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EXHIBIT 1.1
NATIONSBANC XXXXXXXXXX SECURITIES LLC
FORM UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Draft of January 27, 1999
_______________ Shares
MKS Instruments, Inc.
Common Stock
Underwriting Agreement
dated [___]
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____________ Shares
MKS INSTRUMENTS, INC.
Common Stock
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
___, 1999
NATIONSBANC XXXXXXXXXX SECURITIES LLC
XXXXXXXXX, XXXXXX & XXXXXXXX SECURITIES CORPORATION
XXXXXX BROTHERS INC.
As Representatives of the several Underwriters
c/o NATIONSBANC XXXXXXXXXX SECURITIES LLC
000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Introductory. MKS Instruments, Inc., a Massachusetts corporation (the
"Company), proposes to issue and sell to the several underwriters named in
Schedule A (the "Underwriters") an aggregate of [___] shares (the "Firm Common
Shares") of its Common Stock, no par value per share (the "Common Stock"). In
addition, the Company has granted to the Underwriters an option to purchase up
to an additional [___] shares (the "Optional Common Shares") of Common Stock, as
provided in Section 2. The Firm Common Shares and, if and to the extent such
option is exercised, the Optional Common Shares are collectively called the
"Common Shares". NationsBanc Xxxxxxxxxx Securities LLC ("NMS"), Xxxxxxxxx,
Lufkin & Xxxxxxxx Securities Corporation and Xxxxxx Brothers, Inc. have agreed
to act as representatives of the several Underwriters (in such capacity, the
"Representatives") in connection with the offering and sale of the Common
Shares.
The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No.
333-[___]), which contains a form of prospectus to be used in connection with
the public offering and sale of the Common Shares. Such registration statement,
as amended, including the financial statements, exhibits and schedules thereto,
in the form in which it was declared effective by the Commission under the
Securities Act of 1933 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder
(collectively, the "Securities Act"), including any information deemed to be a
part thereof at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A or Rule 434
under the Securities Act, is called the "Registration Statement". Any
registration statement filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the
Securities Act is called the "Rule 462(b) Registration Statement", and from and
after the date and time of filing of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement the
term "Registration Statement" shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement. Such prospectus, in the form first used by the Underwriters to
confirm sales of the Common Shares, is called the "Prospectus"; provided,
however, if the Company has, with the consent of NMS, elected to rely upon Rule
434 under the Securities Act, the term "Prospectus" shall mean the Company's
prospectus subject
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to completion (each, a "preliminary prospectus") dated [___] (such preliminary
prospectus is called the "Rule 434 preliminary prospectus"), together with the
applicable term sheet (the "Term Sheet") prepared and filed by the Company with
the Commission under Rules 434 and 424(b) under the Securities Act and all
references in this Agreement to the date of the Prospectus shall mean the date
of the Term Sheet. All references in this Agreement to the Registration
Statement, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, a preliminary prospectus, the
Prospectus or the Term Sheet, or any amendments or supplements to any of the
foregoing, shall include any copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to
its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System ("XXXXX").
The Company hereby confirms its agreements with the Underwriters as
follows:
Section 1. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company hereby
represents, warrants and covenants to each Underwriter as follows:
(a) Compliance with Registration Requirements. The Registration
Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement have been declared
effective by the Commission under the Securities Act. The Company has complied
to the Commission's satisfaction with all requests of the Commission for
additional or supplemental information. No stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted
or are pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or
threatened by the Commission.
Each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus when filed complied in all
material respects with the Securities Act and, if filed by electronic
transmission pursuant to XXXXX (except as may be permitted by Regulation S-T
under the Securities Act), was identical to the copy thereof delivered to the
Underwriters for use in connection with the offer and sale of the Common Shares.
Each of the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and
any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became effective and at all
subsequent times up to and including the Closing Date, complied and will comply
in all material respects with the Securities Act and did not and will not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading. The Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, as of its date and at
all subsequent times up to and including the Closing Date, did not and will not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or 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. The representations
and warranties set forth in the two immediately preceding sentences do not apply
to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the
Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements thereto, made in reliance upon and
in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the
Company in writing by the Representatives expressly for use therein. There are
no contracts or other documents required to be described in the Prospectus or to
be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which have not been described
or filed as required.
(b) Offering Materials Furnished to Underwriters. The Company has
delivered to the Representatives one complete manually signed copy of the
Registration Statement and of each consent and certificate of experts filed as a
part thereof, and conformed copies of the Registration Statement (without
exhibits) and preliminary prospectuses and the Prospectus, as amended or
supplemented, in such quantities and at such places as the Representatives have
reasonably requested for each of the Underwriters.
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(c) Distribution of Offering Material By the Company. The Company has
not distributed and will not distribute, prior to the later of the Second
Closing Date (as defined below) and the completion of the Underwriters'
distribution of the Common Shares, any offering material in connection with the
offering and sale of the Common Shares other than a preliminary prospectus, the
Prospectus or the Registration Statement.
(d) The Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by, and is a valid and binding agreement of,
the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as rights to
indemnification hereunder may be limited by applicable law and except as the
enforcement hereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and
remedies of creditors or by general equitable principles.
(e) Authorization of the Common Shares. The Common Shares to be
purchased by the Underwriters from the Company have been duly authorized for
issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by
the Company pursuant to this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.
(f) No Applicable Registration or Other Similar Rights. There are no
persons with registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt
securities registered for sale under the Registration Statement or included in
the offering contemplated by this Agreement, except for such rights as have been
duly waived.
(g) No Material Adverse Change. Except as otherwise disclosed in the
Prospectus, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given
in the Prospectus: (i) there has been no material adverse change, or any
development that could reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse
change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business,
operations or prospects, whether or not arising from transactions in the
ordinary course of business, of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as
one entity (any such change is called a "Material Adverse Change"); (ii) the
Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one entity, have not incurred any
material liability or obligation, indirect, direct or contingent, not in the
ordinary course of business nor entered into any material transaction or
agreement not in the ordinary course of business; and (iii) there has been no
dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company or,
except for dividends paid to the Company or other subsidiaries, any of its
subsidiaries on any class of capital stock or repurchase or redemption by the
Company or any of its subsidiaries of any class of capital stock.
(h) Independent Accountants. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who have
expressed their opinion with respect to the financial statements (which term as
used in this Agreement includes the related notes thereto) filed with the
Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and included in the
Prospectus, are independent public or certified public accountants as required
by the Securities Act.
(i) Preparation of the Financial Statements. The financial statements
filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and included
in the Prospectus present fairly the consolidated financial position of the
Company and its subsidiaries as of and at the dates indicated and the results of
their operations and cash flows for the periods specified. Such financial
statements [and supporting schedules] have been prepared in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis
throughout the periods involved, except as may be expressly stated in the
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related notes thereto. No other financial statements or supporting schedules are
required to be included in the Registration Statement. The financial data set
forth in the Prospectus under the captions "Prospectus Summary--Summary Selected
Financial Data", "Selected Financial Data" and "Capitalization" fairly present
the information set forth therein on a basis consistent with that of the audited
financial statements contained in the Registration Statement.
(j) Incorporation and Good Standing of the Company and its
Subsidiaries. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has been duly
incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the
laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation and has corporate power and
authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business
as described in the Prospectus and, in the case of the Company, to enter into
and perform its obligations under this Agreement. Each of the Company and each
subsidiary 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 for such jurisdictions where the failure to so
qualify or to be in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate,
result in a Material Adverse Change. All of the issued and outstanding capital
stock of each subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully
paid and nonassessable and is owned by the Company, directly or through
subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien,
encumbrance or claim. The Company does not own or control, directly or
indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the
subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21.1 to the Registration Statement.
(k) Capitalization and Other Capital Stock Matters. After giving effect
to the assumptions set forth in the Prospectus, (i) the authorized, issued and
outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the Prospectus under
the caption "Capitalization" (other than for subsequent issuances, if any,
pursuant to employee benefit plans described in the Prospectus or upon exercise
of outstanding options described in the Prospectus), (ii) the Common Stock
(including the Common Shares) conforms in all material respects to the
description thereof contained in the Prospectus. All of the issued and
outstanding shares of Common Stock have been duly authorized and validly issued,
are fully paid and nonassessable and have been issued in compliance with federal
and state securities laws. None of the outstanding shares of Common Stock were
issued in violation of any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other
similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities of the Company. There are
no authorized or outstanding options, warrants, preemptive rights, rights of
first refusal or other rights to purchase, or equity or debt securities
convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, any capital stock of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries other than those accurately described in the
Prospectus. The description of the Company's stock option, stock bonus and other
stock plans or arrangements, and the options or other rights granted thereunder,
set forth in the Prospectus accurately and fairly presents the information
required to be shown with respect to such plans, arrangements, options and
rights.
(l) Stock Exchange Listing. The Common Shares have been approved for
listing on the Nasdaq National Market, subject only to official notice of
issuance.
(m) Non-Contravention of Existing Instruments; No Further
Authorizations or Approvals Required. Neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries is in violation of its charter or by-laws or is in default (or,
with the giving of notice or lapse of time, would be in default) ("Default")
under any indenture, mortgage, loan or credit agreement, note, contract,
franchise, lease or other 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 of its subsidiaries is
subject (each, an "Existing Instrument"), except for such Defaults as would not,
individually or in the aggregate, result in
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a Material Adverse Change. The Company's execution, delivery and performance of
this Agreement and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and by
the Prospectus (i) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action
and will not result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws
of the Company or any subsidiary, (ii) will not conflict with or constitute a
breach of, or Default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any
lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of
its subsidiaries pursuant to, or require the consent of any other part to, any
Existing Instrument, except for such conflicts, breaches, Defaults, liens,
charges or encumbrances as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result
in a Material Adverse Change and (iii) will not result in any violation of any
law, administrative regulation or administrative or court decree applicable to
the Company or any subsidiary. No consent, approval, authorization or other
order of, or registration or filing with, any court or other governmental or
regulatory authority or agency, is required for the Company's execution,
delivery and performance of this Agreement and consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby and by the Prospectus, except such as have been obtained or
made by the Company and are in full force and effect under the Securities Act,
applicable state securities or blue sky laws and from the National Association
of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD").
(n) No Material Actions or Proceedings. There are no legal or
governmental actions, suits or proceedings pending or, to the best of the
Company's knowledge, threatened (i) against or affecting the Company or any of
its subsidiaries, (ii) which has as the subject thereof any officer or director
of, or property owned or leased by, the Company or any of its subsidiaries or
(iii) relating to environmental or discrimination matters, where in any such
case (A) there is a reasonable possibility that such action, suit or proceeding
might be determined adversely to the Company or such subsidiary and (B) any such
action, suit or proceeding, if so determined adversely, would reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Change or adversely affect the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. No material
labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
exists or, to the best of the Company's knowledge, is threatened or imminent.
(o) Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and its subsidiaries own
or possess sufficient trademarks, trade names, patent rights, copyrights,
licenses, approvals, trade secrets and other similar rights (collectively,
"Intellectual Property Rights") reasonably necessary to conduct their businesses
as now conducted; and the expected expiration of any of such Intellectual
Property Rights would not result in a Material Adverse Change. Neither the
Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of infringement or
conflict with asserted Intellectual Property Rights of others, which
infringement or conflict, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, would
result in a Material Adverse Change.
(p) All Necessary Permits, etc. The Company and each subsidiary possess
such valid and current certificates, authorizations or permits issued by the
appropriate state, federal or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to
conduct their respective businesses (other than any the absence of which would
not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change, and
neither the Company nor any subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings
relating to the revocation or modification of, or non-compliance with, any such
certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the
subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, could result in a
Material Adverse Change.
(q) Title to Properties. The Company and each of its subsidiaries has
good and marketable title to all the properties and assets reflected as owned in
the financial statements referred to in Section (i) above (or elsewhere in the
Prospectus), in each case, except as disclosed in the Prospectus, free and clear
of any security interests, mortgages, liens, encumbrances, equities, claims and
other defects, except
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such as do not materially and adversely affect the value of such property and do
not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such
property by the Company or such subsidiary. The real property, improvements,
equipment and personal property held under lease by the Company or any
subsidiary are held under valid and enforceable leases, with such exceptions as
are not material and do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed
to be made of such real property, improvements, equipment or personal property
by the Company or such subsidiary.
(r) Tax Law Compliance. The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all
necessary federal, state and foreign income and franchise tax returns or have
properly requested extensions thereof and have paid all taxes required to be
paid by any of them and, if due and payable, any related or similar assessment,
fine or penalty levied against any of them except as may be being contested in
good faith and by appropriate proceedings. The Company has made adequate
charges, accruals and reserves in the applicable financial statements referred
to in Section 1(i) above in respect of all federal, state and foreign income and
franchise taxes for all periods as to which the tax liability of the Company or
any of its subsidiaries has not been finally determined.
(s) Company Not an "Investment Company". The Company has been advised
of the rules and requirements under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended (the "Investment Company Act"). The Company is not, and after receipt of
payment for the Common Shares will not be, an "investment company" within the
meaning of Investment Company Act and will conduct its business in a manner so
that it will not become subject to the Investment Company Act.
(t) Insurance. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries are insured by
recognized, financially sound and reputable institutions with policies in such
amounts and with such deductibles and covering such risks as the Company has
reasonably deemed adequate and customary for their businesses including, but not
limited to, policies covering real and personal property owned or leased by the
Company and its subsidiaries against theft, damage, destruction, and acts of
vandalism. The Company has no reason to believe that it or any subsidiary will
not be able (i) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such
policies expire or (ii) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions
as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and
at a cost that would not result in a Material Adverse Change. Neither of the
Company nor any subsidiary has been denied any insurance coverage which it has
sought or for which it has applied.
(u) No Price Stabilization or Manipulation. The Company has not taken
and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might
be reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of
the price of the Common Stock to facilitate the sale or resale of the Common
Shares.
(v) Related Party Transactions. There are no business relationships or
related-party transactions involving the Company or any subsidiary or any other
person required to be described in the Prospectus which have not been described
as required.
(w) No Unlawful Contributions or Other Payments. Neither the Company
nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the best of the Company's knowledge, any
employee or agent of the Company or any subsidiary, has made any contribution or
other payment to any official of, or candidate for, any federal, state or
foreign office in violation of any law or of the character required to be
disclosed in the Prospectus.
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Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company and
delivered to the Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be
deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as
to the matters set forth therein.
Section 2. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Common Shares.
The Firm Common Shares. The Company agrees to issue and sell
to the several Underwriters the Firm Common Shares upon the terms herein set
forth. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein
contained, and upon the terms but subject to the conditions herein set forth,
the Underwriters agree, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company
the respective number of Firm Common Shares set forth opposite their names on
Schedule A. The purchase price per Firm Common Share to be paid by the several
Underwriters to the Company shall be $[___] per share.
The First Closing Date. Delivery of certificates for the Firm Common
Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters and payment therefor shall be made at
the offices of NMS, 600
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Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx (or such other place as may be
agreed to by the Company and the Representatives) at 6:00 a.m. San Francisco
time, on [___], or such other time and date not later than 10:30 a.m. San
Francisco time, on [___] as the Representatives shall designate by notice to the
Company (the time and date of such closing are called the "First Closing Date").
The Company hereby acknowledges that circumstances under which the
Representatives may provide notice to postpone the First Closing Date as
originally scheduled include, but are in no way limited to, any determination by
the Company or the Representatives to recirculate to the public copies of an
amended or supplemented Prospectus or a delay as contemplated by the provisions
of Section 10.
The Optional Common Shares; the Second Closing Date. In
addition, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein
contained, and upon the terms but subject to the conditions herein set forth,
the Company hereby grants an option to the several Underwriters to purchase,
severally and not jointly, up to an aggregate of [___] Optional Common Shares
from the Company at the purchase price per share to be paid by the Underwriters
for the Firm Common Shares. The option granted hereunder is for use by the
Underwriters solely in covering any over-allotments in connection with the sale
and distribution of the Firm Common Shares. The option granted hereunder may be
exercised at any time (but not more than once) upon notice by the
Representatives to the Company, which notice may be given at any time within 30
days from the date of this Agreement. Such notice shall set forth (i) the
aggregate number of Optional Common Shares as to which the Underwriters are
exercising the option, (ii) the names and denominations in which the
certificates for the Optional Common Shares are to be registered and (iii) the
time, date and place at which such certificates will be delivered (which time
and date may be simultaneous with, but not earlier than, the First Closing Date;
and in such case the term "First Closing Date" shall refer to the time and date
of delivery of certificates for the Firm Common Shares and the Optional Common
Shares). Such time and date of delivery, if subsequent to the First Closing
Date, is called the "Second Closing Date" and shall be determined by the
Representatives and shall not be earlier than three nor later than five full
business days after delivery of such notice of exercise. If any Optional Common
Shares are to be purchased, each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly,
to purchase the number of Optional Common Shares (subject to such adjustments to
eliminate fractional shares as the Representatives may determine) that bears the
same proportion to the total number of Optional Common Shares to be purchased as
the number of Firm Common Shares set forth on Schedule A opposite the name of
such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Common Shares. The
Representatives may cancel the option at any time prior to its expiration by
giving written notice of such cancellation to the Company.
Public Offering of the Common Shares. The Representatives
hereby advise the Company that the Underwriters intend to offer for sale to the
public, as described in the Prospectus, their respective portions of the Common
Shares as soon after this Agreement has been executed and the Registration
Statement has been declared effective as the Representatives, in their sole
judgment, have determined is advisable and practicable.
Payment for the Common Shares. Payment for the Common Shares
shall be made at the First Closing Date (and, if applicable, at the Second
Closing Date) by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the order of
the Company.
It is understood that the Representatives have been
authorized, for their own account and the accounts of the several Underwriters,
to accept delivery of and receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price
for, the Firm Common Shares and any Optional Common Shares the Underwriters have
agreed to purchase. NMS, individually and not as the Representatives of the
Underwriters, may (but
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shall not be obligated to) make payment for any Common Shares to be purchased by
any Underwriter whose funds shall not have been received by the Representatives
by the First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, for
the account of such Underwriter, but any such payment shall not relieve such
Underwriter from any of its obligations under this Agreement.
Delivery of the Common Shares. The Company shall deliver, or
cause to be delivered, to the Representatives for the accounts of the several
Underwriters certificates for the Firm Common Shares at the First Closing Date,
against the irrevocable release of a wire transfer of immediately available
funds for the amount of the purchase price therefor. The Company shall also
deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Representatives for the accounts of
the several Underwriters, certificates for the Optional Common Shares the
Underwriters have agreed to purchase at the First Closing Date or the Second
Closing Date, as the case may be, against the irrevocable release of a wire
transfer of immediately available funds for the amount of the purchase price
therefor. The certificates for the Common Shares shall be in definitive form and
registered in such names and denominations as the Representatives shall have
requested at least two full business days prior to the First Closing Date (or
the Second Closing Date, as the case may be) and shall be made available for
inspection on the business day preceding the First Closing Date (or the Second
Closing Date, as the case may be) at a location in New York City as the
Representatives may designate. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the
time and place specified in this Agreement is a further condition to the
obligations of the Underwriters.
Delivery of Prospectus to the Underwriters. Not later than
12:00 p.m. on the second business day following the date the Common Shares are
released by the Underwriters for sale to the public, the Company shall delivery
or cause to be delivered copies of the Prospectus in such quantities and at such
places as the Representatives shall request.
Section 3. Additional Covenants of the Company. The Company further covenants
and agrees with each Underwriter as follows:
(a) Representatives' Review of Proposed Amendments and Supplements.
During such period beginning on the date hereof and ending on the later of the
First Closing Date or such date, as in the opinion of counsel for the
Underwriters, the Prospectus is no longer required by law to be delivered in
connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer (the "Prospectus Delivery
Period"), prior to amending or supplementing the Registration Statement
(including any registration statement filed under Rule 462(b) under the
Securities Act) or the Prospectus, the Company shall furnish to the
Representatives for review a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement,
and the Company shall not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to
which the Representatives reasonably object.
(b) Securities Act Compliance. After the date of this Agreement, the
Company shall promptly advise the Representatives in writing (i) of the receipt
of any comments of, or requests for additional or supplemental information from,
the Commission, (ii) of the time and date of any filing of any post-effective
amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to any
preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, (iii) of the time and date that any
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement becomes effective and
(iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment
thereto or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary
prospectus or the Prospectus, or of any proceedings to remove, suspend or
terminate from listing or quotation the Common Stock from any securities
exchange upon which it is listed for trading or included or designated for
quotation, or of
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the threatening or initiation of any proceedings for any of such purposes. If
the Commission shall enter any such stop order at any time, the Company will use
its best efforts to obtain the lifting of such order at the earliest possible
moment. Additionally, the Company agrees that it shall comply with the
provisions of Rules 424(b), 430A and 434, as applicable, under the Securities
Act and will use its reasonable efforts to confirm that any filings made by the
Company under such Rule 424(b) were received in a timely manner by the
Commission.
(c) Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus and Other Securities
Act Matters. If, during the Prospectus Delivery Period, any event shall occur or
condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the
Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading,
or if in the opinion of the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters it
is otherwise necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with law,
the Company agrees to promptly prepare (subject to Section 3(a) hereof), file
with the Commission and furnish at its own expense to the Underwriters and to
dealers, amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in
the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the
circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or
so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with law.
(d) Copies of any Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus. The
Company agrees to furnish the Representatives, without charge, during the
Prospectus Delivery Period, as many copies of the Prospectus and any amendments
and supplements thereto as the Representatives may request.
(e) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company shall cooperate with the
Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters to qualify or register the
Common Shares for sale under (or obtain exemptions from the application of) the
state securities or blue sky laws or Canadian provincial Securities laws of
those jurisdictions designated by the Representatives, shall comply with such
laws and shall continue such qualifications, registrations and exemptions in
effect so long as required for the distribution of the Common Shares. The
Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to take any
action that would subject it to general service of process in any such
jurisdiction where it is not presently qualified or where it would be subject to
taxation as a foreign corporation. The Company will advise the Representatives
promptly of the suspension of the qualification or registration of (or any such
exemption relating to) the Common Shares for offering, sale or trading in any
jurisdiction or any initiation or threat of any proceeding for any such purpose,
and in the event of the issuance of any order suspending such qualification,
registration or exemption, the Company shall use its best efforts to obtain the
withdrawal thereof at the earliest possible moment.
(f) Use of Proceeds. The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the
sale of the Common Shares sold by it in the manner described under the caption
"Use of Proceeds" in the Prospectus.
(g) Transfer Agent. The Company shall engage and maintain, at its
expense, a registrar and transfer agent for the Common Stock.
(h) Earnings Statement. As soon as practicable, the Company will make
generally available to its security holders and to the Representatives an
earnings statement (which need not be audited) covering the twelve-month period
ending [___] that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities
Act.
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(i) Periodic Reporting Obligations. During the Prospectus Delivery
Period the Company shall file, on a timely basis, with the Commission and the
Nasdaq National Market all reports and documents required to be filed under the
Exchange Act.
(j) Agreement Not To Offer or Sell Additional Securities During the
period of 180 days following the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not,
without the prior written consent of NMS (which consent may be withheld at the
sole discretion of NMS), directly or indirectly, sell, offer, contract or grant
any option to sell, pledge, transfer or establish an open "put equivalent
position" within the meaning of Rule 16a-1(h) under the Exchange Act, or
otherwise dispose of or transfer, or announce the offering of, or file any
registration statement under the Securities Act in respect of, any shares of
Common Stock, options or warrants to acquire shares of the Common Stock or
securities exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into shares of Common
Stock (other than as contemplated by this Agreement with respect to the Common
Shares); provided, however, that the Company may issue shares of its Common
Stock or options to purchase its Common Stock, or Common Stock upon exercise of
options, pursuant to any stock option, stock bonus or other stock plan or
arrangement described in the Prospectus, (ii) file one or more Registration
Statements on Form S-8, and (iii) issue shares in connection with any
acquisition if recipients agree in writing not to sell, offer, dispose of or
otherwise transfer any such shares during such 180 day period without the prior
written consent of NMS (which consent may be withheld at the sole discretion of
the NMS).
(k) Future Reports to the Representatives. During the period of five
years hereafter the Company will furnish to the Representatives at [600
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000] [9 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, XX
00000] [Two Xxxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxx, XX 00000] Attention:[ ]: (i) as soon as
practicable after the end of each fiscal year, copies of the Annual Report of
the Company containing the balance sheet of the Company as of the close of such
fiscal year and statements of income, stockholders' equity and cash flows for
the year then ended and the opinion thereon of the Company's independent public
or certified public accountants; (ii) as soon as practicable after the filing
thereof, copies of each proxy statement, Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q, Current Report on Form 8-K or other report filed by the
Company with the Commission, the NASD or any securities exchange; and (iii) as
soon as available, copies of any report or communication of the Company mailed
generally to holders of its capital stock.
Section 4. Payment of Expenses. The Company agrees to pay all costs, fees and
expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations
hereunder and in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including
without limitation (i) all expenses incident to the issuance and delivery of the
Common Shares (including all printing and engraving costs), (ii) all fees and
expenses of the registrar and transfer agent of the Common Stock, (iii) all
necessary issue, transfer and other stamp taxes in connection with the issuance
and sale of the Common Shares to the Underwriters, (iv) all fees and expenses of
the Company's counsel, independent public or certified public accountants and
other advisors, (v) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the
preparation, printing, filing, shipping and distribution of the Registration
Statement (including financial statements, exhibits, schedules, consents and
certificates of experts), each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus, and
all amendments and supplements thereto, and this Agreement, (vi) all filing
fees, attorneys' fees and expenses incurred by the Company or the Underwriters
in connection with qualifying or registering (or obtaining exemptions from the
qualification or registration of) all or any part of the Common Shares for offer
and sale under the state securities or blue sky laws or the provincial
securities laws of Canada, and, if requested by the Representatives, preparing
and printing a "Blue Sky Survey" or memorandum, and any supplements thereto,
advising the Underwriters of such qualifications, registrations and exemptions,
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(vii) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and expenses of
counsel for the Underwriters in connection with, the NASD's review and approval
of the Underwriters' participation in the offering and distribution of the
Common Shares, (viii) the fees and expenses associated with [listing] the Common
Shares on the Nasdaq National Market, and (ix) all other fees, costs and
expenses referred to in Item 13 of Part II of the Registration Statement. Except
as provided in this Section 4, Section 6, Section 8 and Section 9 hereof, the
Underwriters shall pay their own expenses, including the fees and disbursements
of their counsel.
Section 5. Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of
the several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Common Shares as provided
herein on the First Closing Date and, with respect to the Optional Common
Shares, the Second Closing Date, shall be subject to the accuracy of the
representations and warranties on the part of the Company set forth in Section 1
hereof as of the date hereof and as of the First Closing Date as though then
made and, with respect to the Optional Common Shares, as of the Second Closing
Date as though then made, to the timely performance by the Company of its
covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to each of the following
additional conditions:
(a) Accountants' Comfort Letter. On the date hereof, the
Representatives shall have received from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent
public or certified public accountants for the Company, a letter dated the date
hereof addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Representatives, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily
included in accountant's "comfort letters" to underwriters, delivered according
to Statement of Auditing Standards No. 72 (or any successor bulletin), with
respect to the audited and unaudited financial statements and certain financial
information contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (and the
Representatives shall have received an additional [___] conformed copies of such
accountants' letter for each of the several Underwriters).
(b) Compliance with Registration Requirements; No Stop Order; No
Objection from NASD. For the period from and after effectiveness of this
Agreement and prior to the First Closing Date and, with respect to the Optional
Common Shares, the Second Closing Date:
(i) the Company shall have filed the Prospectus with the
Commission (including the information required by Rule 430A under the Securities
Act) in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) under the
Securities Act; or the Company shall have filed a post-effective amendment to
the Registration Statement containing the information required by such Rule
430A, and such post-effective amendment shall have become effective; or, if the
Company elected to rely upon Rule 434 under the Securities Act and obtained the
Representatives' consent thereto, the Company shall have filed a Term Sheet with
the Commission in the manner and within the time period required by such Rule
424(b);
(ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or any
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, shall be in effect and
no proceedings for such purpose shall have been instituted or threatened by the
Commission; and
(iii) the NASD shall have raised no objection to the fairness
and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.
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(c) No Material Adverse Change or Ratings Agency Change. For the period
from and after the date of this Agreement and prior to the First Closing Date
and, with respect to the Optional Common Shares, the Second Closing Date:
(i) in the judgment of the Representatives there shall not
have occurred any Material Adverse Change; and
(ii) there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall
any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any
review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the
possible change, in the rating accorded any securities of the Company or any of
its subsidiaries by any "nationally recognized statistical rating organization"
as such term is defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act.
(d) Opinion of Counsel for the Company. On each of the First Closing
Date and the Second Closing Date the Representatives shall have received the
favorable opinion of Xxxx and Xxxx, counsel for the Company, dated as of such
Closing Date, reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives with respect to the
matters set forth in Exhibit A-1 attached hereto. On each of the First Closing
Date and the Second Closing Date the Representatives shall have received the
favorable opinion of Hill & Xxxxxx, counsel for the Company, dated as of such
Closing Date, reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives with respect to the
matters set forth in Exhibit A-2 attached hereto. In each case, the
Representatives shall have received an additional [___] conformed copies of such
counsel's legal opinions for each of the several Underwriters.
(e) Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriters. On each of the First
Closing Date and the Second Closing Date the Representatives shall have received
the favorable opinion of Ropes & Xxxx, counsel for the Underwriters, dated as of
such Closing Date, with respect to the matters set forth in paragraphs (i),
(viii), (ix) and the next-to-last paragraph of Exhibit A (and the
Representatives shall have received an additional [___] conformed copies of such
counsel's legal opinion for each of the several Underwriters).
(f) Officers' Certificate. On each of the First Closing Date and the
Second Closing Date the Representatives shall have received a written
certificate executed by the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer or
President of the Company and the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting
Officer of the Company, dated as of such Closing Date, to the effect set forth
in subsections (b)(ii) and (c)(ii) of this Section 5, and further to the effect
that:
(i) for the period from and after the date of this Agreement
and prior to such Closing Date, there has not occurred any Material Adverse
Change;
(ii) the representations, warranties and covenants of the
Company set forth in Section 1 of this Agreement are true and correct with the
same force and effect as though expressly made on and as of such Closing Date;
and
(iii) the Company has complied with all the agreements and
satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or
prior to such Closing Date.
(g) Bring-down Comfort Letter. On each of the First Closing Date and
the Second Closing Date the Representatives shall have received from
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent public or certified public accountants
for the Company, a letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to
the
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Representatives, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the
letter furnished by them pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section 5, except
that the specified date referred to therein for the carrying out of procedures
shall be no more than three business days prior to the First Closing Date or
Second Closing Date, as the case may be (and the Representatives shall have
received an additional [___] conformed copies of such accountants' letter for
each of the several Underwriters).
(h) Lock-Up Agreement from Stockholders and Optionholders of the
Company. On the date hereof, the Company shall have furnished to the
Representatives an agreement in the form of Exhibit B hereto from those
stockholders and optionholders of the Company as agreed among the Company and
the Representatives, and such agreement shall be in full force and effect on
each of the First Closing Date and the Second Closing Date.
(i) Additional Documents. On or before each of the First Closing Date
and the Second Closing Date, the Representatives and counsel for the
Underwriters shall have received such information, documents and opinions as
they may reasonably require for the purposes of enabling them to pass upon the
issuance and sale of the Common Shares as contemplated herein, or in order to
evidence the accuracy of any of the representations and warranties, or the
satisfaction of any of the conditions or agreements, herein contained.
If any condition specified in this Section 5 is not satisfied when and
as required to be satisfied, this Agreement may be terminated by the
Representatives by notice to the Company at any time on or prior to the First
Closing Date and, with respect to the Optional Common Shares, at any time prior
to the Second Closing Date, which termination shall be without liability on the
part of any party to any other party, except that Section 4, Section 6, Section
8 and Section 9 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such
termination.
Section 6. Reimbursement of Underwriters' Expenses. If this Agreement is
terminated by the Representatives pursuant to Section 5, Section 7, or Section
11 (iv) or 11(v), or if the sale to the Underwriters of the Common Shares on the
First Closing Date is not consummated because of any refusal, inability or
failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or to comply
with any provision hereof, the Company agrees to reimburse the Representatives
and the other Underwriters (or such Underwriters as have terminated this
Agreement with respect to themselves), severally, upon demand for all
out-of-pocket expenses that shall have been reasonably incurred by the
Representatives and the Underwriters in connection with the proposed purchase
and the offering and sale of the Common Shares, including but not limited to
fees and disbursements of counsel, printing expenses, travel expenses, postage,
facsimile and telephone charges.
Section 7. Effectiveness of this Agreement.
This Agreement shall not become effective until the later of
(i) the execution of this Agreement by the parties hereto and (ii) notification
by the Commission to the Company and the Representatives of the effectiveness of
the Registration Statement under the Securities Act.
Prior to such effectiveness, this Agreement may be terminated
by any party by notice to each of the other parties hereto, and any such
termination shall be without liability on the part of (a) the Company to any
Underwriter, except that the Company shall be obligated to reimburse the
expenses of the Representatives and the Underwriters pursuant to Sections 4 and
6 hereof, (b) of any Underwriter to
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the Company, or (c) of any party hereto to any other party except that the
provisions of Section 8 and Section 9 shall at all times be effective and shall
survive such termination.
Section 8. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters. The Company agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its officers and employees, and
each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the
Securities Act and the Exchange Act against any loss, claim, damage, liability
or expense, as incurred, to which such Underwriter or such controlling person
may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other federal
or state statutory law or regulation, or at common law or otherwise (including
in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written
consent of the Company), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or
expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or
is based (i) upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto,
including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430A or
Rule 434 under the Securities Act, 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 (ii) upon any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact contained 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; or (iii) in whole or in part upon any inaccuracy in the
representations and warranties of the Company contained herein; or (iv) in whole
or in part upon any failure of the Company to perform its obligations hereunder
or under law; or (v) any act or failure to act or any alleged act or failure to
act by any Underwriter in connection with, or relating in any manner to, the
Common Stock or the offering contemplated hereby, and which is included as part
of or referred to in any loss, claim, damage, liability or action arising out of
or based upon any matter covered by clause (i) or (ii) above, provided that the
Company shall not be liable under this clause (v) to the extent that a court of
competent jurisdiction shall have determined by a final judgment that such loss,
claim, damage, liability or action resulted directly from any such acts or
failures to act undertaken or omitted to be taken by such Underwriter through
its bad faith or willful misconduct; and to reimburse each Underwriter and each
such controlling person for any and all expenses (including the fees and
disbursements of counsel chosen by NMSI) as such expenses are reasonably
incurred by such Underwriter or such controlling person in connection with
investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim,
damage, liability, expense or action; provided, however, that the foregoing
indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, claim, damage, liability or
expense to the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or based upon any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission
made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to
the Company by the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration
Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or
supplement thereto); and provided, further, that with respect to any preliminary
prospectus, the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not inure to the benefit of
any Underwriter from whom the person asserting any loss, claim, damage,
liability or expense purchased Common Shares, or any person controlling such
Underwriter, if copies of the Prospectus were timely delivered to the
Underwriter pursuant to Section 2 and a copy of the Prospectus (as then amended
or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or
supplements thereto) was not sent or given by or on behalf of such Underwriter
to such person, if required by law so to have been delivered, at or prior to the
written confirmation of the sale of the Common Shares to such person, and if the
Prospectus (as so amended or supplemented) would have cured the defect giving
rise to such loss, claim,
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damage, liability or expense. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section
8(a) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Company may otherwise
have.
(b) Indemnification of the Company, its Directors and Officers. Each
Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless
the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signed the
Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within
the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, against any loss, claim,
damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Company, or any such
director, officer or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities
Act, the Exchange Act, or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or
at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such
settlement is effected with the written consent of such Underwriter), insofar as
such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as
contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon any untrue or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any
preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
thereto), or arises out of or is based upon the omission or alleged omission to
state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to
the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission
or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, any preliminary
prospectus, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the
Representatives expressly for use therein; and to reimburse the Company, or any
such director, officer or controlling person for any legal and other expense
reasonably incurred by the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling
person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or
paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action. The Company
hereby acknowledges that the only information that the Underwriters have
furnished to the Company expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any
preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
thereto) are the statements set forth (A) as the last [two] paragraphs on the
inside front cover page of the Prospectus concerning stabilization [and passive
market making] by the Underwriters and (B) in the table in the first paragraph
and as the second paragraph [second and [_] (1) paragraphs] under the caption
"Underwriting" in the Prospectus; and the Underwriters confirm that such
statements are correct. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 8(b)
shall be in addition to any liabilities that each Underwriter may otherwise
have.
(c) Notifications and Other Indemnification Procedures. Promptly after
receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of the
commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect
thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under this Section 8, notify
the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof, but the omission
so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any liability which
it may have to any indemnified party for contribution or otherwise than under
the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 8 or to the extent it is not
prejudiced as a proximate result of such failure. In case any such action is
brought against any indemnified party and such indemnified party seeks or
intends to seek indemnity from an indemnifying party, the indemnifying party
will be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall elect,
jointly with all other indemnifying parties similarly notified, by written
notice delivered to the indemnified party promptly after receiving the aforesaid
notice from such indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel
reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, if the
defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the
indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded
that a conflict may arise between the positions of the indemnifying party and
the indemnified party in conducting the defense of any such action or that there
may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are
different from or
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additional to those available to the indemnifying party, the indemnified party
or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to assume such legal
defenses and to otherwise participate in the defense of such action on behalf of
such indemnified party or parties. Upon receipt of notice from the indemnifying
party to such indemnified party of such indemnifying party's election so to
assume the defense of such action and approval by the indemnified party of
counsel, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party
under this Section 8 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by
such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof unless (i) the
indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in accordance with the
proviso to the next preceding sentence (it being understood, however, that the
indemnifying party shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one
separate counsel (together with local counsel), approved by the indemnifying
party (NMS in the case of Section 8(b) and Section 9), representing the
indemnified parties who are parties to such action) or (ii) the indemnifying
party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to
represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of
commencement of the action, in each of which cases the fees and expenses of
counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnifying party.
(d) Settlements. The indemnifying party under this Section 8 shall not
be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written
consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for
the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party
against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such
settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time
an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the
indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by Section
8(c) hereof, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any
settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such
settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying
party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have
reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the
date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written
consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement, compromise or consent
to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding
in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and
indemnity was or could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party,
unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release
of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject
matter of such action, suit or proceeding.
Section 9. Contribution.
If the indemnification provided for in Section 8 is for any
reason held to be unavailable to or otherwise insufficient to hold harmless an
indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or
expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to
the aggregate amount paid or payable by such indemnified party, as incurred, as
a result of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to
therein (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative
benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the
other hand, from the offering of the Common Shares pursuant to this Agreement or
(ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by
applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the
relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of
the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in
connection with the statements or omissions or inaccuracies in the
representations and warranties herein which resulted in such losses, claims,
damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand,
and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in
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connection with the offering of the Common Shares pursuant to this Agreement
shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net
proceeds from the offering of the Common Shares pursuant to this Agreement
(before deducting expenses) received by the Company, and the total underwriting
discount received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth on the front
cover page of the Prospectus (or, if Rule 434 under the Securities Act is used,
the corresponding location on the Term Sheet) bear to the aggregate initial
public offering price of the Common Shares as set forth on such cover. The
relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the
other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any
such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or
alleged omission to state a material fact or any such inaccurate or alleged
inaccurate representation or warranty relates to information supplied by the
Company, on the one hand, or the Underwriters, on the other hand, and the
parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to
correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the
losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to above shall be
deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 8(c), any
legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection
with investigating or defending any action or claim. The provisions set forth in
Section 8(c) with respect to notice of commencement of any action shall apply if
a claim for contribution is to be made under this Section 9; provided, however,
that no additional notice shall be required with respect to any action for which
notice has been given under Section 8(c) for purposes of indemnification.
The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be
just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 9 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 in this Section 9.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 9, no
Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the
underwriting commissions received by such Underwriter in connection with the
Common Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public. No person guilty
of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the
Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations to
contribute pursuant to this Section 9 are several, and not joint, in proportion
to their respective underwriting commitments as set forth opposite their names
in Schedule A. For purposes of this Section 9, each officer and employee of an
Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the
meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange 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 with the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange
Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.
Section 10. Default of One or More of the Several Underwriters. If, on the First
Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of
the several Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Common Shares that it
or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number
of Common Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but
failed or refused to purchase does not exceed 10% of the aggregate number of the
Common Shares to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be
obligated, severally, in the proportions that the number of Firm Common Shares
set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule A bears to the aggregate
number of Firm Common Shares set forth opposite the names of all such
non-defaulting
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Underwriters, or in such other proportions as may be specified by the
Representatives with the consent of the non-defaulting Underwriters, to purchase
the Common Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but
failed or refused to purchase on such date. If, on the First Closing Date or the
Second Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of the Underwriters
shall fail or refuse to purchase Common Shares and the aggregate number of
Common Shares with respect to which such default occurs exceeds 10% of the
aggregate number of Common Shares to be purchased on such date, and arrangements
satisfactory to the Representatives and the Company for the purchase of such
Common Shares are not made within 48 hours after such default, this Agreement
shall terminate without liability of any party to any other party except that
the provisions of Section 4, Section 8 and Section 9 shall at all times be
effective and shall survive such termination. In any such case either the
Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone the First
Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, but in no event for
longer than seven days in order that the required changes, if any, to the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus or any other documents or arrangements
may be effected.
As used in this Agreement, the term "Underwriter" shall be
deemed to include any person substituted for a defaulting Underwriter under this
Section 10. Any action taken under this Section 10 shall not relieve any
defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such
Underwriter under this Agreement.
Section 11. Termination of this Agreement. Prior to the First Closing Date this
Agreement may be terminated by the Representatives by notice given to the
Company if at any time (i) trading or quotation in any of the Company's
securities shall have been suspended or limited by the Commission or by the
Nasdaq Stock Market, or trading in securities generally on either the Nasdaq
Stock Market or the New York Stock Exchange shall have been suspended or
limited, or minimum or maximum prices shall have been generally established on
any of such stock exchanges by the Commission or the NASD; (ii) a general
banking moratorium shall have been declared by any of federal, New York or
California authorities; (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or
escalation of national or international hostilities or any crisis or calamity,
or any change in the United States or international financial markets, or any
substantial change or development involving a prospective substantial change in
United States' or international political, financial or economic conditions, as
in the judgment of the Representatives is material and adverse and makes it
impracticable to market the Common Shares in the manner and on the terms
described in the Prospectus or to enforce contracts for the sale of securities;
(iv) in the judgment of the Representatives there shall have occurred any
Material Adverse Change; or (v) the Company shall have sustained a loss by
strike, fire, flood, earthquake, accident or other calamity of such character as
in the judgment of the Representatives may interfere materially with the conduct
of the business and operations of the Company regardless of whether or not such
loss shall have been insured. Any termination pursuant to this Section 11 shall
be without liability on the part of (a) the Company to any Underwriter, except
that the Company shall be obligated to reimburse the expenses of the
Representatives and the Underwriters pursuant to Sections 4 and 6 hereof, (b)
any Underwriter to the Company, or (c) of any party hereto to any other party
except that the provisions of Section 8 and Section 9 shall at all times be
effective and shall survive such termination.
Section 12. Representations and Indemnities to Survive Delivery. The respective
indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the
Company, of its officers and of the several Underwriters set forth in or made
pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of
any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or any
of its or their partners, officers or directors or any controlling person, as
the case may be, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Common Shares
sold hereunder and any termination of this Agreement.
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Section 13. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be
mailed, hand delivered or telecopied and confirmed to the parties hereto as
follows:
If to the Representatives:
NationsBanc Xxxxxxxxxx Securities LLC
000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
with copies to:
NationsBanc Xxxxxxxxxx Securities LLC
000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxx X. Xxxxx, Esq.
and
Ropes & Xxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
If to the Company:
MKS Instruments, Inc.
Six Xxxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Attention: President
with a copy to:
Xxxx and Xxxx
00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
Section 14. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be
binding upon the parties hereto, including any substitute Underwriters pursuant
to Section 10 hereof, and to the benefit of the employees, officers and
directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 8 and Section 9, and in
each case their respective successors, and no other person will have any right
or obligation hereunder.
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The term "successors" shall not include any purchaser of the Common Shares as
such from any of the Underwriters merely by reason of such purchase.
Section 15. Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any
Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity
or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any
Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined
to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor
changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and
enforceable.
Section 16. (a) Governing Law Provisions. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY
AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND TO BE PERFORMED IN SUCH STATE.
Section 17. General Provisions. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement
of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or oral and
all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations with
respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may be executed in two or
more counterparts, each one of which shall be an original, with the same effect
as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. This
Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the parties
hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived
in writing by each party whom the condition is meant to benefit. The Table of
Contents and the Section headings herein are for the convenience of the parties
only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement.
Each of the parties hereto acknowledges that it is a
sophisticated business person who was adequately represented by counsel during
negotiations regarding the provisions hereof, including, without limitation, the
indemnification provisions of Section 8 and the contribution provisions of
Section 9, and is fully informed regarding said provisions. Each of the parties
hereto further acknowledges that the provisions of Sections 8 and 9 hereto
fairly allocate the risks in light of the ability of the parties to investigate
the Company, its affairs and its business in order to assure that adequate
disclosure has been made in the Registration Statement, any preliminary
prospectus and the Prospectus (and any amendments and supplements thereto), as
required by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our
agreement, kindly sign and return to the Company the enclosed copies hereof,
whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts hereof, shall become a
binding agreement in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
MKS INSTRUMENTS, INC.
By:__________________________
President
The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted
by the Representatives in San Francisco, California as of the date first above
written.
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NATIONSBANC XXXXXXXXXX SECURITIES LLC
XXXXXXXXX, LUFKIN & XXXXXXXX SECURITIES CORPORATION
XXXXXX BROTHERS INC.
Acting as Representatives of the several Underwriters named in the attached
Schedule A.
By NATIONSBANC XXXXXXXXXX SECURITIES LLC
By:________________________
Senior Managing Director
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SCHEDULE A
Underwriters Number of Firm Common Shares to be Purchased
------------ --------------------------------------------
NationsBanc Xxxxxxxxxx Securities LLC
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx Securities Corporation
Xxxxxx Brothers Inc.
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EXHIBIT A-1
The final opinion in draft form should be attached as Exhibit A-1 at the time
this Agreement is executed.
Opinion of counsel for the Company to be delivered pursuant to Section
5(d) of the Underwriting Agreement.
References to the Prospectus in this Exhibit A include any supplements
thereto at the Closing Date.
(i) The Company is validly existing as a corporation in good standing
under the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
(ii) The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the
Company (including the Common Stock) conform to the descriptions thereof set
forth [or incorporated by reference] in the Prospectus. All of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully
paid and nonassessable. The form of certificate used to evidence the Common
Stock is in due and proper form and complies with all applicable requirements of
the charter and by-laws of the Company and The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The description of the Company's stock option, stock bonus and other stock plans
or arrangements, and the options or other rights granted and exercised
thereunder, set forth in the Prospectus accurately and fairly presents the
information required to be shown with respect to such plans, arrangements,
options and rights.
(iii) The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company.
(iv) The Common Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters from the
Company have been duly authorized for issuance and sale pursuant to the
Underwriting Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to
the Underwriting Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth
therein, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(v) Based upon the advice of the staff of the SEC, each of the
Registration Statement and the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, has
been declared effective by the Commission under the Securities Act. To the
knowledge of such counsel, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of either
of the Registration Statement or the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any,
has been issued under the Securities Act and no proceedings for such purpose
have been instituted or are pending or are contemplated or threatened by the
Commission. Any required filing of the Prospectus and any supplement thereto
pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act has been made in the manner and
within the time period required by such Rule 424(b).
(vi) The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement, the Prospectus, and each amendment or supplement to the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, as of their respective effective or issue dates
(other than the financial statements and supporting schedules included therein
or in exhibits to or excluded from the Registration Statement, as to which no
opinion need be rendered) comply as to form in all material respects with the
applicable requirements of the Securities Act.
(vii) The Common Shares have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq
National Market.
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(viii) The statements (i) in the Prospectus under the captions "Certain
Transactions" and "Shares Eligible for Future Sale" and (ii) in Item 14 and Item
15 of the Registration Statement, insofar as such statements constitute matters
of law, summaries of legal matters, the Company's charter or by-law provisions,
documents or legal proceedings, or legal proceedings, has been reviewed by such
counsel and accurately summarize, in all material respects, the matters referred
to therein.
(ix) To the knowledge of such counsel, there are no legal or
governmental actions, suits or proceedings pending or overtly threatened which
are required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, other than those
disclosed therein.
(x) To the best knowledge of such counsel, there are no Existing
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 and references thereto are correct in all material
respects.
(xi) No consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or
registration or filing with, any court or other governmental authority or
agency, is required for the Company's execution, delivery and performance of the
Underwriting Agreement and consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby
and by the Prospectus, except as required under the Securities Act, applicable
state securities or blue sky laws and from the NASD.
(xii) The execution and delivery of the Underwriting Agreement by the
Company and the performance by the Company of its obligations thereunder (other
than performance by the Company of its obligations under the indemnification
section of the Underwriting Agreement, as to which no opinion need be rendered)
(i) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of
the Company; (ii) will not result in any violation of the provisions of the
charter or by-laws of the Company or any subsidiary; (iii) will not constitute a
breach of, or Default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any
lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant
to any Existing Instrument filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement; or
(iv) to the knowledge of such counsel, will not result in any violation of any
law, administrative regulation or administrative or court decree applicable to
the Company.
(xiii) The Company is not, and after receipt of payment for the Common
Shares will not be, an "investment company" within the meaning of Investment
Company Act.
In addition, such counsel shall state that they have participated in conferences
with officers and other representatives of the Company, representatives of the
independent public or certified public accountants for the Company and with
representatives of the Underwriters at which the contents of the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, and any supplements or amendments thereto, and
related matters were discussed and, although such counsel is not passing upon
and does not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or
fairness of the statements contained in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus (other than as specified above), and any supplements or amendments
thereto, on the basis of the foregoing, nothing has come to their attention
which would lead them to believe that either the Registration Statement or any
amendments thereto, at the time the Registration Statement or such amendments
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, as of its date or at
the First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, contained
an untrue statement
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of a material fact or omitted 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 (it being understood that such counsel need express no
belief as to the financial statements or schedules or other financial or
statistical data derived therefrom, included in the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto).
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely (A) as to
matters involving the application of laws of any jurisdiction other than the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, laws of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts or the federal law of the United States, to the extent they deem
proper and specified in such opinion, upon the opinion (which shall be dated the
First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, shall be
satisfactory in form and substance to the Underwriters, shall expressly state
that the Underwriters may rely on such opinion as if it were addressed to them
and shall be furnished to the Representatives) of other counsel of good standing
whom they believe to be reliable and who are satisfactory to counsel for the
Underwriters; provided, however, that such counsel shall further state that they
believe that they and the Underwriters are justified in relying upon such
opinion of other counsel, and (B) as to matters of fact, to the extent they deem
proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and public
officials.
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EXHIBIT A-2
The final opinion in draft form should be attached as Exhibit A-2 at the time
this Agreement is executed.
Opinion of counsel for the Company to be delivered pursuant to Section
5(d) of the Underwriting Agreement.
References to the Prospectus in this Exhibit A include any supplements
thereto at the Closing Date.
(xiv) The Company has been duly incorporated.
(xv) 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 Underwriting
Agreement.
(xvi) The Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to
transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such
qualification is required by reason of the ownership or leasing of property,
except for such jurisdictions where the failure to so qualify or to be in good
standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material
Adverse Change.
(xvii) Each significant subsidiary incorporated in the United States
(as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) 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, to the best knowledge of such counsel, 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 , except for such jurisdictions where the
failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not, individually or in
the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change.
(xviii) All of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each such
significant subsidiary incorporated in the United States has been duly
authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by
the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, to such counsel's knowledge, free
and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance or any
pending or threatened claim.
(xix) No stockholder of the Company or any other person has any
preemptive right, right of first refusal or other similar right to subscribe for
or purchase securities of the Company arising (i) by operation of the charter or
by-laws of the Company or (ii) to the best knowledge of such counsel, otherwise.
(xx) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, to the knowledge of such
counsel, there are no persons with registration or other similar rights to have
any equity or debt securities registered for sale under the Registration
Statement or included in the offering contemplated by the Underwriting
Agreement, except for such rights as have been duly waived.
(xxi) To the knowledge of such counsel, the Company is not in violation
of its charter or by-laws, except for such violations as would not, individually
or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change.
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In addition, such counsel shall state that they have participated in conferences
with officers and other representatives of the Company, representatives of the
independent public or certified public accountants for the Company and with
representatives of the Underwriters at which the contents of the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, and any supplements or amendments thereto, and
related matters were discussed and, although such counsel is not passing upon
and does not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or
fairness of the statements contained in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus (other than as specified above), and any supplements or amendments
thereto, on the basis of the foregoing, nothing has come to their attention
which would lead them to believe that either the Registration Statement or any
amendments thereto, at the time the Registration Statement or such amendments
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, as of its date or at
the First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, contained
an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (it being understood
that such counsel need express no belief as to the financial statements or
schedules or other financial or statistical data derived therefrom, included [or
incorporated by reference] in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or
any amendments or supplements thereto).
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely (A) as to matters
involving the application of laws of any jurisdiction other than the General
Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, laws of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts or the federal law of the United States, to the extent they deem
proper and specified in such opinion, upon the opinion (which shall be dated the
First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, shall be
satisfactory in form and substance to the Underwriters, shall expressly state
that the Underwriters may rely on such opinion as if it were addressed to them
and shall be furnished to the Representatives) of other counsel of good standing
whom they believe to be reliable and who are satisfactory to counsel for the
Underwriters; provided, however, that such counsel shall further state that they
believe that they and the Underwriters are justified in relying upon such
opinion of other counsel, and (B) as to matters of fact, to the extent they deem
proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and public
officials.
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EXHIBIT B
___________, 1999
NationsBanc Xxxxxxxxxx Securities, Inc.
Xxxxxxxxx, Lufkin & Xxxxxxxx Securities Corporation
Xxxxx Xxxxxx
As Representatives of the Several Underwriters
c/o NationsBanc Xxxxxxxxxx Securities, Inc.
000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
RE: MKS Instruments Inc. (the "Company")
Ladies & Gentlemen:
The undersigned is an owner of record or beneficially of certain shares of
Common Stock of the Company ("Common Stock") or securities convertible into or
exchangeable or exercisable for Common Stock. The Company proposes to carry out
a public offering of Common Stock (the "Offering") for which you will act as the
representatives of the underwriters. The undersigned recognizes that the
Offering will be of benefit to the undersigned and will benefit the Company [by,
among other things, raising additional capital for its operations]. The
undersigned acknowledges that you and the other underwriters are relying on the
representations and agreements of the undersigned contained in this letter in
carrying out the Offering and in entering into underwriting arrangements with
the Company with respect to the Offering.
In consideration of the foregoing, the undersigned hereby agrees that the
undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of NMSI (which consent
may be withheld in its sole discretion), directly or indirectly, sell, offer,
contract or grant any option to sell (including without limitation any short
sale), pledge, transfer, establish an open "put equivalent position" within the
meaning of Rule 16a-1(h) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or otherwise
dispose of any shares of Common Stock, options or warrants to acquire shares of
Common Stock, or securities exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into
shares of Common Stock currently or hereafter owned either of record or
beneficially (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended) by the undersigned, or publicly announce the undersigned's intention to
do any of the foregoing, for a period commencing on the date hereof and
continuing through the close of trading on the date 180 days after the date of
the Prospectus. 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 shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into or
exchangeable or exercisable for Common Stock held by the undersigned except in
compliance with the foregoing restrictions.
With respect to the Offering only, the undersigned waives any registration
rights relating to registration under the Securities Act of any Common Stock
owned either of record or beneficially by the undersigned, including any rights
to receive notice of the Offering.
This agreement is irrevocable and will be binding on the undersigned and the
respective successors, heirs, personal representatives, and assigns of the
undersigned.
B-1
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Printed Name of Holder
By:
Signature
Printed Name of Person Signing (and indicate
capacity of person signing if signing as
custodian, trustee, or on behalf of an
entity)
1
