EXHIBIT 1
1,750,000 Units
STRATEGIA CORPORATION
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
____________, 1996
Xxxxxxx Investment Company, Inc.
As Representative of the
Several Underwriters
c/x Xxxxxxx Investment Company, Inc.
000 XX Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx 00000
Gentlemen:
Strategia Corporation, a Kentucky corporation (the "Company"),
proposes to sell to the several underwriters (the "Underwriters") named in
Schedule I hereto for whom you are acting as Representative (the
"Representative") an aggregate of 1,750,000 Units (the "Firm Units"). Each
Units will consist of one share of the Company's Common Stock ("Common Stock")
and one Common Stock Purchase Warrant substantially in the form filed as an
exhibit to the Registration Statement (hereinafter defined) ("Warrants"). The
respective number of the Firm Units to be so purchased by the several
Underwriters are set forth opposite their names in Schedule I hereto. The
Company also proposes to grant to the Representative an option to purchase in
aggregate up to 262,500 additional Units, identical to the Firm Units, (the
"Option Units") as set forth below.
As the Representative, you have advised the Company (a) that you are
authorized to enter into this Agreement for yourself as Representative and on
behalf of the several Underwriters, and (b) that the several Underwriters are
willing, acting severally and not jointly, to purchase the numbers of Firm Units
set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule I. The Firm Units and the
Option Units (to the extent the aforementioned option is exercised) are herein
collectively called the "Units."
In consideration of the mutual agreements contained herein and of the
interests of the parties in the transactions contemplated hereby, the parties
hereto agree as follows:
1. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY.
The Company represents and warrants to each of the Underwriters as follows:
(a) A registration statement on Form SB-2 (File No. 333-_____) with
respect to the Units has been carefully prepared by the Company in conformity
with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), and
the Rules and Regulations (the "Rules and Regulations") of the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") thereunder and has been filed with the
Commission. Copies of such registration statement, including any amendments
thereto, the preliminary prospectuses (meeting the requirements of the Rules and
Regulations) contained therein and the exhibits, financial statements and
schedules, as finally amended and revised, have heretofore been delivered by the
Company to you. Such registration statement, together with any registration
statement filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 462 (b) of the Act, herein
referred to as the "Registration Statement," which shall be deemed to include
all information omitted therefrom in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in
the Prospectus referred to below, has become effective under the Act and no
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed as of the
date of this Agreement. "Prospectus" means (a) the form of prospectus first
filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) or (b) the last preliminary
prospectus included in the Registration Statement filed prior to the time it
becomes effective or filed pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Act that is
delivered by the Company to the Underwriters for delivery to purchasers of the
Units, together with the term sheet or abbreviated term sheet filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b)(7) under the Act. Each preliminary
prospectus included in the Registration Statement prior to the time it becomes
effective is herein referred to as a "Preliminary Prospectus."
(b) The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Kentucky, with
corporate power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its
business as described in the Registration Statement. The Company, directly or
indirectly wholly owns or has the specified percentage ownership of each of the
corporations or other business entities set forth in Schedule II, attached
hereto (each a "Subsidiary" and, collectively the "Subsidiaries" and, with the
Company, collectively, the "Group") and does not own and never has owned a
controlling interest in any other corporation or other business entity that has
or ever has had any material assets, liabilities or operations. Each Subsidiary
has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation or other entity
in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, with power
and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its business as
described in the Registration Statement. The Company and each Subsidiary is duly
qualified to transact business in all jurisdictions in which the conduct of its
business requires such qualification.
(c) The outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company and each
Subsidiary have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and
non-assessable and have been issued and sold by the Company or such Subsidiary,
as the case may be, in compliance in all material respects with applicable
securities laws; the issuance and sale of the Units have been duly authorized by
all necessary corporate action and, when issued and paid for as contemplated
herein, the Units will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; and no
preemptive rights of stockholders exist with respect to any security of the
Company or the issue and sale thereof.
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Neither the filing of the Registration Statement nor the offering or sale of the
Units as contemplated by this Agreement gives rise to any rights, other than
those which have been waived or satisfied, for or relating to the registration
of any shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company.
(d) The information set forth under the caption "Capitalization" in
the Prospectus is true and correct. The Common Stock conforms and the Warrants
and the Representative's Warrant will conform to the description thereof
contained in the Registration Statement. The forms of certificates for the
securities comprising the Units conform to the corporate law of Kentucky.
(e) The Commission has not issued an order preventing or suspending
the use of any Prospectus relating to the proposed offering of the Units nor
instituted proceedings for that purpose. The Registration Statement contains,
and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto will contain, all
statements which are required to be stated therein by, and will conform, to the
requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations. The Registration
Statement and any amendment thereto do not contain, and will not contain, any
untrue statement of a material fact and do not omit, and will not omit, to state
any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading. The Prospectus and any amendments and
supplements thereto do not contain, and will not contain, any untrue statement
of material fact; and do not omit, and will not omit, to state any material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to
information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus, or any such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon, and in
conformity with, written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of
any Underwriter through the Representative, specifically for use in the
preparation thereof.
(f) The consolidated financial statements of the Company and its
consolidated Subsidiaries, together with related notes and schedules as set
forth in the Registration Statement, present fairly the financial position and
the results of operations and cash flows of the Company and such Subsidiaries at
the indicated dates and for the indicated periods. Such financial statements
and related schedules have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted
principles of accounting, consistently applied throughout the periods involved,
except as disclosed herein, and all adjustments necessary for a fair
presentation of results for such periods have been made. The summary
consolidated financial and statistical data of the Company and its Subsidiaries
included in the Registration Statement presents fairly the information shown
therein and such data has been compiled on a basis consistent with the financial
statements presented therein and the books and records of the Company.
(g) Ernst & Young LLP, who have certified certain of the financial
statements filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement, are
independent public accountants as required by the Act and the Rules and
Regulations.
(h) There is no action, suit, claim or proceeding pending or, to the
knowledge of the Company, threatened against any member of the Group before any
court or administrative
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agency or otherwise which if determined adversely to the Group might result in
any material adverse change in the earnings, business, management, properties,
assets, rights, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of
the Group or to prevent the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby, except as set forth in the Registration Statement.
(i) The Group has good and marketable title to all properties and
assets, tangible and intangible, reflected in the financial statements (or as
described in the Registration Statement) hereinabove described, subject to no
lien, mortgage, pledge, charge or encumbrance of any kind except those
reflected in such financial statements (or as described in the Registration
Statement) or which are not material in amount. All of the leases and
subleases under which the Company or any Subsidiary holds properties are in
full force and effect (with only such exceptions as are commonly accepted by
prudent companies in the computer business) and neither the Company nor any
Subsidiary has received notice of any material claim of any sort that has
been asserted by anyone materially adverse to the rights of the Company or
such Subsidiary under any of such leases or subleases, or affecting or
questioning the rights of the Company or such Subsidiary to the continued
possession of the leased or subleased premises or property under any such
lease or sublease.
(j) Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has filed all Federal,
State, local and foreign income tax returns which have been required to be filed
and have paid all taxes indicated by said returns and all assessments received
by it to the extent that such taxes have become due and are not being contested
in good faith. All tax liabilities have been adequately provided for in the
consolidated financial statements of the Company and its consolidated
Subsidiaries.
(k) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in
the Registration Statement, as it may have been amended or supplemented, there
has not been any material adverse change or any development involving a
prospective material adverse change in or affecting the earnings, business,
management, properties, assets, rights, operations, condition (financial or
otherwise), or prospects of the Group, whether or not occurring in the ordinary
course of business, and there has not been any material transaction entered into
or any material transaction that is probable of being entered into by the Group,
other than transactions in the ordinary course of business and changes and
transactions described in the Registration Statement, as it may be amended or
supplemented. The Group has no material contingent obligations which are not
disclosed in the Company's financial statements or elsewhere in the Prospectus
which are included in the Registration Statement.
(l) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is, nor, with the giving
of notice or lapse of time or both, will it be, in violation of or in default
under its Charter or By-Laws or under any agreement, lease, contract, indenture
or other instrument or obligation to which it is a party or by which it, or any
of its properties, is bound and which default is of material significance in
respect of the condition, financial or otherwise of the Group or the business,
management, properties, assets, rights, operations, condition (financial or
otherwise) or prospects of the Group. The execution and delivery of this
Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated and the
fulfillment of the terms hereof will not conflict with or result in a breach of
any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust or other agreement or instrument to which any member of
the Group
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is a party, or of the Charter or by-laws of any member of the Group or any
order, rule or regulation applicable to any member of the Group of any court or
of any regulatory body or administrative agency or other governmental body
having jurisdiction.
(m) Each approval, consent, order, authorization, designation,
declaration or filing by or with any regulatory, administrative or other
governmental body necessary in connection with the execution and delivery by the
Company of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein
contemplated (except such additional steps as may be required by the Commission,
the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") or such
additional steps as may be necessary to qualify the Units for public offering by
the Underwriters under state securities or Blue Sky laws) has been obtained or
made and is in full force and effect.
(n) The Group holds all material patents, patent rights trademarks,
trade names, copyrights, trade secrets and licenses of any of the foregoing
(collectively, "Intellectual Property Rights") that are necessary to the conduct
of its businesses; there is no claim pending or, to the best knowledge of the
Company, threatened against any member of the Group alleging any infringement of
Intellectual Property Rights, or any violation of the terms of any licence
relating to Intellectual Property Rights, nor does the Company know of any basis
for any such claim. The Company knows of no material infringement by others of
Intellectual Property Rights owned by or licensed to any member of the Group.
The Group has obtained, is in compliance in all material respect with and
maintains in full force and effect all material licenses, certificates, permits,
orders or other, similar authorizations granted or issued by any governmental
agency (collectively "Government Permits") required to conduct its business as
it is presently conducted. In particular, and without limiting the generality of
the foregoing, the Group is in compliance with all conditions, limitations,
restrictions or other provisions of all Government Permits related to the
exploration for, development of, extraction, transportation or sale of
hydrocarbons. All applications for additional Government Permits described in
the Prospectus as having been made by the Group have been properly and
effectively made in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations with
respect thereto and such applications constitute, in the best judgment of the
Company's management, those reasonably required to have been made in order to
carry out the Company's business plan as described in the Prospectus. No
proceeding to revoke, limit or otherwise materially change any Government Permit
has been commenced or, to the Company's best knowledge, is threatened against
the Company or any supplier to the Group with respect to materials supplied to
the group, and the Company has no reason to anticipate that any such proceeding
will be commenced against any member of the Group or any such supplier. Except
as disclosed or contemplated in the Prospectus, the Company has no reason to
believe that any pending application for a Government Permit will be denied or
limited in a manner inconsistent with the Company's business plan as described
in the Prospectus.
(o) The Group is in all material respects in compliance with all
applicable Environmental Laws. The Company has no knowledge of any past,
present or, as anticipated by the Company, future events, conditions,
activities, investigation, studies, plans or proposals that (i) would interfere
with or prevent compliance with any Environmental Law by the Group or (ii) could
reasonably be expected to give rise to any common law or other liability, or
otherwise form the basis of a claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing or
investigation, involving
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the Group and related in any way to Hazardous Substances or Environmental Laws.
Except for the prudent and safe use and management of Hazardous Substances in
the ordinary course of the Group's business, (i) no Hazardous Substance is or
has been used, treated, stored, generated, manufactured or otherwise handled on
or at any Facility and (ii) to the Company's best knowledge, no Hazardous
Substance has otherwise come to be located in, on or under any Facility. No
Hazardous Substances are stored at any Facility except in quantities necessary
to satisfy the reasonably anticipated use or consumption by the Group. No
litigation, claim, proceeding or governmental investigation is pending regarding
any environmental matter for which any member of the Group has been served or
otherwise notified or, to the knowledge of the Company threatened or asserted
against any member of the Group, or the officers or directors of any such member
in their capacities as such, or any Facility or the Group's business. There are
no orders, judgments or decrees of any court or of any governmental agency or
instrumentality under any Environmental Law which specifically apply to any
member of the Group, any Facility or any of the Group's operations. No member
of the Group has received from a governmental authority or other person (i) any
notice that it is a potentially responsible person for any Contaminated site or
(ii) any request for information about a site alleged to be Contaminated or
regarding the disposal of Hazardous Substances. There is no litigation or
proceeding against any other person by the Group regarding any environmental
matter. The Company has disclosed in the Prospectus or made available to the
Underwriters and their counsel true, complete and correct copies of any reports,
studies, investigations, audits, analysis, tests or monitoring in the possession
of or initiated by the Company pertaining to any environmental matter relating
to the Company, its past or present operations or any Facility.
For the purposes of the foregoing paragraph, "Environmental Laws" means any
applicable federal, state or local statute, regulation, code, rule, ordinance,
order, judgment, decree, injunction or common law pertaining in any way to the
protection of human health or the environment, including without limitation, the
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation and Liability Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, the
Clean Air Act, the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and any similar or
comparable state or local law; "Hazardous Substance" means any hazardous,
toxic, radioactive or infectious substance, material or waste as defined, listed
or regulated under any Environmental Law; "Contaminated" means the actual
existence on or under any real property of Hazardous Substances, if the
existence of such Hazardous Substances triggers a requirement to perform any
investigatory, remedial, removal or other response action under any
Environmental Laws or if such response action legally could be required by any
governmental authority; "Facility" means any property currently owned, leased
or occupied by the Company.
(p) Neither the Company, nor to the Company's best knowledge, any of
its affiliates, has taken or intends to take, directly or indirectly, any action
designed to cause or result in, or which has constituted or which might
reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the
price of the shares of Common Stock to facilitate the sale or resale of the
Units.
(q) The Company is not an "investment company" within the meaning of
such term under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules and regulations
of the Commission thereunder.
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(r) The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls
sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed
in accordance with management's general or specific authorization; (ii)
transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial
statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to
maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in
accordance with management's general or specific authorization; and (iv) the
recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at
reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any
differences.
(s) The Group carries, or is covered by, insurance in such amounts
and covering such risks as is adequate for the conduct of their respective
businesses and the value of their respective properties and as is customary for
companies engaged in similar industries.
(t) Each member of the Group is in compliance in all material
respects with all presently applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published
interpretations thereunder ("ERISA"); no "reportable event" (as defined in
ERISA) has occurred with respect to any "pension plan" (as defined in ERISA) for
which the Company would have any liability; the Company has not incurred and
does not expect to incur liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to
termination of, or withdrawal from, any "pension plan" or (ii) Sections 412 or
4971 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including the regulations
and published interpretations thereunder (the "Code"); and each "pension plan"
for which the Company would have any liability that is intended to be qualified
under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified in all material respects and
nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause
the loss of such qualification.
(u) The Company confirms as of the date hereof that it is in
compliance with all provisions of Section 1 of Laws of Florida, Chapter 92-198,
AN ACT RELATING TO DISCLOSURE OF DOING BUSINESS WITH CUBA, and the Company
further agrees that if it commences engaging in business with the government of
Cuba or with any person or affiliate located in Cuba after the date the
Registration Statement becomes or has become effective with the Commission or
with the Florida Department of Banking and Finance (the "Department"),
whichever date is later, or if the information reported or incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus, if any, concerning the Company's business with Cuba
or with any person or affiliate located in Cuba changes in any material way, the
Company will provide the Department notice of such business or change, as
appropriate, in a form acceptable to the Department.
(v) Each member of the Group is in material compliance with all laws,
rules, regulations, orders of any court or administrative agency, operating
licenses or other requirements imposed by any governmental body applicable to
it, including, without limitation, all applicable laws, rules, regulations,
licenses or other governmental standards applicable to the Company's business;
and the conduct of the business of the Group, as described in the Prospectus,
will not cause the Company to be in violation of any such requirements.
(w) Each of the Warrants and the Representative's Warrants (as
defined in Paragraph (d) of Section 2 hereof) have been authorized for issuance
to the purchasers thereof or to the
7
Representative or its designees, as the case may be, and will, when issued,
possess rights, privileges, and characteristics as represented in the most
recent form of Warrants or Representative's Warrants, as the case may be, filed
as an exhibit to the Registration Statement; the securities to be issued upon
exercise of the Warrants and the Representative's Warrants, when issued and
delivered against payment therefor in accordance with the terms thereof, will be
duly and validly issued, fully paid, nonassessable and free of preemptive
rights, and all corporate action required to be taken for the authorization and
issuance of the Warrants and the Representative's Warrants, and the securities
to be issued upon their exercise, have been validly and sufficiently taken.
(x) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any
of its officers, directors or affiliates have caused any person, other than the
Underwriters, to be entitled to reimbursement of any kind, including, without
limitation, any compensation that would be includable as underwriter
compensation under the NASD's Corporate Financing Rule with respect to the
offering of the Units, as a result of the consummation of such offering based on
any activity of such person as a finder, agent, broker, investment adviser or
other financial service provider.
(y) The Company has timely filed with the Commission all reports
required to be filed by it during the last three years under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (the "Exchange Act") and the rules and
regulations thereunder, including, but not limited to, any such reports
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement. All such reports have
been in proper form and have included all information required to be disclosed
therein. No such report has contained a misstatement of any material fact or
omitted to state any fact necessary to make the statements therein not
materially misleading. During the last three years, the Company has complied in
all material respects with regulations of the NASD applicable to it as a Nasdaq
listed company. The Company has not taken, in anticipation of the offering of
the Units, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in, or
that has constituted or might reasonably be expected to constitute, the
stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company.
2. PURCHASE, SALE AND DELIVERY OF THE UNITS.
(a) On the basis of the representations, warranties and covenants
herein contained, and subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Company
agrees to sell to the Underwriters and each Underwriter agrees, severally and
not jointly, to purchase, at a price of $______ per Unit, the number of Firm
Units set forth opposite the name of each Underwriter in Schedule I hereof,
subject to adjustments in accordance with Section 9 hereof.
(b) Payment for the Firm Units to be sold hereunder is to be made in
New York Clearing House funds and, at the option of the Representative, by
certified or bank cashier's checks drawn to the order of the Company or bank
wire to an account specified by the Company against either uncertificated
delivery of Firm Units or of certificates therefor (which delivery, if
certificated, shall take place in such location in New York, New York as may be
specified by the Representative) to the Representative for the several accounts
of the Underwriters. Such payment is to be made at the offices of the
Representative at the address set forth on the first
8
page of this agreement, at 7:00 a.m., Pacific time, on the third business day
after the date of this Agreement or at such other time and date not later than
five business days thereafter as you and the Company shall agree upon, such time
and date being herein referred to as the "Closing Date." (As used herein,
"business day" means a day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for
trading and on which banks in New York are open for business and not permitted
by law or executive order to be closed.) Except to the extent uncertificated
Firm Units are delivered at closing, the certificates for the Firm Units will be
delivered in such denominations and in such registrations as the Representative
requests in writing not later than the second full business day prior to the
Closing Date, and will be made available for inspection by the Representative at
least one business day prior to the Closing Date.
(c) In addition, on the basis of the representations and warranties
herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the
Company hereby grants an option to the Representative to purchase the Option
Units at the price per Unit as set forth in the first paragraph of this Section
2. The option granted hereby may be exercised in whole or in part by giving
written notice (i) at any time before the Closing Date and (ii) only once
thereafter within 45 days after the date of this Agreement, by the
Representative to the Company setting forth the number of Option Units as to
which the Representative is exercising the option, the names and denominations
in which the Option Units are to be registered and the time and date at which
certificate representing such Units are to be delivered. The time and date at
which certificates for Option Units are to be delivered shall be determined by
the Representative but shall not be earlier than three nor later than 10 full
business days after the exercise of such option, nor in any event prior to the
Closing Date (such time and date being herein referred to as the "Option Closing
Date"). If the date of exercise of the option is three or more days before the
Closing Date, the notice of exercise shall set the Closing Date as the Option
Closing Date. The option with respect to the Option Units granted hereunder may
be exercised only to cover over-allotments in the sale of the Firm Units by the
Underwriters. The Representative may cancel such option at any time prior to its
expiration by giving written notice of such cancellation to the Company. To the
extent, if any, that the option is exercised, payment for the Option Units shall
be made on the Option Closing Date in New York Clearing House funds and, at the
option of the Representative, by certified or bank cashier's check drawn to the
order of the Company for the Option Units to be sold by the Company or bank wire
to an account specified by the Company against delivery of certificates therefor
at the offices of Xxxxxxx Investment Company, Inc. set forth on the first page
of this Agreement.
(d) In addition to the sums payable to the Representative as provided
elsewhere herein, the Representative shall be entitled to receive at the
Closing, for itself alone and not as Representative of the Underwriters, as
additional compensation for their services, purchase warrants (the
"Representative's Warrants") for the purchase of up to 175,000 Units at a price
of $_____ per Unit, upon the terms and subject to adjustment and conversion as
described in the form of Representative's Warrants filed as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement.
3. OFFERING BY THE UNDERWRITERS.
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It is understood that the several Underwriters are to make a public
offering of the Firm Units as soon as the Representative deems it advisable to
do so. The Firm Units are to be initially offered to the public at the initial
public offering price set forth in the Prospectus. The Representative may from
time to time thereafter change the public offering price and other selling
terms. To the extent, if at all, that any Option Units are purchased pursuant
to Section 2 hereof, the Representative will offer them to the public on the
foregoing terms.
It is further understood that you will act as the Representative for
the Underwriters in the offering and sale of the Units in accordance with an
Agreement Among Underwriters entered into by you and the several other
Underwriters.
4. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.
The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that:
(a) The Company will (A) use its best efforts to cause the
Registration Statement to become effective or, if the procedure in Rule 430A of
the Rules and Regulations is followed, to prepare and timely file with the
Commission under Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations a Prospectus in a form
approved by the Representative containing information previously omitted at the
time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement in reliance on Rule 430A of
the Rules and Regulations, and (B) not file any amendment to the Registration
Statement or supplement to the Prospectus of which the Representative shall not
previously have been advised and furnished with a copy or to which the
Representative shall have reasonably objected in writing or which is not in
compliance with the Rules and Regulations.
(b) The Company will advise the Representative promptly (A) when the
Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto shall have become
effective, (B) of receipt of any comments from the Commission, (C) of any
request of the Commission for amendment of the Registration Statement or for
supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional information, and (D) of the
issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or the use of the Prospectus or of the institution of any
proceedings for that purpose. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent
the issuance of any such stop order preventing or suspending the use of the
Prospectus and to obtain as soon as possible the lifting thereof, if issued.
(c) The Company will cooperate with the Representative in endeavoring
to qualify the Units for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as
the Representative may reasonably have designated in writing and will make such
applications, file such documents, and furnish such information as may be
reasonably required for that purpose, provided the Company shall not be required
to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of
process in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or required to file
such a consent. The Company will, from time to time, prepare and file such
statements, reports, and other documents, as are or may be required to continue
such qualifications in effect for so long a period as the Representative may
reasonably request for distribution of the Units.
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(d) The Company will deliver to, or upon the order of, the
Representative, from time to time, as many copies of any Preliminary Prospectus
as the Representative may reasonably request. The Company will deliver to, or
upon the order of, the Representative during the period when delivery of a
Prospectus is required under the Act, as many copies of the Prospectus in final
form, or as thereafter amended or supplemented, as the Representative may
reasonably request. The Company will deliver to the Representative at or before
the Closing Date, four signed copies of the Registration Statement and all
amendments thereto including all exhibits filed therewith, and will deliver to
the Representative such number of copies of the Registration Statement
(including such number of copies of the exhibits filed therewith that may
reasonably be requested), and of all amendments thereto, as the Representative
may reasonably request.
(e) The Company will comply with the Act and the Rules and
Regulations, and the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder, so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the
Units as contemplated in this Agreement and the Prospectus. If during the
period in which a prospectus is required by law to be delivered by an
Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur as a result of which, in the
judgment of the Company or in the reasonable opinion of the Underwriters, it
becomes necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at the time the
Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or, if it is necessary
at any time to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with any law, the
Company promptly will prepare and file with the Commission an appropriate
amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus so that
the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the
circumstances when it is so delivered, be misleading, or so that the Prospectus
will comply with the law.
(f) The Company will make generally available to its security
holders, as soon as it is practicable to do so, but in any event not later than
15 months after the effective date of the Registration Statement, an earning
statement (which need not be audited) in reasonable detail, covering a period of
at least 12 consecutive months beginning after the effective date of the
Registration Statement, which earning statement shall satisfy the requirements
of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 of the Rules and Regulations and will
advise you in writing when such statement has been so made available.
(g) The Company will, for a period of five years from the Closing
Date, deliver to the Representative copies of annual reports and copies of all
other documents, reports and information furnished by the Company to its
stockholders or filed with any securities exchange pursuant to the requirements
of such exchange or with the Commission pursuant to the Act or the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company will deliver to the
Representative similar reports with respect to significant subsidiaries, as that
term is defined in the Rules and Regulations, which are not consolidated in the
Company's financial statements.
(h) No offering, sale, short sale or other disposition of any shares
of Common Stock of the Company or other securities convertible into or
exchangeable or exercisable for shares of Common Stock or derivative of Common
Stock (or agreement for such) will be made for a period of one year after the
date of this Agreement, directly or indirectly, by the Company
11
otherwise than hereunder or with the prior written consent of the
Representative, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld.
(i) The Company will use its best efforts to list, subject to notice
of issuance, the Units on The Nasdaq National Market.
(j) The Company has caused each officer and director and each person
who owns, beneficially or of record, 5% or more of the Common Stock outstanding
immediately prior to this offering to furnish to you, on or prior to the date of
this agreement, a letter or letters, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Underwriters ("Lockup Agreements"), pursuant to which each such person shall
agree (A) not to offer, sell, sell short or otherwise dispose of any shares of
Common Stock of the Company or other capital stock of the Company, or any other
securities convertible, exchangeable or exercisable for Common Stock or
derivatives of Common Stock owned by such person or request the registration for
the offer or sale of any of the foregoing (or as to which such person has the
right to direct the disposition of) for a period of ninety days after the date
of this Agreement, directly or indirectly, except with the prior written consent
of the Representative, provided, however, that, on or after the 61st day
following the effective date of the date of this Agreement, each such person
may, without restriction imposed hereby, sell or otherwise dispose of a number
of shares not greater than ten percent of the number of shares owned by such
person on the date of this Agreement; and (B) to give prior written notice to
the Representative for a period of one year from the effective date of the
Registration Statement, with respect to any sales of Common Stock of the Company
pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act or any similar rule.
(k) The Company shall apply the net proceeds of its sale of the Units
as set forth in the Prospectus and shall file such reports with the Commission
with respect to the sale of the Units and the application of the proceeds
therefrom as may be required in accordance with Rule 463 under the Act.
(l) The Company shall not invest, or otherwise use the proceeds
received by the Company from its sale of the Units in such a manner as would
require the Company or any of the Subsidiaries to register as an investment
company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act").
(m) The Company will maintain a transfer agent and, if necessary
under the jurisdiction of incorporation of the Company, a registrar for the
Common Stock.
(n) The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action
designed to cause or result in, or that has constituted or might reasonably be
expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any
securities of the Company.
5. COSTS AND EXPENSES.
(a) The Representative shall be entitled to reimbursement from the
Company, for itself alone and not as Representative of the Underwriters, to a
non-accountable expense allowance equal to 2% of the aggregate initial public
offering price of the Firm Units and any Option
12
Units purchased by the Underwriters. The Representative shall be entitled to
withhold this allowance on the Closing Date related to the purchase of the Firm
Units or the Option Units, as the case may be.
(b) In addition to the payment described in Paragraph (a) of this
Section 5, the Company will pay all costs, expenses and fees incident to the
performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, including,
without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the following: accounting
fees of the Company; the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company; the
cost of printing and delivering to, or as requested by, the Underwriters copies
of the Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectuses, the Prospectus, this
Agreement, the Underwriters' Selling Memorandum, the Underwriters' Invitation
Letter, the Listing Application, the Blue Sky Survey and any supplements or
amendments thereto; the filing fees of the Commission; the filing fees and
expenses (including legal fees and disbursements) incident to securing any
required review by the NASD) of the terms of the sale of the Units; the Listing
Fee of The Nasdaq Stock Market; and the expenses, including the fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters, incurred in connection with the
qualification of the Units under State securities or Blue Sky laws. Any
transfer taxes imposed on the sale of the Units to the several Underwriters will
be paid by the Company. The Company agrees to pay all costs and expenses of the
Underwriters, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the
Underwriters, incident to the offer and sale of directed Units by the
Underwriters to employees and persons having business relationships with the
Company. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay for any of the
Underwriters' expenses (other than those related to qualification under NASD
regulation and State securities or Blue Sky laws) except that, if this Agreement
shall not be consummated, then the Company shall reimburse the several
Underwriters for accountable out-of-pocket expenses, including fees and
disbursements of counsel, reasonably incurred in connection with investigating,
marketing and proposing to market the Units or in contemplation of performing
their obligations hereunder; but the Company shall not in any event be liable to
any of the several Underwriters for damages on account of loss of anticipated
profits from the sale by them of the Units.
6. CONDITIONS OF OBLIGATIONS OF THE UNDERWRITERS.
The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Firm Units
on the Closing Date and the Option Units, if any, on the Option Closing Date are
subject to the accuracy, as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as
the case may be, of the representations and warranties of the Company contained
herein, and to the performance by the Company of their covenants and obligations
hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) The Registration Statement and all post-effective amendments
thereto shall have become effective and any and all filings required by Rule 424
and Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations shall have been made, and any request
of the Commission for additional information (to be included in the Registration
Statement or otherwise) shall have been disclosed to the Representative and
complied with to their reasonable satisfaction. No stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement, as amended from time to time, shall
have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been taken or,
to the knowledge of the Company, shall be contemplated by the Commission and no
injunction, restraining order, or
13
order of any nature by a Federal or state court of competent jurisdiction shall
have been issued as of the Closing Date which would prevent the issuance of the
Units.
(b) The Representative shall have received on the Closing Date or the
Option Closing Date, as the case may be, the opinion of Xxxxx, Xxxx & Xxxxxxx
PLLC, counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date or the Option Closing
Date, as the case may be, addressed to the Underwriters (and stating that it may
be relied upon by counsel to the Underwriters) to the effect that:
(i) The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing
as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Kentucky, with
corporate power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its
business as described in the Registration Statement; each Subsidiary has been
duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation or other business entity
in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, with
corporate power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its
business as described in the Registration Statement; the Company and each
Subsidiary is duly qualified to transact business in all jurisdictions in which
the conduct of its business requires such qualification, or in which the failure
to qualify would have a materially adverse effect upon the business of the
Group.
(ii) The Company has authorized and outstanding capital stock as
set forth under the caption "Capitalization" in the Prospectus; the authorized
shares of the Company's Common Stock have been duly authorized; the outstanding
shares of the Company's Common Stock have been duly authorized and validly
issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; all of the securities of the
Company conform to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus; the
certificates for the Common Stock and Warrants, assuming they are in the form
filed with the Commission, are in due and proper form; the shares of Common
Stock to be sold by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, including shares of
Common Stock to be sold as a part of the Option Units have been duly authorized
and, upon issuance and delivery thereof as contemplated in this Agreement and
the Registration Statement, will be validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable; no preemptive rights of stockholders exist with respect to any
of the Common Stock of the Company or the issuance or sale thereof pursuant to
any applicable statute or the provisions of the Company's charter documents or,
to such counsel's best knowledge, pursuant to any contractual obligation. The
Warrants and the Representative's Warrants have been authorized for issuance to
the purchasers of Units or the Representative, as the case may be, and will,
when issued, possess rights, privileges, and characteristics as represented in
the most recent form of Warrants or Representative's Warrants, as the case may
be, filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement; the securities to be
issued upon exercise of the Representative's Warrants, when issued and delivered
against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of the Representative's
Warrants, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid, nonassessable and free of
preemptive rights, and all corporate action required to be taken for the
authorization and issuance of the Warrants, the Representative's Warrants, and
the securities to be issued upon their exercise, has been validly and
sufficiently taken.
(iii) Except as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus,
to the knowledge of such counsel, there are no outstanding securities of the
Company convertible or
14
exchangeable into or evidencing the right to purchase or subscribe for any
shares of capital stock of the Company and there are no outstanding or
authorized options, warrants or rights of any character obligating the Company
to issue any shares of its capital stock or any securities convertible or
exchangeable into or evidencing the right to purchase or subscribe for any
shares of such stock; and except as described in the Prospectus, to the
knowledge of such counsel, no holder of any securities of the Company or any
other person has the right, contractual or otherwise, which has not been
satisfied or effectively waived, to cause the Company to sell or otherwise issue
to them, or to permit them to underwrite the sale of, any of the Units or the
right to have any Common Stock or other securities of the Company included in
the Registration Statement or the right, as a result of the filing of the
Registration Statement, to require registration under the Act of any shares of
Common Stock or other securities of the Company.
(iv) The Registration Statement has become effective under the
Act and, to the best of the knowledge of such counsel, no stop order proceedings
with respect thereto have been instituted or are pending or threatened under the
Act.
(v) The Registration Statement, the Prospectus and each
amendment or supplement thereto comply as to form in all material respects with
the requirements of the Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder
(except that such counsel need express no opinion as to the financial statements
and related schedules therein).
(vi) The statements under the captions "Shares Eligible for
Future Sale" and "Description of Capital Stock" in the Prospectus and in Item 15
of the Registration Statement, insofar as such statements constitute a summary
of documents referred to therein or matters of law, fairly summarize in all
material respects the information called for with respect to such documents and
matters.
(vii) Such counsel does not know of any contracts or documents
required to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which are not so filed or described
as required, and such contracts and documents as are summarized in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus are fairly summarized in all material
respects.
(viii) Such counsel knows of no material legal or governmental
proceedings pending or threatened against the Company.
(ix) The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the
consummation of the transactions herein contemplated do not and will not
conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or
constitute a default under, the Charter or by-laws of the Company, or any
agreement or instrument known to such counsel to which the Company is a party or
by which the Company may be bound.
(x) Each of this Agreement and the Warrant Agreement by and
among the Company, the Warrantholders (defined therein) and ___________, as
trustee, has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
15
(xi) No approval, consent, order, authorization, designation,
declaration or filing by or with any regulatory, administrative or other
governmental body is necessary in connection with the execution and delivery of
this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated
(other than as may be required by the NASD or as required by State securities
and Blue Sky laws as to which such counsel need express no opinion) except such
as have been obtained or made, specifying the same.
(xii) The Company is not, and will not become, as a result of
the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and
application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Prospectus,
required to register as an investment company under the 1940 Act.
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely as to matters
governed by the laws of states other than Kentucky or Federal laws on local
counsel in such jurisdictions, provided that in each case such counsel shall
state that they believe that they and the Underwriters are justified in relying
on such other counsel. In addition to the matters set forth above, the opinion
of Xxxxx, Xxxx & Heyburn PLLC shall also include a statement to the effect that
nothing has come to the attention of such counsel that has caused him to believe
that (i) the Registration Statement, at the time it became effective under the
Act (but after giving effect to any modifications incorporated therein pursuant
to Rule 430A under the Act) and as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing
Date, as the case may be, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not, and (ii) the Prospectus, or any supplement
thereto, on the date it was filed pursuant to the Rules and Regulations and as
of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, contained an
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements, in the light of the circumstances
under which they are made, not misleading (except that such counsel need express
no view as to financial statements, schedules and statistical information
therein).
(c) The Representative shall have received from Stoel Rives LLP,
counsel for the Underwriters, an opinion dated the Closing Date or the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, substantially to the effect specified in
subparagraphs (i), (iv) and (v) of Paragraph (b) of this Section 6. In
rendering such opinion Stoel Rives LLP may rely as to all matters governed other
than by the laws of the State of Oregon or Federal laws on the opinion of
counsel referred to in Paragraph (b) of this Section 6. In addition to the
matters set forth above, such opinion shall also include a statement to the
effect that nothing has come to the attention of such counsel that has caused
them to believe that (i) the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto,
as of the time it became effective under the Act (but after giving effect to any
modifications incorporated therein pursuant to Rule 430A under the Act) as of
the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, contained an
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
and (ii) the Prospectus, or any supplement thereto, on the date it was filed
pursuant to the Rules and Regulations and as of the Closing Date or the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, contained an untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted to state a material fact, necessary in order to make the
statements, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not
misleading (except that such counsel need express no view as to
16
financial statements, schedules and statistical information therein). With
respect to such statement, Stoel Rives LLP may state that their belief is based
upon the procedures set forth therein, but is without independent check and
verification.
(d) The Representative shall have received at or prior to the Closing
Date from Stoel Rives LLP a memorandum or summary, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Representative, with respect to the qualification for
offering and sale by the Underwriters of the Units under the State securities or
Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably have
designated to the Company.
(e) The Representative, on behalf of the several Underwriters, shall
have received, on each of the dates hereof, the Closing Date and the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, a letter dated the date hereof, the Closing
Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Representative, of Ernst & Young LLP confirming that they
are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Act and the
applicable published Rules and Regulations thereunder and stating that in their
opinion the financial statements and schedules examined by them and included in
the Registration Statement comply in form in all material respects with the
applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the related published Rules
and Regulations and containing such other statements and information as is
ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to Underwriters with
respect to the financial statements and certain financial and statistical
information contained in the Registration Statement and Prospectus.
(f) The Representative shall have received on the Closing Date or the
Option Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate or certificates of the
Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Company to the
effect that, as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may
be, each of them severally represents as follows:
(i) The Registration Statement has become effective under the
Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
has been issued, and no proceedings for such purpose have been taken or are, to
his knowledge, contemplated by the Commission;
(ii) The representations and warranties of the Company contained
in Section 1 hereof are true and correct as of the Closing Date or the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be;
(iii) All filings required to have been made pursuant to Rules
424 or 430A under the Act have been made;
(iv) He or she has carefully examined the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus and, in his or her opinion, as of the effective date of the
Registration Statement, the statements contained in the Registration Statement
were true and correct, and such Registration Statement and Prospectus did not
omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in
order to make the statements therein not misleading, and since the effective
date of the Registration Statement, no event has occurred which should have been
set forth in a
17
supplement to or an amendment of the Prospectus which has not been so set forth
in such supplement or amendment; and
(v) Since the respective dates as of which information is given
in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, there has not been any material
adverse change or any development involving a prospective material adverse
change in or affecting the condition, financial or otherwise, of the Company or
the earnings, business, management, properties, assets, rights, operations,
condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company, whether or not
arising in the ordinary course of business.
(g) The Company shall have furnished to the Representative such
further certificates and documents confirming the representations and
warranties, covenants and conditions contained herein and related matters as the
Representative may reasonably have requested.
(h) The Firm Units and Option Units, if any, have been approved for
designation upon notice of issuance on the Nasdaq National Market.
(i) The Lockup Agreements described in Section 4(j) are in full force
and effect.
The opinions and certificates mentioned in this Agreement shall be
deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in all
material respects satisfactory to the Representative and to Stoel Rives LLP,
counsel for the Underwriters.
If any of the conditions hereinabove provided for in this Section 6
shall not have been fulfilled when and as required by this Agreement to be
fulfilled, the obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be terminated by
the Representative by notifying the Company of such termination in writing or by
telegram at or prior to the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case
may be.
In such event, the Company and the Underwriters shall not be under any
obligation to each other (except to the extent provided in Sections 5 and 8
hereof).
7. CONDITIONS OF THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE COMPANY.
The obligations of the Company to sell and deliver the portion of the
Units required to be delivered as and when specified in this Agreement are
subject to the conditions that at the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date,
as the case may be, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement shall have been issued and in effect or proceedings
therefor initiated or threatened.
8. INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each
Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the
meaning of the Act, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which
such Underwriter or any such controlling person may become subject under the Act
or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities
18
(or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon
(i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact
contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or (ii) the omission or
alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; and will reimburse
each Underwriter and each such controlling person upon demand for any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter or such controlling
person in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim,
damage or liability, action or proceeding or in responding to a subpoena or
governmental inquiry related to the offering of the Units, whether or not such
Underwriter or controlling person is a party to any action or proceeding;
provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the
extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based
upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement, or omission or alleged
omission made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Prospectus, or such amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity
with written information furnished to the Company by or through the
Representative specifically for use in the preparation thereof. This indemnity
agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise
have.
(b) Each Underwriter severally and not jointly will indemnify and
hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who have
signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the
Company within the meaning of the Act, against any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities to which the Company or any such director, officer or controlling
person may become subject under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof)
arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of any material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto,
or (ii) the omission or the alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading in the light of the circumstances under which they were made; and
will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company or
any such director, officer or controlling person in connection with
investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability, action or
proceeding; provided, however, that each Underwriter will be liable in each case
to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission has been made in the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or such
amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by or through the Representative
specifically for use in the preparation thereof. This indemnity agreement will
be in addition to any liability which such Underwriter may otherwise have.
(c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation)
shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be
sought pursuant to this Section 8, such person (the "indemnified party") shall
promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the
"indemnifying party") in writing. No indemnification provided for in Section
8(a) or (b) shall be available to any party who shall fail to give notice as
provided in this Section 8(c) if the party to whom notice was not given was
unaware of the proceeding to which such notice would have related and was
materially prejudiced by the failure
19
to give such notice, but the failure to give such notice shall not relieve the
indemnifying party or parties from any liability which it or they may have to
the indemnified party for contribution or otherwise than on account of the
provisions of Section 8(a) or (b). In case any such proceeding shall be brought
against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the
commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate
therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other
indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with
counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party and shall pay as incurred the
fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such
proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel
at its own expense. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the indemnifying party shall
pay as incurred (or within 30 days of presentation) the fees and expenses of the
counsel retained by the indemnified party in the event (i) the indemnifying
party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of
such counsel, (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any
impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party
and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate
due to actual or potential differing interests between them or (iii) the
indemnifying party shall have failed to assume the defense and employ counsel
acceptable to the indemnified party within a reasonable period of time after
notice of commencement of the action. It is understood that the indemnifying
party shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the
same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than
one separate firm for all such indemnified parties. Such firm shall be
designated in writing by you in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to
Section 8(a) and by the Company in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to
Section 8(b). The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of
any proceeding effected without its written consent but if settled with such
consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying
party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or
liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. In addition, the
indemnifying party will not, without the prior written consent of the
indemnified party, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment
in any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding of which
indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or not any indemnified party is
an actual or potential party to such claim, action or proceeding) unless such
settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each
indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action or
proceeding.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is
unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
Section 8(a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) referred to therein,
then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by
such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) in such proportion as
is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the
one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Units. If,
however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not
permitted by applicable law then each indemnifying party shall contribute to
such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative
fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in
connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities, (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof),
as well as
20
any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by
the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to
be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before
deducting expenses) received by the Company bears to the total underwriting
discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set
forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault
shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission
to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the
one hand or the Underwriters on the other and the parties' relative intent,
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such
statement or omission.
The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and
equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 8(d) were determined by pro
rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the
equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 8(d). The amount
paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) referred
to above in this Section 8(d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the
provisions of this subsection (d), (i) no Underwriter shall be required to
contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discounts and commissions
applicable to the Units purchased by such Underwriter, and (ii) no person guilty
of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act)
shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such
fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations in this Section
8(d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting
obligations and not joint.
(e) In any proceeding relating to the Registration Statement, any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any supplement or amendment thereto,
each party against whom contribution may be sought under this Section 8 hereby
consents to the jurisdiction of any court having jurisdiction over any other
contributing party, agrees that process issuing from such court may be served
upon him or it by any other contributing party and consents to the service of
such process and agrees that any other contributing party may join him or it as
an additional defendant in any such proceeding in which such other contributing
party is a party.
(f) Any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses for which an
indemnified party is entitled to indemnification or contribution under this
Section 8 shall be paid by the indemnifying party to the indemnified party as
such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are incurred. The
indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 8 and the
representations and warranties of the Company set forth in this Agreement shall
remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of (i) any
investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any person controlling
any Underwriter, the Company, its directors or officers or any persons
controlling the Company, (ii) acceptance of any Units and payment therefor
hereunder, and (iii) any termination of this Agreement. A successor to any
Underwriter, or to the Company, its directors or officers, or any person
controlling the
21
Company, shall be entitled to the benefits of the indemnity, contribution and
reimbursement agreements contained in this Section 8.
9. DEFAULT BY UNDERWRITERS.
If on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be,
any Underwriter shall fail to purchase and pay for the portion of the Units
which such Underwriter has agreed to purchase and pay for on such date
(otherwise than by reason of any default on the part of the Company), you, as
Representative of the Underwriters, shall use your reasonable efforts to procure
within 36 hours thereafter one or more of the other Underwriters, or any others,
to purchase from the Company such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the
terms set forth herein, the Firm Units or Option Units, as the case may be,
which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters failed to purchase. If during
such 36 hours you, as such Representative, shall not have procured such other
Underwriters, or any others, to purchase the Firm Units or Option Units, as the
case may be, agreed to be purchased by the defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters, then (a) if the aggregate number of Units with respect to which
such default shall occur does not exceed 10% of the Firm Units or Option Units,
as the case may be, covered hereby, the other Underwriters shall be obligated,
severally, in proportion to the respective numbers of Firm Units or Option
Units, as the case may be, which they are obligated to purchase hereunder, to
purchase the Firm Units or Option Units, as the case may be, which such
defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters failed to purchase, or (b) if the
aggregate number of Firm Units or Option Units, as the case may be, with respect
to which such default shall occur exceeds 10% of the Firm Units or Option Units,
as the case may be, covered hereby, the Company or you as the Representative of
the Underwriters will have the right, by written notice given within the next
36-hour period to the parties to this Agreement, to terminate this Agreement
without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters or of the
Company except to the extent provided in Section 8 hereof. In the event of a
default by any Underwriter or Underwriters, as set forth in this Section 9, the
Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as the case may be, may be postponed for
such period, not exceeding seven days, as you, as Representative, may determine
in order that the required changes in the Registration Statement or in the
Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. The term
"Underwriter" includes any person substituted for a defaulting Underwriter. Any
action taken under this Section 9 shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter
from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this
Agreement.
10. NOTICES.
All communications hereunder shall be in writing and, except as
otherwise provided herein, will be mailed, delivered, telecopied or telegraphed
and confirmed as follows: if to the Underwriters, to Xxxxxxx Investment
Company, Inc., 000 XX Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx 00000, Attention: Xxxxxxx
X.X. Xxxxxxx; with a copy to Stoel Rives LLP, 000 XX 0xx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxx 00000, Attention: Xxxx X. Xxxxx; if to the Company, to Strategia
Corporation, 00000 Xxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxx, X.X. Xxx 00000, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx
00000-0000 Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx; with a copy to Xxxxx, Xxxx & Heyburn
PLLC, 0000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: Xxxx X.
XxxXxxxxx.
22
11. TERMINATION.
This Agreement may be terminated by you by notice to the Company as
follows:
(a) at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the time the Units are
released by you for sale by notice to the Underwriters, or (ii) 11:30 a.m. on
the first business day following the date of this Agreement;
(b) at any time prior to the Closing Date if any of the following has
occurred: (i) since the respective dates as of which information is given in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, any material adverse change or any
development involving a prospective material adverse change in or affecting the
condition, financial or otherwise, of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as
a whole or the earnings, business, management, properties, assets, rights,
operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company and
its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not arising in the ordinary course
of business, (ii) any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or declaration of
war or national emergency or other national or international calamity or crisis
or change in economic or political conditions if the effect of such outbreak,
escalation, declaration, emergency, calamity, crisis or change on the financial
markets of the United States would, in your reasonable judgment, make it
impracticable to market the Units or to enforce contracts for the sale of the
Units, (iii) the Dow Xxxxx Industrial Average shall have fallen by 15 percent or
more from its closing price on the day immediately preceding the date that the
Registration Statement is declared effective by the Commission, (iv) suspension
of trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange or the
American Stock Exchange or limitation on prices (other than limitations on hours
or numbers of days of trading) for securities on either such Exchange, (v) the
enactment, publication, decree or other promulgation of any statute, regulation,
rule or order of any court or other governmental authority which in your opinion
materially and adversely affects or may materially and adversely affect the
business or operations of the Company, (vi) declaration of a banking moratorium
by United States or New York State authorities, (vii) any downgrading in the
rating of the Company's debt securities by any "nationally recognized
statistical rating organization" (as defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) under
the Exchange Act); (viii) the suspension of trading of the Company's common
stock by the Commission on the Nasdaq Stock Market or (ix) the taking of any
action by any governmental body or agency in respect of its monetary or fiscal
affairs which in your reasonable opinion has a material adverse effect on the
securities markets in the United States; or
(c) as provided in Sections 6 and 9 of this Agreement.
12. SUCCESSORS.
This Agreement has been and is made solely for the benefit of the
Underwriters, the Company and their respective successors, executors,
administrators, heirs and assigns, and the officers, directors and controlling
persons referred to herein, and no other person will have any right or
obligation hereunder. No purchaser of any of the Units from any Underwriter
shall be deemed a successor or assign merely because of such purchase.
23
13. INFORMATION PROVIDED BY UNDERWRITERS.
The Company and the Underwriters acknowledge and agree that the only
information furnished or to be furnished by any Underwriter to the Company for
inclusion in any Prospectus or the Registration Statement consists of the
information set forth in the last paragraph on the front cover page (insofar as
such information relates to the Underwriters), legends required by Item 502(d)
of Regulation S-K under the Act and the information under the caption
"Underwriting" in the Prospectus.
14. MISCELLANEOUS.
The reimbursement, indemnification and contribution agreements
contained in this Agreement and the representations, warranties and covenants in
this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of (a) any
termination of this Agreement, (b) any investigation made by or on behalf of any
Underwriter or controlling person thereof, or by or on behalf of the Company or
its directors or officers and (c) delivery of and payment for the Units under
this Agreement.
This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute
one and the same instrument.
This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with,
the laws of the State of Oregon. All disputes relating to this Underwriting
Agreement shall be adjudicated before a court located in Multnomah county,
Oregon to the exclusion of all other courts that might have jurisdiction.
If the foregoing letter is in accordance with your understanding of our
agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicates hereof,
whereupon it will become a binding agreement among the Company and the several
Underwriters in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
STRATEGIA CORPORATION
By:
-------------------------------
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx, President
The foregoing Underwriting Agreement s hereby confirmed and accepted as of the
date first above written.
XXXXXXX INVESTMENT COMPANY, INC.
As Representative of the several
Underwriters listed on Schedule I
24
By:
-----------------------------------
Authorized Officer
25
SCHEDULE I
SCHEDULE OF UNDERWRITERS
Number of Firm Units
Underwriter to be Purchased
----------- --------------------
Xxxxxxx Investment Company, Inc.
Total 1,750,000
---------
26
SCHEDULE II
LIST OF SUBSIDIARIES
Subsidiary Percent Ownership
---------- -----------------
100%
100%
100%
