25,000,000 Shares GT Solar International, Inc. Common Stock UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Exhibit 1.1
EXECUTION VERSION
25,000,000 Shares
Common Stock
March 9, 2010
UBS SECURITIES LLC
CREDIT SUISSE SECURITIES (USA) LLC,
As Representatives of the Several Underwriters,
c/o UBS Securities LLC
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000-0000
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC
Eleven Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000-0000
Dear Sirs:
1. Introductory. GT Solar Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Selling Stockholder”), proposes to sell 25,000,000 outstanding shares (“Firm Securities”) of the common stock, $0.01 par value per share (“Securities”) of GT Solar International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Company”), to the several Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (the “Underwriters”). The Selling Stockholder agrees to sell to the Underwriters, at the option of the Underwriters, not more than 3,750,000 additional outstanding shares (“Optional Securities”) of the Company’s Securities as set forth below. The Firm Securities and the Optional Securities are herein collectively called the “Offered Securities”.
2. Representations and Warranties of the Company and the Selling Stockholder. (a) The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the several Underwriters and the Selling Stockholder that:
(i) Filing and Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Certain Defined Terms. The Company has filed with the Commission a registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-161300) covering the registration of the Offered Securities under the Act, including a related preliminary prospectus or prospectuses, which has become effective. “Registration Statement” at any particular time means such registration statement in the form then filed with the Commission, including any amendment thereto, any document incorporated by reference therein and all 430B Information and all 430C Information with respect to such registration statement, that in any case has not been superseded or modified. “Registration Statement” without reference to a time means the Registration Statement as of the Effective Time. For purposes of this definition, 430B Information shall be considered to be included in the Registration Statement as of the time specified in Rule 430B.
For purposes of this Agreement:
“430B Information” means information included in a prospectus then deemed to be a part of the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430B(e) or retroactively deemed to be a part of the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430B(f).
“430C Information”, means information included in a prospectus then deemed to be a part of the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430C.
“Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“Applicable Time” means 7:30 p.m. (Eastern time) on the date of this Agreement.
“Closing Date” has the meaning defined in Section 3 hereof.
“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Effective Time” of the Registration Statement relating to the Offered Securities means the time of the first contract of sale for the Offered Securities.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Final Prospectus” means the Statutory Prospectus that discloses the public offering price, other 430B Information and other final terms of the Offered Securities and otherwise satisfies Section 10(a) of the Act.
“General Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors, as evidenced by its being so specified in Schedule B to this Agreement.
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, relating to the Offered Securities 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).
“Limited Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not a General Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.
“Rules and Regulations” means the rules and regulations of the Commission.
“Securities Laws” means, collectively, the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 (“Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx”), the Act, the Exchange Act, the Rules and Regulations, the auditing principles, rules, standards and practices applicable to auditors of “issuers” (as defined in Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx) promulgated or approved by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and, as applicable, the rules of the NASDAQ Market (“Exchange Rules”).
“Statutory Prospectus” with reference to a particular time means the prospectus related to the Offered Securities that is included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to that time, including any document incorporated by reference therein, all 430B Information and all 430C Information with respect to the Registration Statement. For purposes of the foregoing definition, 430B Information shall be considered to be included in the Statutory Prospectus as of the actual time that form of prospectus is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and not retroactively.
Unless otherwise specified, a reference to a “rule” is to the indicated rule under the Act.
(ii) Compliance with Securities Act Requirements. (i) (A) At the time the Registration Statement initially became effective, (B) at the time of each amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act (whether by post-effective amendment, incorporated report or form of prospectus), (C) at the Effective Time relating to the Offered Securities and (D) on the Closing Date, the Registration Statement conformed and will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations and did not and will not include any 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 (ii) (A) on its date, (B) at the time of filing the Final Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) and (C) on the Closing Date, the Final Prospectus will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations and will not include any 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 light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any such document based upon written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information is that described as such in Section 8(c) hereof.
(iii) Shelf Registration Statement. The date of this Agreement is not more than three years subsequent to the initial effective time of the Registration Statement. If, immediately prior to the third anniversary of the initial effective time of the Registration Statement, any of the Offered Securities remain unsold by the Underwriters, the Company will prior to that third anniversary file, if it has not already done so, a new shelf registration statement relating to the Offered Securities, in a form satisfactory to the Representatives of the Underwriters, will use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to be declared effective within 180 days after that third anniversary, and will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Offered Securities to continue as contemplated in the expired registration statement relating to the Offered Securities. References herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new shelf registration statement.
(iv) Ineligible Issuer Status. (i) At the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2)) of the Offered Securities and (ii) at the date of this Agreement, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, including (x) the Company or any other subsidiary in the preceding three years not having been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor or having been made the subject of a judicial or administrative decree or order as described in Rule 405 and (y) the Company in the preceding three years not having been the subject of a bankruptcy petition or insolvency or similar proceeding, not having had a registration statement be the subject of a proceeding under Section 8 of the Act and not being the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Act in connection with the offering of the Offered Securities, all as described in Rule 405.
(v) General Disclosure Package. As of the Applicable Time, neither (i) the General Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus(es) issued at or prior to the Applicable Time and the preliminary prospectus, dated March 1, 2010 (which is the most recent Statutory Prospectus distributed to investors generally) and the other information, if any, stated in Schedule B to this Agreement to be included in the General Disclosure Package, all considered together (collectively, the “General Disclosure Package”), nor (ii) any individual Limited Use Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any 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 any Statutory Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8(c) hereof.
(vi) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Offered Securities or until any earlier date that the Company notified or notifies the Representatives as described in the next sentence, did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information then contained in the Registration Statement. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information then contained in the Registration Statement or as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if republished immediately following such event or development, would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would 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, (i) the Company has promptly notified or will promptly notify the Representatives and (ii) the Company has promptly amended or will promptly amend or supplement such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.
(vii) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the General Disclosure Package, when they were filed with the Commission, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act, and none of such documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the General Disclosure Package, when such documents are filed with the Commission, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(viii) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly incorporated and is existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package; and the Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification except where the absence of such qualification would not result in a current or future material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (“Material Adverse Effect”).
(ix) Subsidiaries. Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated and is existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package; and each subsidiary of the Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification except where the absence of such qualification would
not result in a Material Adverse Effect; all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company has been duly authorized and validly issued and is fully paid and nonassessable; and the capital stock of each subsidiary owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, is owned free from liens, encumbrances and defects (other than as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package).
(x) Offered Securities. The Offered Securities and all other outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized; the authorized and outstanding equity capitalization of the Company is as set forth in the General Disclosure Package; all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are, and, when the Offered Securities have been delivered and paid for in accordance with this Agreement on each Closing Date, such Offered Securities will have been, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, will conform to the information in the General Disclosure Package and to the description of such Offered Securities contained in the Final Prospectus; the stockholders of the Company have no preemptive rights with respect to the Offered Securities; and none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been issued in violation of any preemptive or similar rights of any security holder.
(xi) No Finder’s Fee. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with this offering.
(xii) Registration Rights. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Act with respect to any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such person or to require the Company to include such securities in the securities registered pursuant to a Registration Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company under the Act (collectively, “registration rights”), and any person to whom the Company has granted registration rights has agreed not to exercise such rights until after the expiration of the Lock-Up Period referred to in Section 5(l) hereof.
(xiii) Listing. The Company’s common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market.
(xiv) Absence of Further Requirements. No consent, approval, authorization, or order of, or filing or registration with, any person (including any governmental agency or body or any court) is required to be obtained or made by the Company for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in connection with the sale of the Offered Securities, except such as have been obtained, or made and such as may be required under state securities laws.
(xv) Title to Property. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, the Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real properties and good title to all other properties and assets owned by them, in each case free from liens, charge, defects, and encumbrances, except where the failure to have such title or the existence of any lien, charge, defect or encumbrance would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, and except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, the Company and its subsidiaries hold all necessary and material leased real or personal property under valid and enforceable (subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting creditor’s rights generally or by general equitable principles) leases with no
terms or provisions that would materially interfere with the use made or to be made thereof by them.
(xvi) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts Resulting from Transaction. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement will not result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default or a Debt Repayment Triggering Event (as defined below) under, or result in the imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, (A) the charter or by-laws of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (B) any statute, rule, regulation or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties, or (C) any agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject; 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, except in the case of clause (C) for breaches, violations or defaults or impositions of liens, charges or encumbrances that, individually or in the aggregate, would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xvii) Absence of Existing Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its respective charter or by-laws or in default (or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would be in default) under any existing obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease or other agreement or instrument to which any of them is a party or by which any of them is bound or to which any of the properties of any of them is subject, except such defaults that would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xviii) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(xix) Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries possess, and are in compliance with the terms of, all certificates, authorizations, franchises, licenses and permits (“Licenses”) necessary and material to the conduct of the business now conducted or proposed in the General Disclosure Package to be conducted by them and have not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Licenses that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect.
(xx) Absence of Labor Dispute. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, has been threatened, except any such dispute which would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxi) Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries own, possess or can acquire on reasonable terms, trademarks, trade names, patent rights, copyrights, domain names, licenses, approvals, trade secrets, inventions, technology, know-how and other intellectual property and similar rights, including registrations and applications for registration thereof (collectively, “Intellectual Property Rights”) necessary or material to the conduct of the business now conducted or proposed in the General Disclosure Package to be conducted by them, and the expected expiration of any such Intellectual Property Rights would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package (i) there
are no third party rights to any of the Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company or its subsidiaries, other than licenses granted to customers, suppliers and contractors of the Company in the ordinary course of business; (ii) there is no infringement, misappropriation, breach, default or other violation, or, to the knowledge of the Company, the occurrence of any event that with notice or the passage of time would constitute any of the foregoing, by the Company or its subsidiaries of any Intellectual Property Rights; (iii) there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by a third party challenging the Company’s or any subsidiary’s rights in or to, or the violation of any of the terms of, any of such third party’s Intellectual Property Rights, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim; (iv) there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by a third party challenging the validity, enforceability or scope of any such Intellectual Property Rights, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim; (v) there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by a third party that the Company or any subsidiary infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates or conflicts with any Intellectual Property Rights or other proprietary rights of such third party and the Company is unaware of any other fact which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim; and (vi) none of the Intellectual Property Rights used by the Company or its subsidiaries in their businesses has been obtained or is being used by the Company or its subsidiaries in violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company, any of its subsidiaries in violation of any third party rights, except in each case covered by clauses (i) — (vi) such as would not, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxii) Environmental Laws. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, (a)(i) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of, or has any liability under, any federal, state, local or non-U.S. statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, other requirement or rule of law (including common law), or decision or order of any domestic or foreign governmental agency, governmental body or court, relating to pollution, to the use, handling, transportation, treatment, storage, discharge, disposal or release of Hazardous Substances, to the protection or restoration of the environment or natural resources (including biota), to health and safety including as such relates to exposure to Hazardous Substances, and to natural resource damages (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries owns or operates any real property contaminated with Hazardous Substances, (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is conducting or funding any investigation, remediation, remedial action or monitoring of actual or suspected Hazardous Substances in the environment, (iv) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is liable for any release or threatened release of Hazardous Substances, including at any off-site treatment, storage or disposal site, (v) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is subject to any claim by any governmental agency or governmental body or person relating to Environmental Laws or Hazardous Substances, and (vi) the Company and its subsidiaries have received and are in compliance with all permits, licenses, authorizations, identification numbers or other approvals required under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses, except in each case covered by clauses (i) — (vi) such as would not individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; (b) to the knowledge of the Company there are no facts or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to result in a violation of, liability under, or claim pursuant to any Environmental Law that would have a Material Adverse Effect; (c) to the knowledge of the Company there are no requirements proposed for adoption or implementation under any Environmental Law that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (d) the Company has reasonably concluded that such Environmental Laws will not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. For purposes of this subsection “Hazardous Substances”
means (A) petroleum and petroleum products, by-products or breakdown products, radioactive materials, asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls and mold, and (B) any other chemical, material or substance defined or regulated as toxic or hazardous or as a pollutant, contaminant or waste under Environmental Laws.
(xxiii) Accurate Disclosure. The statements in the General Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus under the headings “Description of Capital Stock”, and “Material U.S. Federal Income and Estate Tax Considerations”, in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 28, 2009 under the heading “Business — Intellectual Property” and in the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended December 26, 2009 under the heading “Legal Proceedings” insofar as such statements summarize legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings discussed therein, are accurate and fair summaries of such legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings.
(xxiv) Absence of Manipulation. The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed to or that has constituted or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Offered Securities.
(xxv) Statistical and Market-Related Data. Any third-party statistical and market-related data included in a Registration Statement, a Statutory Prospectus or the General Disclosure Package are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate.
(xxvi) Internal Controls and Compliance with the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act. Except as set forth in the General Disclosure Package, the Company, its subsidiaries and the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) are in compliance with all applicable provisions of Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx and all applicable Exchange Rules. The Company maintains a system of internal controls, including, but not limited to, disclosure controls and procedures, internal controls over accounting matters and financial reporting and legal and regulatory compliance controls (collectively, “Internal Controls”) that are sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. General Accepted Accounting Principles and to maintain accountability for assets, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (iv) the recorded assets are reviewed for recoverability at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Internal Controls are overseen by the Audit Committee (the “Audit Committee”) of the Board in accordance with Exchange Rules. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, the Company has not publicly disclosed or reported to the Audit Committee or the Board, and within the next 90 days the Company does not expect to, and is not aware of any event which could reasonably be expected to lead the Company to, publicly disclose or report to the Audit Committee or the Board, a significant deficiency, material weakness, change in Internal Controls or fraud involving management or other employees who have a significant role in Internal Controls, any violation of, or failure to comply with, the Securities Laws, or any matter related to Internal Controls which, if determined adversely, would have a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxvii) Litigation. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement or General Disclosure Package, there are no pending actions, suits or proceedings (including any inquiries or investigations by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign) against or affecting the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect, or
would materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement; and no such actions, suits or proceedings (including any inquiries or investigations by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign) are, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened or contemplated.
(xxviii) Financial Statements. The financial statements included in the Registration Statement and the General Disclosure Package, together with the related schedules and notes, present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates shown and their results of operations and cash flows for the periods shown, and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with the generally accepted accounting principles in the United States applied on a consistent basis and the schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly in all material respects the information required to be stated therein.
(xxix) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, since the end of the period covered by the latest audited financial statements included in the General Disclosure Package (i) there has been no change, nor any development or event involving a prospective change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, that is material and adverse, (ii) except as disclosed in or contemplated by the General Disclosure Package, there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock and (iii) except as disclosed in or contemplated by the General Disclosure Package, there has been no material adverse change in the capital stock, short-term indebtedness, long-term indebtedness, net current assets or net assets of the Company and its subsidiaries.
(xxx) Investment Company Act. The Company is not an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Investment Company Act”).
(xxxi) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Each of the Company, its subsidiaries and its affiliates under its control and, to the knowledge of the Company, their respective officers, directors, agents, or employees and its affiliates not under its control, has not violated, its participation in the offering will not violate, and it has instituted and maintains policies and procedures designed to ensure continued material compliance with anti-bribery laws, including but not limited to, any applicable law, rule, or regulation of any locality, including but not limited to any law, rule, or regulation promulgated to implement the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, signed December 17, 1997, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or any other law, rule or regulation of similar purpose and scope.
(xxxii) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company, its subsidiaries and its affiliates under its control are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (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 or non-governmental authority involving the Company, its subsidiaries or its affiliates under its control with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened.
(xxxiii) Sanctions. None of the Company, its subsidiaries or its affiliates under its control and, to the knowledge of the Company, their respective officers, directors, agents, or employees and its affiliates not under its control is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department.
(xxxiv) Taxes. The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and non-U.S. tax returns that are required to be filed or have requested extensions thereof (except in any case in which the failure so to file would not have a Material Adverse Effect); and, except as set forth in the General Disclosure Package, the Company and its subsidiaries have paid all taxes (including any assessments, fines or penalties) required to be paid by them, except for any such taxes, assessments, fines or penalties currently being contested in good faith or as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxxv) Insurance. The Company and its subsidiaries are insured by insurers with appropriately rated claims paying abilities against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary for the businesses in which they are engaged; all policies of insurance insuring the Company or any of its subsidiaries or their respective businesses, assets, employees, officers and directors are, to the Company’s knowledge, in full force and effect; the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material respects; and there are no claims by the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause; neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the General Disclosure Package.
(b) The Selling Stockholder represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the several Underwriters that:
(i) Title to Securities. The Selling Stockholder has and on each Closing Date hereinafter mentioned will have valid and unencumbered title to the Offered Securities to be delivered by the Selling Stockholder on such Closing Date and the legal right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the Offered Securities to be delivered by the Selling Stockholder on such Closing Date hereunder; and upon the delivery of and payment for the Offered Securities on each Closing Date hereunder the several Underwriters will acquire valid and unencumbered title to the Offered Securities to be delivered by the Selling Stockholder on such Closing Date.
(ii) Absence of Further Requirements. No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing with, any person (including any governmental agency or body or any court) is required to be obtained or made by the Selling Stockholder for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in connection with the offering and sale of the Offered Securities sold by the Selling Stockholder, except such as have been obtained and made under the Act and such as may be required under state securities laws;
(iii) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts Resulting from Transaction. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated will not result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the imposition of any
lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Selling Stockholder pursuant to, (A) any statute, any rule, regulation or order of any governmental agency or body or any court having jurisdiction over the Selling Stockholder or any of their properties, (B) any agreement or instrument to which the Selling Stockholder is a party or by which the Selling Stockholder is bound or to which any of the properties of the Selling Stockholder is subject or (C) the charter or by-laws of the Selling Stockholder that is a corporation or the constituent documents of the Selling Stockholder that is not a natural person or a corporation; except in the case of (B) as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in an adverse effect on the performance of the Selling Stockholder of this Agreement, adversely affect the Selling Stockholder’s ability to perform its obligations hereunder or impair the validity or enforceability hereof;
(iv) Compliance with Securities Act Requirements. (i) (A) At the time the Registration Statement initially became effective, (B) at the time of each amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act (whether by post-effective amendment, incorporated report or form of prospectus), (C) at the Effective Time relating to the Offered Securities and (D) on the Closing Date, the Registration Statement conformed and will conform in all respects to the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations and did not and will not include any 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 (ii) (A) on its date, (B) at the time of filing the Final Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) and (C) on the Closing Date, the Final Prospectus will not include any 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. The preceding sentence applies only to the extent that any statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, the Final Prospectus, any Statutory Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto are based on written information relating to a Selling Stockholder furnished to the Company by the Selling Stockholder expressly for use therein.
(v) No Undisclosed Material Information. The sale of the Offered Securities by the Selling Stockholder pursuant to this Agreement is not prompted by any material information concerning the Company or any of its subsidiaries that is not set forth in the General Disclosure Package.
(vi) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Selling Stockholder.
(vii) No Finder’s Fee. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Selling Stockholder and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Selling Stockholder or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with this offering.
(viii) Absence of Manipulation. The Selling Stockholder has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed to or that has constituted or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Offered Securities.
3. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of Offered Securities. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Selling Stockholder agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Selling Stockholder, at a purchase price of $4.63175 per share, the number of Firm Securities opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule A hereto.
The Selling Stockholder will deliver the Firm Securities to or as instructed by the Representatives for the accounts of the several Underwriters in a form reasonably acceptable to the Representatives against payment of the purchase price in Federal (same day) funds by official bank check or checks or wire transfer to an account at a bank acceptable to the Representatives drawn to the order of the Selling Stockholder, at the office of Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx, 0000 Xx Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000, at 7:00 A.M., Los Angeles time, on March 15, 2010, or at such other time not later than seven full business days thereafter as the Representatives and the Company determine, such time being herein referred to as the “First Closing Date”. For purposes of Rule 15c6-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the First Closing Date (if later than the otherwise applicable settlement date) shall be the settlement date for payment of funds and delivery of securities for all the Offered Securities sold pursuant to the offering. The Firm Securities so to be delivered or evidence of their issuance will be made available for checking at the above office of Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx at least 24 hours prior to the First Closing Date.
In addition, upon written notice from the Representatives given to the Company and the Selling Stockholder from time to time not more than 30 days subsequent to the date of the Final Prospectus, the Underwriters may purchase all or less than all of the Optional Securities at the purchase price per Security to be paid for the Firm Securities. The Selling Stockholder agrees to sell to the Underwriters the number of shares of Optional Securities specified in such notice and the Underwriters agree, severally and not jointly, to purchase such Optional Securities. Such Optional Securities shall be purchased from the Selling Stockholder for the account of each Underwriter in the same proportion as the number of Firm Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name bears to the total number of Firm Securities (subject to adjustment by the Representatives to eliminate fractions) and may be purchased by the Underwriters only for the purpose of covering over-allotments made in connection with the sale of the Firm Securities. No Optional Securities shall be sold or delivered unless the Firm Securities previously have been, or simultaneously are, sold and delivered. The right to purchase the Optional Securities or any portion thereof may be exercised from time to time and to the extent not previously exercised may be surrendered and terminated at any time upon notice by the Representatives to the Company and the Selling Stockholder.
Each time for the delivery of and payment for the Optional Securities, being herein referred to as an “Optional Closing Date”, which may be the First Closing Date (the First Closing Date and each Optional Closing Date, if any, being sometimes referred to as a “Closing Date”), shall be determined by the Representatives but shall be not later than five full business days after written notice of election to purchase Optional Securities is given. The Selling Stockholder will deliver the Optional Securities being purchased on each Optional Closing Date to or as instructed by the Representatives for the accounts of the several Underwriters in a form reasonably acceptable to the Representatives, against payment of the purchase price therefore in Federal (same day) funds by official bank check or checks or wire transfer to an account at a bank acceptable to the Representatives drawn to the order of the Selling Stockholder, at the above office of Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx. The Optional Securities being purchased on each Optional Closing Date or evidence of their issuance will be made available for checking at the above office of Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx at a reasonable time in advance of such Optional Closing Date.
4. Offering by Underwriters. It is understood that the several Underwriters propose to offer the Offered Securities for sale to the public as set forth in the Final Prospectus.
5. Certain Agreements of the Company and the Selling Stockholder. The Company agrees with the several Underwriters and the Selling Stockholder that:
(a) Filing of Prospectuses. The Company has filed or will file each Statutory Prospectus (including the Final Prospectus) pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 424(b) not later than the second business day following the earlier of the date it is first used or the execution and delivery of this Agreement. The Company has complied and will comply with Rule 433.
(b) Filing of Amendments: Response to Commission Requests. The Company will promptly advise the Representatives of any proposal to amend or supplement at any time the Registration Statement or any Statutory Prospectus and will not effect such amendment or supplementation without the Representatives’ consent; and the Company will also advise the
Representatives promptly of (i) the filing of any amendment or supplementation of the Registration Statement or any Statutory Prospectus, (ii) any request by the Commission or its staff for any amendment to the Registration Statement, for any supplement to any Statutory Prospectus or for any additional information, (iii) the institution by the Commission of any stop order proceedings in respect of a Registration Statement or the threatening of any proceeding for that purpose, and (iv) the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Offered Securities in any jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceedings for such purpose. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or the suspension of any such qualification and, if issued, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.
(c) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Offered Securities is (or but for the exemption in Rule 172 would be) required to be delivered under the Act by any Underwriter or dealer, any event occurs as a result of which the Final Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if it is necessary at any time to amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Final Prospectus to comply with the Act, the Company will promptly notify the Representatives of such event and will promptly prepare and file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and the dealers and any other dealers upon request of the Representatives, an amendment or supplement which will correct such statement or omission or an amendment which will effect such compliance. Neither the Representatives’ consent to, nor the Underwriters’ delivery of, any such amendment or supplement shall constitute a waiver of any of the conditions set forth in Section 7 hereof.
(d) Rule 158. As soon as practicable, but not later than the Availability Date (as defined below), the Company will make generally available to its security holders an earnings statement covering a period of at least 12 months beginning after the date of this Agreement) which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 under the Act. For the purpose of the preceding sentence, “Availability Date” means the day after the end of the fourth fiscal quarter following the fiscal quarter that includes such Effective Time on which the Company is required to file its Form 10-Q for such fiscal quarter except that, if such fourth fiscal quarter is the last quarter of the Company’s fiscal year, “Availability Date” means the day after the end of such fourth fiscal quarter on which the Company is required to file its Form 10-K.
(e) Furnishing of Prospectuses. The Company will furnish to the Representatives four copies of the Registration Statement (two of which will be photocopies of the signed Registration Statement and will include all exhibits), each related Statutory Prospectus, and, so long as a prospectus relating to the Offered Securities is (or but for the exemption in Rule 172 would be) required to be delivered under the Act, the Final Prospectus and all amendments and supplements to such documents, in each case in such quantities as the Representatives reasonably request. The Final Prospectus shall be so furnished on or prior to 10:00 P.M., New York time, on the business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement. All other such documents shall be so furnished as soon as available. The Company will pay the expenses of printing and distributing to the Underwriters all such documents.
(f) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will arrange for the qualification of the Offered Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives reasonably request and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution; provided, however that the Company shall not be required to qualify to do business, consent to service of process or become subject to taxation in any jurisdiction in which it has not already done so.
(g) Reporting Requirements. During the period of 3 years hereafter, the Company will furnish, upon request, to the Representatives and to each of the other Underwriters, as soon as
practicable after the end of each fiscal year, a copy of its annual report to stockholders for such year to the extent such a report is prepared and mailed to Stockholders for such year; and the Company will furnish to the Representatives upon request (i) as soon as available, a copy of each report and any definitive proxy statement of the Company filed with the Commission under the Exchange Act or mailed to stockholders, and (ii) from time to time, such other information concerning the Company as the Representatives may reasonably request subject to the execution of a customary confidentiality agreement (with respect to non-public information). However, so long as the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of either Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act and files reports with the Commission on its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (“XXXXX”), it will not be required to furnish such reports or statements to the Underwriters.
(h) Payment of Expenses. The Company agrees with the several Underwriters that the Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, including but not limited to any filing fees and other expenses (including the fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters) incurred in connection with qualification of the Offered Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives designate and the preparation and printing of memoranda relating thereto, costs and expenses related to the review by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority of the Offered Securities (including filing fees and the fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters relating to such review), costs and expenses relating to investor presentations or any “road show” in connection with the offering and sale of the Offered Securities including, without limitation, any travel expenses of the Company’s officers and employees (and not the Representatives) and any other expenses of the Company including 50% of the cost of chartering of airplanes on which employees of the Company and the Underwriters are passengers, fees and expenses incident to listing the Offered Securities on the New York Stock Exchange, American Stock Exchange, NASDAQ Market and other national and foreign exchanges, fees and expenses in connection with the registration of the Offered Securities under the Exchange Act, any transfer taxes on the sale by the Selling Stockholder of the Offered Securities to the Underwriters and expenses incurred in distributing preliminary prospectuses and the Final Prospectus (including any amendments and supplements thereto) to the Underwriters and for expenses incurred for preparing, printing and distributing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses to investors or prospective investors.
(i) Absence of Manipulation. The Company and the Selling Stockholder will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Offered Securities.
(j) Restriction on Sale of Securities by Company. For the period specified below (the “Lock-Up Period”), the Company will not, directly or indirectly, take any of the following actions with respect to its Securities or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any of its Securities (“Lock-Up Securities”): (i) offer, sell, issue, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of Lock-Up Securities, (ii) offer, sell, issue, contract to sell, contract to purchase or grant any option, right or warrant to purchase Lock-Up Securities, (iii) enter into any swap, hedge or any other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, the economic consequences of ownership of Lock-Up Securities, (iv) establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position in Lock-Up Securities within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act or (v) file with the Commission a registration statement under the Act relating to Lock-Up Securities other than a Form S-8 with respect to securities described in clauses (A) and (B) below, or publicly disclose the intention to take any such action, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, except for (A) the issuance of Lock-Up Securities pursuant to the exercise of any stock options or vesting of restricted stock units outstanding on the date hereof, (B) the issuance of any stock option or other equity security to any employee, director or officer under any employee benefit plan existing on the date hereof and as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (C) the issuance of Lock-Up Securities in connection with the Company’s or any of its subsidiaries’ acquisition of, or
merger or consolidation with, any other corporation or business entity; provided that in the case of clause (C), that such issuance shall not be greater than 10% of the Securities outstanding on the date of such issuance and the recipients of such Lock-Up Securities agree to be bound by a lockup letter in the form executed by directors, officers and the Selling Stockholder pursuant to Section 7(i) hereof. The initial Lock-Up Period will commence on the date hereof and continue for 90 days after the date hereof or such earlier date that the Representatives consent to in writing; provided, however, that if (1) during the last 17 days of the initial Lock-Up Period, the Company releases earnings results or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs or (2) prior to the expiration of the initial Lock-Up Period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the initial Lock-Up Period, then in each case the Lock-Up Period will be extended until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the date of release of the earnings results or the occurrence of the materials news or material event, as applicable, unless the Representatives waive, in writing, such extension. The Company will provide the Representatives with notice of any announcement described in clause (2) of the preceding sentence that gives rise to an extension of the Lock-Up Period.
6. Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company and Selling Stockholder represent and agree that, unless they obtain the prior consent of the Representatives, and each Underwriter represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Company and the Representatives, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Offered Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405, required to be filed with the Commission. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Company and the Representatives is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company represents that it has treated and agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely Commission filing where required, legending and record keeping.
7. Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Firm Securities on the First Closing Date and the Optional Securities to be purchased on each Optional Closing Date will be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling Stockholder herein (as though made on such Closing Date), to the accuracy of the statements of Company officers made in any certificates delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company and the Selling Stockholder of their respective obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions precedent:
(a) Accountants’ Comfort Letter. The Representatives shall have received letters, dated, respectively, the date hereof and each Closing Date, of Ernst & Young LLP confirming that they are a registered public accounting firm and independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Laws and substantially in the form of Schedule C hereto (except that, in any letter dated a Closing Date, the specified date referred to in Schedule C hereto shall be a date no more than three days prior to such Closing Date).
(b) Filing of Prospectus. The Final Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with the Rules and Regulations and Section 5(a) hereof. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any part thereof shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or, to the knowledge of the Company or any Underwriter, shall be contemplated by the Commission.
(c) No Material Adverse Change. Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, there shall not have occurred (i) any change, or any development or event involving a prospective change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole which, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and adverse and makes it impractical or inadvisable to market the Offered Securities; (ii) any change in U.S. or international financial, political or economic conditions or currency exchange rates or exchange controls the effect of which is such
as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impractical to market or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Offered Securities, whether in the primary market or in respect of dealings in the secondary market; (iii) any suspension or material limitation of trading in securities generally on the Nasdaq Global Market, or any setting of minimum or maximum prices for trading on such exchange; (iv) or any suspension of trading of any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market; (v) any banking moratorium declared by any U.S. federal or New York authorities; (vi) any major disruption of settlements of securities, payment or clearance services in the United States or (vii) any attack on, outbreak or escalation of hostilities or act of terrorism involving the United States, any declaration of war by Congress or any other national or international calamity or emergency if, in the judgment of the Representatives, the effect of any such attack, outbreak, escalation, act, declaration, calamity or emergency is such as to make it impractical or inadvisable market the Offered Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Offered Securities.
(d) Opinion of Counsel for the Company. The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated such Closing Date, of Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxx LLP, counsel for the Company in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A-1.
(e) Opinion of General Counsel of the Company. The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated such Closing Date, of Xxxx Xxx, General Counsel of the Company, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A-2.
(f) Opinion of Counsel for Selling Stockholder. The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated such Closing Date, of Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxx LLP, counsel for the Selling Stockholder, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A-3.
(g) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. The Representatives shall have received from Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx, counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated such Closing Date, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may require, and the Selling Stockholder and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.
(h) Officer’s Certificate. The Representatives shall have received a certificate, dated such Closing Date, of an executive officer of the Company and a principal financial or accounting officer of the Company in which such officers shall state that in their capacities as officers of the Company: the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct; the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Closing Date; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of any Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to the best of their knowledge, are contemplated by the Commission; and, subsequent to the date of the most recent financial statements in the General Disclosure Package, there has been no material adverse change, nor any development or event involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, properties or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole except as set forth in the General Disclosure Package or as described in such certificate.
(i) Lock-Up Agreements. On or prior to the date hereof, the Representatives shall have received lockup letters from all of the executive officers and directors of the Company and the Selling Stockholder.
(j) To avoid a 28% backup withholding tax the Selling Stockholder will deliver to the Representatives a properly completed and executed United States Treasury Department Form W-9 (or other applicable form or statement specified by Treasury Department regulations in lieu thereof).
The Selling Stockholder or the Company, as the case may be, will furnish the Representatives with such
conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and documents as the Representatives reasonably request. The Representatives may in their sole discretion waive on behalf of the Underwriters compliance with any conditions to the obligations of the Underwriters hereunder, whether in respect of an Optional Closing Date or otherwise.
8. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) Indemnification of Underwriters by Company. The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its partners, members, directors, officers, employees, agents, affiliates and each person, if any who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (each an “Indemnified Party”), against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Act, the Exchange Act, other Federal or state statutory law or regulation or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any part of the Registration Statement at any time, any Statutory Prospectus as of any time, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse each Indemnified Party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending against any loss, claim, damage, liability, action, litigation, investigation or proceeding whatsoever (whether or not such Indemnified Party is a party thereto), whether threatened or commenced, and in connection with the enforcement of this provision with respect to any of the above as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged omission from any of such documents in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in subsection (c) below.
(b) Indemnification of Underwriters by Selling Stockholder. The Selling Stockholder will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its partners, members, directors, officers, employees, agents, affiliates and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (each, an “Indemnified Party”), against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Act, the Exchange Act, other Federal or state statutory law or regulation or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any part of the Registration Statement at any time, any Statutory Prospectus as of any time, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse each Indemnified Party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending against any loss, claim, damage, liability, action, litigation, investigation or proceeding whatsoever (whether or not such Indemnified Party is a party thereto), whether threatened or commenced, and in connection with the enforcement of this provision with respect to the above as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Selling Stockholder shall be liable only to the extent that the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, any Statutory Prospectus, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to the Selling Stockholder furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Selling Stockholder expressly for use therein; and provided, further, that the liability under this subsection of the Selling Stockholder shall be limited to an amount equal to the aggregate net proceeds after underwriting commissions and discounts,
but before expenses, to the Selling Stockholder from the sale of Offered Securities sold by the Selling Stockholder hereunder.
(c) Indemnification of Company and Selling Stockholder. Each Underwriter will severally and not jointly indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors and each of its officers who signs a Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and the Selling Stockholder (each, an “Underwriter Indemnified Party”) against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which such Underwriter Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Act, the Exchange Act, or other Federal or state statutory law or regulation or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Registration Statement at any time, any Statutory Prospectus at any time, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or arise out of or are based upon the omission or the alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, and will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending against any such loss, claim, damage, liability, action, litigation, investigation or proceeding whatsoever (whether or not such Underwriter Indemnified Party is a party thereto), whether threatened or commenced, based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission as such expenses are incurred, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Final Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the information related to web sites and electronic distributions contained in the third paragraph under the caption “Underwriting”; the concession and reallowance figures appearing in the sixth paragraph under the caption “Underwriting”; and the information related to stabilizing transactions, over-allotment transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids contained in the twelfth and thirteenth paragraphs under the caption “Underwriting”.
(d) Actions against Parties; Notification. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under subsection (a), (b) or (c) above, notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; but the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under subsection (a), (b) or (c) above except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided further that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under subsection (a), (b) or (c) above. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and it notifies an indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened action in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party unless such settlement (i) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on any claims that are the subject matter of such action and (ii) does not include a statement as to, or an admission of, fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of an indemnified party.
(e) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Section is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a), (b) or (c) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in subsection (a), (b) or (c) above (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Stockholder on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company and the Selling Stockholder on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Stockholder on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the Selling Stockholder bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, the Selling Stockholder or the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (e) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim which is the subject of this subsection (e). Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (e), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission, and the Selling Stockholder shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the aggregate net proceeds after underwriting commissions and discounts, but before expenses, to the Selling Stockholder from the sale of Offered Securities sold by the Selling Stockholder hereunder. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations in this subsection (e) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint. The Company, the Selling Stockholder and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8(e) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 8(e).
9. Default of Underwriters. If any Underwriter or Underwriters default in their obligations to purchase Offered Securities hereunder on either the First or any Optional Closing Date and the aggregate number of shares of Offered Securities that such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase does not exceed 10% of the total number of shares of Offered Securities that the Underwriters are obligated to purchase on such Closing Date, the Representatives may make arrangements satisfactory to the Company and the Selling Stockholder for the purchase of such Offered Securities by other persons, including any of the Underwriters, but if no such arrangements are made by such Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated severally, in proportion to their respective commitments hereunder, to purchase the Offered Securities that such defaulting Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase on such Closing Date. If any Underwriter or Underwriters so default and the aggregate number of shares of Offered Securities with respect to which such default or defaults occur exceeds 10% of the total number of shares of Offered Securities that the Underwriters are obligated to purchase on such Closing Date and arrangements satisfactory to the Representatives, the Company and the Selling Stockholder for the purchase of such Offered Securities by other persons are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement will terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter, the Company or the Selling Stockholder, except as provided in Section 10 (provided that if such default occurs with
respect to Optional Securities after the First Closing Date, this Agreement will not terminate as to the Firm Securities or any Optional Securities purchased prior to such termination). As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section. Nothing herein will relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
10. Survival of Certain Representations and Obligations. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Selling Stockholder, of the Company or its officers and of the several Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation, or statement as to the results thereof, made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, the Selling Stockholder, the Company or any of their respective representatives, officers or directors or any controlling person, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Offered Securities. If the purchase of the Offered Securities by the Underwriters is not consummated for any reason other than solely because of the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 9 hereof, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket expenses (including fees and disbursements of counsel) reasonably incurred by them in connection with the offering of the Offered Securities, and the obligations of the Company and the Underwriters pursuant to Section 8 hereof shall remain in effect. In addition, if any Offered Securities have been purchased hereunder, the representations and warranties in Section 2 and all obligations under Section 5 shall also remain in effect.
11. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and, if sent to the Underwriters, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to the Representatives c/o UBS Securities LLC, 000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000-0000, Attention: Syndicate Department and Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Eleven Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000-0000, Attention: LCD-IBD, or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to it at GT Solar International, Inc., 000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000, Attention: Xxxx Xxx, General Counsel, or, if sent to the Selling Stockholder, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to c/o GT Solar International, Inc., 000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000; provided, however, that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 8 will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to such Underwriter.
12. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective personal representatives and successors and the officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 8 and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.
13. Representation. The Representatives will act for the several Underwriters in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and any action under this Agreement taken by the Representatives will be binding upon all the Underwriters.
14. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement.
15. Absence of Fiduciary Relationship. The Company and the Selling Stockholder acknowledge and agree that:
(a) No Other Relationship. The Representatives have been retained solely to act as underwriters in connection with the sale of the Offered Securities and that no fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship between the Company or the Selling Stockholder, on the one hand, and the Representatives, on the other, has been created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Final Prospectus, irrespective of whether the Representatives have advised or is advising the Company or the Selling Stockholder on other matters;
(b) Arms’ Length Negotiations. The price of the Offered Securities set forth in this Agreement was established by Company and the Selling Stockholder following discussions and arms-length negotiations with the Representatives and the Company and the Selling Stockholder
are capable of evaluating and understanding and understand and accept the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
(c) Absence of Obligation to Disclose. The Company and the Selling Stockholder have been advised that the Representatives and their affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company or the Selling Stockholder and that the Representatives have no obligation to disclose such interests and transactions to the Company or the Selling Stockholder by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship; and
(d) Waiver. The Company and the Selling Stockholder waive, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims they may have against the Representatives for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty and agree that the Representatives shall have no liability (whether direct or indirect) to the Company or the Selling Stockholder in respect of such a fiduciary duty claim or to any person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on behalf of or in right of the Company, including stockholders, employees or creditors of the Company.
16. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
The Company and the Selling Stockholder hereby submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal and state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company and the Selling Stockholder irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby in Federal and state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit or proceeding in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. Each Underwriter and the Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) and the Selling Stockholder (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its members and affiliates) waive all right to trial by jury in any action, proceeding or counterclaim (whether based upon contract, tort or otherwise) in any way arising out of or relating to this Agreement. The Company and the Selling Stockholder each agree that a final judgment in any such action, proceeding or counterclaim brought in any such court shall be conclusive and binding upon the Company and the Selling Stockholder and may be enforced in any other courts to the jurisdiction of which the Company or the Selling Stockholder is or may be subject, by suit upon such judgment.
If the foregoing is in accordance with the Representatives’ understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to the Company one of the counterparts hereof, whereupon it will become a binding agreement among the Selling Stockholder, the Company and the several Underwriters in accordance with its terms.
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Very truly yours, |
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GT SOLAR HOLDINGS, LLC |
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By: |
OCM/GFI Power Opportunities Fund II, L.P. |
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Its: |
Managing Member |
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By: |
GFI Power Opportunities Fund II GP, LLC |
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Its: |
General Partner |
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By: |
G3W Ventures LLC |
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Its: |
Managing Member |
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By: |
/s/ Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx |
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Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxx |
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Title: Chairman |
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By: |
OCM/GFI Power Opportunities Fund II (Cayman), L.P. |
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Its: |
Managing Member |
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By: |
GFI Power Opportunities Fund II GP (Cayman) Ltd. |
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Its: |
General Partner |
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By: |
GFI Power Opportunities Fund II GP, LLC |
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Its: |
Director |
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By: |
G3W Ventures LLC |
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Its: |
Managing Member |
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By: |
/s/ Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx |
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Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxx |
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Title: Chairman |
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By: |
/s/ Xxxx Xxx |
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Name: Xxxx Xxx |
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Title: Vice President, Chief Administrative
Officer |
The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written.
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UBS SECURITIES LLC |
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CREDIT SUISSE SECURITIES (USA) LLC |
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Acting on behalf of themselves and as the Representatives of the several Underwriters |
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UBS SECURITIES LLC |
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By: |
/s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxx |
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Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxxx |
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Title: Managing Director |
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By: |
/s/ Xxxx Xxxx |
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Name: Xxxx Xxxx |
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Title: Director |
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CREDIT SUISSE SECURITIES (USA) LLC |
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By: |
/s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx |
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Name: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx |
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Title: Director |
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SCHEDULE A
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Underwriter |
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Number of |
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UBS Securities LLC |
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9,375,000 |
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Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC |
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9,375,000 |
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Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Partners LLC |
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3,750,000 |
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Pacific Crest Securities LLC |
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1,250,000 |
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Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Associates, Inc. |
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1,250,000 |
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Total |
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25,000,000 |
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SCHEDULE B
The following information is also included in the General Disclosure Package:
1. The initial price to the public of the Offered Securities.
SCHEDULE C
The Representatives shall have received letters, dated, respectively, the date hereof and the First Closing Date, of Ernst & Young LLP confirming that they are a registered public accounting firm and independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Laws to the effect that:
(i) in their opinion the audited consolidated financial statements by them and included in the Registration Statement comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the related rules and regulations adopted by the SEC;
(ii) they have read the latest unaudited monthly consolidated financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries made available by the Company and the minutes of the meetings of the stockholders, Board of Directors and committees of the Board of Directors of the Company; and have made inquiries of certain officials of the Company who have responsibility for financial and accounting matters of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as to whether the unaudited monthly financial statements are stated on a basis substantially consistent with that of the audited consolidated financial statements included in the Registration Statement and General Disclosure Package; and on the basis thereof, nothing came to their attention which caused them to believe that:
(A) with respect to the period subsequent to the date of the most recent audited consolidated financial statements included in the General Disclosure Package, at a specified date at the end of the most recent month, there was any increase in the long-term debt of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, or any decrease in stockholders’ equity or any change in the consolidated capital stock of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries or any decrease in the net current assets of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, as compared with the amounts shown on the latest balance sheet included in the Registration Statement; or for the period from the day after the date of the most recent audited consolidated financial statements for such entities included in the General Disclosure Package to such specified date, there were any decreases, as compared with the corresponding period in the preceding year, in consolidated revenue, or in the total or per share amounts of consolidated net income of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, except for such changes, increases or decreases set forth in such letter which the Registration Statement discloses have occurred or may occur;
(iii) With respect to any period as to which officials of the Company have advised that no consolidated financial statements as of any date or for any period subsequent to the specified date referred to in (ii)(A) above are available, they have made inquiries of certain officials of the Company who have responsibility for the financial and accounting matters of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as to whether, at a specified date not more than three business days prior to the date of such letter, there were any increases in the short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, or any decrease in stockholders’ equity or any change in the consolidated capital stock of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries or any decreases in the net current assets of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, as compared with the amounts shown on the most recent balance sheet for such entities included in the Registration Statement; or for the period from the day after the date of the most recent unaudited monthly consolidated financial statements of the Company and its
consolidated subsidiaries made available by the Company to such specified date, there were any decreases, as compared with the corresponding period in the preceding year, in revenue or in the total or per share amounts of consolidated net income of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and, on the basis of such inquiries and the review of the minutes described in paragraph (ii) above, nothing came to their attention which caused them to believe that there was any such change, increase, or decrease, except for such changes, increases or decreases that the Registration Statement discloses have occurred or may occur; and
(iv) they have compared specified dollar amounts (or percentages derived from such dollar amounts) and other financial and statistical information contained in the Registration Statements, and the General Disclosure Package (in each case to the extent that such dollar amounts, percentages and other financial and statistical information are derived from the general accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries or are derived directly from such records by analysis or computation) with the results obtained from inquiries, a reading of such general accounting records and other procedures specified in such letter and have found such dollar amounts, percentages and other financial and statistical information to be in agreement with such results.
All financial statements and schedules included in material incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement or the General Disclosure Package shall be deemed included in the Registration Statement or the General Disclosure Package for purposes of this Schedule.
