INVESTORS REAL ESTATE TRUST Baird On Demand Offering Sales Agreement
Exhibit
1.1
Baird
On Demand Offering
April 7,
2009
Xxxxxx X.
Xxxxx & Co. Incorporated
000 Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
Investors
Real Estate Trust, a North Dakota real estate investment trust (the “Company”)
and IRET Properties, a North Dakota limited partnership (the “Operating
Partnership”), confirm their agreement (this “Agreement”)
with Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx & Co. Incorporated (“Baird”),
as follows:
1. Issuance and Sale of
Shares. The Company agrees that, from time to time during the
term of this Agreement, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth
herein, it may issue and sell through Baird, acting as agent and/or principal,
the Company’s common shares of beneficial interest, no par value per share (the
“Common
Shares”), with an aggregate offering price of up to $50,000,000 (the
“Shares”). Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained herein, the parties hereto agree that
compliance with the limitation set forth in this Section 1 on the
number of Shares issued and sold under this Agreement shall be the sole
responsibility of the Company, and Baird shall have no obligation in connection
with such compliance. The issuance and sale of Shares through Baird
will be effected pursuant to the Registration Statement (as defined below) filed
by the Company and declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the “Commission”).
The
Company has filed, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the
“Securities
Act”), with the Commission a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No.
333-153715), including a Base Prospectus (defined below), relating to certain
securities, including the Shares to be issued from time to time by the Company,
and which incorporates by reference documents that the Company has filed or will
file in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange
Act”). The Company has prepared a Prospectus Supplement (defined below)
to the Base Prospectus specifically relating to the Shares. Except
where the context otherwise requires, “Registration
Statement” shall mean the registration statement on Form S-3 (File No.
333-153715), as amended when it became effective, including all documents filed
as part thereof or incorporated by reference therein (or deemed to be
incorporated by reference therein), and including any information contained in a
Prospectus (as defined below) subsequently filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act or deemed to be a part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B of the Securities Act. “Base Prospectus” means the base prospectus, including all documents incorporated therein by reference, included in the Registration Statement, as it may be supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement. “Prospectus Supplement” means the final prospectus supplement relating to the Shares, filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act and in the form furnished to Baird by the Company in connection with the offering of the Shares. “Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 433 of the Securities Act, relating to the Shares that (i) is required to be filed with the Commission by the Company or (ii) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) of the Securities Act, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g) of the Securities Act. The Base Prospectus, Prospectus Supplement, and any Free Writing Prospectus shall collectively be referred to herein as the “Prospectus.” Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein (or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein), and any reference herein to the terms “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing after the execution hereof of any document with the Commission deemed to be incorporated by reference therein. For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or to any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to include any copy filed with the Commission pursuant to either the Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval System or Interactive Data Electronic Applications (collectively “IDEA”).
2. Placements. Each
time that the Company wishes to issue and sell the Shares hereunder (each
issuance and sale, a “Placement”),
it will notify Baird by email notice (or other method mutually agreed to in
writing by the parties) (a “Placement
Notice”)containing the parameters in accordance with which it desires the
Shares to be sold, which shall at a minimum include the number of Shares to be
issued and sold (the “Placement
Shares”), the time period during which sales are requested to be made,
any limitation on the number of Shares that may be sold in any one Trading Day
(as defined in Section
3) and any minimum price below which sales may not be made, a form of
which is attached hereto as Schedule
1. The Placement Notice shall originate from any of the
individuals from the Company set forth on Schedule 2 (with a
copy to each of the other individuals from the Company listed on such schedule),
and shall be addressed to each of the individuals from Baird set forth on Schedule 2, as such
schedule may be amended from time to time. The Placement Notice shall be
effective upon receipt by Baird unless and until (i) in accordance with the
notice requirements set forth in Section 4 hereof,
Baird declines to accept the terms contained therein for any reason, in its sole
discretion, (ii) the entire amount of the Placement Shares have been sold, (iii)
in accordance with the notice requirements set forth in Section 4 hereof, the
Company suspends or terminates the Placement Notice, (iv) the Company issues a
subsequent Placement Notice with parameters superseding those on the earlier
dated Placement Notice, or (v) the Agreement has been terminated under the
provisions of Section
11 hereof. The amount of any discount, commission or other
compensation to be paid by the Company to Baird in connection with the sale of
the Placement Shares shall be calculated in
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accordance with the terms set forth in Schedule 3. It is expressly acknowledged and agreed that neither the Company nor Baird will have any obligation whatsoever with respect to a Placement or any Placement Shares unless and until the Company delivers a Placement Notice to Baird and Baird does not decline such Placement Notice pursuant to the terms set forth above, and then only upon the terms specified therein and herein. In the event of a conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the terms of a Placement Notice that Baird has not declined, the terms of the Placement Notice will control, but only with respect to the Placement to which such Placement Notice relates.
3. Sale of Placement Shares by
Baird. Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth,
upon the Company’s issuance of a Placement Notice, and unless the sale of the
Placement Shares described therein has been declined, suspended, or otherwise
terminated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, Baird, for the period
specified in the Placement Notice, will use its commercially reasonable efforts
consistent with its normal trading and sales practices, and applicable state and
federal laws, and the rules and regulations of the Nasdaq Global Select Market
(the “NASDAQ”),
to sell such Placement Shares up to the amount specified, and otherwise in
accordance with the terms of such Placement Notice. Baird will
provide written confirmation to the Company (including by email correspondence
to each of the individuals of the Company set forth on Schedule 2, if
receipt of such correspondence is actually acknowledged by any of the
individuals to whom the notice is sent, other than via auto-reply) no later than
the opening of the Trading Day (as defined below) immediately following the
Trading Day on which it has made sales of Placement Shares hereunder setting
forth the number of Placement Shares sold on such day, the compensation payable
by the Company to Baird pursuant to Section 2 hereof with
respect to such sales, and the Net Proceeds (as defined below) payable to the
Company, with an itemization of the deductions made by Baird (as set forth in
Section 5(a)
hereof) from the gross proceeds that it receives from such
sales. After consultation with the Company and subject to the terms
of the Placement Notice, Baird may sell Placement Shares by any method permitted
by law deemed to be an “at the market” offering as defined in Rule 415 of the
Securities Act, including without limitation sales made directly on NASDAQ, on
any other existing trading market for the Common Shares or to or through a
market maker. After consultation with the Company and subject to the
terms of the Placement Notice, Baird may also sell Placement Shares in privately
negotiated transactions. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i)
there can be no assurance that Baird will be successful in selling Placement
Shares, and (ii) Baird will incur no liability or obligation to the Company or
any other person or entity if it does not sell Placement Shares for any reason
other than a failure by Baird to use its commercially reasonable efforts
consistent with its normal trading and sales practices to sell such Placement
Shares as required under this Section
3. For the purposes hereof, “Trading
Day” means any day on which Common Shares are purchased and sold on the
principal market on which the Common Shares are listed or quoted.
4. Suspension of
Sales. The Company or Baird may, upon notice to the other
party in writing (including by email correspondence to each of the individuals
of the other party set forth on Schedule 2, if
receipt of such correspondence is actually acknowledged by any of the
individuals to whom the notice is sent, other than via auto-reply) or by
telephone (confirmed immediately by verifiable facsimile transmission or email
correspondence to each of the
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individuals of the other party set forth on Schedule 2), suspend any sale of Placement Shares; provided, however, that such suspension shall not affect or impair either party’s obligations with respect to any Placement Shares sold hereunder prior to the receipt of such notice. Each of the parties agrees that no such notice under this Section 4 shall be effective against the other unless it is made to one of the individuals named on Schedule 2 hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to time.
5. Settlement.
(a) Settlement of Placement
Shares. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Placement
Notice, settlement for sales of Placement Shares will occur on the third (3rd)
Trading Day (or such earlier day as is industry practice for regular-way
trading) following the date on which such sales are made (each, a “Settlement
Date”). The amount of proceeds to be delivered to the Company
on a Settlement Date against receipt of the Placement Shares sold (the “Net
Proceeds”) will be equal to the aggregate sales price received by Baird
at which such Placement Shares were sold, after deduction for (i) Xxxxx’x
commission, discount or other compensation for such sales payable by the Company
pursuant to Section
2 hereof, (ii) any other amounts due and payable by the Company to Baird
hereunder pursuant to Section 7(h)
(Expenses) hereof, and (iii) any transaction fees imposed by any governmental or
self-regulatory organization in respect of such sales.
(b) Delivery of Placement
Shares. On or before each Settlement Date, the Company will,
or will cause its transfer agent to, electronically transfer the Placement
Shares being sold by crediting Xxxxx’x or its designee’s account (provided Baird
shall have given the Company written notice of such designee not less than one
(1) day prior to the Settlement Date) at The Depository Trust Company through
its Deposit and Withdrawal at Custodian System or by such other means of
delivery as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto which in all cases
shall be freely tradeable, transferable, registered shares in good deliverable
form. On each Settlement Date, Baird will deliver the related Net
Proceeds in same day funds to an account designated by the Company on, or prior
to, the Settlement Date. If the Company, or its transfer agent (if
applicable), defaults in its obligation to deliver Placement Shares on a
Settlement Date, the Company agrees that in addition to and in no way limiting
the rights and obligations set forth in Section 9(a)
(Indemnification and Contribution) hereof, it will (i) hold Baird harmless
against any loss, claim, damage, or expense (including reasonable legal fees and
expenses), as incurred, arising out of or in connection with such default by the
Company and (ii) pay to Baird any commission, discount, or other compensation to
which it would otherwise have been entitled absent such default.
6. Representations and
Warranties of the Company and the Operating Partnership. The Company and
the Operating Partnership jointly and severally represent and warrant to, and
agree with, Baird that as of each Applicable Time (as defined in Section
20(a)):
(a) Compliance with Registration
Requirements. The Company satisfies all of the requirements of
the Securities Act for use of Form S-3 for the offering of the Shares
contemplated hereby. The Registration Statement meets, and the offering and sale
of the Shares
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contemplated hereby complies with, the requirements set forth in Rule 415(a)(1)(x) of the Securities Act. The Registration Statement was declared effective by the Commission on October 10, 2008. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued under the Securities Act and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information has been complied with. The Prospectus delivered to Baird for use in connection with the offering of Shares will, at the time of such delivery, be identical in all material respects to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to IDEA, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T. At the respective times the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto became effective, the Registration Statement complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act, and did not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto in reliance upon and in conformity with written information relating to Baird furnished to the Company in writing by Baird expressly for inclusion in any of the aforementioned documents.
(b) Prospectus. Neither
the Prospectus nor any amendments or supplements thereto, at the time the
Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement was filed with the Commission, as
of the date hereof, and at each Representation Date, as the case may be,
included or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or
will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions
from the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information relating to Baird furnished to the Company
in writing by Baird expressly for inclusion in any of the aforementioned
documents.
(c) Free Writing
Prospectuses. Each Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and as
of each Applicable Time (as defined in Section 20 hereof),
did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted,
conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus. The foregoing sentence does not apply to
statements in or omissions from any Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by Baird
specifically for use therein.
(d) Authorization of
Shares. All of the issued and outstanding shares of beneficial
interest of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully
paid and nonassessable and have been issued in compliance with applicable
federal and state securities laws. None of the Company’s outstanding
Common Shares were issued in violation of any preemptive rights, rights of first
refusal or other similar rights; except as set forth in the Prospectus, the
Company is not a party to or bound by any outstanding options, warrants or
similar rights to subscribe for, or contractual obligations to issue, sell,
transfer or acquire, any of its shares of beneficial interest or any securities
convertible into or exchangeable for any of such shares of beneficial interest;
the Shares to be issued and sold by the Company hereunder have
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been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered against full payment therefor in accordance with the terms hereof, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free of any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other or similar rights; the shares of beneficial interest (including the Shares) of the Company conform to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus; and the delivery of the Shares being sold by the Company against payment therefor pursuant to the terms of this Agreement will pass valid title to the Shares being sold by the Company, free and clear of any claim, encumbrance or defect in title, and without notice of any lien, claim or encumbrance. The certificates used by the Company to evidence the Common Shares are in valid and sufficient form.
(e) Authorization of
Units. The issuance of Common Units (defined below) to the
Company in exchange for contribution of proceeds from the sale of the Shares
described in the Prospectus has been duly authorized by the Operating
Partnership and when issued and duly delivered against payment therefor will be
validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. Immediately after the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, none of the outstanding common units of limited
partnership interest in the Operating Partnership (“Common
Units”) or preferred units of limited partnership interest in the
Operating Partnership (“Preferred
Units” and collectively with the Common Units, the “Units”)
has been or will be issued or is owned or held in violation of any preemptive
right, right of first refusal or other similar right; and the outstanding Units
have been or will be offered, sold and issued by the Operating Partnership in
compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws.
(f) Organization and Good
Standing of the Company and Subsidiaries. Each of the Company,
the Operating Partnership and their Subsidiaries (as defined in Section 20 hereof) is
duly organized and validly existing in good standing under the laws of the state
of its incorporation or organization with full corporate, partnership or entity
power and authority, as the case may be, to own, lease and operate its
Properties (as defined herein) and to conduct its business as presently
conducted and as described in the Prospectus and is duly registered and
qualified to conduct its business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction
or place where the nature of its Properties or the conduct of its business
requires such registration or qualification, except where the failure to so
register or qualify (i) has not had or would not have, individually or in the
aggregate, a material adverse effect on the earnings, business, Properties,
assets, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the
Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from
transactions in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) would not prevent the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (the occurrence of any such
effect or any such prevention described in the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii)
being referred to as a “Material Adverse
Effect”). The Company owns 100% of IRET, Inc., which is the
sole general partner of the Operating Partnership. Except for the
Subsidiaries and joint venture arrangements included on Schedule 4 or
disclosed in the Prospectus, the Company does not own a material interest in or
control, directly or indirectly, any other corporation, partnership, joint
venture, association, trust or other business organization.
(g) Property. (1)
The Company or its Subsidiaries have fee simple title or a valid leasehold
interest to all of the properties described in the Prospectus as owned or leased
by the Company or its Subsidiaries, whether owned in fee simple or through a
joint venture or other
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partnership (the “Properties” or “Property”), in each case, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, claims, security interests and defects, except such as (i) are disclosed in the Prospectus or (ii) could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (2) neither the Company nor any Subsidiary thereof has received from any governmental authority any written notice of any condemnation of, or zoning change affecting any of, the Properties or any part thereof, and the Company does not know of any such condemnation or zoning change which is threatened, which if consummated could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect; (3) except as otherwise described in the Prospectus, neither the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any tenant of any of the Properties is in default under (i) any space lease (as lessor or lessee, as the case may be) relating to any of the Properties (except such tenant defaults that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect), or (ii) any of the mortgages or other security documents or other agreements encumbering or otherwise recorded against the Properties, and the Company does not know of any event which, but for the passage of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default under any of such documents or agreements, except any such default that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and (4) except as disclosed in the Prospectus, no tenant under any of the leases at the Properties has a right of first refusal to purchase the premises demised under such lease. To the knowledge of the Company, water, stormwater, electricity and telephone service are all available at the property lines of each Property over duly dedicated streets or perpetual easements of record benefiting the applicable Property and each of the Properties is free of any material structural defects and all building systems contained therein are in reasonable working order in all material respects, subject to ordinary wear and tear or, in each instance, the Company or any Subsidiary, as the case may be, has created an adequate reserve or capital budget to effect reasonably required repairs, maintenance and capital expenditures.. Each of the Properties is in compliance with all presently applicable provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, except for such failures to comply as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(h) Leases. Each
Property with respect to which the Company or one of the Subsidiaries has a
leasehold interest is the subject of a lease that has been entered into by, or
assigned to, the Company or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, and has been duly
and validly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of the Company or
such Subsidiary, as the case may be, and constitutes a valid and binding
agreement of the Company or such Subsidiary, as the case may be, enforceable in
accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting
creditors’ rights generally or by general principles of equity.
(i) Mortgage; Deed of
Trusts. The mortgages and deeds of trust encumbering the
Properties are not convertible into equity interests in the Property nor will
the Company or the Operating Partnership hold a participating interest therein
and such mortgages and deeds of trust are not cross-defaulted or cross
collateralized to any property not to be owned directly or indirectly by the
Company or the Operating Partnership.
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(j) Subsidiaries. The
outstanding equity interests of each of the Company’s Subsidiaries have been
duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and are
owned by the Company or the Operating Partnership, directly or through
Subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interests, liens, encumbrances,
equities or claims.
(k) No
Proceedings. Except as described in the Prospectus, there is
no action, suit, inquiry, proceeding or investigation by or before any court or
governmental or other regulatory or administrative agency or commission pending
or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or involving the
Company or its Subsidiaries, which might individually or in the aggregate
prevent the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or result in a Material
Adverse Effect.
(l) Exhibits; Material
Contracts. There are no agreements, contracts, indentures, leases or
other instruments that are required to be described in the Prospectus or to be
filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement that are not described, filed
or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as
required by the Securities Act. All such contracts to which the Company, the
Operating Partnership, or any Subsidiary is a party have been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by the Company, the Operating Partnership or the
applicable Subsidiary, as the case may be, constitute valid and binding
agreements of the Company, the Operating Partnership or the applicable
Subsidiary, as the case may be, and are enforceable against the Company, the
Operating Partnership or the applicable Subsidiary, as the case may be, in
accordance with the terms thereof, except as enforceability thereof may be
limited by (i) the application of bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency and
other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and (ii) equitable principles
being applied at the discretion of a court before which any proceeding may be
brought. Neither the Company nor the applicable Subsidiary has received notice
or been made aware that any other party is in breach of or default to the
Company or its Subsidiaries under any of such contracts.
(m) Compliance with Existing
Instruments. Neither the Company, the Operating Partnership
(as defined in Section
20 hereof), nor any of the Subsidiaries is (i) in violation of (A) its
Organizational Documents, (B) to the Company’s knowledge any law, ordinance,
administrative or governmental rule or regulation applicable to the Company, the
Operating Partnership, or any Subsidiary, the violation of which would have a
Material Adverse Effect or (C) any decree of any court or governmental agency or
body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; or (ii) in
default in any material respect in the performance of any obligation, agreement
or condition contained in (A) any bond, debenture, note or any other evidence of
indebtedness or (B) any agreement, indenture, lease or other instrument (each of
(A) and (B), an “Existing
Instrument”) to which the Company, the Operating Partnership, or any
Subsidiary is a party or by which any of their Properties may be bound, which
default would have a Material Adverse Effect; and, to the Company’s knowledge,
there does not exist any state of facts that constitutes a default or an event
of default on the part of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries as defined in
such documents or that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute
such a default or event of default which would have a Material Adverse
Effect.
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(n) Sales
Agreement. The Company and the Operating Partnership have full
legal right, power and authority to enter into and perform this Agreement and to
consummate the transactions contemplated herein, including the issuance, sale
and delivery of the Shares as provided herein and the Operating Partnership’s
issuance of the Common Units to the Company. The execution and delivery of this
Agreement by the Company and the Operating Partnership and the performance by
the Company and the Operating Partnership of their obligations under this
Agreement have been duly and validly authorized by the Company and the Operating
Partnership and this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the
Company and the Operating Partnership, and constitutes a valid and legally
binding agreement of the Company and the Operating Partnership, enforceable
against the Company and the Operating Partnership in accordance with its terms,
except to the extent enforceability may be limited by (i) the application of
bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency and other laws affecting creditors’
rights generally and (ii) equitable principles being applied at the discretion
of a court before which any proceeding may be brought, and except as rights to
indemnity and contribution hereunder may be limited by federal or state
securities laws.
(o) Partnership
Agreement. The Agreement of Limited Partnership dated January
31, 1997 of the Operating Partnership, including all amendments thereto, if any
(the “Partnership
Agreement”), has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered
by the Company and constitutes a valid and binding agreement, enforceable in
accordance with its terms, except to the extent that enforceability may be
limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other laws of general
applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights or by general equity
principles.
(p) No
Consent. No consent, approval, authorization, order, license,
certificate, permit, registration, designation or filing by or with any
governmental agency or body is required for the execution, delivery and
performance by the Company and the Operating Partnership of their respective
obligations under this Agreement and the consummation by the Company and the
Operating Partnership of the transactions contemplated hereby, including the
valid authorization, issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares, except such as
may be required by the federal securities laws, the NASDAQ, the securities or
Blue Sky laws of the various states and the Financial Industry Regulatory
Association (“FINRA”)
in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares, all of which will be, or
have been obtained, in accordance with this Agreement.
(q) Non-Contravention of
Existing Instruments. Neither the issuance and sale of the Shares by the
Company, the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement by the Company
and the Operating Partnership nor the consummation by the Company and the
Operating Partnership of the transactions contemplated hereby (i) conflicts
with, or will conflict with, or constitutes, or with the giving of notice or
lapse of time, will constitute a breach of, or a default under, the Company’s
Declaration of Trust or bylaws (or other applicable Organizational Document),
the Operating Partnership’s certificate of limited partnership or the
Partnership Agreement, or any Existing Instrument to which the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries is a party or by which any of its or their Properties may be
bound, (iii) violates any statute, law, regulation, ruling, filing, judgment,
injunction, order or decree applicable to the Company or any
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of its Subsidiaries or any of their Properties, or (iv) results in a breach of, or default or Debt Repayment Triggering Event (as defined below) under, or results in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any Property or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to, or requires the consent of any other party to, any Existing Instrument, except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults, liens, charges or encumbrances that will not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. As used herein, a “Debt Repayment Triggering Event” means any event or condition that gives, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would give, the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(r) No Applicable Registration
Rights. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, there are no
persons with registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt
securities registered for sale under the Registration Statement or included in
the offering contemplated by this Agreement, except for such rights as have been
duly satisfied or waived.
(s) Independent
Accountant. Deloitte & Touche LLP, who have audited
certain financial statements (and the related notes thereto) incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, are and were, during
the periods covered by their reports incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, independent registered public
accountants as required by the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”);
any other public accountants who have audited the financial statements
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, are
and were, during the periods covered by their reports incorporated by reference
in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, independent registered public
accountants as required by the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the
PCAOB.
(t) Financial Statements.
The financial statements, together with related schedules and notes, included or
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus,
present fairly the consolidated financial condition, results of operations, cash
flows and changes in financial position of the Company on the basis stated in
the Registration Statement at the respective dates or for the respective periods
to which they apply; except as disclosed therein, such statements and related
schedules and notes have been prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently
applied throughout the periods involved and the other financial and statistical
information and data set forth in the Registration Statement and Prospectus is
accurately presented and prepared on a basis consistent with such financial
statements and the books and records of the Company, except for (i) the
financial statements that have not been restated for prior periods to reflect
the reclassification of assets held for sale or as discontinued operations in
accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 144, “Accounting
for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets,” and (ii) the financial
statements that have not been restated for prior periods to reflect changes in
the fair value of assets and liabilities in a merger, acquisition or other
change in ownership in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting
Standards No. 141(R) “Business Combinations.” No other financial
statements or schedules (historical or pro forma) are required by Form S-3 of
the
10
Securities Act or otherwise to be included, or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus. All pro forma financial statements or data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, if any, comply with the requirements of Regulation S-X of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, and the assumptions used in the preparation of such pro forma financial statements and data are reasonable, the pro forma adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions or circumstances described therein and the pro forma adjustments have been properly applied to the historical amounts in the compilation of those statements and data. The Company’s consolidated ratios of earnings to fixed charges set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and Exhibit 12.1 to the Registration Statement have been calculated in compliance with Item 503(d) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act.
(u) Regulation G
Compliance. All disclosures contained in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such
term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply in all
material respects with Regulation G of the Exchange Act, and Item 10 of
Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, to the extent applicable.
(v) No Material
Change. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus, subsequent to the respective dates as of which such information
is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (i) neither the
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has incurred any material liabilities or
obligations, indirect, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet
obligation), or entered into any transaction that is not in the ordinary course
of business, (ii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has sustained
any material loss or interference with its business or Properties from fire,
flood, windstorm, accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by
insurance, (iii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has paid or
declared any dividends or other distributions with respect to its shares of
beneficial interest and the Company is not in default under the terms of any
class of shares of beneficial interest of the Company or any outstanding debt
obligations (except for defaults that were subsequently cured or waived), (iv)
there has not been any change in the authorized or outstanding shares of
beneficial interest of the Company or any material change in the indebtedness of
the Company (other than in the ordinary course of business) and (v) there has
not been any material adverse change, or any development involving or that may
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(w) Exchange Act Registration
and Filings; Stock Exchange Listing. The Shares to be sold under this
Agreement have been approved for trading and listing on NASDAQ, subject to
official notice of issuance, and are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the
Exchange Act, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have
the effect of, terminating the registration of the Shares under the Exchange Act
or delisting any such securities from NASDAQ, nor has the Company received any
notification that the Commission or NASDAQ is contemplating terminating such
registration or listing.
(x) Distribution of Offering
Material. The Company has not distributed and will not distribute, and
has not authorized Xxxxx to distribute, any offering material in
connection
11
with the offering and sale of the Shares to be sold hereunder by Xxxxx as principal or agent for the Company, other than the Prospectus.
(y) Stabilization or
Manipulation. Other than excepted activity pursuant to
Regulation M under the Exchange Act, the Company has not taken and will not
take, directly or indirectly, any action that constituted, or any action
designed to, or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in or
constitute stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the
Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares or for any other
purpose.
(z) Tax
Compliance. The Company and each of the Company’s Subsidiaries
have filed all material tax returns required to be filed or have properly
requested extensions thereof, which returns are complete and correct in all
material respects, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in default in
the payment of any material taxes that were payable pursuant to said returns or
any assessments with respect thereto. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus (as
amended or supplemented), all material deficiencies asserted as a result of any
federal, state, local or foreign tax audits have been paid or finally settled
and no issue has been raised in any such audit that, by application of the same
or similar principles, reasonably could be expected to result in a proposed
deficiency for any other period not so audited. There are no outstanding
agreements or waivers extending the statutory period of limitation applicable to
any federal, state, local or foreign tax return for any period.
(aa) Not an Investment
Company. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is required to
register as an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment
Company Act”).
(bb) All Necessary Permits,
etc. The Company and its Subsidiaries have all permits,
licenses, franchises, approvals, consents and authorizations of governmental or
regulatory authorities (hereinafter “permit” or
“permits”)
as are necessary to own their Properties and to conduct their business in the
manner described in the Prospectus, subject to such qualifications as may be set
forth in the Prospectus, except where the failure to have obtained any such
permit has not had and will not have a Material Adverse Effect; each of the
Company and its Subsidiaries has operated and is operating its business in
material compliance with all of its obligations with respect to each such permit
and no event has occurred that allows, or after notice or lapse of time would
allow, revocation or termination of any such permit and except where such
revocation or termination would not have a Material Adverse Effect or result in
any other material impairment of the rights of any such permit, subject in each
case to such qualification as may be set forth in the Prospectus.
(cc) Internal Controls and
Procedures. The Company has established and maintains
disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15 and
15d-15) that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by
the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is
recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified
in the Commission’s rules and forms and is accumulated and communicated to the
Company’s management, including its chief executive officer and chief financial
officer, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate
to
12
allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure; and the Company maintains a system of internal control over financial reporting sufficient to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP and which includes policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company, (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP and that receipts and expenditures of the Company are being made only in accordance with the authorization of management, and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisitions, use or dispositions of assets that could have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. The Company’s disclosure controls and procedures have been evaluated for effectiveness as of the end of the period covered by the Company’s most recently filed quarterly report on Form 10-Q which precedes the date of the Prospectus and were effective in all material respects to perform the functions for which they were established. Based on the most recent evaluation of its internal control over financial reporting, the Company was not aware of (i) any material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting or (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The Company is not aware of any change in its internal control over financial reporting that has occurred during its most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
(dd) Unlawful Contributions or
Payments. Neither the Company nor the Operating Partnership,
nor to the Company’s or the Operating Partnership’s knowledge, any trustee,
officer, agent, employee or other person associated with or acting on behalf of
the Company or the Operating Partnership, has used any funds for any unlawful
contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to
political activity; made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign
or domestic government official or employee from company funds; violated or is
in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977; or
made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful
payment. No funds of the Company have been set aside to be used for any payment
in violation of any law. Neither the Company, nor any of its Subsidiaries nor
any trustee, officer, agent, or employee of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the
Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”);
and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering
contemplated by this Agreement, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available
such proceeds to any Subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or
entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently
subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.
(ee) Environmental
Compliance. To the knowledge of the Company, the Company and
its Subsidiaries are (i) in compliance with any and all applicable federal,
state, local and foreign laws and regulations relating to the protection of
human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or
wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental
Laws”), (ii) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals
required of
13
them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or other approvals would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. To the knowledge of the Company, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has been named as a “potentially responsible party” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as amended (“CERCLA”). The Properties are not included or, to the best of the Operating Partnership’s and the Company’s knowledge, proposed for inclusion on the National Priorities List issued pursuant to CERCLA by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (the “EPA”) or, to the best of the Operating Partnership’s and the Company’s knowledge, proposed for inclusion on any similar list or inventory issued pursuant to any other Environmental Law or issued by any other governmental authority. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, to the knowledge of the Company, there are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of Properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties) that would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(ff) Qualification as a
REIT. The Company has been organized and has operated in conformity with
the requirements for qualification and taxation as a real estate investment
trust (“REIT”)
under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) for
its taxable years ended April 30, 2006 through April 30, 2008, and the Company’s
current and proposed method of operation will enable it to continue to meet the
requirements for taxation as a REIT under the Code for its taxable year ending
April 30, 2009 and in the future. The Subsidiaries of the Company that are
partnerships have been and will continue to be treated as partnerships for
federal income tax purposes and not as corporations, associations taxable as
corporations or as publicly traded partnerships.
(gg) Intellectual
Property. The Company and its Subsidiaries own and have full
right, title and interest in and to, or has valid licenses to use, each material
trade name, trademark, service xxxx, patent, copyright, approval, trade secret
and other similar rights (collectively “Intellectual
Property”) under which the Company and its Subsidiaries conduct all or
any material part of their business, and none of the Company and its
Subsidiaries has created any lien or encumbrance on, or granted any right or
license with respect to, any such Intellectual Property except where the failure
to own or obtain a license or right to use any such Intellectual Property has
not and will not have a Material Adverse Effect; there is no claim pending
against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to any Intellectual
Property, and none of the Company and its Subsidiaries has received notice or
otherwise become aware that any Intellectual Property that it uses or has used
in the conduct of its business infringes upon or conflicts with the rights of
any third party.
(hh) Title
Insurance. Owner or leasehold title insurance in favor of the
Company, the Operating Partnership and the Subsidiaries has been obtained with
respect to each
14
Property owned by any such entity in an amount at least equal to amounts that are generally deemed in the Company’s industry to be commercially reasonable in the market where the Properties are located, except where the failure to maintain such title insurance would not have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company, the Operating Partnership and each of the Subsidiaries maintains insurance covering its Properties, operations, personnel and businesses as the Company deems adequate; such insurance insures against such losses and risks to an extent which is adequate in accordance with customary industry practice to protect the Company, the Operating Partnership and the Subsidiaries and their businesses; such insurance as the Company deems adequate and that insures against losses and risks to an extent which is adequate in accordance with customary industry practice is fully in force on the date hereof.
(ii) ERISA Compliance. The
Company and its Subsidiaries and any “employee benefit plan” (as defined under
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the
regulations and published interpretations thereunder (collectively, “ERISA”))
established or maintained by the Company, its Subsidiaries or their ERISA
Affiliates (as defined below) are in compliance in all material respects with
ERISA and all other applicable state and federal laws. “ERISA
Affiliate” means, with respect to the Company or a Subsidiary, any member
of any group or organization described in Sections 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of
the Code of which the Company or such Subsidiary is a member. No “reportable
event” (as defined in ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur
with respect to any “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the
Company, its Subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates. No “employee benefit
plan” established or maintained by the Company, its Subsidiaries or any of their
ERISA Affiliates, if such “employee benefit plan” were terminated, would have
any “amount of unfunded benefit liabilities” (as defined in ERISA). Neither the
Company, its Subsidiaries nor any of their ERISA Affiliates has incurred or
reasonably expects to incur any liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with
respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “employee benefit plan” or
(ii) Sections 412, 4971, 4975 or 4980B of the Code. Each “employee benefit plan”
established or maintained by the Company, its Subsidiaries or any of their ERISA
Affiliates that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is
so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or failure to act, that
would cause the loss of such qualification.
(jj) Labor and Employment.
The Company and its Subsidiaries have complied and will comply in all material
respects with wage and hour determinations issued by the U.S. Department of
Labor under the Service Contract Act of 1965 and the Fair Labor Standards Act in
paying its employees’ salaries, fringe benefits and other compensation for the
performance of work or other duties in connection with contracts with the U.S.
government, except where the failure to do so would not have a Material Adverse
Effect, and have complied and will comply in all material respects with the
requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Family and
Medical Leave Act of 1993, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), the
National Labor Relations Act, the Vietnam Era Veteran’s Readjustment Act, the
Age Discrimination in Employment Act, as amended by the Older Workers’ Benefit
Protection Act, and federal, state and local labor laws, each as amended except
where the failure to comply with any such requirements has not, and will not,
have a Material Adverse Effect.
15
(kk) Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx
Act. Except with respect to any non-timely filings of reports
pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act by certain of the Company’s
officers and/or trustees as described in the Company’s most recently filed
Definitive Proxy Statement under the caption “Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership
Reporting Compliance,” there is and has been no failure on the part of the
Company to comply in all material respects with the provisions of the
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder.
(ll) Brokers and Finders.
Other than this Agreement, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings
between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and any person that would give
rise to a valid claim against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Xxxxx
for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment with respect to
the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
(mm) Purchase and Sale of Common
Shares by Xxxxx. The Company acknowledges and agrees that
Xxxxx has informed the Company that Xxxxx may, to the extent permitted under the
Securities Act and the Exchange Act, purchase and sell Common Shares for its own
account while this Agreement is in effect; provided, that (i) no such purchase
or sales shall take place while a Placement Notice is in effect (except to the
extent Xxxxx may engage in sales of Placement Shares purchased or deemed
purchased from the Company as a “riskless principal” or in a similar capacity)
and (ii) the Company shall not be deemed to have authorized or consented to any
such purchases or sales by Xxxxx.
(nn) Money
Laundering. The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries
are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial
record-keeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign
Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, applicable money laundering
statutes and applicable rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the
“Money
Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any
court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the
Company or any or its Subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is
pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened.
(oo) Related Party
Transactions. Except as set forth in the Prospectus (as
amended or supplemented), there are no transactions with “affiliates” (as
defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act) or any officer, trustee or security
holder of the Company (whether or not an affiliate) that are required by the
Securities Act to be disclosed in the Prospectus that have not been disclosed as
required. Additionally, no relationship, direct or indirect, exists between the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries on the one hand, and the trustees, officers,
shareholders, tenants, customers or suppliers of the Company or any Subsidiary
on the other hand that is required by the Securities Act to be disclosed in the
Prospectus that is not so disclosed.
(pp) Officer’s Certificates;
Opinions. Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company
and delivered to Xxxxx or to counsel for Xxxxx shall be deemed to be a
representation and warranty by the Company and/or the Operating Partnership, as
applicable, to Xxxxx as to the matters set forth therein. The Company
and the Operating Partnership acknowledge that Xxxxx and, for purposes of the
opinions to be delivered pursuant to Section
7
16
hereof, counsel to the Company and counsel to Xxxxx, will rely upon the accuracy and truthfulness of the foregoing representations and hereby consents to such reliance.
7. Covenants of the
Company. The Company and the Operating Partnership, jointly
and severally, covenant and agree with Xxxxx that:
(a) Registration Statement
Amendments; Payment of Fees. After the date of this Agreement
and during any period in which a Prospectus relating to any Placement Shares is
required to be delivered by Xxxxx under the Securities Act (including in
circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under
the Securities Act), (i) the Company will notify Xxxxx as promptly as reasonably
practicable of the time when any subsequent amendment to the Registration
Statement, other than documents incorporated by reference, has been filed with
the Commission and/or has become effective or any subsequent supplement to the
Prospectus has been filed and of any comment letter from the Commission or any
request by the Commission for any amendment or supplement to the Registration
Statement or Prospectus or for additional information, (ii) the Company will
prepare and file with the Commission, as promptly as reasonably practicable upon
Xxxxx’x request, any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or
Prospectus that, in Xxxxx’x reasonable opinion, may be necessary or advisable in
connection with the distribution of the Placement Shares by Xxxxx (provided,
however, that the failure of Xxxxx to make such request shall not relieve the
Company of any obligation or liability hereunder, or affect Xxxxx’x right to
rely on the representations and warranties made by the Company in this
Agreement); (iii) the Company will not file any amendment or supplement to the
Registration Statement or Prospectus, other than documents incorporated by
reference, relating to the Placement Shares or a security convertible into the
Placement Shares unless a copy thereof has been submitted to Xxxxx within a
reasonable period of time before the filing and Xxxxx has not reasonably
objected thereto (provided, however, that the failure of Xxxxx to make such
objection shall not relieve the Company of any obligation or liability
hereunder, or affect Xxxxx’x right to rely on the representations and warranties
made by the Company in this Agreement); and (iv) the Company will cause each
amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, other than documents incorporated by
reference, to be filed with the Commission as required pursuant to the
Securities Act.
(b) Notice of Commission; Stop
Orders. The Company will advise Xxxxx, as promptly as
reasonably practicable after it receives notice or obtains knowledge thereof, of
the issuance or threatened issuance by the Commission of any stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any other order
preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus, of the suspension of the
qualification of the Placement Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction,
or of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose or
any examination pursuant to Section 8(e) of the Securities Act, or if the
Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities
Act in connection with the offering of the Shares; and it will promptly use its
commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop or other
order or to obtain its withdrawal if such a stop or other order should be
issued.
17
(c) Delivery of Prospectus;
Subsequent Changes. During any period in which a Prospectus
relating to the Placement Shares is required to be delivered by Xxxxx under the
Securities Act with respect to a pending sale of the Placement Shares,
(including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to
Rule 172 under the Securities Act), the Company will comply with all
requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act, as from time to time in
force, and to file on or before their respective due dates all reports and any
definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company
with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, 15(d) or any other
provision of or under the Exchange Act. If during such period any
event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented
would include an 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
then existing, not misleading, or if during such period it is necessary to amend
or supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus to comply with the
Securities Act, the Company will promptly notify Xxxxx to suspend the offering
of Placement Shares during such period, and the Company will as promptly as
reasonably practicable amend or supplement the Registration Statement or
Prospectus (at the expense of the Company) so as to correct such statement or
omission or effect such compliance.
(d) Listing of Placement
Shares. During any period in which the Prospectus relating to
the Placement Shares is required to be delivered by Xxxxx under the Securities
Act with respect to a pending sale of the Placement Shares (including in
circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under
the Securities Act), the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to
cause the Placement Shares to be listed on NASDAQ and to qualify the Placement
Shares for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as Xxxxx
reasonably designates and to continue such qualifications in effect so long as
required for the distribution of the Placement Shares; provided, however, that
the Company shall not be required in connection therewith to qualify as a
foreign entity or dealer in securities or file a general consent to service of
process in any jurisdiction.
(e) Filings with
NASDAQ. The Company will timely file with NASDAQ all material
documents and notices required by NASDAQ of companies that have or will issue
securities that are traded on NASDAQ.
(f) Delivery of Registration
Statement and Prospectus. The Company will furnish to Xxxxx
and its counsel (at the expense of the Company) copies of the Prospectus and all
amendments and supplements to the Prospectus that are filed with the Commission
during any period in which a Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares is
required to be delivered under the Securities Act (including all documents filed
with the Commission during such period that are deemed to be incorporated by
reference therein), in each case as soon as reasonably practicable and in such
quantities as Xxxxx may from time to time reasonably request and, at Xxxxx’x
reasonable request, will also furnish copies of the Prospectus to each exchange
or market on which sales of the Placement Shares may be made. The
copies of the Prospectus and any supplements or amendments thereto furnished to
Xxxxx will be identical in all material respects to the electronically
transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to IDEA, except to
the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
18
(g) Earnings
Statement. The Company will make generally available to its
security holders as soon as reasonably practicable, but in any event not later
than 15 months after the end of the Company’s current fiscal quarter, an
earnings statement covering a 12-month period that satisfies the provisions of
Section 11(a) and Rule 158 of the Securities Act.
(h) Expenses. The
Company, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereunder are consummated
or this Agreement is terminated, in accordance with the provisions of Section 11 hereof,
will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder,
including, but not limited to, expenses relating to (i) the preparation,
printing and filing of the Registration Statement and each amendment and
supplement thereto, of each Prospectus and of each amendment and supplement
thereto, (ii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the Placement Shares,
(iii) the qualification of the Placement Shares under securities laws in
accordance with the provisions of Section 7(d) hereof,
including filing fees, (iv) the printing and delivery to Xxxxx of copies of the
Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, and of this Agreement, (v)
the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing or qualification
of the Placement Shares for trading on NASDAQ, and (vi) filing fees and
expenses, if any, of the Commission and FINRA. Xxxxx shall pay all of
its costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder,
including, but not limited to, fees and expenses of its counsel.
(i) Use of
Proceeds. The Company will apply the Net Proceeds from the
sale of the Shares to be sold by it hereunder in accordance in all material
respects with the statements under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the
Prospectus. The Operating Partnership will effect the issuance to the Company by
the Operating Partnership of a number of Common Units equal to the number of
Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement upon the Company’s contribution to the
Operating Partnership of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares.
(j) Notice of Other
Sales. During the pendency of any Placement Notice given
hereunder, the Company shall provide Xxxxx notice as promptly as reasonably
practicable before it offers to sell, contracts to sell, sells, grants any
option to sell or otherwise disposes of any Common Shares (other than Placement
Shares offered pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement) or securities
convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares, warrants or any rights to
purchase or acquire Common Shares; provided, that such notice shall not be
required in connection with the (i) issuance, grant or sale of Common Shares,
options to purchase Common Shares or Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of
options or other equity awards pursuant to any stock option, stock bonus or
other share or compensatory plan or arrangement described in the Prospectus,
(ii) the issuance of securities in connection with an acquisition, merger or
sale or purchase of assets described in the Prospectus, (iii) the issuance or
sale of Common Shares pursuant to the Company’s 401(k) plan, 2008 Equity
Incentive Plan and any dividend reinvestment plan that the Company may adopt
from time to time provided the implementation of such is disclosed to Xxxxx in
advance, (iv) issuance and sale of Common Shares in an offering in which Xxxxx
is serving as an underwriter, initial purchaser or placement agent, or (v) any
Common Shares issuable upon the redemption of outstanding Units in accordance
with the Partnership Agreement.
19
(k) Change of
Circumstances. The Company will, at any time during a fiscal
quarter in which the Company intends to tender a Placement Notice or sell
Placement Shares, advise Xxxxx as promptly as reasonably practicable after it
shall have received notice or obtained knowledge thereof, of any information or
fact that would alter or affect in any material respect any opinion,
certificate, letter or other document provided to Xxxxx by the Company pursuant
to this Agreement.
(l) Due Diligence
Cooperation. The Company and the Operating Partnership will
cooperate with any reasonable due diligence review conducted by Xxxxx or its
agents in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including,
without limitation, providing information and making available documents and
senior officers, during regular business hours and at the Company’s principal
offices, as Xxxxx may reasonably request.
(m) Required Filings Relating to
Placement of Placement Shares. The Company agrees that on such
dates as the Securities Act shall require, the Company will (i) file a
prospectus supplement with the Commission under the applicable paragraph of Rule
424(b) under the Securities Act, which prospectus supplement will set forth,
within the relevant period, the amount of Placement Shares sold through Xxxxx,
the Net Proceeds to the Company and the compensation payable by the Company to
Xxxxx with respect to such Placement Shares, and (ii) deliver such number of
copies of each such prospectus supplement to each exchange or market on which
such sales were effected as may be required by the rules or regulations of such
exchange or market.
(n) Representation Dates;
Certificate. On or prior to the date that the first Shares are
sold pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and each time the Company (i)
amends or supplements the Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to
the Placement Shares (other than a prospectus supplement filed in accordance
with Section
7(m) hereof) by means of a post-effective amendment, sticker, or
supplement but not by means of incorporation of documents by reference into the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares; (ii)
files an annual report on Form 10-K under the Exchange Act; (iii) files its
quarterly reports on Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act; or (iv) files a report on
Form 8-K containing amended financial information (other than an earnings
release, to “furnish” information pursuant to Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or
to provide disclosure pursuant to Item 8.01 of Form 8-K relating to the
reclassifications of certain properties as discontinued operations in accordance
with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 144 or to changes in the
fair value of assets and liabilities in a merger, acquisition or other change in
ownership in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No.
141(R) “Business Combinations”) under the Exchange Act (each date of filing of
one or more of the documents referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) shall be a
“Representation
Date”); the Company shall furnish Xxxxx with a certificate, in the form
attached hereto as Exhibit 7(n) within
three (3) Trading Days of any Representation Date. The requirement to
provide a certificate under this Section 7(n) shall be
waived for any Representation Date occurring at a time at which no Placement
Notice is pending. However, if the Company subsequently decides to
sell Placement Shares following a Representation Date when the Company relied on
such waiver and did not
20
provide Xxxxx with a certificate under this Section 7(n), then before the Company delivers the Placement Notice or Xxxxx sells any Placement Shares, the Company shall provide Xxxxx with a certificate, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7(n), dated the date of the Placement Notice (such date shall also constitute a Representation Date for purposes of this Agreement).
(o) Legal
Opinion. On or prior to the date that the first Shares are
sold pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and within three (3) Trading Days
of each Representation Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to
deliver a certificate in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7(n) for
which no waiver is applicable, the Company shall cause to be furnished to Xxxxx
a written opinion of counsel to the Company (“Company
Counsel”), which counsel is reasonably satisfactory to Xxxxx,
substantially in forms set forth in Exhibits 7(o)(i) and
7(o)(ii) and,
modified, as necessary, to relate to the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus as then amended or supplemented; provided, however, that in
lieu of such opinions for subsequent Representation Dates, counsel may furnish
Xxxxx with a letter (a “Reliance
Letter”) to the effect that Xxxxx may rely on a prior opinion delivered
under this Section
7(o) to the same extent as if it were dated the date of such letter
(except that statements in such prior opinion shall be deemed to relate to the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented at such
Representation Date). With respect to any matter covered by the laws
of the State of North Dakota, Company Counsel may rely on the opinion of counsel
(which counsel shall be reasonably acceptable to Xxxxx and its counsel) duly
licensed to practice in such state in connection with the opinions required
under this Section
7(o). In the alternative, the Company may request such North
Dakota counsel to deliver its opinion directly to Xxxxx, in which event, Company
Counsel shall be relieved of its obligation to deliver its opinion with respect
to such matters.
(p) Comfort
Letter. On or prior to the date that the first Shares are sold
pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and within three (3) Trading Days of
each Representation Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to
deliver a certificate in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7(n) for
which no waiver is applicable, the Company shall cause its independent
accountants (and any other independent accountants whose report is included in
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus) to furnish Xxxxx letters (the
“Comfort
Letters”), dated the date the Comfort Letter is delivered, in form and
substance reasonably satisfactory to Xxxxx, (i) confirming that they are an
independent registered public accounting firm within the meaning of the
Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the PCAOB, (ii) stating, as of such date,
the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial
information and other matters ordinarily covered by accountants’ “comfort
letters” to underwriters in connection with registered public offerings (the
first such letter, the “Initial Comfort
Letter”) and (iii) updating the Initial Comfort Letter with any
information that would have been included in the Initial Comfort Letter had it
been given on such date and modified as necessary to relate to the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, as amended and supplemented to the date of such
letter.
(q) Market
Activities. The Company will not, directly or indirectly, (i)
take any action designed to cause or result in, or that constitutes or might
reasonably be expected to
21
constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares or (ii) sell, bid for, or purchase the Shares to be issued and sold pursuant to this Agreement, or pay anyone any compensation for soliciting purchases of the Shares to be issued and sold pursuant to this Agreement other than Xxxxx; provided, however, that the Company may bid for and purchase its Common Shares in accordance with Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act.
(r) Insurance. The
Company and its Subsidiaries shall maintain, or caused to be maintained,
insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as is reasonable and customary
for companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries.
(s) Compliance with
Laws. The Company, the Operating Partnership and each
Subsidiary shall maintain, or cause to be maintained, all material environmental
permits, licenses and other authorizations required by federal, state and local
law in order to conduct their businesses as described in the Prospectus, and the
Company and each of its Subsidiaries shall conduct their businesses, or cause
their businesses to be conducted, in substantial compliance with such permits,
licenses and authorizations and with applicable environmental laws, except where
the failure to maintain or be in compliance with such permits, licenses and
authorizations could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(t) REIT
Treatment. The Company currently intends to continue to
qualify as a REIT under the Code and will use all commercially reasonable
efforts to continue to meet the requirements to so qualify for subsequent tax
years for so long as the Company’s Board of Trustees deems such qualification to
be in the best interests of the Company’s shareholders.
(u) Investment Company
Act. The Company will conduct its affairs in such a manner so
as to reasonably ensure that neither it nor its Subsidiaries will be or become
required to register, at any time prior to the termination of this Agreement, as
an “investment company,” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act,
assuming no change in the Commission’s current interpretation as to entities
that are not required to register as an investment company.
(v) Securities Act and Exchange
Act. The Company will use its best efforts to comply with all
requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act as from
time to time in force, so far as necessary to permit the continuance of sales
of, or dealings in, the Placement Shares as contemplated by the provisions
hereof and the Prospectus.
(w) No Offer to
Sell. Other than a Free Writing Prospectus approved in advance
in writing by the Company and Xxxxx in its capacity as principal or agent
hereunder, neither Xxxxx nor the Company (including its agents and
representatives, other than Xxxxx in its capacity as such) will, directly or
indirectly, make, use, prepare, authorize, approve or refer to any free writing
prospectus relating to the Shares to be sold by Xxxxx as principal or agent
hereunder.
22
(x) Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx
Act. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries will maintain
and keep accurate books and records reflecting their assets and maintain
internal accounting controls in a manner designed to provide reasonable
assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation
of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP and
including those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of
records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions
and dispositions of the assets of the Company, (ii) provide reasonable assurance
that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit the preparation of the
Company’s consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP, (iii) that
receipts and expenditures of the Company are being made only in accordance with
management’s and the Company’s trustees’ authorization, and (iv) provide
reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized
acquisition, use or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a
material effect on its financial statements. The Company will
maintain such controls and other procedures, including, without limitation,
those required by Sections 302 and 906 of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002, and
the applicable regulations thereunder that are designed to ensure that
information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files
or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and
reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms,
including, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that
information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files
or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the
Company’s management, including its chief executive officer and principal
financial officer, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to
allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure and to ensure that material
information relating to the Company is made known to them by others within those
entities, particularly during the period in which such periodic reports are
being prepared. The Company will use its best efforts to comply with
all effective applicable provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of
2002.
8. Conditions to Xxxxx’x
Obligations. The obligations of Xxxxx hereunder with respect to a
Placement will be subject to the continuing accuracy and completeness of the
representations and warranties made by the Company and the Operating Partnership
herein, to the due performance by the Company and the Operating Partnership of
their respective obligations hereunder, to the completion by Xxxxx of a due
diligence review satisfactory to Xxxxx in its reasonable judgment, and to the
continuing satisfaction (or waiver by Xxxxx in its sole discretion) of the
following additional conditions:
(a) Registration Statement
Effective. The Registration Statement shall be effective and
shall be available for (i) all sales of Placement Shares issued pursuant to all
prior Placement Notices and (ii) the sale of all Placement Shares contemplated
to be issued by any Placement Notice.
(b) No Material
Notices. None of the following events shall have occurred and
be continuing: (i) receipt by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
of any request for additional information from the Commission or any other
federal or state governmental authority during the period of effectiveness of
the Registration Statement, the response to which would require any
post-effective amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or
the
23
Prospectus; (ii) the issuance by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose; (iii) receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Placement Shares for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; (iv) the occurrence of any event that makes any material statement made in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any material document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or that requires the making of any changes in the Registration Statement, related Prospectus or such documents so that, in the case of the Registration Statement, it will not contain any materially untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and, that in the case of the Prospectus, it will not contain any materially untrue statement of a material fact or 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.
(c) No Misstatement or Material
Omission. Xxxxx shall not have advised the Company that the
Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto,
contains an untrue statement of fact that in Xxxxx’x reasonable opinion is
material, or omits to state a fact that in Xxxxx’x opinion is material and is
required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading.
(d) Material
Changes. Except as contemplated in the Prospectus, or
disclosed in the Company’s reports filed with the Commission, there shall not
have been any material adverse change, on a consolidated basis, in the
authorized shares of beneficial interest of the Company or any Material Adverse
Effect, or any development that could reasonably be expected to cause a Material
Adverse Effect, or any downgrading in or withdrawal of the rating assigned to
any of the Company’s or the Operating Partnership’s securities (other than asset
backed securities) by any rating organization or a public announcement by any
rating organization that it has under surveillance or review its rating of any
of the Company’s or the Operating Partnership’s securities (other than asset
backed securities), the effect of which, in the case of any such action by a
rating organization described above, in the reasonable judgment of Xxxxx
(without relieving the Company or the Operating Partnership of any obligation or
liability it may otherwise have), is so material as to make it impracticable or
inadvisable to proceed with the offering of the Placement Shares on the terms
and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.
(e) Legal
Opinion. Xxxxx shall have received the opinions of Company
Counsel required to be delivered pursuant Section 7(o) hereof
on or before the date on which such delivery of such opinion is required
pursuant to Section
7(o) hereof.
(f) Comfort
Letter. Xxxxx shall have received the Comfort Letter required
to be delivered pursuant Section 7(p) hereof
on or before the date on which such delivery of such opinion is required
pursuant to Section
7(p) hereof.
24
(g) Representation
Certificate. Xxxxx shall have received the certificate
required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(n) hereof
on or before the date on which delivery of such certificate is required pursuant
to Section 7(n)
hereof.
(h) No
Suspension. Trading in the Shares shall not have been
suspended on NASDAQ.
(i) Other
Materials. On each date on which the Company is required to
deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 7(n) hereof,
the Company and the Operating Partnership shall have furnished to Xxxxx such
appropriate further information, certificates and documents as Xxxxx may have
reasonably requested. All such opinions, certificates, letters and other
documents shall have been in compliance with the provisions hereof. The Company
and the Operating Partnership shall have furnished Xxxxx with such conformed
copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and other documents as Xxxxx
shall have reasonably requested.
(j) Securities Act Filings
Made. All filings with the Commission required by Rule 424
under the Securities Act to have been filed prior to the issuance of any
Placement Notice hereunder shall have been made within the applicable time
period prescribed for such filing by Rule 424 under the Securities
Act.
(k) Approval for
Listing. The Placement Shares shall either have been
(i) approved for listing on NASDAQ, subject only to notice of issuance, or
(ii) the Company shall have filed an application for listing of the Placement
Shares on NASDAQ at, or prior to, the issuance of any Placement
Notice.
(l) No Termination
Event. There shall not have occurred any event that would
permit Xxxxx to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 11(a)
hereof.
9. Indemnification and
Contribution.
(a) Company and Operating
Partnership Indemnification. The Company and the Operating
Partnership, jointly and severally, agree to indemnify and hold harmless Xxxxx,
the directors, officers, partners, employees and agents of Xxxxx and each
person, if any, who (i) controls Xxxxx within the meaning of Section 15 of
the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, or (ii) is controlled by
or is under common control with Xxxxx (a “Xxxxx
Affiliate”) from and against any and all losses, claims, liabilities,
expenses and damages (including, but not limited to, any and all reasonable
investigative, legal and other expenses incurred in connection with,
and any and all amounts paid in settlement (in accordance with Section 9(c) hereof)
of, any action, suit or proceeding between any of the indemnified parties and
any indemnifying parties or between any indemnified party and any third party,
or otherwise, or any claim asserted), as and when incurred, to which Xxxxx, or
any such person, may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act
or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or
otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, liabilities, expenses or damages
arise out of or are based, directly or indirectly, on (x) any untrue statement
or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus or
25
any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any application or other document executed by or on behalf of the Company or the Operating Partnership or based on written information furnished by or on behalf of the Company or the Operating Partnership filed in any jurisdiction in order to qualify the Shares under the securities laws thereof or filed with the Commission or (y) the omission or alleged omission to state in any such document a material fact required to be stated in it or necessary to make the statements in it not misleading; provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to the extent that such loss, claim, liability, expense or damage arises from the sale of the Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement and is caused directly or indirectly by an untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information relating to Xxxxx and furnished to the Company by Xxxxx expressly for inclusion in any document as described in clause (x) of this Section 9(a). This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability that the Company or the Operating Partnership might otherwise have.
(b) Xxxxx
Indemnification. Xxxxx agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company,
its trustees, each officer of the Company that signed the Registration
Statement, the Operating Partnership and each person, if any, who (i) controls
the Company or the Operating Partnership within the meaning of Section 15 of the
Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act or (ii) is controlled by or is
under common control with the Company or the Operating Partnership (a “Company
Affiliate”) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and
expense described in the indemnity contained in Section 9(a) hereof,
as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged
untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any
amendments thereto) or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto)
in reliance upon and in conformity with written information relating to Xxxxx
and furnished to the Company by Xxxxx expressly for inclusion in any document as
described in clause (x) of Section 9(a)
hereof.
(c) Procedure. Any
party that proposes to assert the right to be indemnified under this Section 9 will,
promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action against such
party in respect of which a claim is to be made against an indemnifying party or
parties under this Section 9, notify in
writing each such indemnifying party of the commencement of such action,
enclosing a copy of all papers served, but the omission so to notify such
indemnifying party will not relieve the indemnifying party from (i) any
liability that it might have to any indemnified party otherwise than under this
Section 9 and
(ii) any liability that it may have to any indemnified party under the foregoing
provision of this Section 9 unless, and
only to the extent that, such omission results in the forfeiture of substantive
rights or defenses by the indemnifying party. If any such action is brought
against any indemnified party and it notifies the indemnifying party of its
commencement, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in and, to
the extent that it elects by delivering written notice to the indemnified party
promptly after receiving notice of the commencement of the action from the
indemnified party, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified,
to assume the defense of the action, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the
indemnified party, and after notice from the indemnifying party to the
indemnified party of its election to assume the defense, the indemnifying party
will not be liable to the indemnified party for any legal or other expenses
except as provided below and except for the reasonable costs of investigation
subsequently
26
incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense. The indemnified party will have the right to employ its own counsel in any such action, but the fees, expenses and other charges of such counsel will be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the employment of counsel by the indemnified party has been authorized in writing by the indemnifying party, (ii) the indemnified party has reasonably concluded (based on advice of counsel) that there may be legal defenses available to it or other indemnified parties that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party, (iii) a conflict or potential conflict exists (based on advice of counsel to the indemnified party) between the indemnified party and the indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party will not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party) or (iv) the indemnifying party has not in fact employed counsel to assume the defense of such action within a reasonable time after receiving notice of the commencement of the action, in each of which cases the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of counsel will be at the expense of the indemnifying party or parties. It is understood that the indemnifying party or parties shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of more than one separate firm admitted to practice in such jurisdiction at any one time for all such indemnified party or parties. All such fees, disbursements and other charges will be reimbursed by the indemnifying party promptly as they are incurred. An indemnifying party will not, in any event, be liable for any settlement of any action or claim effected without its written consent. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of each indemnified party, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding relating to the matters contemplated by this Section 9 (whether or not any indemnified party is a party thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising or that may arise out of such claim, action or proceeding.
(d) Contribution. In
order to provide for just and equitable contribution in circumstances in which
the indemnification provided for in the foregoing paragraphs of this Section 9 is
applicable in accordance with its terms but for any reason is held to be
unavailable from the Company, the Operating Partnership or Baird, the Company
and Baird will contribute to the total losses, claims, liabilities, expenses and
damages (including any investigative, legal and other expenses reasonably
incurred in connection with, and any amount paid in settlement of, any action,
suit or proceeding or any claim asserted, but after deducting any contribution
received by the Company or the Operating Partnership from persons other than
Baird, such as persons who control the Company or the Operating Partnership
within the meaning of the Securities Act, officers of the Company who signed the
Registration Statement and trustees of the Company, who also may be liable for
contribution) to which the Company, the Operating Partnership and Baird may be
subject in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative
benefits received by the Company and the Operating Partnership, on the one hand,
and Baird, on the other. The relative benefits received by the Company and the
Operating Partnership on the one hand and Baird on the other hand shall be
deemed to be in the same proportion as the total Net Proceeds from the sale of
the Placement Shares (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to
the total compensation received by Baird from the sale of Placement Shares on
behalf of the Company. If, but only if, the allocation provided by
the foregoing sentence is not permitted by applicable law, the allocation of
contribution shall be made in such
27
proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in the foregoing sentence but also the relative fault of the Company and the Operating Partnership, on the one hand, and Baird, on the other, with respect to the statements or omission that resulted in such loss, claim, liability, expense or damage, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations with respect to such offering. Such relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Operating Partnership, on the one hand, or Baird, on the other, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Operating Partnership and Baird agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 9(d) were to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, liability, expense, or damage, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 9(d) shall be deemed to include, for the purpose of this Section 9(d), any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim to the extent consistent with Section 9(c) hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 9(d), Baird shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the commissions received by it under this Agreement and no person found guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) will be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 9(d), any person who controls a party to this Agreement within the meaning of the Securities Act, and any officers, directors, partners, employees or agents of Baird, will have the same rights to contribution as that party, and each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement will have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the provisions hereof. Any party entitled to contribution, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action against such party in respect of which a claim for contribution may be made under this Section 9(d), will notify any such party or parties from whom contribution may be sought, but the omission to so notify will not relieve that party or parties from whom contribution may be sought from any other obligation it or they may have under this Section 9(d) except to the extent that the failure to so notify such other party materially prejudiced the substantive rights or defenses of the party from whom contribution is sought. Except for a settlement entered into pursuant to the last sentence of Section 9(c) hereof, no party will be liable for contribution with respect to any action or claim settled without its written consent if such consent is required pursuant to Section 9(c) hereof.
10. Representations and
Agreements to Survive Delivery. The indemnity and contribution
agreements contained in Section 9 hereof and
all representations and warranties of the Company and the Operating Partnership
herein or in certificates delivered pursuant hereto shall survive, as of their
respective dates, regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of
Baird, any controlling persons, or the Company or the Operating Partnership (or
any of their respective officers, trustees or controlling persons), (ii)
delivery and acceptance of the Placement Shares and payment therefor or (iii)
any termination of this Agreement.
28
11. Termination.
(a) Baird
shall have the right by giving notice as hereinafter specified at any time to
terminate this Agreement if (i) any Material Adverse Effect, or any development
that could reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Effect has
occurred, that, in the reasonable judgment of Baird, may materially impair the
ability of Baird to sell the Placement Shares hereunder; (ii) the Company or the
Operating Partnership shall have failed, refused or been unable to perform any
agreement on its part to be performed hereunder; provided, however, in the case
of any failure of the Company to deliver (or cause another person to deliver)
any certification, opinion, or letter required under Sections 7(n), 7(o) or 7(p) hereof, Xxxxx’x
right to terminate shall not arise unless such failure to deliver (or cause to
be delivered) continues for more than thirty (30) days from the date such
delivery was required; or (iii) any other condition of Xxxxx’x obligations
hereunder is not fulfilled; or (iv), any suspension or limitation of trading in
the Common Shares or in securities generally on NASDAQ shall have
occurred. Any such termination shall be without liability of any
party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 7(h)
(Expenses), Section
9 (Indemnification and Contribution), Section 10
(Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery), Section 16
(Applicable Law; Consent to Jurisdiction) and Section 17 (Waiver of
Jury Trial) hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such
termination.
(b) The
Company and the Operating Partnership shall have the right, by giving ten (10)
days notice as hereinafter specified, to terminate this Agreement in their sole
discretion at any time after the date of this Agreement. Any such
termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except
that the provisions of Section 7(h), Section 9, Section 10, Section 16 and Section 17 hereof
shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such
termination.
(c) Baird
shall have the right, by giving ten (10) days notice as hereinafter specified to
terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time after the date of
this Agreement. Any such termination shall be without liability of
any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 7(h), Section 9, Section 10, Section 16 and Section 17 hereof
shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such
termination.
(d) Unless
earlier terminated pursuant to this Section 11, this
Agreement shall automatically terminate upon the issuance and sale of all of the
Placement Shares through Baird on the terms and subject to the conditions set
forth herein; provided that the provisions of Section 7(h), Section 9, Section 10, Section 16 and Section 17 hereof
shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such
termination.
(e) This
Agreement shall remain in full force and effect unless terminated pursuant to
Sections 11(a),
(b), (c), or (d) hereof or
otherwise by mutual agreement of the parties; provided, however, that any such
termination by mutual agreement shall in all cases be deemed to provide that
Section 7(h),
Section 9,
Section 10,
Section 16 and
Section 17
hereof shall remain in full force and effect.
29
(f) Any
termination of this Agreement shall be effective on the date specified in such
notice of termination; provided, however, that such termination shall not be
effective until the close of business on the date of receipt of such notice by
Baird or the Company, as the case may be. If such termination shall occur prior
to the Settlement Date for any sale of Placement Shares, such Placement Shares
shall settle in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
12. Notices. Except
as otherwise provided herein, all notices or other communications required or
permitted to be given by any party to any other party pursuant to the terms of
this Agreement shall be in writing, unless otherwise specified in this
Agreement, and if sent to Baird, shall be delivered to Baird at 000 Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx 00000, Fax: (000) 000-0000, Attention:
Xxxx X. Xxxxxx Xx., with copies to Bass, Xxxxx & Xxxx PLC, The Tower of
Peabody Place, 000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx 00000, Fax:
(000) 000-0000, Attention: Xxxx X. Good, Esq.; or if sent to the Company or the
Operating Partnership, shall be delivered to 00000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000,
Xxxx Xxxxxxx XX 00000-0000, Fax (000) 000-0000, Attention: Xxxxx Xxxxx, with
copies to Hunton & Xxxxxxxx LLP, Riverfront Plaza, East Tower, 000 Xxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000-0000, Fax: (000) 000-0000,
Attention: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx. Each party to this Agreement may change such address
for notices by sending to the parties to this Agreement written notice of a new
address for such purpose. Each such notice or other communication
shall be deemed given (i) when delivered personally or by verifiable facsimile
transmission (with an original to follow) on or before 4:30 p.m., New York City
time, on a Business Day or, if such day is not a Business Day, on the next
succeeding Business Day, (ii) on the next Business Day after timely delivery to
a nationally-recognized overnight courier and (iii) on the Business Day actually
received if deposited in the U.S. mail (certified or registered mail, return
receipt requested, postage prepaid). For purposes of this Agreement, “Business
Day” shall mean any day on which NASDAQ and commercial banks in the City
of New York are open for business.
13. Successors and
Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be
binding upon the Company, the Operating Partnership and Baird and their
respective successors and the affiliates, controlling persons, officers and
trustees referred to in Section 9 hereof.
References to any of the parties contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to
include the successors and permitted assigns of such party. Nothing in this
Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer upon any party other than
the parties hereto or their respective successors and permitted assigns any
rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason of this
Agreement, except as expressly provided in this Agreement. Neither party may
assign its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written
consent of the other party.
14. Adjustments for Share
Splits. The parties acknowledge and agree that all
share-related numbers contained in this Agreement shall be adjusted to take into
account any share split, share dividend or similar event effected with respect
to the Shares.
15. Entire Agreement; Amendment;
Severability. This Agreement (including all schedules and
exhibits attached hereto and Placement Notices issued pursuant hereto)
constitutes the entire agreement and supersedes all other prior and
contemporaneous agreements and
30
undertakings, both written and oral, among the parties hereto with regard to the subject matter hereof. Neither this Agreement nor any term hereof may be amended except pursuant to a written instrument executed by the Company and Baird. In the event that any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable as written by a court of competent jurisdiction, then such provision shall be given full force and effect to the fullest possible extent that it is valid, legal and enforceable, and the remainder of the terms and provisions herein shall be construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable term or provision was not contained herein, but only to the extent that giving effect to such provision and the remainder of the terms and provisions hereof shall be in accordance with the intent of the parties as reflected in this Agreement.
16. Applicable Law; Consent to
Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in
accordance with, the internal laws of the State of New York without regard to
the principles of conflicts of laws. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to
the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the
City of New York, for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection
with any transaction contemplated hereby, and hereby irrevocably waives, and
agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not
personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action
or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such
suit, action or proceeding is improper. Each party hereby irrevocably
waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any
such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof (certified or
registered mail, return receipt requested) to such party at the address in
effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall
constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice
thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way
any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law.
17. Waiver of Jury
Trial. The Company, the Operating Partnership and Baird each
hereby irrevocably waives any right it may have to a trial by jury in respect of
any claim based upon or arising out of this Agreement or any transaction
contemplated hereby.
18. Absence of Fiduciary
Relationship. The Company and the Operating Partnership
acknowledge and agree that:
(a) Baird
has been retained solely to act as an agent in connection with the sale of the
Shares and that no fiduciary relationship between the Company and Baird has been
created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement,
irrespective of whether Baird has advised or is advising the Company on other
matters;
(b) Each
of the Company and the Operating Partnership is capable of evaluating and
understanding and understand and accept the terms, risks and conditions of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
(c) Each
of the Company and the Operating Partnership has been advised that Baird and its
affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve
interests that differ from those of the Company or the Operating Partnership and
that Baird has no
31
obligation to disclose such interests and transactions to the Company or the Operating Partnership by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship; and
(d) Each
of the Company and the Operating Partnership waives, to the fullest extent
permitted by law, any claims it may have against Baird, for breach of fiduciary
duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty and agrees that Baird shall have no
liability (whether direct or indirect) to the Company or the Operating
Partnership in respect of such a fiduciary claim or to any person asserting a
fiduciary duty claim on behalf of or in right of the Company or the Operating
Partnership, including shareholders, partners, employees or creditors of the
Company or the Operating Partnership.
19. Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed in two (2) or more counterparts, each of which shall
be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the
same instrument. Delivery of an executed Agreement by one party to the other may
be made by facsimile transmission.
20. Definitions. As
used in this Agreement, the following terms have the respective meanings set
forth below:
(a) “Applicable
Time” means the date of this Agreement, each Representation Date on which
a certificate is required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(n), the date on
which a Placement Notice is given, any date on which Placement Shares are sold
hereunder, or such other time as agreed to by the Company and
Baird.
(b) “GAAP”
means United States generally accepted accounting principles.
(c) “Organizational
Documents” means (a) in the case of a corporation, its charter and
by-laws; (b) in the case of a limited or general partnership, its partnership
certificate, certificate of formation or similar organizational document and its
partnership agreement; (c) in the case of a limited liability company, its
articles of organization, certificate of formation or similar organizational
documents and its operating agreement, limited liability company agreement,
membership agreement or other similar agreement; (d) in the case of a trust, its
certificate of trust, certificate of formation or similar organizational
document and its trust agreement or other similar agreement; and (e) in the case
of any other entity, the organizational and governing documents of such
entity.
(d) “Subsidiary”
or “Subsidiaries”
means each direct and indirect subsidiary of the Company, including, without
limitation, the Operating Partnership, and all direct and indirect subsidiaries
of the Operating Partnership.
32
If the
foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding among the Company, the
Operating Partnership and Baird, please so indicate in the space provided below
for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement
among the Company, the Operating Partnership and Baird.
Very truly yours,
By:
/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
|
Name:Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxx
|
Title:Senior
Vice President & Chief Operating
Officer
|
IRET
PROPERTIES
|
By:
/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
|
Name:Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxx
|
Title:Senior
Vice President & Chief Operating
Officer
|
ACCEPTED
as of the date first-above written:
XXXXXX
X. XXXXX & CO. INCORPORATED
|
By: /s/
Xxxx X. Xxxxxx Xx.
|
Name: Xxxx
X. Xxxxxx Xx.
|
Title: Director
|
33
SCHEDULE
1
FORM OF PLACEMENT
NOTICE
From: [ ]
Cc: [ ]
To: [ ]
Subject: Baird
On Demand Offering—Placement Notice
Gentlemen:
Pursuant
to the terms and subject to the conditions contained in the Baird on Demand
Sales Agreement among Investors Real Estate Trust, a North Dakota real estate
investment trust (the “Company”),
IRET Properties, a North Dakota limited partnership (the “Operating
Partnership”), and Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx & Co. Incorporated (“Baird”)
dated April [_], 2009 (the “Agreement”),
I hereby request on behalf of the Company that Baird sell up to ______ shares of
the Company’s common shares of beneficial interest, no par value per share(the
“Placement
Shares”), [at a minimum market price of $_______ per share during (insert
applicable time period) and (note any limitation on the number of Placement
Shares that may be sold in any one day)].
34
SCHEDULE
2
XXXXXX
X. XXXXX & CO. INCORPORATED
Contact
|
E-mail
|
Phone
|
Xxxx
X. Xxxxxx Xx.
|
xxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx
|
000-000-0000
|
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx
|
xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx
|
000-000-0000
|
Xxxx
Xxxxxxx
|
xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx
|
000-000-0000
|
Contact
|
E-mail
|
Phone
|
Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxx
|
xxxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx
|
000-000-0000
|
Xxxxxx
X. Xxxxx, Xx.
|
xxxxxx@xxxx.xxx
|
000-000-0000
|
Xxxxxx
X. Xxxxx, Xx.
|
xxxxx@xxxx.xxx
|
000-000-0000
|
Xxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx
|
xxxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx
|
000-000-0000
|
35
SCHEDULE
3
Compensation
Baird
shall be paid compensation of two percent (2.0%) of the gross proceeds from the
sales of any shares sold pursuant to the terms of this
Agreement.
36
SCHEDULE
4
Subsidiaries of Investors
Real Estate Trust
IRET,
Inc.
IRET
Properties, a North Dakota Limited Partnership
DRF
Omaha/NOH, LLC
Dakota
Hill Properties, a Texas Limited Partnership
Dakota-IRET
Inc.
XXX
Xxxxxxxx, LLC
EVI Grand
Cities, LLC
EVI Sioux
Falls, LLC
Forest
Park-IRET, Inc.
Forest
Park Properties, a North Dakota Limited Partnership
France
Medical LLC
France
Medical MM LLC
Health
Investors Business Trust
IRET-BD,
LLC
IRET-Brenwood,
LLC
IRET-Candlelight,
LLC
IRET
Corporate Plaza, LLC
IRET-DMS,
LLC
IRET-Xxxxxx
Xxxx, L.L.C.
IRET-Kentwood,
LLC
IRET-MR9,
LLC
IRET-MR9
Holding, LLC
IRET-Minot
EV, LLC
IRET-Oakmont,
LLC
IRET-Plymouth,
LLC
IRET-QR,
LLC
IRET-Quarry
Ridge, LLC
IRET-Ridge
Oaks, LLC
XXXX-0000
Xxxxxxxxx, LLC
IRET-1715
YDR, LLC
Meadow
2-IRET, Inc.
Meadow 2
Properties, L.P.
MedPark-IRET,
Inc.
Medpark
Properties Limited
Mendota
Office Holdings, LLC
Mendota
Office Three & Four LLC
Mendota
Properties LLC
Midtown
Medical Building
Minnesota
Medical Investors LLC
Ridge
Oaks, L.P.
SMB MM
LLC
SMB
Operating Company LLC
Thomasbrook-IRET,
Inc.
Thomasbrook
Properties, a Nebraska Limited Partnership
37