. The Company
agrees to pay all costs and expenses of the Underwriters, including the fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters, incident to the offer and sale of
directed shares of the Common Stock by the Underwriters to employees and persons
having business relationships with the Company and its Subsidiaries. The Company
shall not, however, be required to pay for any of the Underwriters expenses
(other than those related to qualification under NASD regulation and State
securities or Blue Sky laws) except that, if this Agreement shall not be
consummated because the conditions in Section 6 hereof are not satisfied, or
because this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives pursuant to Section
11 hereof, or by reason of any failure, refusal or inability on the part of the
Company to perform any undertaking or satisfy any condition of this Agreement or
to comply with any of the terms hereof on its part to be performed, unless such
failure to satisfy said condition or to comply with said terms be due to the
default or omission of any Underwriter, then the Company shall reimburse the
several Underwriters for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, including fees and
disbursements of counsel, reasonably incurred in connection with investigating,
marketing and proposing to market the Shares or in contemplation of performing
their obligations hereunder; but the Company shall not in any event be liable to
any of the several Underwriters for damages on account of loss of anticipated
profits from the sale by them of the Shares.
6. CONDITIONS OF OBLIGATIONS OF THE UNDERWRITERS.
The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the
Firm Shares on the Closing Date and the Option Shares, if any, on the Option
Closing Date are subject to the accuracy, as of the Closing Date or the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, of the representations and warranties of the
Company contained herein, and to the performance by the Company of its covenants
and obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) The Registration Statement and any post-effective
amendments thereto shall have become effective and any and all filings required
by Rule 424 and Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations shall have been made, and
any request of the Commission for additional information (to be included in the
Registration Statement or otherwise) shall have been disclosed to the
Representatives and complied with to their reasonable satisfaction. No stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, as amended
from time to time, shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose
shall have been taken or, to the knowledge of the Company, shall be contemplated
by the Commission and no injunction, restraining order, or order of any nature
by a Federal or state court of competent jurisdiction shall have been issued as
of the Closing Date which would prevent the issuance of the Shares.
(b) The Representatives shall have received on the Closing
Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, the opinion of Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx & Xxxxx, counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date or the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, addressed to the Underwriters to the effect
that:
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(i) The Company and each subsidiary named in Exhibit 21 to the
Registration Statement (each a "Subsidiary," and collectively the
"Subsidiaries") has been duly incorporated, is existing as a corporation in good
standing under the laws of the State of Delaware (with respect to the Company)
and the states as indicated in Exhibit 21 to the Registration Statement (with
respect to the Subsidiaries) and has the corporate power and authority to own or
lease its properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus;
and the Company and each Subsidiary is duly qualified as a foreign corporation
and is in good standing in each jurisdiction set forth in a certificate
(attached hereto as Exhibit A) from the Company in which the Company certifies
the states in which the Company or such Subsidiary owns or leases real property
or has employees or offices.
(ii) The Company has authorized and outstanding capital stock
as set forth under the heading "Capitalization" in the Prospectus; the
authorized capital stock of the Company (including the Common Stock) conforms as
to legal matters to the description thereof in the Prospectus; all outstanding
shares of Common Stock have been duly authorized and validly issued and are
fully paid and nonassessable; and the stockholders of the Company have no
preemptive rights with respect to any shares of capital stock of the Company
granted by the Company under its Certificate or By-laws or any contract known to
us to which the Company is a party. The form of certificate used to evidence the
Common Stock complies with all applicable requirements of the Certificate and
By-laws and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
(iii) The Shares to be issued and sold by the Company under
the Underwriting Agreement have been duly authorized and when issued and
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delivered to the underwriters against payment therefor as provided by the
Underwriting Agreement will have been validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.
(iv) Except as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus,
to the knowledge of such counsel, there are no outstanding securities of the
Company convertible or exchangeable into or evidencing the right to purchase or
subscribe for any shares of capital stock of the Company and there are no
outstanding or authorized options, warrants or rights of any character
obligating the Company to issue any shares of its capital stock or any
securities convertible or exchangeable into or evidencing the right to purchase
or subscribe for any shares of such stock; and except as described in the
Prospectus, to the knowledge of such counsel, no holder of any securities of the
Company or any other person has the right, contractual or otherwise, which has
not been satisfied or effectively waived, to cause the Company to sell or
otherwise issue to them, or to permit them to underwrite the sale of, any of the
Shares or the right to have any Common Shares or other securities of the Company
included in the Registration Statement or the right, as a result of the filing
of the Registration Statement, to require registration under the Act of any
shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company.
(v) To our knowledge, there are no legal or governmental
proceedings pending other than those set forth under "Business - Legal
Proceedings" in the Prospectus to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party
or of which any property of the Company or any Subsidiary is the subject, which
are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus;
and to our knowledge no such proceedings are threatened by governmental
authorities or others.
(vi) The Company has corporate power and authority to enter
into and perform its obligations under the Underwriting Agreement. The
Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the
Company and is enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms; and
the performance by the Company of the Underwriting Agreement and the
consummation of the Transaction will not result in a breach or violation of any
of the terms or provisions of or constitute a default under, or result in the
creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or
assets of the Company or any Subsidiary pursuant to, (i) any contract,
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, note, lease or other
agreement or instrument known to us to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a
party or by which they or their respective properties are bound, (ii) the
Certificate or By-laws, (iii) any laws or administrative rules or regulations
normally applicable to transactions of the sort contemplated by the Underwriting
Agreement (other than state securities or Blue Sky laws, rules or regulations)
or (iv) any judgment, order or decree known to us of any court or governmental
agency or body to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which
they or their respective properties are expressly bound.
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(vii) No consent, approval, authorization or order of any
court or governmental agency or body is required for the consummation by the
Company of the Transaction, except such as may be required under the Act or as
may be required under the securities or Blue Sky laws of any jurisdiction or by
the NASD.
(viii) The Registration Statement has become effective under
the Act and, to the best of our knowledge, no stop order suspending the
effectiveness thereof has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have
been instituted or are pending or threatened by the Commission. Any required
filing of the Prospectus and any supplement thereto pursuant to Rule 424(b)
under the Rules and Regulations has been made in the manner and within the time
period required by such Rule 424(b).
(ix) The Company has been advised by the Nasdaq National
Market that the Common Stock has been approved for listing on the Nasdaq
National Market. The Registration Statement on Form 8-A relating to the Common
Stock has become effective under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
(x) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus (other than
the financial statements are supporting schedules and other financial data
included therein, as to which we render no opinions), and each amendment or
supplement thereto, as of their respective effective or issue dates and as of
the Closing Date, complied as to form in all material respects with the
requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations.
(xi) To our knowledge, there are no contracts or documents of
a character required to be described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus
or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or Prospectus which are
not described and filed as required, and the descriptions in the Registration
Statement and Prospectus of such contracts and other documents are accurate in
all material respects and such descriptions fairly present in all material
respects the information required to be shown.
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(xii) The Company is not, and will not be as a result of the
consummation of the Transaction and the application of the net proceeds
therefrom described in the Prospectus, an "investment company" or a company
"controlled" by an "investment company" within the meaning of the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(xiii) All outstanding shares of capital stock of the
Subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and
nonassessable and are owned of record by the Company. The Company has not
created any lien or encumbrance on, or transferred any interest in, such stock
pursuant to any express provision of any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust,
note agreement or other agreement known to us to which the Company is a party or
by which it is bound, and to our knowledge, no person other than the Company has
expressly asserted any lien on or claim of ownership with respect to, such
stock.
(xiv) The statements under the captions "Management's
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations -
Liquidity and Capital Resources," "Business - Legal Proceedings," "Management
Employment Agreements, - Indemnification Agreements, - 1997 Stock Option Plan, -
Employee Incentive Compensation Plan, - Employee Stock Purchase Plan, and -
Retirement Plan," "Principal Stockholders," "Shares Eligible for Future Sale,"
"Description of Capital Stock" and "Certain Transactions" in the Prospectus and
Item 14 of Part II of the Registration Statement, insofar as such statements
constitute a summary of legal matters, documents or proceedings referred to
therein, fairly present the information called for with respect to such legal
matters, documents and proceedings.
In rendering such opinion Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Xxxxx may rely as to
matters governed by the laws of states other than Illinois, New York and
Delaware or Federal laws on local counsel in such jurisdictions, provided that
in each case Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Xxxxx shall state that they believe that they and
the Underwriters are justified in relying on such other counsel. In addition to
the matters set forth above, such opinion shall also include a statement to the
effect
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that nothing has come to the attention of such counsel which leads them
to believe that (i) the Registration Statement, at the time it became effective
under the Act (but after giving effect to any modifications incorporated therein
pursuant to Rule 430A under the Act) and as of the Closing Date or the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, 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, and (ii) the
Prospectus, or any supplement thereto, on the date it was filed pursuant to the
Rules and Regulations and as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as
the case may be, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements, in the light of
the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading (except that such
counsel need not express a view as to financial statements, schedules and
statistical information therein). With respect to such statement, Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
& Xxxxx may state that their belief is based upon the procedures set forth
therein, but is without independent check and verification.
(c) The Representatives shall have received from Xxxxxx &
Xxxxxxx, counsel for the Underwriters, an opinion dated the Closing Date or the
Option Closing Date, as the case may be, substantially to the effect specified
in subparagraphs (ii), (iv), (v) and (x) of Paragraph (b) of this Section 6, and
that the Company is a duly organized and validly existing corporation under the
laws of the State of Delaware. In rendering such opinion Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx may
rely as to all matters governed other than by the laws of the States of New York
and Delaware or Federal laws on the opinion of counsel referred to in Paragraph
(b) of this Section 6. In addition to the matters set forth above, such opinion
shall also include a statement to the effect that nothing has come to the
attention of such counsel which leads them to believe that (i) the Registration
Statement, or any amendment thereto, as of the time it became effective under
the Act (but after giving effect to any modifications incorporated therein
pursuant to Rule 430A under the Act) as of the Closing Date or the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, 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, and (ii) the
Prospectus, or any supplement thereto, on the date it was filed pursuant to the
Rules and Regulations and as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as
the case may be, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state a material fact, necessary in order to make the statements, in the light
of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading (except that such
counsel need express no view as to financial statements, schedules and
statistical information therein). With respect to such statement, Xxxxxx &
Xxxxxxx may state that their belief is based upon the procedures set forth
therein, but is without independent check and verification.
(d) The Representatives shall have received at or prior to the
Closing Date from Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx a memorandum or summary, in form and
substance satisfactory to the Representatives, with respect to the qualification
for offering and sale by the Underwriters of the Shares under the State
securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may
reasonably have designated to the Company.
(e) You shall have received, on each of the dates hereof, the
Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, letters dated the
date hereof, the Closing
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Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, in
form and substance satisfactory to you, of each of Deloitte & Touche LLP and
Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxx & Company confirming that they are independent public
accountants within the meaning of the Act and the applicable published Rules and
Regulations thereunder and stating that in their opinion the financial
statements and schedules examined by them and included in the Registration
Statement comply in form in all material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of the Act and the related published Rules and Regulations; and
containing such other statements and information as is ordinarily included in
accountants' "comfort letters" to Underwriters with respect to the financial
statements and certain financial and statistical information contained in the
Registration Statement and Prospectus.
(f) The Representatives shall have received on the Closing
Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate or
certificates of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of
the Company to the effect that, as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing
Date, as the case may be, each of them severally represents as follows:
(i) The Registration Statement has become effective under the
Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registrations
Statement has been issued, and no proceedings for such purpose have been taken
or are, to his knowledge, contemplated by the Commission;
(ii) The representations and warranties of the Company
contained in Section 1 hereof are true and correct as of the Closing Date or the
Option Closing Date, as the case may be;
(iii) All filings required to have been made pursuant to Rules
424 or 430A under the Act have been made;
(iv) He or she has carefully examined the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus and, in his or her opinion, as of the effective
date of the Registration Statement, the statements contained in the Registration
Statement were true and correct, and such Registration Statement and Prospectus
did not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
in order to make the statements therein not misleading, and since the effective
date of the Registration Statement, no event has occurred which should have been
set forth in a supplement to or an amendment of the Prospectus which has not
been so set forth in such supplement or amendment; and
(v) Since the respective dates as of which information is
given in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, there has not been any
material adverse change or any development involving a prospective material
adverse change in or affecting the condition, financial or otherwise, of the
Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole or the earnings, business,
management, properties, assets, operations, condition (financial or otherwise)
or prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or
not arising in the ordinary course of business.
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(g) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives
such further certificates and documents confirming the representations and
warranties, covenants and conditions contained herein and related matters as the
Representatives may reasonably have requested.
(h) The Lockup Agreements described in Section 4(j) are in
full force and effect.
The opinions and certificates mentioned in this Agreement
shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are
in all material respects satisfactory to the Representatives and to Xxxxxx &
Xxxxxxx, counsel for the Underwriters.
If any of the conditions hereinabove provided for in this
Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as required by this Agreement
to be fulfilled, the obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be terminated
by the Representatives by notifying the Company of such termination in writing
or by telegram at or prior to the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as
the case may be.
In such event, the Company and the Underwriters shall not be
under any obligation to each other (except to the extent provided in Sections 5
and 8 hereof).
7. CONDITIONS OF THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE COMPANY.
The obligations of the Company to sell and deliver the portion
of the Shares required to be delivered as and when specified in this Agreement
are subject to the conditions that at the Closing Date or the Option Closing
Date, as the case may be, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement shall have been issued and in effect or proceedings
therefor initiated or threatened.
8. INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and each
person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Act,
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which such Underwriter or
any such controlling person may become subject under the Act or otherwise,
insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or
proceedings in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto, or (ii) 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 and
each such controlling person upon demand for any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by such Underwriter or such controlling person in connection
with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage or liability,
action or proceeding or in responding to a subpoena or governmental inquiry
related to the offering of the Shares, whether or not such Underwriter or
controlling person is a party to any action or proceeding; provided,
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however, that the Company will 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 the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus,
or such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by or through the Representatives
specifically for use in the preparation thereof. This indemnity agreement will
be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have; provided,
further, that, with respect to any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
or omission or alleged omission made in any preliminary prospectus, the
foregoing indemnity agreement shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter
from whom the person asserting any such losses, claims, damages or liabilities
purchased the Shares concerned, or any person controlling such Underwriter, to
the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability of such Underwriter
results from the fact that a copy of the Prospectus was not sent or given to
such person, if required by the Securities Act to have been delivered, at or
prior to the written confirmation of the sale of such Shares to such person and
the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission
was corrected in such Prospectus, if the Company had previously furnished copies
of such Prospectus to such Underwriter.
(b) Each Underwriter severally and not jointly will indemnify
and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who
have signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the
Company within the meaning of the Act, against any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities to which the Company or any such director, officer, or controlling
person may become subject under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof)
arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of any material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto,
or (ii) the omission or the alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading in the light of the circumstances under which they were made; and
will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company or
any such director, officer, or controlling person in connection with
investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability, action or
proceeding; provided, however, that each Underwriter will be liable in each case
to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission has been made in the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or such
amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by or through the Representatives
specifically for use in the preparation thereof. This indemnity agreement will
be in addition to any liability which such Underwriter may otherwise have.
(c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental
investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which
indemnity may be sought pursuant to this Section 8, such person (the
"indemnified party") shall promptly notify the person against whom such
indemnity may be sought (the "indemnifying party") in writing. No
indemnification provided for in Section 8(a) or (b) shall be available to any
party who shall fail to give notice as
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provided in this Section 8(c) if the party to whom notice was not given was
unaware of the proceeding to which such notice would have related and was
materially prejudiced by the failure to give such notice, but the failure to
give such notice shall not relieve the indemnifying party or parties from any
liability which it or they may have to the indemnified party for contribution or
otherwise than on account of the provisions of Section 8(a) or (b). In case any
such proceeding 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 and
shall pay as incurred 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 at its own expense. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
indemnifying party shall pay as incurred (or within 30 days of presentation) the
fees and expenses of the counsel retained by the indemnified party in the event
(i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed
to the retention of such counsel, (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 counsel would
be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them or
(iii) the indemnifying party shall have failed to assume the defense and employ
counsel acceptable to the indemnified party within a reasonable period of time
after notice of commencement of the action. It is understood that the
indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related
proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees and
expenses of more than one separate firm for all such indemnified parties. Such
firm shall be designated in writing by you in the case of parties indemnified
pursuant to Section 8(a) and by the Company in the case of parties indemnified
pursuant to Section 8(b). 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. In addition, the
indemnifying party will not, without the prior written consent of the
indemnified party, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment
in any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding of which
indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or not any indemnified party is
an actual or potential party to such claim, action or proceeding) unless such
settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each
indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action or
proceeding.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is
unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
Section 8(a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) referred to therein,
then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or
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payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings 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 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 or proceedings 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 (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total
underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, 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 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 Section 8(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 Section
8(d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect
thereof) referred to above in this Section 8(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), (i) no Underwriter shall
be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discounts and
commissions applicable to the Shares purchased by such Underwriter, and (ii) 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 Section 8(d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective
underwriting obligations and not joint.
(e) In any proceeding relating to the Registration Statement,
any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any supplement or amendment
thereto, each party against whom contribution may be sought under this Section 8
hereby consents to the jurisdiction of any court having jurisdiction over any
other contributing party, agrees that process issuing from such court may be
served upon him or it by any other contributing party and consents to the
service of such process and agrees that any other contributing party may join
him or it as an additional defendant in any such proceeding in which such other
contributing party is a party.
(f) Any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses for
which an indemnified party is entitled to indemnification or contribution under
this Section 8 shall be paid by the indemnifying party to the indemnified party
as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are incurred. The
indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 8 and the
representations and warranties of the Company set forth in this Agreement shall
remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of (i) any
investigation made by or on behalf of
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any Underwriter or any person controlling any Underwriter, the Company, its
directors or officers or any persons controlling the Company, (ii) acceptance of
any Shares and payment therefor hereunder, and (iii) any termination of this
Agreement. A successor to any Underwriter, or to the Company, its directors or
officers, or any person controlling the Company, shall be entitled to the
benefits of the indemnity, contribution and reimbursement agreements contained
in this Section 8.
9. DEFAULT BY UNDERWRITERS.
If on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case
may be, any Underwriter shall fail to purchase and pay for the portion of the
Shares which such Underwriter has agreed to purchase and pay for on such date
(otherwise than by reason of any default on the part of the Company), you, as
Representatives of the Underwriters, shall use your reasonable efforts to
procure within 36 hours thereafter one or more of the other Underwriters, or any
others, to purchase from the Company such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon
the terms set forth herein, the Firm Shares or Option Shares, as the case may
be, which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters failed to purchase. If
during such 36 hours you, as such Representatives, shall not have procured such
other Underwriters, or any others, to purchase the Firm Shares or Option Shares,
as the case may be, agreed to be purchased by the defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters, then (a) if the aggregate number of shares with respect to which
such default shall occur does not exceed 10% of the Firm Shares or Option
Shares, as the case may be, covered hereby, the other Underwriters shall be
obligated, severally, in proportion to the respective numbers of Firm Shares or
Option Shares, as the case may be, which they are obligated to purchase
hereunder, to purchase the Firm Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be,
which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters failed to purchase, or (b) if
the aggregate number of shares of Firm Shares or Option Shares, as the case may
be, with respect to which such default shall occur exceeds 10% of the Firm
Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be, covered hereby, the Company or you
as the Representatives of the Underwriters will have the right, by written
notice given within the next 36-hour period to the parties to this Agreement, to
terminate this Agreement without liability on the part of the non-defaulting
Underwriters or of the Company except to the extent provided in Section 8
hereof. In the event of a default by any Underwriter or Underwriters, as set
forth in this Section 9, the Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as the case
may be, may be postponed for such period, not exceeding seven days, as you, as
Representatives, may determine in order that the required changes in the
Registration Statement or in the Prospectus or in any other documents or
arrangements may be effected. The term "Underwriter" includes any person
substituted for a defaulting Underwriter. Any action taken under this Section 9
shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any
default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.
10. NOTICES.
All communications hereunder shall be in writing and, except
as otherwise provided herein, will be mailed, delivered, telecopied or
telegraphed and confirmed as follows: if to the Underwriters, to BT Xxxx. Xxxxx
Incorporated, Bankers Trust Plaza, 000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx,
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New York, New York 10006, Attention: Corporate Finance Department; if to the
Company to Natural Nutrition Group, Inc., 000 Xxxxx XxXxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000,
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx, with a copy to Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx & Xxxxx, 000 X. Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000,
Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Esq.
11. TERMINATION.
This Agreement may be terminated by you by notice to the
Company as follows:
(a) at any time prior to the Closing Date if any of the
following has occurred: (i) since the respective dates as of which information
is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, any material adverse
change or any development involving a prospective material adverse change in or
affecting the condition, financial or otherwise, of the Company and its
Subsidiaries taken as a whole or the earnings, business, management, properties,
assets, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the
Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not arising in the
ordinary course of business, (ii) any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or
declaration of war or national emergency or other national or international
calamity or crisis or change in economic or political conditions if the effect
of such outbreak, escalation, declaration, emergency, calamity, crisis or change
on the financial markets of the United States would, in your reasonable
judgment, make it impracticable to market the Shares or to enforce contracts for
the sale of the Shares, or (iii) suspension of trading in securities generally
on the New York Stock Exchange or the American Stock Exchange or limitation on
prices (other than limitations on hours or numbers of days of trading) for
securities on either such Exchange, (iv) the enactment, publication, decree or
other promulgation of any statute, regulation, rule or order of any court or
other governmental authority which in your opinion materially and adversely
affects or may materially and adversely affect the business or operations of the
Company, (v) declaration of a banking moratorium by United States or New York
State authorities, (vi) any downgrading in the rating of the Company's debt
securities by any "nationally recognized statistical rating organization" (as
defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) under the Exchange Act); (vii) the
suspension of trading of the Company's common stock by the Commission on the
Nasdaq Stock Market or (viii) the taking of any action by any governmental body
or agency in respect of its monetary or fiscal affairs which in your reasonable
opinion has a material adverse effect on the securities markets in the United
States; or
(b) as provided in Sections 6 and 9 of this Agreement.
12. SUCCESSORS.
This Agreement has been and is made solely for the benefit of
the Underwriters, the Company and their respective successors, executors,
administrators, heirs and assigns, and the officers, directors and controlling
persons referred to herein, and no other person will have
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any right or obligation hereunder. No purchaser of any of the Shares from any
Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign merely because of such
purchase.
13. INFORMATION PROVIDED BY UNDERWRITERS.
The Company and the Underwriters acknowledge and agree that
the only information furnished or to be furnished by any Underwriter to the
Company for inclusion in any Prospectus or the Registration Statement consists
of the information set forth in the last paragraph on the front cover page
(insofar as such information relates to the Underwriters), legends required by
Item 502(d) of Regulation S-K under the Act and the information under the
caption "Underwriting" in the Prospectus.
14. MISCELLANEOUS.
The reimbursement, indemnification and contribution agreements
contained in this Agreement and the representations, warranties and covenants in
this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of (a) any
termination of this Agreement, (b) any investigation made by or on behalf of any
Underwriter or controlling person thereof, or by or on behalf of the Company or
its directors or officers and (c) delivery of and payment for the Shares under
this Agreement.
This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts,
each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall
constitute one and the same instrument.
This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in
accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
If the foregoing letter is in accordance with your
understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed
duplicates hereof, whereupon it will become a binding agreement among the
Company and the several Underwriters in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
NATURAL NUTRITION GROUP, INC.
By:
Name:
Title:
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The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the
date first above written.
BT ALEX. BROWN INCORPORATED
XXXXX, XXXXXXXX & XXXX, INC.
As Representatives of the several
Underwriters listed on Schedule I
By: BT Xxxx. Xxxxx Incorporated
By: ----------------------------------
Authorized Officer
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SCHEDULE I
SCHEDULE OF UNDERWRITERS
Number of Firm Shares
Underwriter to be Purchased
BT Xxxx. Xxxxx Incorporated
Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Xxxx, Inc.
Total ____________
____________
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