Exhibit 1.1
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VEECO INSTRUMENTS INC.
(a Delaware corporation)
3,575,000 Shares of Common Stock
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
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Dated: February __, 1999
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Representations and Warranties............................................3
(a) Representations and Warranties by the Company.....................3
(i) Compliance with Registration Requirements....................3
(ii) Incorporated Documents.......................................4
(iii) Independent Accountants......................................4
(iv) Financial Statements.........................................4
(v) No Material Adverse Change in Business.......................4
(vi) Good Standing of the Company.................................5
(vii) Good Standing of Subsidiaries................................5
(viii) Capitalization...............................................5
(ix) Authorization of Agreement...................................5
(x) Authorization and Description of Securities..................5
(xi) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts............................6
(xii) Absence of Labor Dispute.....................................6
(xiii) Absence of Proceedings.......................................6
(xiv) Accuracy of Exhibits.........................................7
(xv) Possession of Intellectual Property..........................7
(xvi) Absence of Further Requirements..............................7
(xvii) Possession of Licenses and Permits...........................7
(xviii) Title to Property............................................8
(xix) Compliance with Cuba Act.....................................8
(xx) Investment Company Act.......................................8
(xxi) Environmental Laws...........................................8
(xxii) Listing......................................................9
(b) Representations and Warranties by the Selling Shareholders........9
(i) Accurate Disclosure..........................................9
(ii) Authorization of Agreements..................................9
(iii) Good and Marketable Title....................................9
(iv) Due Execution of Power of Attorney and Custody
Agreement...................................................10
(v) Absence of Manipulation.....................................10
(vi) Absence of Further Requirements.............................10
(vii) Restriction on Sale of Securities...........................10
(viii) Certificates Suitable for Transfer..........................11
(ix) No Association with NASD....................................11
(c) Officer's Certificates...........................................11
2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing...............................11
(a) Initial Securities...............................................11
(b) Option Securities................................................11
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(c) Payment..........................................................12
(d) Denominations; Registration......................................13
3. Covenants of the Company.................................................13
(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission
Requests.........................................................13
(b) Filing of Amendments.............................................13
(c) Delivery of Registration Statements..............................13
(d) Delivery of Prospectuses.........................................14
(e) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws........................14
(f) Blue Sky Qualifications..........................................14
(g) Rule 158.........................................................15
(h) Use of Proceeds..................................................15
(i) Listing..........................................................15
(j) Restriction on Sale of Securities................................15
(k) Reporting Requirements...........................................15
4. Payment of Expenses......................................................15
(a) Expenses.........................................................15
(b) Expenses of the Selling Shareholders.............................16
(c) Termination of Agreement.........................................16
(d) Allocation of Expenses...........................................16
5. Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations..................................16
(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement..........................16
(b) Opinion of Counsel for Company...................................17
(c) Opinion of Counsel for the Selling Shareholders..................17
(d) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters..............................17
(e) Officers' Certificate............................................17
(f) Certificate of Selling Shareholders..............................18
(g) Accountant's Comfort Letter......................................18
(h) Bring-down Comfort Letter........................................18
(i) Approval of Listing..............................................18
(j) No Objection.....................................................18
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(k) Lock-up Agreements...............................................18
(l) Conditions to Purchase of Option Securities......................18
(i) Officers' Certificate.......................................18
(ii) Certificate of Selling Shareholders.........................19
(iii) Opinion of Counsel for Company..............................19
(iv) Opinion of Counsel for the Selling Shareholders.............19
(v) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters.........................19
(vi) Bring-down Comfort Letter...................................19
(m) Additional Documents.............................................19
(n) Termination of Agreement.........................................19
6. Indemnification..........................................................20
(a) Indemnification of Underwriters..................................20
(b) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers and
Selling Shareholders.............................................20
(c) Actions against Parties; Notification............................21
(d) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse...............21
(e) Other Agreements with Respect to Indemnification.................22
7. Contribution.............................................................22
8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery...........23
9. Termination of Agreement.................................................23
(a) Termination; General.............................................23
(b) Liabilities......................................................24
10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters...............................24
11. Default by one or more of the Selling Shareholders or the Company........25
12. Notices..................................................................25
13. Parties..................................................................25
14. GOVERNING LAW AND TIME...................................................26
15. Effect of Headings.......................................................26
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SCHEDULES
Schedule A - List of Underwriters.................................Sch A-1
Schedule B - List of Selling Shareholders.........................Sch B-1
Schedule C - Pricing Information..................................Sch C-1
Schedule D - List of Subsidiaries..................................Sch D-1
Schedule E - List of Persons subject to Lock-up....................Sch E-1
EXHIBITS
Exhibit A - Form of Opinion of Company's Counsel........................A-1
Exhibit B - Form of Opinion for the Selling Shareholders(s).............B-1
Exhibit C - Form of Lock-up Letter......................................C-1
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Draft of 1/27/99
VEECO INSTRUMENTS INC.
(a Delaware corporation)
3,575,000 Shares of Common Stock
(Par Value $.01 Per Share)
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
o, 1999
XXXXXXX XXXXX & CO.
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx
Incorporated
Xxxxxxxxx, Lufkin & Xxxxxxxx Securities Corporation
NationsBanc Xxxxxxxxxx Securities LLC
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx Inc.
SoundView Technology Group, Inc.
as Representative(s) of the several Underwriters
x/x Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Xx.
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx
Incorporated
Xxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000-0000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Veeco Instruments Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and the
persons listed in Schedule B hereto (the "Selling Shareholders"), confirm their
respective agreements with Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Co., Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx &
Xxxxx Incorporated ("Xxxxxxx Xxxxx") and each of the other Underwriters named in
Schedule A hereto (collectively, the "Underwriters", which term shall also
include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10
hereof), for whom Xxxxxxx Xxxxx and Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx Securities
Corporation, NationsBanc Xxxxxxxxxx Securities LLC, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx Inc.
and SoundView Technology Group, Inc. are acting as representative(s) (in such
capacity, the "Representative(s)"), with respect to (i) the sale by the Company
and the Selling Shareholders, acting severally and not jointly, and the purchase
by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the respective numbers
of shares of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company ("Common
Stock") set forth in Schedules A and B hereto and (ii) the grant by the Company
and the Selling Shareholders to the Underwriters, acting severally and not
jointly, of the option described in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any
part of 536,250 additional shares of Common Stock to cover over-allotments, if
any. The aforesaid 3,575,000 shares of
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Common Stock (the "Initial Securities") to be purchased by the Underwriters and
all or any part of the 536,250 shares of Common Stock subject to the option
described in Section 2(b) hereof (the "Option Securities") are hereinafter
called, collectively, the "Securities".
The Company and the Selling Shareholder(s) understand that the
Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Securities as soon as the
Representatives deem advisable after this Agreement has been executed and
delivered.
The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") a registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-70417) covering the
registration of the Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"1933 Act"), including the related preliminary prospectus or prospectuses.
Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will either
(i) prepare and file a prospectus in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430A
("Rule 430A") of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1933 Act
(the "1933 Act Regulations") and paragraph (b) of Rule 424 ("Rule 424(b)") of
the 1933 Act Regulations or (ii) if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule
434 ("Rule 434") of the 1933 Act Regulations, prepare and file a term sheet (a
"Term Sheet") in accordance with the provisions of Rule 434 and Rule 424(b). The
information included in such prospectus or in such Term Sheet, as the case may
be, that was omitted from such registration statement at the time it became
effective but that is deemed to be part of such registration statement at the
time it became effective (a) pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 430A is referred
to as "Rule 430A Information" or (b) pursuant to paragraph (d) of Rule 434 is
referred to as "Rule 434 Information." Each prospectus used before such
registration statement became effective, and any prospectus that omitted, as
applicable, the Rule 430A Information or the Rule 434 Information, that was used
after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this
Agreement, is herein called a "preliminary prospectus." Such registration
statement, including the exhibits thereto, schedules thereto, if any, and the
documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3
under the 1933 Act, at the time it became effective and including the Rule 430A
Information and the Rule 434 Information, as applicable, is herein called the
"Registration Statement." Any registration statement filed pursuant to Rule
462(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations is herein referred to as the "Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement," and after such filing the term "Registration Statement"
shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. The final prospectus,
including the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of
Form S-3 under the 1933 Act, in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for
use in connection with the offering of the Securities is herein called the
"Prospectus." If Rule 434 is relied on, the term "Prospectus" shall refer to the
preliminary prospectus dated January 21, 1999 together with the Term Sheet and
all references in this Agreement to the date of the Prospectus shall mean the
date of the Term Sheet. For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the
Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any Term
Sheet or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to
include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data
Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system ("XXXXX").
All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules
and other information which is "contained," "included" or "stated" in the
Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or other
references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such
financial statements and schedules and other information which is
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incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any preliminary
prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be; and all references in this
Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any
preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include the
filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934
Act") which is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, such
preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be.
1. Representations and Warranties.
(A) REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES BY THE COMPANY. The Company
represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, as of the
Closing Time referred to in Section 2(c) hereof, and as of each Date of
Delivery (if any) referred to in Section 2(b) hereof, and agrees with each
Underwriter, as follows:
(i) COMPLIANCE WITH REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS. The Company
meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act. Each of the
Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has become
effective under the 1933 Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of
the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has been
issued under the 1933 Act and no proceedings for that purpose have been
instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated
by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for additional
information has been complied with.
At the respective times the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement and any post-effective amendments thereto became
effective and at the Closing Time (and, if any Option Securities are purchased,
at the Date of Delivery), the Registration Statement, the Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement and any amendments and supplements thereto complied and
will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and
the 1933 Act Regulations and did not and will not contain an untrue statement of
a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. Neither the
Prospectus nor any amendments or supplements thereto, at the time the Prospectus
or any such amendment or supplement was issued and at the Closing Time (and, if
any Option Securities are purchased, at the Date of Delivery), included or will
include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will omit 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. If Rule 434 is
used, the Company will comply with the requirements of Rule 434. The
representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements
in or omissions from the Registration Statement or Prospectus made in reliance
upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company in writing by
any Underwriter through Xxxxxxx Xxxxx expressly for use in the Registration
Statement or Prospectus.
Each preliminary prospectus and the 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 1933 Act, complied when so filed in all
material respects with the 1933 Act Regulations and each preliminary prospectus
and the Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this
offering was identical to the electronically transmitted copies
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thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to XXXXX, except to the extent
permitted by the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations and Regulation S-T.
(ii) INCORPORATED DOCUMENTS. The documents incorporated or
deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission,
complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the
1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the "1934
Act Regulations"), and, when read together with the other information in the
Prospectus, at the time the Registration Statement became effective, at the time
the Prospectus was issued and at the Closing Time (and, if any Option Securities
are purchased, at the Date of Delivery), did not and will not contain an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
(iii) INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS. The accountants who certified
any financial statements and supporting schedules included in the Registration
Statement are independent public accountants as required by the 1933 Act and the
1933 Act Regulations.
(iv) FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. The financial statements included
in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, together with the related
schedules and notes, present fairly in all material respects the financial
position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated
and the results of operations, stockholders' equity and cash flows of the
Company and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods specified; said
financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles ("GAAP") applied on a consistent basis throughout the
periods involved. The supporting schedules, if any, included in the Registration
Statement present fairly in accordance with GAAP the information required to be
stated therein. The selected financial data and the summary financial
information included in the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects
the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with
that of the audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement.
The orders publicly reported by the Company for the fourth quarter of 1997 and
1998 and for the years ended December 31, 1997 and 1998 have been calculated on
a basis consistent with the manner in which the Company calculates orders for
its own internal reporting purposes and with the manner in which the Company has
calculated orders as previously publicly reported for other fiscal periods.
(v) NO MATERIAL ADVERSE CHANGE IN BUSINESS. Since the
respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein, (A) there has been no
material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the
earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its
subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the
ordinary course of business (a "Material Adverse Effect"), (B) there have been
no transactions entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other
than those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with respect
to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, and (C) there
has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the
Company on any class of its capital stock.
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(vi) GOOD STANDING OF THE COMPANY. The Company has been duly
organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the
laws of the State of Delaware and has corporate power and authority to own,
lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the
Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement;
and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business
and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification
is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the
conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good
standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(vii) GOOD STANDING OF SUBSIDIARIES. Each "significant
subsidiary" of the Company (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation
S-X) (each a "Subsidiary" and 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, has corporate power and authority
to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as
described in the Prospectus and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to
transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such
qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of
property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or
to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; except as
otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, all of the issued and
outstanding capital stock of each such Subsidiary has been duly authorized and
validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by the Company,
directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest,
mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity; none of the outstanding
shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary was issued in violation of the
preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of such Subsidiary. The only
subsidiaries of the Company are the subsidiaries listed on Schedule D hereto.
(viii) CAPITALIZATION. The authorized, issued and outstanding
capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the Prospectus under the caption
"Capitalization" (except for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to this
Agreement, pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans
referred to in the Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise of convertible
securities or options referred to in the Prospectus). The shares of issued and
outstanding capital stock, including the Securities to be purchased by the
Underwriters from the Selling Shareholders, have been duly authorized and
validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; none of the outstanding
shares of capital stock, including the Securities to be purchased by the
Underwriters from the Selling Shareholders, was issued in violation of the
preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.
(ix) AUTHORIZATION OF AGREEMENT. This Agreement has been
duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(x) AUTHORIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES. The
Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Company have been duly
authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement
and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to this Agreement against
payment of the consideration set forth herein, will be validly issued and fully
paid and non-assessable; the Common Stock conforms in all material respects to
all statements relating thereto contained in the Prospectus and such description
conforms in all material respects to the rights set forth in the instruments
defining the same; no
5
holder of the Securities will be subject to personal liability by reason of
being such a holder; and the issuance of the Securities is not subject to the
preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.
(xi) ABSENCE OF DEFAULTS AND CONFLICTS. Neither the Company
nor any of its subsidiaries is in material violation of its charter or by-laws
or in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement,
covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of
trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to
which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of
them may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or
any subsidiary is subject (collectively, "Agreements and Instruments") except
for such defaults that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; and the
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of
the transactions contemplated herein and in the Registration Statement
(including the issuance and sale of the Securities and the use of the proceeds
from the sale of the Securities as described in the Prospectus under the caption
"Use of Proceeds") and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder
have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and will
not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both,
conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as
defined below) 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, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such
conflicts, breaches, defaults or Repayment Events or liens, charges or
encumbrances that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such
action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws of
the Company or any subsidiary or any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation,
judgment, order, writ or decree of any government, government instrumentality or
court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any
subsidiary or any of their assets, properties or operations. As used herein, a
"Repayment Event" means any event or condition which gives the holder of any
note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such
holder's behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of
all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any subsidiary.
(xii) ABSENCE OF LABOR DISPUTE. No labor dispute with the
employees of the Company or any subsidiary exists or, to the knowledge of the
Company, is imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent
labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or any subsidiary's principal
suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors, which, in either case, may
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xiii) ABSENCE OF PROCEEDINGS. Other than as disclosed in the
Registration Statement, there is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or
investigation before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body,
domestic or foreign, now pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company,
threatened, against or affecting the Company or any subsidiary, which is
required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, or which might
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which might
reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the properties or
assets thereof or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this
Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder; the
aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company
or any subsidiary is a party or of which any of their respective property or
assets is the
6
subject which are not described in the Registration Statement, including
ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, could not reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xiv) ACCURACY OF EXHIBITS. There are no contracts or
documents which are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the
Prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference therein or to be filed as
exhibits thereto which have not been so described and filed as required.
(xv) POSSESSION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. The Company and
its subsidiaries 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 now operated by them, and except
as disclosed in the Registration Statement, 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 Effect.
(xvi) ABSENCE OF FURTHER REQUIREMENTS. No filing with, or
authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or
decree of, any court or governmental authority or agency is necessary or
required for the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, in
connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the Securities hereunder or
the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such
as have been already obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act or the
1933 Act Regulations or state securities laws.
(xvii) POSSESSION OF LICENSES AND PERMITS. The Company and its
subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other
authorizations (collectively, "Governmental Licenses") issued by the appropriate
federal, state, local or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to
conduct the business now operated by them except where the failure to possess
any such Governmental License would not have a Material Adverse Effect; the
Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of
all such Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not,
singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; all of the
Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except where the
invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental
Licenses to be in full force and effect would not have a Material Adverse
Effect; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any
notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such
Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an
unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
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(xviii) TITLE TO PROPERTY. The Company and its subsidiaries have
good and marketable title to all real property owned by the Company and its
subsidiaries and good title to all other properties owned by them, in each case,
free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims,
restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except such as (a) are described in the
Prospectus or (b) do not, singly or in the aggregate, 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 or any of its subsidiaries; and all of the
leases and subleases material to the business of the Company and its
subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company or any
of its subsidiaries holds properties described in the Prospectus, are in full
force and effect, and neither the Company nor any subsidiary has any notice of
any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the
rights of the Company or any subsidiary under any of the leases or subleases
mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or such
subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under
any such lease or sublease.
(xix) COMPLIANCE WITH CUBA ACT. The Company has complied with,
and is and will be in compliance with, the provisions of that certain Florida
act relating to disclosure of doing business with Cuba, codified as Section
517.075 of the Florida statutes, and the rules and regulations thereunder
(collectively, the "Cuba Act") or is exempt therefrom.
(xx) INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT. The Company is not, and upon the
issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated and the application
of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Prospectus will not be, an
"investment company" or an entity "controlled" by an "investment company" as
such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the
"1940 Act").
(xxi) ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS. Except as described in the
Registration Statement and except as would not, singly or in the aggregate,
result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) neither the Company nor any of its
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"), (B) 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, (C) there are no pending or 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 (D) 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.
8
(xxii) LISTING. The Common Stock is registered pursuant to
Section 12(g) of the 1934 Act, and is listed on the Nasdaq National Market, and
the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of,
terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the 1934 Act or delisting
the Common Stock from the Nasdaq National Market, nor has the Company received
any notification that the Commission or the Nasdaq National Market is
contemplating terminating such registration or listing.
(b) REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES BY THE SELLING SHAREHOLDERS. Each
Selling Shareholder severally represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of
the date hereof, as of the Closing Time, and, if the Selling Shareholder is
selling Option Securities on a Date of Delivery, as of such Date of Delivery,
and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:
(i) ACCURATE DISCLOSURE. To the best knowledge of such
Selling Shareholder, the representations and warranties of the Company contained
in Section 1(a) hereof are true and correct; such Selling Shareholder has
reviewed and is familiar with the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and
neither the Prospectus nor any amendments or supplements thereto includes 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; such Selling Shareholder is not prompted
to sell the Securities to be sold by such Selling Shareholder hereunder by any
information concerning the Company or any subsidiary of the Company which is not
set forth in the Prospectus.
(ii) AUTHORIZATION OF AGREEMENTS. Each Selling Shareholder
has the full right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement, the
Irrevocable Power of Attorney and the Letter of Transmittal and Custody
Agreement (collectively, the "Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement") and to
sell, transfer and deliver the Securities to be sold by such Selling Shareholder
hereunder. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Power of
Attorney and Custody Agreement and the sale and delivery of the Securities to be
sold by such Selling Shareholder and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated herein and compliance by such Selling Shareholder with its
obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by such Selling Shareholder and
do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of
time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default under, or
result in the creation or imposition of any tax, lien, charge or encumbrance
upon the Securities to be sold by such Selling Shareholder or any property or
assets of such Selling Shareholder pursuant to any contract, indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, license, lease or other
agreement or instrument to which such Selling Shareholder is a party or by which
such Selling Shareholder may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets
of such Selling Shareholder is subject, nor will such action result in any
violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws or other organizational
instrument of such Selling Shareholder, if applicable, or any applicable treaty,
law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any
government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having
jurisdiction over such Selling Shareholder or any of its properties.
(iii) GOOD AND MARKETABLE TITLE. Such Selling Shareholder has
and will at the Closing Time and, if any Option Securities are purchased, on
each Date of Delivery have good and marketable title to the Securities to be
sold by such Selling Shareholder hereunder, free and clear of any security
interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, charge, claim, equity or encumbrance of
9
any kind, other than pursuant to this Agreement; and upon delivery of such
Securities and payment of the purchase price therefor as herein contemplated,
assuming each such Underwriter has no notice of any adverse claim, each of the
Underwriters will receive good and marketable title to the Securities purchased
by it from such Selling Shareholder, free and clear of any security interest,
mortgage, pledge, lien, charge, claim, equity or encumbrance of any kind.
(iv) DUE EXECUTION OF POWER OF ATTORNEY AND CUSTODY AGREEMENT.
Such Selling Shareholder has duly executed and delivered, in the form heretofore
furnished to the Representatives, the Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement
with Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx and Xxxx X. Xxxx, Xx., or any of them, as attorneys-in-fact
(the "Attorneys-in-Fact") and the Company, as custodian (the "Custodian"); the
Custodian is authorized to deliver the Securities to be sold by such Selling
Shareholder hereunder and to accept payment therefor; and each Attorney-in-Fact
is authorized to execute and deliver this Agreement and the certificate referred
to in Section 5(f) or that may be required pursuant to Sections 5(l) and 5(m) on
behalf of such Selling Shareholder, to sell, assign and transfer to the
Underwriters the Securities to be sold by such Selling Shareholder hereunder, to
determine the purchase price to be paid by the Underwriters to such Selling
Shareholder, as provided in Section 2(a) hereof, to authorize the delivery of
the Securities to be sold by such Selling Shareholder hereunder, to accept
payment therefor, and otherwise to act on behalf of such Selling Shareholder in
connection with this Agreement.
(v) ABSENCE OF MANIPULATION. Such Selling Shareholder has
not taken, and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action which is
designed to or which has constituted or which might reasonably be expected to
cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of
the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.
(vi) ABSENCE OF FURTHER REQUIREMENTS. No filing with, or
consent, approval, authorization, order, registration, qualification or decree
of, any court or governmental authority or agency, domestic or foreign, is
necessary or required for the performance by such Selling Shareholder of its
obligations hereunder or in the Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement, or in
connection with the sale and delivery of the Securities hereunder or the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such as
may have previously been made or obtained or as may be required under the 1933
Act or the 1933 Act Regulations or state securities laws.
(vii) RESTRICTION ON SALE OF SECURITIES. During a period of
90 days from the date of the Prospectus, such Selling Shareholder will not,
without the prior written consent of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, (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 or otherwise
transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any share of Common Stock or any
securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or
file any registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the
foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction
that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic
consequence of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such swap or
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 the Securities to be sold hereunder. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, such Selling Shareholder may transfer shares (i) as a BONA FIDE
gift or gifts, provided that the donee or donees thereof agree to
10
be bound by the restrictions set forth in this paragraph; or (ii) as otherwise
specifically agreed in writing by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx.
(viii) CERTIFICATES SUITABLE FOR TRANSFER AND RELATED
DOCUMENTATION. Certificates for all of the Securities to be sold by such Selling
Shareholder pursuant to this Agreement, in suitable form for transfer by
delivery or accompanied by duly executed instruments of transfer or assignment
in blank with signatures guaranteed, or, to the extent the Securities to be sold
by such Selling Shareholder will be issued prior to Closing Time pursuant to the
exercise of stock options held by such Selling Shareholder, duly executed and
irrevocable stock option exercise forms (including a cashiers' check in the
amount of the full exercise price of such options or irrevocable instructions to
the Custodian to apply a portion of the proceeds from the sale of such
Securities to the payment in full of the exercise price of such options)
accompanied by duly executed instruments of transfer or assignment in blank with
signatures guaranteed, have been placed in custody with the Custodian with
irrevocable conditional instructions to deliver such Securities to the
Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement.
(ix) NO ASSOCIATION WITH NASD. Neither such Selling
Stockholder nor any of his/her/its affiliates directly, or indirectly through
one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common
control with, or has any other association with (within the meaning of Article
I, Section 1(m) of the By-laws of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc.), any member firm of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc.
(c) OFFICER'S CERTIFICATES. Any certificate signed by any officer of
the Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered to the Representatives or to
counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by
the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby; and any
certificate signed by or on behalf of the Selling Shareholders as such and
delivered to the Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters pursuant to
the terms of this Agreement shall be deemed a representation and warranty by
such Selling Shareholder to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.
2. SALE AND DELIVERY TO UNDERWRITERS; CLOSING.
(a) INITIAL SECURITIES. On the basis of the representations and
warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set
forth, the Company and the Selling Shareholders, severally and not jointly,
agree to sell to each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each
Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company and
each Selling Shareholder, at the price per share set forth in Schedule C, that
proportion of the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule B opposite
the name of the Company or such Selling Shareholder, as the case may be, which
the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of
such Underwriter, plus any additional number of Initial Securities which such
Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of
Section 10 hereof, bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject, in
each case, to such adjustments among the Underwriters as the Representatives in
their sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of
fractional securities.
(b) OPTION SECURITIES. In addition, on the basis of the
representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and
conditions herein set forth, the Company and the
11
Selling Shareholders, acting severally and not jointly, hereby grant an option
to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional
536,250 shares of Common Stock, as set forth in Schedule B, at the price per
share set forth in Schedule C, less an amount per share equal to any dividends
or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities
but not payable on the Option Securities. The option hereby granted will expire
30 days after the date hereof and may be exercised in whole or in part from time
to time only for the purpose of covering over-allotments which may be made in
connection with the offering and distribution of the Initial Securities upon
notice by the Representatives to the Company and the Selling Shareholders
setting forth the number of Option Securities as to which the several
Underwriters are then exercising the option and the time and date of payment and
delivery for such Option Securities. Any such time and date of delivery (a "Date
of Delivery") shall be determined by the Representatives, but shall not be later
than seven full business days after the exercise of said option, nor in any
event prior to the Closing Time, as hereinafter defined. If the option is
exercised as to all or any portion of the Option Securities, each of the
Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, will purchase that proportion of
the total number of Option Securities then being purchased which the number of
Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter
bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject in each case to such
adjustments as the Representatives in their discretion shall make to eliminate
any sales or purchases of fractional shares.
(c) PAYMENT. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of
certificates for, the Initial Securities shall be made at the offices of Xxxx,
Scholer, Fierman, Xxxx & Handler, LLP, 000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx, or
at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the
Company and the Selling Shareholders, at 9:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the third
(fourth, if the pricing occurs after 4:30 P.M. (Eastern time) on any given day)
business day after the date hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the
provisions of Section 10), or such other time not later than ten business days
after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company
and the Selling Shareholders (such time and date of payment and delivery being
herein called "Closing Time").
In addition, in the event that any or all of the Option Securities are
purchased by the Underwriters, payment of the purchase price for, and delivery
of certificates for, such Option Securities shall be made at the above-mentioned
offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives
and the Company and the Selling Shareholders, on each Date of Delivery as
specified in the notice from the Representatives to the Company and the Selling
Shareholders.
Any partial exercise of the option shall be proportionately allocated
among all parties granting such option, in proportion to the total number of
shares of the Company or such Selling Shareholder (as the case may be) then
subject to the option.
Payment shall be made to the Company and the Selling Shareholders by
wire transfer of immediately available funds to bank accounts designated by the
Company and the Custodian pursuant to each Selling Shareholder's Power of
Attorney and Custody Agreement, as the case may be, against delivery to the
Representatives for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of certificates
for the Securities to be purchased by them. It is understood that each
Underwriter has authorized the Representatives, for its account, to accept
delivery of, receipt for, and make
12
payment of the purchase price for, the Initial Securities and the Option
Securities, if any, which it has agreed to purchase. Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, individually
and not as representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated
to) make payment of the purchase price for the Initial Securities or the Option
Securities, if any, to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been
received by the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may
be, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations
hereunder.
(d) DENOMINATIONS; REGISTRATION. Certificates for the Initial
Securities and the Option Securities, if any, shall be in such denominations and
registered in such names as the Representatives may request in writing at least
one full business day before the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery,
as the case may be. The certificates for the Initial Securities and the Option
Securities, if any, will be made available for examination and packaging by the
Representatives in The City of New York not later than 10:00 A.M. (Eastern time)
on the business day prior to the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery,
as the case may be.
3. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY. The Company covenants with each
Underwriter as follows:
(a) COMPLIANCE WITH SECURITIES REGULATIONS AND COMMISSION REQUESTS. The
Company, subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the requirements of Rule 430A
or Rule 434, as applicable, and will notify the Representatives immediately, and
confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the
Registration Statement shall become effective, or any supplement to the
Prospectus or any amended Prospectus shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt
of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for
any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to
the Prospectus or for additional information, and (iv) of the issuance by the
Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary
prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for
offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any
proceedings for any of such purposes. The Company will promptly effect the
filings necessary pursuant to Rule 424(b) and will take such steps as it deems
necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for
filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the
event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company will
make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order and, if
any stop order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible
moment.
(b) FILING OF AMENDMENTS. The Company will give the Representatives
notice of its intention to file or prepare any amendment to the Registration
Statement (including any filing under Rule 462(b)), any Term Sheet or any
amendment, supplement or revision to either the prospectus included in the
Registration Statement at the time it became effective or to the Prospectus,
whether pursuant to the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or otherwise, will furnish the
Representatives with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time
prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and will not file or
use any such document to which the Representatives or counsel for the
Underwriters shall object.
(c) DELIVERY OF REGULATION STATEMENTS. The Company has furnished or
will deliver to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without
charge, signed copies of the
13
Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto
(including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and
documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein) and
signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver
to the Representatives, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration
Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (without exhibits)
for each of the Underwriters. The copies of the Registration Statement and each
amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the
electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to
XXXXX, except to the extent permitted by the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations
and Regulation S-T.
(d) DELIVERY OF PROSPECTUSES. The Company has delivered to each
Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus as
such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the
use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company will
furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when the
Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, such
number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such
Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or
supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the
electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to
XXXXX, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(e) CONTINUED COMPLIANCE WITH SECURITIES LAWS. The Company will comply
with the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act
Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Securities
as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Prospectus. If at any time when a
prospectus is required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales
of the Securities, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of
which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the
Company, to amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the
Prospectus in order that the Prospectus will not include any untrue statements
of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make
the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing
at the time it is delivered to a purchaser, or if it shall be necessary, in the
opinion of such counsel, at any such time to amend the Registration Statement or
amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the requirements of
the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company will promptly prepare and
file with the Commission, subject to Section 3(b), such amendment or supplement
as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus comply with such requirements, and the
Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment
or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request.
(f) BLUE SKY QUALIFICATIONS. The Company will use its best efforts, in
cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Securities for offering and
sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions
(domestic or foreign) as the Representatives may designate and to maintain such
qualifications in effect for a period of not less than one year from the later
of the effective date of the Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement or such shorter period as is required to complete the
distribution of the Securities; provided, however, that the Company shall not be
obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a
foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it
is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing
business in any
14
jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject. In each jurisdiction in
which the Securities have been so qualified, the Company will file such
statements and reports as may be required by the laws of such jurisdiction to
continue such qualification in effect for a period of not less than one year
from the effective date of the Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement or such shorter period as is required to complete the
distribution of the Securities.
(g) RULE 158. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to
the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its
securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes
of, and to provide the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section
11(a) of the 1933 Act.
(h) USE OF PROCEEDS. The Company will use the net proceeds received by
it from the sale of the Securities in the manner specified in the Prospectus
under "Use of Proceeds".
(i) LISTING. The Company will use its best efforts to effect and
maintain the quotation of the Securities on the Nasdaq National Market and will
file with the Nasdaq National Market all documents and notices required by the
Nasdaq National Market of companies that have securities that are traded in the
over-the-counter market and quotations for which are reported by the Nasdaq
National Market.
(j) RESTRICTION ON SALE OF SECURITIES. During a period of 90 days from
the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not, without the prior written
consent of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, (i) directly or indirectly, 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 or otherwise
transfer or dispose of any share of Common Stock or any securities convertible
into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or file any registration
statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter
into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole
or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the
Common Stock, whether any such swap or 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 Securities to be sold hereunder, (B) any shares of Common Stock issued by
the Company upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a
security outstanding on the date hereof and referred to in the Prospectus, (C)
any shares of Common Stock issued or options to purchase Common Stock granted
pursuant to existing employee benefit plans of the Company referred to in the
Prospectus or (D) any shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to any non-employee
director stock plan.
(k) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. The Company, during the period when the
Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, will
file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934
Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act
Regulations.
4. PAYMENT OF EXPENSES.
(a) EXPENSES. The Company and the Selling Shareholders will pay or
cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of their obligations
under this Agreement, including (A) the preparation, printing and filing of the
Registration Statement (including financial statements
15
and exhibits) as originally filed and of each amendment thereto, (B) the
preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of this Agreement, any
Agreement among Underwriters and such other documents as may be required in
connection with the offering, purchase, sale, issuance or delivery of the
Securities, (C) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates for
the Securities to the Underwriters, including any stock or other transfer taxes
and any stamp or other duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the
Securities to the Underwriters, (D) the fees and disbursements of the Company's
counsel, accountants and other advisors, (E) the qualification of the Securities
under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(f) hereof,
including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for
the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation
of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (F) the printing and delivery
to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus, any Term Sheets
and of the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, (G) the
preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of the Blue Sky
Survey and any supplement thereto, (H) the fees and expenses of any transfer
agent or registrar for the Securities and (I) the filing fees incident to, and
the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters in
connection with, the review by the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc. (the "NASD") of the terms of the sale of the Securities and (J) the fees
and expenses incurred in connection with the inclusion of the Securities in the
Nasdaq National Market.
(b) EXPENSES OF THE SELLING SHAREHOLDERS. The Selling Shareholders
will pay all expenses incident to the performance of their respective
obligations under, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, including (A) any stamp duties, capital duties and stock transfer
taxes, if any, payable upon the sale of the Securities to the Underwriters, and
their transfer between the Underwriters pursuant to an agreement between such
Underwriters, and (B) the fees and disbursements of their respective counsel and
accountants.
(c) TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT. If this Agreement is terminated by the
Representatives in accordance with the provisions of Section 5, Section 9(a)(i)
or Section 11 hereof, the Company and the Selling Shareholders shall reimburse
the Underwriters for all of their out-of-pocket expenses, including the
reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters.
(d) ALLOCATION OF EXPENSES. The provisions of this Section shall not
affect any agreement that the Company and the Selling Shareholders may make for
the sharing of such costs and expenses.
5. CONDITIONS OF UNDERWRITERS' OBLIGATIONS. The obligations of the
several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the
representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling Shareholders
contained in Section 1 hereof or in certificates of any officer of the Company
or any subsidiary of the Company or on behalf of any Selling Shareholder
delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company
of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further
conditions:
(a) EFFECTIVENESS OF REGISTRATION STATEMENT. The Registration
Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, has become
effective and at Closing Time no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement shall have been issued under the 1933 Act or proceedings
therefor initiated or threatened by the Commission, and any request on the
16
part of the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with
to the reasonable satisfaction of counsel to the Underwriters. A prospectus
containing the Rule 430A Information shall have been filed with the Commission
in accordance with Rule 424(b) (or a post-effective amendment providing such
information shall have been filed and declared effective in accordance with the
requirements of Rule 430A) or, if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 434,
a Term Sheet shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule
424(b).
(b) OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR COMPANY. At Closing Time, the
Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of Closing
Time, of Xxxx, Scholer, Fierman, Xxxx & Handler, LLP, counsel for the Company,
in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together
with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other
Underwriters to the effect set forth in Exhibit A hereto and to such further
effect as counsel to the Underwriters may reasonably request. Such counsel may
also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have
relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the
Company and its subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.
(c) OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR THE SELLING SHAREHOLDERS. At Closing Time,
the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of
Closing Time, of counsel for the Selling Shareholders, in form and substance
satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced
copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters to the effect set forth
in Exhibit B hereto and to such further effect as counsel to the Underwriters
may reasonably request.
(d) OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR UNDERWRITERS. At Closing Time, the
Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of Closing
Time, of Xxxx and Xxxx LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed
or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters with
respect to the matters set forth in clauses (i) , (ii), (v), (vi) (solely as to
preemptive or other similar rights arising by operation of law or under the
charter or by-laws of the Company), (viii) through (x), inclusive, (xii) and the
penultimate paragraph of Exhibit A hereto. In giving such opinion such counsel
may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than the
federal law of the United States and the General Corporation Law of the State of
Delaware, upon the opinions of counsel satisfactory to the Representatives. Such
counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters,
they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers
of the Company and its subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.
(e) OFFICERS' CERTIFICATES. At Closing Time, there shall not have
been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which
information is given in the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the
condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or
business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one
enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the
Representatives shall have received a certificate of the President or a Vice
President of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer
of the Company, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been
no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties in
Section 1(a) hereof are true and correct in all material respects with the same
force and effect as though expressly made at and as of Closing Time, (iii) the
Company has complied in all material
17
respects with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be
performed or satisfied at or prior to Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and
no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or are
contemplated by the Commission.
(f) CERTIFICATE OF SELLING SHAREHOLDERS. At Closing Time, the
Representatives shall have received a certificate of an Attorney-in-Fact on
behalf of each Selling Shareholder, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that
(i) the representations and warranties of each Selling Shareholder contained in
Section 1(b) hereof are true and correct in all material respects with the same
force and effect as though expressly made at and as of Closing Time and (ii)
each Selling Shareholder has complied in all material respects with all
agreements and all conditions on its part to be performed under this Agreement
at or prior to Closing Time.
(g) ACCOUNTANT'S COMFORT LETTER. At the time of the execution of this
Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP a
letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Representatives, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for
each of the other Underwriters 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.
(h) BRING-DOWN COMFORT LETTER. At Closing Time, the Representatives
shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP a letter, dated as of Closing Time,
to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished
pursuant to subsection (g) of this Section, except that the specified date
referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to Closing
Time.
(i) APPROVAL OF LISTING. At Closing Time, the Securities shall have
been approved for inclusion in the Nasdaq National Market, subject only to
official notice of issuance.
(j) NO OBJECTION. The NASD has confirmed that it has not raised any
objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting
terms and arrangements.
(k) LOCK-UP AGREEMENTS. At the date of this Agreement, the
Representatives shall have received an agreement substantially in the form of
Exhibit C hereto signed by the persons listed on Schedule E hereto.
(l) CONDITIONS TO PURCHASE OF OPTION SECURITIES. In the event that the
Underwriters exercise their option provided in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase
all or any portion of the Option Securities, the representations and warranties
of the Company and the Selling Shareholders contained herein and the statements
in any certificates furnished by the Company, any subsidiary of the Company and
the Selling Shareholders hereunder shall be true and correct as of each Date of
Delivery and, at the relevant Date of Delivery, the Representatives shall have
received:
(i) OFFICERS' CERTIFICATE. A certificate, dated such Date of
Delivery, of the President or a Vice President of the Company and of the chief
financial or chief accounting
18
officer of the Company confirming that the certificate delivered at the Closing
Time pursuant to Section 5(e) hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of
Delivery.
(ii) CERTIFICATE OF SELLING SHAREHOLDERS. A certificate,
dated such Date of Delivery, of an Attorney-in-Fact on behalf of each Selling
Shareholder confirming that the certificate delivered at Closing Time pursuant
to Section 5(f) remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.
(iii) OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR COMPANY. The favorable opinion of
Xxxx, Scholer, Fierman, Xxxx & Handler, LLP, counsel for the Company, in form
and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of
Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of
Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section
5(b) hereof.
(iv) OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR THE SELLING SHAREHOLDERS. The
favorable opinion of counsel for the Selling Shareholders, in form and substance
satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery,
relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and
otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(c) hereof.
(v) OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR UNDERWRITERS. The favorable
opinion of Xxxx and Xxxx LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of
Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of
Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section
5(d) hereof.
(vi) BRING-DOWN COMFORT LETTER. A letter from Ernst & Young
LLP, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives and dated such
Date of Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter
furnished to the Representatives pursuant to Section 5(h) hereof, except that
the "specified date" in the letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be
a date not more than five days prior to such Date of Delivery.
(m) ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS. At Closing Time and at each Date of Delivery
counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and
opinions as they may require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the
issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to
evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the
fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings
taken by the Company and the Selling Shareholders in connection with the
issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory
in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters.
(n) TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT. If any condition specified in this
Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this
Agreement, or, in the case of any condition to the purchase of Option Securities
on a Date of Delivery which is after Closing Time, the obligations of the
several Underwriters to purchase the relevant Option Securities, may be
terminated by the Representatives by notice to the Company at any time at or
prior to Closing Time or such Date of Delivery, as the case may be, and such
termination shall be without
19
liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 and
except that Sections 1, 6, 7 and 8 shall survive any such termination and remain
in full force and effect.
6. INDEMNIFICATION
(a) INDEMNIFICATION OF UNDERWRITERS. The Company and the Selling
Shareholders, jointly and severally, agree to indemnify and hold harmless each
Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the
meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:
(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and
expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or
any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434
Information, if applicable, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact included in any preliminary prospectus or the
Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged
omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading;
(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and
expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in
settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any
governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever
based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue
statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 6(d) below) any such
settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company; and
(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred
(including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx),
reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any
litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or
body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such
untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission,
to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss,
liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue
statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any
Underwriter through Xxxxxxx Xxxxx expressly for use in the Registration
Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information and
the Rule 434 Information, if applicable, or any preliminary prospectus or the
Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto).
(b) INDEMNIFICATION OF COMPANY, DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS AND SELLING
SHAREHOLDERS. Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless
the Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration
Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning
of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, and
20
each Selling Shareholder against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and
expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection 6(a) of this Section,
as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged
untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any
amendment thereto), including the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434
Information, if applicable, or any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or
any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with
written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto)
or such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
thereto).
(c) ACTIONS AGAINST PARTIES; NOTIFICATION. Each indemnified party
shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying
party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be
sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not
relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is
not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve
it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this
indemnity agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a)
above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx,
and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b) above, counsel
to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company. An indemnifying
party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action;
provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with
the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party.
In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of
more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own
counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or
separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of
the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall,
without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or
compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any
litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or
body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which
indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 or Section
7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties
thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an
unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out
of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include
a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by
or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(d) SETTLEMENT WITHOUT CONSENT IF FAILURE TO REIMBURSE. If at any time
an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the
indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party
agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by
Section 6(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is
entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the
aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of
the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being
entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such
indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such
settlement.
21
(e) OTHER AGREEMENTS WITH RESPECT TO INDEMNIFICATION. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, no Selling Shareholder shall be liable for indemnification
pursuant to this Section 6 in an amount which exceeds the gross proceeds to such
Selling Stockholder from the sale of Securities to the Underwriters pursuant to
this Agreement. The provisions of this Section shall not affect any agreement
among the Company and the Selling Shareholders with respect to indemnification.
7. CONTRIBUTION. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6
hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an
indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or
expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to
the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses
incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the
Selling Shareholders on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from
the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the
allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred
to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company and the
Selling Shareholders on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other hand
in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses,
liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations.
The relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling
Shareholders on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in
connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall
be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds
from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting
expenses) received by the Company and the Selling Shareholders and the total
underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth on
the cover of the Prospectus, or, if Rule 434 is used, the corresponding location
on the Term Sheet, bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the
Securities as set forth on such cover.
The relative fault of the Company and the Selling Shareholders on the
one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be determined by reference
to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates
to information supplied by the Company or the Selling Shareholders or by the
Underwriters and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information
and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Company, the Selling Shareholders and the Underwriters agree that
it would not be just and 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 which does not
take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section
7. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses
incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall
be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such
indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any
litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or
body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such
untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
22
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 Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public
were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such
Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of any 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 0000 Xxx) shall be entitled to contribution from any person
who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an
Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of
the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and
each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the
Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company or any
Selling Shareholder within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section
20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company or
such Selling Shareholder, as the case may be. The Underwriters' respective
obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion
to the number of Initial Securities set forth opposite their respective names in
Schedule A hereto and not joint.
The provisions of this Section shall not affect any agreement among the
Company and the Selling Shareholders with respect to contribution.
8. REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND AGREEMENTS TO SURVIVE DELIVERY.
All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in
certificates of officers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or the
Selling Shareholders submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in
full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of
any Underwriter or controlling person, or by or on behalf of the Company or the
Selling Shareholders, and shall survive delivery of the Securities to the
Underwriters.
9. TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT
(a) TERMINATION; GENERAL. The Representatives may terminate this
Agreement, by notice to the Company and the Selling Shareholders, at any time at
or prior to Closing Time (i) if there has been, since the time of execution of
this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in
the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or
otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the
Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not
arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any
material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the
international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation
thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a
prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic
conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the
judgment of the Representatives, impracticable to market the Securities or to
enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (iii) if trading in any
securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the
Commission or the Nasdaq National Market, or if trading generally on the
American Stock Exchange or the New York Stock Exchange or in the Nasdaq National
Market has been suspended or materially limited, or
23
minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for
prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by such system or by
order of the Commission, the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or
any other governmental authority, or (iv) if a banking moratorium has been
declared by either Federal or New York authorities.
(b) LIABILITIES. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this
Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other
party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections
1, 6, 7 and 8 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and
effect.
10. DEFAULT BY ONE OR MORE OF THE UNDERWRITERS. If one or more of the
Underwriters shall fail at Closing Time or a Date of Delivery to purchase the
Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the
"Defaulted Securities"), the Representatives shall have the right, within 24
hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting
Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all,
of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the
terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representatives shall not have
completed such arrangements within such 24-hour period, then:
(a) if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the
number of Securities to be purchased on such date, each of the non-defaulting
Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full
amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations
hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting
Underwriters, or
(b) if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the number of
Securities to be purchased on such date, this Agreement or, with respect to any
Date of Delivery which occurs after the Closing Time, the obligation of the
Underwriters to purchase and of the Company and the Selling Shareholders to sell
the Option Securities to be purchased and sold on such Date of Delivery shall
terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter, the
Company or any Selling Shareholder, except that the provisions of Sections 1, 4,
6, 7 and 8 shall remain in full force and effect.
No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting
Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.
In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination
of this Agreement or, in the case of a Date of Delivery which is after the
Closing Time, which does not result in a termination of the obligation of the
Underwriters to purchase and the Company and the Selling Shareholders to sell
the relevant Option Securities, as the case may be, either (i) the
Representatives or (ii) the Company and any Selling Shareholder shall have the
right to postpone Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may
be, for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required
changes in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or in any other documents or
arrangements. As used herein, the term "Underwriter" includes any person
substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10.
24
11. DEFAULT BY ONE OR MORE OF THE SELLING SHAREHOLDERS OR THE COMPANY.
(a) If a Selling Shareholder shall fail at Closing Time or at a Date of Delivery
to sell and deliver the number of Securities which such Selling Shareholder is
obligated to sell hereunder, and the remaining Selling Shareholders do not
exercise the right hereby granted to increase, pro rata or otherwise, the number
of Securities to be sold by them hereunder to the total number to be sold by all
Selling Shareholders as set forth in Schedule B hereto, then the Underwriters
may, at option of the Representatives, by notice from the Representatives to the
Company and the non-defaulting Selling Shareholders, either terminate this
Agreement without any liability of any non-defaulting party except that the
provisions of Sections 1, 4, 6, 7 and 8 shall remain in full force and effect or
(b) elect to purchase the Securities which the non-defaulting Selling
Shareholders and the Company have agreed to sell hereunder. No action taken
pursuant to this Section 11 shall relieve any Selling Shareholder so defaulting
from liability, if any, in respect of such default.
In the event of a default by any Selling Shareholder as referred to in
this Section 11, each of the Representatives, the Company and the non-defaulting
Selling Shareholders shall have the right to postpone Closing Time or Date of
Delivery for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required
change in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or in any other documents or
arrangements.
(b) If the Company shall fail at Closing Time or at the Date of
Delivery to sell the number of Securities that it is obligated to sell
hereunder, then this Agreement shall terminate without any liability on the part
of any nondefaulting party; provided, however, that the provisions of Sections
1, 4, 6, 7 and 8 shall remain in full force and effect. No action taken pursuant
to this Section shall relieve the Company from liability, if any, in respect of
such default.
12. NOTICES. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be
in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted
by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be
directed to the Representatives, c/o Merrill Xxxxx, at North Tower, World
Financial Center, New York, New York 10281-1201, attention: Equity Capital
Markets; notices to the Company shall be directed to it at Terminal Drive,
Plainview, New York, attention of President; and notices to the Selling
Shareholders shall be directed to them care of Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx,
Attorney-in-fact, Terminal Drive, Plainview, New York.
13. PARTIES. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be
binding upon the Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Shareholders and
their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is
intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other
than the Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Shareholders and their
respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors
referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any
legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement
or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and
provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the
Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Shareholders and their respective
successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their
heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or
corporation. No
25
purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to
be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.
14. GOVERNING LAW AND TIME. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND
CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. SPECIFIED TIMES
OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.
15. EFFECT OF HEADINGS. The Article and Section headings herein and
the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the
construction hereof.
26
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of
our agreement, please sign and return to the Company and the Attorney-in-Fact
for the Selling Shareholders a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument,
along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement among the
Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Shareholders in accordance with its
terms.
Very truly yours,
VEECO INSTRUMENTS INC.
By:
------------------------------
The Selling Stockholders named on
Exhibit B hereto
By:
------------------------------
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Attorney-in-fact
27
CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,
as of the date first above written:
XXXXXXX XXXXX & CO.
XXXXXXX LYNCH, PIERCE, XXXXXX & XXXXX
INCORPORATED
XXXXXXXXX, LUFKIN & XXXXXXXX SECURITIES CORPORATION
NATIONSBANC XXXXXXXXXX SECURITIES LLC
XXXXXXX XXXXX XXXXXX INC.
SOUNDVIEW TECHNOLOGY GROUP, INC.
BY: XXXXXXX LYNCH, PIERCE, XXXXXX & XXXXX
INCORPORATED
By:
------------------------------
Authorized Signatory
For themselves and as Representatives of the other Underwriters named
in Schedule A hereto.
28
SCHEDULE A
NAME OF UNDERWRITER NUMBER OF INITIAL
SECURITIES
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx
Incorporated......................................
Xxxxxxxxx, Lufkin & Xxxxxxxx Securities Corporation.........
NationsBanc Xxxxxxxxxx Securities LLC
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx Inc.
SoundView Technology Group, Inc.
-------
Total....................................................... 3,575,000
==========
29
SCHEDULE B
NUMBER OF INITIAL MAXIMUM NUMBER OF OPTION
SECURITIES TO BE SOLD SECURITIES TO BE SOLD
Veeco Instruments Inc. 1,000,000
Xxxxx X. Xxxxx, Ph.D. 700,000
Xxxx X. Xxxxxx 420,000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Ph.D. 400,000
Xxxxx Xxxxxx-Xxxxx 400,000
Xxxx X. Xxxxx 175,000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx 200,000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx 100,000
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx 75,000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx 36,000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx 15,000
Xxxx X. Xxxx, Xx. 15,000
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx 25,000
Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx 6,000
Xxx X. Xxxxx, Ph.D. 3,000
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx 5,000
-----
Total.......................... 3,575,000
30
SCHEDULE C
VEECO INSTRUMENTS INC.
3,575,000 Shares of Common Stock
(Par Value $.01 Per Share)
1. The initial public offering price per share for
the Securities, determined as provided in said Section 2,
shall be $ .
2. The purchase price per share for the Securities to
be paid by the several Underwriters shall be $ , being an
amount equal to the initial public offering price set forth
above less $ per share; provided that the purchase price per
share for any Option Securities purchased upon the exercise of
the over-allotment option described in Section 2(b) shall be
reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends or
distributions declared by the Company and payable on the
Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities.
31
[SCHEDULE D]
[List of subsidiaries]
32
[SCHEDULE E]
[List of persons and entities
subject to lock-up]
33
Exhibit A
FORM OF OPINION OF COMPANY'S COUNSEL
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(b)
(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of
Delaware.
(ii) The Company has corporate power and authority to own,
lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the
Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under the Purchase
Agreement.
(iii) The Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation
to transact business and is in good standing in the following
jurisdictions:_______________________.
(iv) The authorized capital stock of the Company is as set
forth in the Prospectus under the caption "Capitalization" (except for
subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to the Purchase Agreement or pursuant to
reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in the Prospectus
or pursuant to the exercise of convertible securities or options referred to in
the Prospectus); the shares of issued and outstanding capital stock of the
Company, including the Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from the
Selling Shareholders, have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully
paid and non-assessable; and none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of
the Company was issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of
any securityholder of the Company.
(v) The Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from
the Company have been duly authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriters
pursuant to the Purchase Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company
pursuant to the Purchase Agreement against payment of the consideration set
forth in the Purchase Agreement, will be validly issued and fully paid and
non-assessable and no holder of the Securities is or will be subject to personal
liability by reason of being such a holder.
(vi) The issuance and sale of the Securities by the Company
and the sale of the Securities by the Selling Shareholders is not subject to the
preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company
contained in the Company's Certificate of Incorporation or bylaws or any other
agreement known to such counsel.
(vii) Each Subsidiary has been duly incorporated and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of
its incorporation, has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate
its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and is
duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good
standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether
by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business,
except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not
result in a Material Adverse Effect; except as
34
otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, all of the issued and
outstanding capital stock of each Subsidiary has been duly authorized and
validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and, to the best of our
knowledge, is owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and
clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or
equity; to the best of our knowledge, none of the outstanding shares of capital
stock of any Subsidiary was issued in violation of the preemptive or similar
rights of any securityholder of such Subsidiary (provided, however, that with
respect to Subsidiaries not incorporated in the State of Delaware or New York,
such counsel may rely on, or cause to be obtained, an opinion of local counsel
as to the matters set forth in this paragraph).
(viii) The Purchase Agreement has been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by the Company.
(ix) The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement, has been declared effective under the 1933 Act; any
required filing of the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) has been made in the
manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b); and, to the best of
our knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has been issued under the
1933 Act and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending
or threatened by the Commission.
(x) The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement, the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434 Information,
as applicable, the Prospectus, excluding the documents incorporated by reference
therein, and each amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and
Prospectus, excluding the documents incorporated by reference therein, as of
their respective effective or issue dates (other than the financial statements
and supporting schedules included therein or omitted therefrom, as to which we
express no opinion) complied as to form in all material respects with the
requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.
(xi) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus
(other than the financial statements and supporting schedules included therein
or omitted therefrom, as to which we express no opinion), when they were filed
with the Commission complied as to form in all material respects with the
requirements of the 1933 Act or 1934 Act, as applicable, and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(xii) The form of certificate used to evidence the Common Stock
complies in all material respects with all applicable statutory requirements,
with any applicable requirements of the charter and by-laws of the Company and
the requirements of the Nasdaq National Market.
(xiii) To the best of our knowledge, there is not pending or
threatened any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation, to which the
Company or any subsidiary is a party, or to which the property of the Company or
any subsidiary is subject, before or brought by any court or governmental agency
or body, domestic or foreign, which might reasonably be expected to result in a
Material Adverse Effect, or which might reasonably be expected to materially and
adversely affect the properties or assets thereof or the consummation of the
transactions
35
contemplated in the Purchase Agreement or the performance by the Company of its
obligations thereunder.
(xiv) The information in the Prospectus under "Risk Factors -
Anti-Takeover Provisions" and "Risk Factors - Shares Eligible for Future Sale"
and in the Registration Statement under Item 15, to the extent that it
constitutes matters of law, summaries of legal matters, the Company's charter
and bylaws or legal proceedings, or legal conclusions, has been reviewed by us
and is correct in all material respects.
(xv) To the best of our knowledge, there are no statutes or
regulations that are required to be described in the Prospectus that are not
described as required.
(xvi) All descriptions in the Registration Statement of
contracts and other documents to which the Company or its subsidiaries are a
party are accurate in all material respects; to the best of our knowledge, there
are no franchises, contracts, indentures, mortgages, loan agreements, notes,
leases or other instruments required to be described or referred to in the
Registration Statement or to be filed as exhibits thereto other than those
described or referred to therein or filed or incorporated by reference as
exhibits thereto, and the descriptions thereof or references thereto are correct
in all material respects.
(xvii) To the best of our knowledge, neither the Company nor any
Subsidiary is in material violation of its charter or by-laws and no material
default by the Company or any Subsidiary exists in the due performance or
observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition
contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or
other agreement or instrument that is described or referred to in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus or filed or incorporated by reference
as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.
(xviii) No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent,
license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or
governmental authority or agency, domestic or foreign (other than under the 1933
Act and the 1933 Act Regulations, which have been obtained, or as may be
required under the securities or blue sky laws of the various states, as to
which we express no opinion) is necessary or required in connection with the due
authorization, execution and delivery of the Purchase Agreement or for the
offering, issuance, sale or delivery of the Securities.
(xix) The execution, delivery and performance of the Purchase
Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated in the Purchase
Agreement and in the Registration Statement (including the issuance and sale of
the Securities and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as
described in the Prospectus under the caption "Use Of Proceeds") and compliance
by the Company with its obligations under the Purchase Agreement do not and will
not, whether with or without the giving of notice or lapse of time or both,
conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event 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 any contract,
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or any
other agreement or instrument filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement
(except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults or Repayment Events or liens,
charges or encumbrances that would not have a Material Adverse Effect), nor will
such
36
action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws of
the Company or any Subsidiary, or any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation,
judgment, order, writ or decree, known to us, of any government, government
instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the
Company or any subsidiary or any of their respective properties, assets or
operations.
Nothing has come to our attention that would lead us to believe that
the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, including the Rule 430A
Information and Rule 434 Information (if applicable) (except for financial
statements and schedules and other financial data included or incorporated by
reference therein or omitted therefrom, as to which we make no statement), at
the time such Registration Statement or any such amendment became effective,
contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading or that the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto
(except for financial statements and schedules and other financial data included
or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom, as to which we make
no statement), at the time the Prospectus was issued, at the time any such
amended or supplemented prospectus was issued or at the Closing Time, included
or includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted 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.
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely as to matters of fact
(but not as to legal conclusions), to the extent they deem proper, on
certificates of responsible officers of the Company and public officials. Such
opinion shall not state that it is to be governed or qualified by, or that it is
otherwise subject to, any treatise, written policy or other document relating to
legal opinions, including, without limitation, the Legal Opinion Accord of the
ABA Section of Business Law (1991).
37
Exhibit B
FORM OF OPINION OF COUNSEL FOR EACH SELLING SHAREHOLDER
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(c)
(i) No filing with, or consent, approval, authorization, license,
order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental
authority or agency, domestic or foreign (other than the issuance of the order
of the Commission declaring the Registration Statement effective and such
authorizations, approvals or consents as may be necessary under state securities
laws, as to which we express no opinion) is necessary or required to be obtained
by the Selling Shareholder for the performance by the Selling Shareholder of his
obligations under the Purchase Agreement or in the Power of Attorney and Custody
Agreement, or in connection with the offer, sale or delivery of the Securities.
(ii) The Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement has been duly
executed and delivered by the Selling Shareholder and constitutes the legal,
valid and binding agreement of the Selling Shareholder.
(iii) The Purchase Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by or
on behalf of the Selling Shareholder.
(iv) Each Attorney-in-Fact has been duly authorized by the Selling
Shareholder to deliver the Securities on behalf of the Selling Shareholder in
accordance with the terms of the Purchase Agreement.
(v) To the best of our knowledge, the Selling Shareholder has
valid and marketable title to the Securities to be sold by the Selling
Shareholder pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, free and clear of any pledge,
lien, security interest, charge, claim, equity or encumbrance of any kind,
and has full right, power and authority to sell, transfer and deliver such
Securities pursuant to the Purchase Agreement. By delivery of a certificate
or certificates therefor the Selling Shareholder will transfer to the
Underwriters who have purchased such Securities pursuant to the Purchase
Agreement (without notice of any defect in the title of the Selling
Shareholder and who are otherwise bona fide purchasers for purposes of the
Uniform Commercial Code) valid and marketable title to such Securities, free
and clear of any pledge, lien, security interest, charge, claim, equity or
encumbrance of any kind.
38
[FORM OF LOCK-UP FROM DIRECTORS, OFFICERS OR OTHER STOCKHOLDERS PURSUANT TO
SECTION 5(K)]
Exhibit C
January 11, 1999
XXXXXXX XXXXX & CO.
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx
Incorporated
Xxxxxxxxx, Lufkin & Xxxxxxxx Securities Corporation
NationsBanc Xxxxxxxxxx Securities LLC
Solomon Xxxxx Xxxxxx Inc.
SoundView Technology Group, Inc.
as Representative(s) of the several
Underwriters to be named in the
within-mentioned Purchase Agreement
x/x Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Xx.
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx
Incorporated
Xxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000-0000
Re: PROPOSED PUBLIC OFFERING BY VEECO INSTRUMENTS INC.
Dear Sirs:
The undersigned, a stockholder, officer and/or director of Veeco
Instruments Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), understands that
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Co., Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated
("Xxxxxxx Xxxxx"), Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx Securities Corporation,
NationsBanc Xxxxxxxxxx Securities LLC, Solomon Xxxxx Xxxxxx Inc. and SoundView
Technology Group, Inc. propose to enter into a Purchase Agreement (the "Purchase
Agreement") with the Company and the Selling Shareholders providing for the
public offering of shares (the "Securities") of the Company's common stock, par
value $.01 per share (the "Common Stock"). In recognition of the benefit that
such an offering will confer upon the undersigned as a stockholder, officer
and/or director of the Company, and for other good and valuable consideration,
the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the undersigned
agrees with each underwriter to be named in the Purchase Agreement that, during
a period of 90 days from the date of the Purchase Agreement, the undersigned
will not, without the prior written consent of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, directly or
indirectly, (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 for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of or transfer any shares
of the Company's Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable
or exercisable for Common Stock, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the
undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires
the power of disposition, or file any registration statement under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii)
enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in
whole or in
39
part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the
Common Stock, whether any such swap or transaction is to be settled by delivery
of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may transfer shares as a
BONA FIDE gift or gifts, provided that the donee or donees thereof agree to be
bound by the restrictions set forth herein. The undersigned also agrees and
consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company's transfer
agent and registrar against the transfer of the undersigned's shares except in
compliance with the foregoing restrictions.
Very truly yours,
Signature:
--------------------------
Print Name:
-------------------------
40
Annex A
FORM OF ACCOUNTANTS' COMFORT LETTER PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(g)
(i) We are independent public accountants with
respect to the Company within the meaning of the 1933 Act and
the applicable published 1933 Act Regulations
(ii) in our opinion, the audited financial
statements and the related financial statement schedules
included or incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus comply as to form in all
material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of the 1933 Act and the published rules and
regulations thereunder;
(iii) on the basis of procedures (but not an
examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards) consisting of a reading of the unaudited interim
consolidated financial statements of the Company for the three
months periods ended March 31, 1997 and March 31, 1998, the
three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 1997 and June 30,
1998, and the three- and nine-month periods ended September
30, 1997 and September 30, 1998, included or incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus
(collectively, the "10-Q Financials") and for the three-month
period ended December 31, 1998 (the "Fourth Quarter
Financials"), a reading of the minutes of all meetings of the
stockholders and directors of the Company and its subsidiaries
and the Audit and Compensation Committees of the Company's
Board of Directors and any subsidiary committees since January
1, 1998, inquiries of certain officials of the Company and its
subsidiaries responsible for financial and accounting matters,
a review of interim financial information in accordance with
standards established by the American Institute of Certified
Public Accountants in Statement on Auditing Standards No. 71,
Interim Financial Information ("SAS 71"), with respect to the
10-Q Financials and the Fourth Quarter Financials and such
other inquiries and procedures as may be specified in such
letter, nothing came to our attention that caused us to
believe that:
(A) the 10-Q Financials incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus do not comply as to form in all material
respects with the applicable accounting requirements of
the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations applicable to
unaudited financial statements included in Form 10-Q or
that any material modifications should be made to the
10-Q Financials incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus for them to be
in conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles;
(B) at December 31, 1998 and at a specified
date not more than five days prior to the date of this
Agreement, there was any increase in the long-term debt
of the Company and its subsidiaries (including current
installments) or any decrease in the shareholders'
equity, capital stock or
41
working capital of the Company and its subsidiaries in
each case as compared with amounts shown in the latest
balance sheet included in the Registration Statement,
except in each case for increases or decreases that the
Registration Statement discloses have occurred or may
occur;
(C) for the period from October 1, 1998 to
December 31, 1998 and for the period from January 1, 1999
to a specified date not more than five days prior to the
date of this Agreement, there was any decrease in net
sales, or total and per share amount of income before
extraordinary items and of net income in each case as
compared with the comparable period in the preceding
year, except in each case for any decreases that the
Registration Statement discloses have occurred or may
occur; or
(D) the sales for the three-month and
twelve-month periods ended December 31, 1998 or the sales
of the three-month period ended December 31, 1997 differ
from the amount set forth in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus.
(iv) based upon the procedures set forth in clause
(iii) above and a reading of the Selected Consolidated
Financial Data included in the Registration Statement and a
reading of the financial statements from which such data
were derived, nothing came to our attention that caused us
to believe that the Selected Consolidated Financial Data
included in the Registration Statement do not comply as to
form in all material respects with the disclosure
requirements of Item 301 of Regulation S-K of the 1933 Act,
that the amounts included in the Selected Consolidated
Financial Data are not in agreement with the corresponding
amounts in the audited consolidated financial statements for
the respective periods or that the financial statements not
included in the Registration Statement from which certain of
such data were derived are not in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles;
(v) we have compared the information included in
the Company's 10-K/A under the heading "Executive
Compensation" and incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement with the disclosure requirements of
Regulation S-K of the 1933 Act and on the basis of limited
procedures specified herein nothing came to our attention
that caused us to believe that this information does not
comply as to form in all material respects with the
disclosure requirements of Item 402 of Regulation S-K;
(vi) in addition to the procedures referred to in
clause (ii) above, we have performed other procedures, not
constituting an audit, with respect to certain amounts,
percentages, numerical data and financial information
appearing in the Registration Statement, which are specified
herein, and have compared certain of such items with, and have
found such items to be in agreement with, the accounting and
financial records of the Company.
42
