EXHIBIT 4.3
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT dated February 6, 2002 (the "Agreement") is
entered into by and among The Scotts Company, an Ohio corporation (the
"Company"), the guarantors listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the "Guarantors"), and
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc., Banc of America Securities LLC First Union
Securities, Inc., ABN AMRO Incorporated, Credit Lyonnais Securities (USA) Inc.
(the "Initial Purchasers").
The Company, the Guarantors and the Initial Purchasers are parties to
the Purchase Agreement dated February 1, 2002 (the "Purchase Agreement"), which
provides for the sale by the Company to the Initial Purchasers of $70,000,000
aggregate principal amount of the Company's 8.625% Senior Subordinated Notes due
2009 (the "Securities") which will be guaranteed on an unsecured senior
subordinated basis by each of the Guarantors. As an inducement to the Initial
Purchasers to enter into the Purchase Agreement, the Company and the Guarantors
have agreed to provide to the Initial Purchasers and their direct and indirect
transferees the registration rights set forth in this Agreement. The execution
and delivery of this Agreement is a condition to the closing under the Purchase
Agreement.
In consideration of the foregoing, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. DEFINITIONS. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall
have the following meanings:
"Business Day" shall mean any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or
other day on which commercial banks in New York City, Ohio, Connecticut or
Massachusetts are authorized or required by law to remain closed.
"Closing Date" shall mean the Closing Date as defined in the Purchase
Agreement.
"Company" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble and shall
also include the Company's successors.
"Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended from time to time.
"Exchange Dates" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(ii)
hereof.
"Exchange Offer" shall mean the exchange offer by the Company and the
Guarantors of Exchange Securities for Registrable Securities pursuant to Section
2(a) hereof.
"Exchange Offer Registration" shall mean a registration under the
Securities Act effected pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof.
"Exchange Offer Registration Statement" shall mean an exchange offer
registration statement on Form S-4 (or, if applicable, on another appropriate
form) and all amendments and supplements to such registration statement, in each
case including the Prospectus contained therein, all exhibits thereto and any
document incorporated by reference therein.
"Exchange Securities" shall mean senior subordinated notes issued by
the Company and guaranteed by the Guarantors under the Indenture containing
terms identical to the Securities (except that the Exchange Securities will not
be subject to restrictions on transfer or to any increase in annual interest
rate for failure to comply with this Agreement) and to be offered to Holders of
Securities in exchange for Securities pursuant to the Exchange Offer.
"Guarantors" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble and shall
also include any Guarantor's successors.
"Holders" shall mean the Initial Purchasers, for so long as they own
any Registrable Securities, and each of their successors, assigns and direct and
indirect transferees who become owners of Registrable Securities under the
Indenture; provided that for purposes of Sections 4 and 5 of this Agreement, the
term "Holders" shall include Participating Broker-Dealers.
"Initial Purchasers" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
"Indenture" shall mean the Indenture relating to the Securities dated
as of January 21, 1999 among the Company, the Guarantors and State Street Bank
and Trust Company, as trustee, and as the same may be amended from time to time
in accordance with the terms thereof.
"Majority Holders" shall mean the Holders of a majority of the
aggregate principal amount of outstanding Registrable Securities; provided that
whenever the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of
Registrable Securities is required hereunder, Registrable Securities owned
directly or indirectly by the Company or any of its affiliates shall not be
counted in determining whether such consent or approval was given by the Holders
of such required percentage or amount.
"Participating Broker-Dealers" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 4(a) hereof.
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"Person" shall mean an individual, partnership, limited liability
company, corporation, trust or unincorporated organization, or a government or
agency or political subdivision thereof.
"Purchase Agreement" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
"Prospectus" shall mean the prospectus included in a Registration
Statement, including any preliminary prospectus, and any such prospectus as
amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, including a prospectus
supplement with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the
Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement, and by all
other amendments and supplements to such prospectus, and in each case including
any document incorporated by reference therein.
"Registrable Securities" shall mean the Securities; provided that the
Securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities (i) when a Registration
Statement with respect to such Securities has been declared effective under the
Securities Act and such Securities have been exchanged or disposed of pursuant
to such Registration Statement, (ii) when such Securities are eligible to be
sold pursuant to Rule 144(k) (or any similar provision then in force, but not
Rule 144A) under the Securities Act or (iii) when such Securities cease to be
outstanding.
"Registration Expenses" shall mean any and all expenses incident to
performance of or compliance by the Company and the Guarantors with this
Agreement, including without limitation: (i) all SEC, stock exchange or National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. registration and filing fees, (ii) all
fees and expenses incurred in connection with compliance with state securities
or blue sky laws (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for any
Underwriters or Holders in connection with blue sky qualification of any
Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities), (iii) all expenses of any
Persons in preparing or assisting in preparing, word processing, printing and
distributing any Registration Statement, any Prospectus and any amendments or
supplements thereto, any underwriting agreements, securities sales agreements or
other similar agreements and any other documents relating to the performance of
and compliance with this Agreement, (iv) all rating agency fees, (v) all fees
and disbursements relating to the qualification of the Indenture under
applicable securities laws, (vi) the fees and disbursements of the Trustee and
its counsel, (vii) the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and the
Guarantors and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the fees and
disbursements of one counsel for the Holders (which counsel shall be selected by
the Majority Holders and which counsel may also be counsel for the Initial
Purchasers) and (viii) the fees and disbursements of the independent public
accountants of the Company and the Guarantors, including the expenses of any
special audits or "comfort" letters required by or incident to the performance
of and compliance with this Agreement, but excluding fees and expenses of
counsel to the
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Underwriters (other than fees and expenses set forth in clause (ii) above) or
the Holders and underwriting discounts and commissions and transfer taxes, if
any, relating to the sale or disposition of Registrable Securities by a Holder.
"Registration Statement" shall mean any registration statement of the
Company and the Guarantors that covers any of the Exchange Securities or
Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement and all
amendments and supplements to any such registration statement, including
post-effective amendments, in each case including the Prospectus contained
therein, all exhibits thereto and any document incorporated by reference
therein.
"SEC" shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.
"Securities Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from
time to time.
"Shelf Registration" shall mean a registration effected pursuant to
Section 2(b) hereof.
"Shelf Registration Statement" shall mean a "shelf" registration
statement of the Company and the Guarantors that covers all the Registrable
Securities (but no other securities unless approved by the Holders whose
Registrable Securities are to be covered by such Shelf Registration Statement)
on an appropriate form under Rule 415 under the Securities Act, or any similar
rule that may be adopted by the SEC, and all amendments and supplements to such
registration statement, including post-effective amendments, in each case
including the Prospectus contained therein, all exhibits thereto and any
document incorporated by reference therein.
"Trust Indenture Act" shall mean the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended from time to time.
"Trustee" shall mean the trustee with respect to the Securities under
the Indenture.
"Underwriter" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3 hereof.
"Underwritten Offering" shall mean an offering in which Registrable
Securities are sold to an Underwriter for reoffering to the public.
2. REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT. (a) To the extent not
prohibited by any applicable law or applicable interpretations of the Staff of
the SEC, the Company and the Guarantors shall use their reasonable best efforts
to (i) cause to be filed an Exchange Offer Registration Statement covering an
offer to the Holders to exchange all the Registrable Securities for Exchange
Securities and (ii) have such Registration Statement remain effective until the
closing of the
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Exchange Offer. The Company and the Guarantors shall commence the Exchange Offer
promptly after the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is declared effective
by the SEC and use their reasonable best efforts to complete the Exchange Offer
not later than 30 days after such effective date.
The Company and the Guarantors shall commence the Exchange Offer by
mailing the related Prospectus, appropriate letters of transmittal and other
accompanying documents to each Holder stating, in addition to such other
disclosures as are required by applicable law:
(i) that the Exchange Offer is being made pursuant to this Agreement and
that all Registrable Securities validly tendered and not properly
withdrawn will be accepted for exchange;
(ii) the dates of acceptance for exchange (which shall be a period of at
least 20 Business Days from the date such notice is mailed) (the
"Exchange Dates");
(iii) that any Registrable Security not tendered will remain outstanding and
continue to accrue interest but will not retain any rights under this
Agreement;
(iv) that any Holder electing to have a Registrable Security exchanged
pursuant to the Exchange Offer will be required to surrender such
Registrable Security, together with the appropriate letters of
transmittal, to the institution and at the address (located in the
Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York) and in the manner specified
in the notice, prior to the close of business on the last Exchange
Date; and
(v) that any Holder will be entitled to withdraw its election, not later
than the close of business on the last Exchange Date, by sending to the
institution and at the address (located in the Borough of Manhattan,
The City of New York) specified in the notice, a telegram, facsimile
transmission or letter setting forth the name of such Holder, the
principal amount of Registrable Securities delivered for exchange and a
statement that such Holder is withdrawing its election to have such
Securities exchanged.
As a condition to participating in the Exchange Offer, a Holder will be
required to represent to the Company and the Guarantors that (i) any Exchange
Securities to be received by it will be acquired in the ordinary course of its
business, (ii) at the time of the commencement of the Exchange Offer it has no
arrangement or understanding with any Person to participate in the distribution
(within the meaning of the Securities Act) of the Exchange Securities in
violation of the provisions of the Securities Act, (iii) it is not an
"affiliate" (within the meaning of Rule 405 under Securities Act) of the Company
or any Guarantor and (iv) if such Holder is a broker-dealer that will receive
Exchange Securities for its
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own account in exchange for Registrable Securities that were acquired as a
result of market-making or other trading activities, then such Holder will
deliver a Prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities.
As soon as practicable after the last Exchange Date, the Company and
the Guarantors shall:
(i) accept for exchange Registrable Securities or portions thereof validly
tendered and not properly withdrawn pursuant to the Exchange Offer; and
(ii) deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Trustee for cancellation all
Registrable Securities or portions thereof so accepted for exchange by
the Company and issue, and cause the Trustee to promptly authenticate
and deliver to each Holder, Exchange Securities equal in principal
amount to the principal amount of the Registrable Securities
surrendered by such Holder.
The Company and the Guarantors shall use their reasonable best efforts
to complete the Exchange Offer as provided above and shall comply with the
applicable requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and other
applicable laws and regulations in connection with the Exchange Offer. The
Exchange Offer shall not be subject to any conditions, other than that the
Exchange Offer does not violate any applicable law or applicable interpretations
of the Staff of the SEC.
(b) In the event that (i) the Company and the Guarantors determine that
the Exchange Offer Registration provided for in Section 2(a) above is not
available or may not be completed as soon as practicable after the last Exchange
Date because it would violate any applicable law or applicable interpretations
of the Staff of the SEC, (ii) the Exchange Offer is not for any other reason
completed by ______________, 2002 [insert date nine months after closing date]
or (iii) the Exchange Offer has been completed and in the opinion of counsel for
the Initial Purchasers a Registration Statement must be filed and a Prospectus
must be delivered by the Initial Purchasers in connection with any offering or
sale of Registrable Securities, the Company and the Guarantors shall use their
reasonable best efforts to cause to be filed as soon as practicable after such
determination, date or notice of such opinion of counsel is given to the
Company, as the case may be, a Shelf Registration Statement providing for the
sale of all the Registrable Securities by the Holders thereof and to have such
Shelf Registration Statement declared effective by the SEC. In the event the
Initial Purchasers hold an unsold allotment of the Securities on the 150th day
after the date of this Agreement, X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc. or the relevant
Initial Purchaser shall notify the Company of such unsold allotment.
In the event that the Company and the Guarantors are required to file a
Shelf Registration Statement solely as a result of the matters referred to in
clause
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(iii) of the preceding sentence, the Company and the Guarantors shall use their
reasonable best efforts to file and have declared effective by the SEC both an
Exchange Offer Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(a) with respect to
all Registrable Securities and a Shelf Registration Statement (which may be a
combined Registration Statement with the Exchange Offer Registration Statement)
with respect to offers and sales of Registrable Securities held by the Initial
Purchasers after completion of the Exchange Offer.
The Company and the Guarantors agree to use their reasonable best
efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective until
the expiration of the period referred to in Rule 144(k) under the Securities Act
with respect to the Registrable Securities or such shorter period that will
terminate when all the Registrable Securities covered by the Shelf Registration
Statement have been sold pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement. The
Company and the Guarantors further agree to supplement or amend the Shelf
Registration Statement and the related Prospectus if required by the rules,
regulations or instructions applicable to the registration form used by the
Company for such Shelf Registration Statement or by the Securities Act or by any
other rules and regulations thereunder for shelf registration or if reasonably
requested by a Holder of Registrable Securities with respect to information
relating to such Holder, and to use their reasonable best efforts to cause any
such amendment to become effective and such Shelf Registration Statement and
Prospectus to become usable as soon as thereafter practicable. The Company and
the Guarantors agree to furnish to the Holders of Registrable Securities copies
of any such supplement or amendment promptly after its being used or filed with
the SEC.
(c) The Company and the Guarantors shall pay all Registration Expenses
in connection with the registration pursuant to Section 2(a) and Section 2(b)
hereof. Each Holder shall pay all underwriting discounts and commissions and
transfer taxes, if any, relating to the sale or disposition of such Holder's
Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement.
(d) An Exchange Offer Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(a)
hereof or a Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof will
not be deemed to have become effective unless it has been declared effective by
the SEC; PROVIDED that if, after it has been declared effective, the offering of
Registrable Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement is interfered
with by any stop order, injunction or other order or requirement of the SEC or
any court or other governmental or regulatory agency or body, such Registration
Statement will be deemed not to have become effective during the period of such
interference until the offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to such
Registration Statement may legally resume.
In the event that either the Exchange Offer is not completed or the
Shelf Registration Statement, if required hereby, is not declared effective on
or prior to
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November 6, 2002 (the "Target Registration Date"), the interest rate on the
Registrable Securities will be increased by (i) 0.50% per annum for the first
90-day period immediately following the Target Registration Date and (ii) an
additional 0.50% per annum with respect to each subsequent 90-day period, in
each case until the Exchange Offer is completed or the Shelf Registration
Statement, if required hereby, is declared effective by the SEC or the
Securities become freely tradable under the Securities Act, up to a maximum of
1.50% per annum of additional interest. In the event (x) a Shelf Registration
Statement is required to be filed due to an unsold allotment held by an Initial
Purchaser and (y) X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc. or the relevant Initial Purchaser
fails to give the notice described in the final sentence of the first paragraph
of Section 2(b), then the additional interest described in this Section 2(d)
shall not commence to accrue until 120 days after the delivery of such notice to
the Company.
(e) Without limiting the remedies available to the Initial Purchasers
and the Holders, the Company and the Guarantors acknowledge that any failure by
the Company or the Guarantors to comply with their obligations under Section
2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof may result in material irreparable injury to the
Initial Purchasers or the Holders for which there is no adequate remedy at law,
that it will not be possible to measure damages for such injuries precisely and
that, in the event of any such failure, the Initial Purchasers or any Holder may
obtain such relief as may be required to specifically enforce the Company's and
the Guarantors' obligations under Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof.
3. REGISTRATION PROCEDURES. In connection with their obligations
pursuant to Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof, the Company and the Guarantors
shall as expeditiously as possible:
(a) prepare and file with the SEC a Registration Statement on the
appropriate form under the Securities Act, which form (x) shall be selected by
the Company and the Guarantors, (y) shall, in the case of a Shelf Registration,
be available for the sale of the Registrable Securities by the selling Holders
thereof and (z) shall comply as to form in all material respects with the
requirements of the applicable form and include all financial statements
required by the SEC to be filed therewith; and use their reasonable best efforts
to cause such Registration Statement to become effective and remain effective
for the applicable period in accordance with Section 2 hereof;
(b) prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and post-effective
amendments to each Registration Statement as may be necessary to keep such
Registration Statement effective for the applicable period in accordance with
Section 2 hereof and cause each Prospectus to be supplemented by any required
prospectus supplement and, as so supplemented, to be filed pursuant to Rule 424
under the Securities Act; and keep each Prospectus current during the period
described in Section 4(3) of and Rule 174 under the Securities Act that is
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applicable to transactions by brokers or dealers with respect to the Registrable
Securities or Exchange Securities;
(c) in the case of a Shelf Registration, furnish to each Holder of
Registrable Securities, to counsel for the Initial Purchasers, to counsel for
such Holders and to each Underwriter of an Underwritten Offering of Registrable
Securities, if any, without charge, as many copies of each Prospectus, including
each preliminary Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto, as such
person shall reasonably request in order to facilitate the sale or other
disposition of the Registrable Securities thereunder; and the Company and the
Guarantors consent to the use of such Prospectus and any amendment or supplement
thereto in accordance with applicable law by each of the selling Holders of
Registrable Securities and any such Underwriters in connection with the offering
and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by and in the manner described in
such Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto in accordance with
applicable law;
(d) use their reasonable best efforts to register or qualify the
Registrable Securities under all applicable state securities or blue sky laws of
such jurisdictions as any Holder of Registrable Securities covered by a
Registration Statement shall reasonably request in writing by the time the
applicable Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC; cooperate
with the Holders in connection with any filings required to be made with the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.; and do any and all other acts
and things that may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable each Holder
to complete the disposition in each such jurisdiction of the Registrable
Securities owned by such Holder; PROVIDED that neither the Company nor any
Guarantor shall be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or other
entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not
otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to service of
process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such
jurisdiction if it is not so subject;
(e) in the case of a Shelf Registration, notify each Holder of
Registrable Securities, counsel for such Holders and counsel for the Initial
Purchasers promptly and, if requested by any such Holder or counsel, confirm
such advice in writing (i) when a Registration Statement has become effective
and when any post-effective amendment thereto has been filed and becomes
effective, (ii) of any request by the SEC or any state securities authority for
amendments and supplements to a Registration Statement and Prospectus or for
additional information after the Registration Statement has become effective,
(iii) of the issuance by the SEC or any state securities authority of any stop
order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement or the initiation
of any proceedings for that purpose, (iv) if, between the effective date of a
Registration Statement and the closing of any sale of Registrable Securities
covered thereby, the representations and warranties of the Company or any
Guarantor contained
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in any underwriting agreement, securities sales agreement or other similar
agreement, if any, relating to an offering of such Registrable Securities cease
to be true and correct in all material respects or if the Company or any
Guarantor receives any notification with respect to the suspension of the
qualification of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the
initiation of any proceeding for such purpose, (v) of the happening of any event
during the period a Shelf Registration Statement is effective that makes any
statement made in such Registration Statement or the related Prospectus untrue
in any material respect or that requires the making of any changes in such
Registration Statement or Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (vi)
of any determination by the Company or any Guarantor that a post-effective
amendment to a Registration Statement would be appropriate;
(f) use their reasonable best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of any
order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement at the earliest
possible moment and provide immediate notice to each Holder of the withdrawal of
any such order;
(g) in the case of a Shelf Registration, furnish to each Holder of
Registrable Securities, without charge, at least one conformed copy of each
Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto (without any
documents incorporated therein by reference or exhibits thereto, unless
requested);
(h) in the case of a Shelf Registration, cooperate with the selling
Holders of Registrable Securities to facilitate the timely preparation and
delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be sold and not
bearing any restrictive legends and enable such Registrable Securities to be
issued in such denominations and registered in such names (consistent with the
provisions of the Indenture) as the selling Holders may reasonably request at
least one Business Day prior to the closing of any sale of Registrable
Securities;
(i) in the case of a Shelf Registration, upon the occurrence of any
event contemplated by Section 3(e)(v) hereof, use their reasonable best efforts
to prepare and file with the SEC a supplement or post-effective amendment to a
Registration Statement or the related Prospectus or any document incorporated
therein by reference or file any other required document so that, as thereafter
delivered to purchasers of the Registrable Securities, such Prospectus will not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading; and the Company and the Guarantors
shall notify the Holders of Registrable Securities to suspend use of the
Prospectus as promptly as practicable after the occurrence of such an event, and
such Holders hereby agree to suspend use of the Prospectus until the Company
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and the Guarantors have amended or supplemented the Prospectus to correct such
misstatement or omission;
(j) a reasonable time prior to the filing of any Registration
Statement, any Prospectus, any amendment to a Registration Statement or
amendment or supplement to a Prospectus or of any document that is to be
incorporated by reference into a Registration Statement or a Prospectus after
initial filing of a Registration Statement, provide copies of such document to
the Initial Purchasers and their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf
Registration Statement, to the Holders of Registrable Securities and their
counsel) and make such of the representatives of the Company and the Guarantors
as shall be reasonably requested by the Initial Purchasers or their counsel
(and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Holders of Registrable
Securities or their counsel) available for discussion of such document; and the
Company and the Guarantors shall not, at any time after initial filing of a
Registration Statement, file any Prospectus, any amendment of or supplement to a
Registration Statement or a Prospectus, or any document that is to be
incorporated by reference into a Registration Statement or a Prospectus, of
which the Initial Purchasers and their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf
Registration Statement, the Holders of Registrable Securities and their counsel)
shall not have previously been advised and furnished a copy or to which the
Initial Purchasers or their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration
Statement, the Holders or their counsel) shall reasonably object;
(k) obtain a CUSIP number for all Exchange Securities or Registrable
Securities, as the case may be, not later than the effective date of a
Registration Statement;
(l) cause the Indenture to be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act
in connection with the registration of the Exchange Securities or Registrable
Securities, as the case may be; cooperate with the Trustee and the Holders to
effect such changes to the Indenture as may be required for the Indenture to be
so qualified in accordance with the terms of the Trust Indenture Act; and
execute, and use their reasonable best efforts to cause the Trustee to execute,
all documents as may be required to effect such changes and all other forms and
documents required to be filed with the SEC to enable the Indenture to be so
qualified in a timely manner;
(m) in the case of a Shelf Registration, make available for inspection
by a representative of the Holders of the Registrable Securities (an
"Inspector"), any Underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to such
Shelf Registration Statement, and attorneys and accountants designated by the
Holders, at reasonable times and in a reasonable manner, all pertinent financial
and other records, documents and properties of the Company and the Guarantors,
and cause the respective officers, directors and employees of the Company and
the Guarantors to supply all information reasonably requested by any such
Inspector,
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Underwriter, attorney or accountant in connection with a Shelf Registration
Statement; PROVIDED that if any such information is identified by the Company or
any Guarantor as being confidential or proprietary, each Person receiving such
information shall take such actions as are reasonably necessary to protect the
confidentiality of such information to the extent such action is otherwise not
inconsistent with, an impairment of or in derogation of the rights and interests
of any Inspector, Holder or Underwriter);
(n) if reasonably requested by any Holder of Registrable Securities
covered by a Registration Statement, promptly incorporate in a Prospectus
supplement or post-effective amendment such information with respect to such
Holder as such Holder reasonably requests to be included therein and make all
required filings of such Prospectus supplement or such post-effective amendment
as soon as the Company has received notification of the matters to be
incorporated in such filing; and
(o) in the case of a Shelf Registration, enter into such customary
agreements and take all such other actions in connection therewith (including
those requested by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the
Registrable Securities being sold) in order to expedite or facilitate the
disposition of such Registrable Securities including, but not limited to, an
Underwritten Offering and in such connection, (i) to the extent possible, make
such representations and warranties to the Holders and any Underwriters of such
Registrable Securities with respect to the business of the Company and its
subsidiaries, the Registration Statement, Prospectus and documents incorporated
by reference or deemed incorporated by reference, if any, in each case, in form,
substance and scope as are customarily made by issuers to underwriters in
underwritten offerings and confirm the same if and when requested, (ii) obtain
opinions of counsel to the Company and the Guarantors (which counsel and
opinions, in form, scope and substance, shall be reasonably satisfactory to the
Holders and such Underwriters and their respective counsel) addressed to each
selling Holder and Underwriter of Registrable Securities, covering the matters
customarily covered in opinions requested in underwritten offerings, (iii)
obtain "comfort" letters from the independent certified public accountants of
the Company and the Guarantors (and, if necessary, any other certified public
accountant of any subsidiary of the Company or any Guarantor, or of any business
acquired by the Company or any Guarantor for which financial statements and
financial data are or are required to be included in the Registration Statement)
addressed to each selling Holder and Underwriter of Registrable Securities, such
letters to be in customary form and covering matters of the type customarily
covered in "comfort" letters in connection with underwritten offerings and (iv)
deliver such documents and certificates as may be reasonably requested by the
Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities being
sold or the Underwriters, and which are customarily delivered in underwritten
offerings, to evidence the continued validity of the representations and
warranties of the Company and the Guarantors made
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pursuant to clause (i) above and to evidence compliance with any customary
conditions contained in an underwriting agreement.
In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Company may require
each Holder of Registrable Securities to furnish to the Company such information
regarding such Holder and the proposed disposition by such Holder of such
Registrable Securities as the Company and the Guarantors may from time to time
reasonably request in writing.
In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, each Holder of
Registrable Securities agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company
and the Guarantors of the happening of any event of the kind described in
Section 3(e)(iii) or 3(e)(v) hereof, such Holder will forthwith discontinue
disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement until
such Holder's receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus
contemplated by Section 3(i) hereof and, if so directed by the Company and the
Guarantors, such Holder will deliver to the Company and the Guarantors all
copies in its possession, other than permanent file copies then in such Holder's
possession, of the Prospectus covering such Registrable Securities that is
current at the time of receipt of such notice.
If the Company and the Guarantors shall give any such notice to suspend
the disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement,
the Company and the Guarantors shall extend the period during which the
Registration Statement shall be maintained effective pursuant to this Agreement
by the number of days during the period from and including the date of the
giving of such notice to and including the date when the Holders shall have
received copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus necessary to resume
such dispositions. The Company and the Guarantors may give any such notice only
twice during any 365-day period and any such suspensions shall not exceed 60
days for each suspension and there shall not be more than two suspensions in
effect during any 365-day period.
The Holders of Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration
Statement who desire to do so may sell such Registrable Securities in an
Underwritten Offering. In any such Underwritten Offering, the investment banker
or investment bankers and manager or managers (the "Underwriters") that will
administer the offering will be selected by the Majority Holders of the
Registrable Securities included in such offering.
4. PARTICIPATION OF BROKER-DEALERS IN EXCHANGE OFFER. (a) The Staff of
the SEC has taken the position that any broker-dealer that receives Exchange
Securities for its own account in the Exchange Offer in exchange for Securities
that were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making or other
trading activities (a "Participating Broker-Dealer") may be deemed to be an
"underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act and must deliver a
13
prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any
resale of such Exchange Securities.
The Company and the Guarantors understand that it is the Staff's
position that if the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement includes a plan of distribution containing a statement to the above
effect and the means by which Participating Broker-Dealers may resell the
Exchange Securities, without naming the Participating Broker-Dealers or
specifying the amount of Exchange Securities owned by them, such Prospectus may
be delivered by Participating Broker-Dealers to satisfy their prospectus
delivery obligation under the Securities Act in connection with resales of
Exchange Securities for their own accounts, so long as the Prospectus otherwise
meets the requirements of the Securities Act.
(b) In light of the above, and notwithstanding the other provisions of
this Agreement, the Company and the Guarantors agree to amend or supplement the
Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, as would
otherwise be contemplated by Section 3(i), for a period of up to 180 days after
the last Exchange Date (as such period may be extended pursuant to the
penultimate paragraph of Section 3 of this Agreement), if requested by the
Initial Purchasers or by one or more Participating Broker-Dealers, in order to
expedite or facilitate the disposition of any Exchange Securities by
Participating Broker-Dealers consistent with the positions of the Staff recited
in Section 4(a) above. The Company and the Guarantors further agree that
Participating Broker-Dealers shall be authorized to deliver such Prospectus
during such period in connection with the resales contemplated by this Section
4.
(c) The Initial Purchasers shall have no liability to the Company, any
Guarantor or any Holder with respect to any request that they may make pursuant
to Section 4(b) above.
5. INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION. (a) The Company and each
Guarantor, jointly and severally, agree to indemnify and hold harmless each
Initial Purchaser and each Holder, their respective affiliates and each Person,
if any, who controls any Initial Purchaser or any Holder within the meaning of
Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and
against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without
limitation, legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit,
action or proceeding or any claim asserted), joint or several, caused by any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any
Registration Statement or any Prospectus, or caused by any omission or alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except insofar as such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities are caused by any untrue statement or
14
omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in
conformity with any information relating to any Initial Purchaser or any Holder
furnished to the Company in writing through X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc. or any
selling Holder expressly for use therein. In connection with any Underwritten
Offering permitted by Section 3, the Company and the Guarantors will also
indemnify the Underwriters, if any, selling brokers, dealers and similar
securities industry professionals participating in the distribution, their
respective affiliates and each Person who controls such Persons (within the
meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act) to the same extent as
provided above with respect to the indemnification of the Holders, if requested
in connection with any Registration Statement.
(b) Each Holder agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and
hold harmless the Company, the Guarantors, the Initial Purchasers and the other
selling Holders, their respective affiliates, the directors of the Company and
the Guarantors, each officer of the Company and the Guarantors who signed the
Registration Statement and each Person, if any, who controls the Company, the
Guarantors, any Initial Purchaser and any other selling Holder within the
meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to
the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with
respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities caused by any untrue
statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance
upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Holder furnished to
the Company in writing by such Holder expressly for use in any Registration
Statement and any Prospectus.
(c) If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or
regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against
any Person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either
paragraph (a) or (b) above, such Person (the "Indemnified Person") shall
promptly notify the Person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the
"Indemnifying Person") in writing; PROVIDED that the failure to notify the
Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have
under this Section 5 except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced
(through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and
PROVIDED, FURTHER, that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not
relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person
otherwise than under this Section 5. If any such proceeding shall be brought or
asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the
Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel
reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person to represent the Indemnified
Person and any others entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Section 5
that the Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the
fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such
proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own
counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of
such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and
15
the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the
Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel
reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person
shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it
that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying
Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any
impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified
Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be
inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is
understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with
any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the
fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local
counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, which counsel shall be reasonably
acceptable to the Company, and that all such fees and expenses shall be
reimbursed as they are incurred; provided that the foregoing expense
reimbursement shall not, as to any Holder, apply to the extent it is finally
judicially determined that the Holder was grossly negligent or acted with
willful misconduct and such gross negligence or willful misconduct related to
the written information described in paragraph (b) furnished by such Holder to
the Company for use in the Registration Statement and any Prospectus. Any such
separate firm (x) for any Initial Purchaser, its affiliates and any control
Persons of such Initial Purchaser shall be designated in writing by X.X. Xxxxxx
Securities Inc., (y) for any Holder, its affiliates and any control Persons of
such Holder shall be designated in writing by the Majority Holders and (z) in
all other cases shall be designated in writing by the Company. The Indemnifying
Person 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 Person agrees to indemnify each
Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such
settlement or judgment subject to the terms and conditions hereof.
Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person
shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified
Person for the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this
paragraph, the Indemnifying Person 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 the Indemnifying Person of such
request and (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the
Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such
settlement; provided that the foregoing expense reimbursement shall not, as to
any Holder, apply to the extent it is finally judicially determined that the
Holder was grossly negligent or acted with willful misconduct and such gross
negligence or willful misconduct related to the written information described in
paragraph (b) furnished by such Holder to the Company for use in the
Registration Statement and any Prospectus. No Indemnifying Person shall, without
the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any
pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is
or could have been a party and indemnification could have been
16
sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (A) includes
an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person in form and substance
satisfactory to such Indemnified Person from all liability on claims that are
the subject matter of such proceeding and (B) does not include any statement as
to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of
any Indemnified Person.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above
is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any
losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each
Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such
Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by
such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative
benefits received by the Company and the Guarantors from the offering of the
Securities and the Exchange Securities, on the one hand, and by the Holders from
receiving Securities or Exchange Securities registered under the Securities Act,
on the other hand, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not
permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not
only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault
of the Company and the Guarantors on the one hand and the Holders on the other
in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations. The relative fault of the Company and the Guarantors on the one
hand and the Holders on the other 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 and the Guarantors or by the Holders and the
parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to
correct or prevent such statement or omission.
(e) The Company, the Guarantors and the Holders agree that it would not
be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 5 were determined
by PRO RATA allocation (even if the Holders were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the
equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The amount paid or
payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and
liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include,
subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred
by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5, in no event shall a Holder be
required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total
price at which the Securities or Exchange Securities sold by such Holder exceeds
the amount of any damages that such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by
reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission. No Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning
17
of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from
any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
(f) The remedies provided for in this Section 5 are not exclusive and
shall not limit any rights or remedies that may otherwise be available to any
Indemnified Person at law or in equity.
(g) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section
5 shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any
termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of
the Initial Purchasers or any Holder, their respective affiliates or any Person
controlling any Initial Purchaser or any Holder, or by or on behalf of the
Company or the Guarantors, their respective affiliates or the officers or
directors of or any Person controlling the Company or the Guarantors, (iii)
acceptance of any of the Exchange Securities and (iv) any sale of Registrable
Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement.
6. GENERAL.
(a) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company and the Guarantors
represent, warrant and agree that (i) the rights granted to the Holders
hereunder do not in any way conflict with and are not inconsistent with the
rights granted to the holders of any other outstanding securities issued or
guaranteed by the Company or any Guarantor under any other agreement and (ii)
neither the Company nor any Guarantor has entered into, or on or after the date
of this Agreement will enter into, any agreement that is inconsistent with the
rights granted to the Holders of Registrable Securities in this Agreement or
otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof.
(b) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement, including
the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or supplemented,
and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be
given unless the Company and the Guarantors have obtained the written consent of
Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding
Registrable Securities affected by such amendment, modification, supplement,
waiver or consent; PROVIDED that no amendment, modification, supplement, waiver
or consent to any departure from the provisions of Section 5 hereof shall be
effective as against any Holder of Registrable Securities unless consented to in
writing by such Holder.
(c) Notices. All notices and other communications provided for or
permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery, registered
first-class mail, telecopier, or any courier guaranteeing overnight delivery (i)
if to a Holder, at the most current address given by such Holder to the Company
by means of a notice given in accordance with the provisions of this Section
6(c), which address initially is, with respect to the Initial Purchasers, the
address set
18
forth in the Purchase Agreement; and (ii) if to the Company and the Guarantors,
initially at the Company's address set forth in the Purchase Agreement and
thereafter at such other address, notice of which is given in accordance with
the provisions of this Section 6(c). All such notices and communications shall
be deemed to have been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally
delivered; five Business Days after being deposited in the mail, postage
prepaid, if mailed; when receipt is acknowledged, if telecopied; and on the next
Business Day if timely delivered to an air courier guaranteeing overnight
delivery. Copies of all such notices, demands or other communications shall be
concurrently delivered by the Person giving the same to the Trustee, at the
address specified in the Indenture.
(d) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit
of and be binding upon the successors, assigns and transferees of each of the
parties, including, without limitation and without the need for an express
assignment, subsequent Holders; PROVIDED that nothing herein shall be deemed to
permit any assignment, transfer or other disposition of Registrable Securities
in violation of the terms of the Purchase Agreement or the Indenture. If any
transferee of any Holder shall acquire Registrable Securities in any manner,
whether by operation of law or otherwise, such Registrable Securities shall be
held subject to all the terms of this Agreement, and by taking and holding such
Registrable Securities such Person shall be conclusively deemed to have agreed
to be bound by and to perform all of the terms and provisions of this Agreement
and such Person shall be entitled to receive the benefits hereof. The Initial
Purchasers (in their capacity as Initial Purchasers) shall have no liability or
obligation to the Company or the Guarantors with respect to any failure by a
Holder to comply with, or any breach by any Holder of, any of the obligations of
such Holder under this Agreement.
(e) Purchases and Sales of Securities. The Company and the Guarantors
shall not, and shall use their reasonable best efforts to cause their affiliates
(as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) not to, purchase and then
resell or otherwise transfer any Registrable Securities.
(f) Third Party Beneficiaries. Each Holder shall be a third party
beneficiary to the agreements made hereunder between the Company and the
Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Initial Purchasers, on the other hand, and
shall have the right to enforce such agreements directly to the extent it deems
such enforcement necessary or advisable to protect its rights or the rights of
other Holders hereunder.
(g) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which
when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken
together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
19
(h) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of
reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
(i) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
(j) Miscellaneous. This Agreement contains the entire agreement between
the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all oral
statements and prior writings with respect thereto. This Agreement may not be
amended or modified except by a writing executed by each of the parties hereto.
Section headings herein are for convenience only and are not a part of this
Agreement. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction contained in this
Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or
unenforceable or against public policy, the remainder of the terms, provisions,
covenants and restrictions contained herein shall remain in full force and
effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated. The Company,
the Guarantors and the Initial Purchasers shall endeavor in good faith
negotiations to replace the invalid, void or unenforceable provisions with valid
provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of
the invalid, void or unenforceable provisions.
20
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the
date first written above.
THE SCOTTS COMPANY
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
-----------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Executive Vice President & CFO
SCOTTS MANUFACTURING COMPANY
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
-----------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Executive Vice President & CFO
SCOTTS TEMECULA
OPERATIONS, LLC
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
-----------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Executive Vice President & CFO
OMS INVESTMENTS, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
-----------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Executive Vice President & CFO
HYPONEX CORPORATION
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
-----------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Executive Vice President & CFO
21
EARTHGRO, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
-----------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Executive Vice President & CFO
SCOTTS PRODUCTS COMPANY
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
-----------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Executive Vice President & CFO
SCOTTS PROFESSIONAL
PRODUCTS COMPANY
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
-----------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Executive Vice President & CFO
SCOTTS-SIERRA HORTICULTURAL
PRODUCTS COMPANY
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
-----------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Executive Vice President & CFO
SCOTTS-SIERRA CROP
PROTECTION COMPANY
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
-----------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Executive Vice President & CFO
22
SCOTTS-SIERRA
INVESTMENTS, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
-------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Executive Vice President & CFO
SWISS FARMS PRODUCTS, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
-------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Executive Vice President & CFO
MIRACLE-GRO LAWN
PRODUCTS, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
-------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Executive Vice President & CFO
Confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written:
X.X. XXXXXX SECURITIES INC.
For itself and on behalf of the
several Initial Purchasers
By /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
----------------------------
Authorized Signatory
23
Schedule 1
OMS Investments, Inc.
Hyponex Corporation
EarthGro, Inc.
Scotts Products Co.
Scotts Professional Products Co.
Scotts-Sierra Horticultural Products Company
Scotts-Sierra Crop Protection Company
Scotts-Sierra Investments, Inc.
Swiss Farms Products Inc.
Scotts Manufacturing Company
Scotts Temecula Operations, LLC
Miracle-Gro Lawn Products, Inc.
