VULCAN MATERIALS COMPANY DEBT SECURITIES UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT February 2, 2001
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Exhibit 1.1 |
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VULCAN MATERIALS COMPANY |
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February 2, 2001 |
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Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. |
From time to time Vulcan Materials Company, a New Jersey corporation (the "Company"), proposes to enter into one or more Pricing Agreements (each a "Pricing Agreement") in the form of Annex I
hereto, with such additions and deletions as the parties thereto may determine, and, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein and therein, to issue and sell to the firms named in Schedule I to the applicable Pricing Agreement (such firms
constituting the "Underwriters" with respect to such Pricing Agreement and the securities specified therein) certain of its debt securities (the "Securities") specified in Schedule II to such Pricing Agreement (with respect to such Pricing Agreement, the
"Designated Securities").
The terms and rights of any particular issuance of Designated Securities shall be as specified in the Pricing Agreement relating thereto and in or pursuant to the indenture (the "Indenture")
identified in such Pricing Agreement.
1. Particular sales of Designated Securities may be made from time to time to the Underwriters of such Securities, for whom the firms designated as representatives
of the Underwriters of such Securities in the Pricing Agreement relating thereto will act as representatives (the "Representatives"). The term "Representatives" also refers to a single firm acting as sole representative of the Underwriters and to an
Underwriter or Underwriters who act without any firm being designated as its or their representatives. This Underwriting Agreement shall not be construed as an obligation of the Company to sell any of the Securities or as an obligation of any of the
Underwriters to purchase the Securities. The obligation of the Company to issue and sell any of the Securities and the obligation of any of the Underwriters to purchase any of the Securities shall be evidenced by the Pricing Agreement with respect to the
Designated Securities specified therein. Each Pricing Agreement shall specify the aggregate principal amount of such Designated Securities, the initial public offering price of such Designated Securities, the purchase price to the Underwriters of such
Designated Securities, the names of the Underwriters of such Designated Securities, the names of the Representatives of such Underwriters and the principal amount of such Designated Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter and shall set forth the
date, time and manner of delivery of such Designated Securities and payment therefor. The Pricing Agreement shall also specify (to the extent not set forth in the Indenture and the registration statement and prospectus with respect thereto) the terms of
such Designated Securities. A Pricing Agreement shall be in the form of an executed writing (which may be in counterparts), and may be evidenced by an exchange of telegraphic communications or any other rapid transmission device designed to produce a
written record of communications transmitted. The obligations of the Underwriters under this Agreement and each Pricing Agreement shall be several and not joint.
2. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the Underwriters that:
(a) The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), and
has filed a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-68895) (the "Initial Registration Statement") in respect of the Securities with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"); the Initial Registration Statement and any
post-effective amendment thereto, each in the form heretofore delivered or to be delivered to the Representatives, including exhibits to the Initial Registration Statement and all documents incorporated by reference in the prospectus contained in the
latest registration statement, have been declared effective by the Commission in such form; other than a registration statement, if any, increasing the size of the offering (a "Rule 462(b) Registration Statement") filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the
Act, which became effective upon filing, no other document with respect to the Initial Registration Statement or document incorporated by reference therein has heretofore been filed or transmitted for filing with the Commission (other than prospectuses
filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Act, each in the form heretofore delivered to the Representatives); and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of any Initial Registration Statement, any
post-effective amendment thereto or the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose is pending before, or to the knowledge of the Company has been threatened by, the Commission (any preliminary prospectus
included in the Initial Registration Statement or filed with the Commission with respect to such Initial Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Act, is hereinafter called a "Preliminary Prospectus"; the various parts of the Initial
Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment thereto and the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, including all exhibits thereto and the documents incorporated by reference in the prospectus contained in the Initial Registration Statement
at the time such part of the Initial Registration Statement became effective but excluding Form T-1, each as amended at the time such part of the Initial Registration Statement became effective or such part of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if
any, became or hereafter becomes effective, are hereinafter collectively called the "Registration Statement"; the prospectus relating to the Securities, in the form in which it has most recently been filed, or transmitted for filing, with the Commission
on or prior to the date of this Agreement, being hereinafter called the "Prospectus"; any reference herein to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to
the applicable form under the Act, as of the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be; any reference to any amendment or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any
documents filed after the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be, under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and incorporated by reference in such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the
case may be; any reference to any amendment to an Initial Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to and include any annual report of the Company filed pursuant to Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the effective date of such
Initial Registration Statement that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement; and any reference to the Prospectus as amended or supplemented shall be deemed to refer to the Prospectus as amended or supplemented in relation to the
applicable Designated Securities in the form in which it is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof, including any documents incorporated by reference therein as of the date of such filing);
(b) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, when they became effective or were filed with the
Commission, as the case may be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and none of such documents, when they became effective or
were filed with the Commission, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; and any further documents so filed and
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement thereto, when such documents become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or
the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by an Underwriter of Designated
Securities through the Representatives expressly for use in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating to such Securities or to any statements in or omissions from the Statement of Eligibility of the Trustee under the Indenture;
(c) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus conform, and any further amendments or supplements to the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Act; and the Indenture complies, and any further amendments or supplements to the Indenture pursuant to which Designated Securities will be issued will comply as
of the applicable filing date of the Prospectus, with the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "Trust Indenture Act") and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; and the Registration Statement and the Prospectus
do not and will not, as of the applicable effective date as to the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto and as of the applicable filing date as to the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, contain an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in
reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by an Underwriter of Designated Securities through the Representatives expressly for use in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating to such Securities or to
any statements in or omissions from the Statement of Eligibility of the Trustee under the Indenture;
(d) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained since the date of the latest audited financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action,
order or decree which is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus; and, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, there has not been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its significant subsidiaries (as defined in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X) or any material adverse change, or any development involving a
prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the current or future general affairs, management, or consolidated financial position, shareholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, otherwise than
as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus;
(e) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws
of the State of New Jersey, with corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus;
(f) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital
stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable;
(g) The Securities have been duly authorized, and, when Designated Securities are issued, authenticated, and delivered to,
and paid for by, the Underwriters of such Designated Securities pursuant to the Indenture, this Agreement and the Pricing Agreement with respect to such Designated Securities, such Designated Securities will have been duly executed, authenticated, issued
and delivered and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture, which will be substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement; the Indenture has been
duly authorized and duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and, at the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities (as defined in Section 4 hereof), the Indenture will constitute a valid and legally binding instrument, enforceable in accordance
with its terms, except as (i) the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights generally and (ii) rights of acceleration and the availability of other
remedies may be limited by equitable principles of general applicability; and the Indenture conforms, and the Designated Securities will conform, to the descriptions thereof contained in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented with respect to such
Designated Securities;
(h) The issue and sale of the Securities, the compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of the Securities, the
Indenture, this Agreement and any Pricing Agreement, and the consummation of the transactions herein and therein contemplated will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under,
any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other 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 property or assets of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, except for such conflicts, breaches, violations or defaults that would not individually or in the aggregate have a material adverse effect on the current or future consolidated financial position,
shareholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (a "Material Adverse Effect"), nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company
or any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties, except for such violations that would not individually or in the
aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; and no material consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issue and sale of the Securities or the
consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any Pricing Agreement or the Indenture, except such as have been, or will have been prior to the Time of Delivery, obtained under the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and
such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters;
(i) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the captions "Description of Debt Securities" and "Description of the
Notes", insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Securities, and under the caption "Distribution of the Debt Securities," insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, are
accurate and fair in all material respects;
(j) Neither the Company nor any of its significant subsidiaries (as defined in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X) is in
violation of its Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws or in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or
instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound, except for defaults that would not have a Material Adverse Effect;
(k) Other than as set forth in the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company
or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries taken as a whole, would individually or in the aggregate have
a material adverse effect on the current or future general affairs, management, or consolidated financial position, shareholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries; and, to the best of the Company's knowledge, no such
proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others;
(l) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities, will not be an "investment
company", as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act");
(m) Deloitte & Touche LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries included
or incorporated by reference in each Registration Statement and the Prospectus, are independent public accountants as required by the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder;
(n) The Company and its subsidiaries have good and valid title to all of the properties and assets reflected in the
financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, subject to no lien, mortgage, pledge, charge or encumbrance of any kind except those reflected in such financial statements or which are not material in nature or amount; and
the Company and its subsidiaries use or occupy their leased properties under valid and binding leases; and
(o) Other than as set forth in the Prospectus, the property, assets and operations of the Company and its subsidiaries
comply in all material respects with all applicable federal, state and local law, common law, doctrine, rule, order, decree, judgment, injunction, license, permit and regulation relating to environmental matters (the "Environmental Laws"), except to the
extent that failure to comply with such Environmental Laws would not have a material adverse effect on the current or future general affairs, management, or consolidated financial position, shareholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and
its subsidiaries taken as a whole; to the knowledge of the Company, none of the property, assets or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries is the subject of any federal, state or local investigation evaluating whether any remedial action is needed
to respond to a release into the environment of any substance regulated by, or form the basis of liability under, any Environmental Laws (a "Hazardous Material"), or is in contravention of any Environmental Law that would have a material adverse effect on
the current or future general affairs, management, or consolidated financial position, shareholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; neither the Company nor any subsidiary has received any notice or
claim, nor are there pending or, to the Company's knowledge, threatened lawsuits against them with respect to violations of an Environmental Law or in connection with the release of any Hazardous Material into the environment; and neither the Company nor
any subsidiary has any material contingent liability in connection with any release of Hazardous Material into the environment.
3. Upon the execution of the Pricing Agreement applicable to any Designated Securities and authorization by the Representatives of the release of such Designated
Securities, the several Underwriters propose to offer such Designated Securities for sale upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and in this Agreement and the applicable Pricing Agreement, and, in connection
with such offer or the sale of such Designated Securities, will use the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, in the form which has been most recently distributed to them by the Company and only as permitted or contemplated thereby, and will offer and
sell such Designated Securities only as permitted by the Act and the applicable securities laws or regulations of any jurisdiction.
4. Designated Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter pursuant to the Pricing Agreement relating thereto, in the form specified in such Pricing Agreement, and in
such authorized denominations and registered in such names as the Representatives may request upon at least forty-eight hours' prior notice to the Company, shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company to the Representatives for the account of such
Underwriter, against payment by such Underwriter or on its behalf of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of Federal (same-day) funds to the account specified by the Company to the Representatives at least forty-eight hours in advance or at such
other place and time and date as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing, such time and date being herein called the "Time of Delivery" for such Securities.
5. The Company agrees with each of the Underwriters of any Designated Securities:
(a) To prepare the Prospectus as amended or supplemented in relation to the applicable Designated Securities in a form
approved by the Representatives (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld) and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act not later than the Commission's close of business on the second business day following the execution and
delivery of the Pricing Agreement relating to the applicable Designated Securities or, if applicable, such earlier time as may be required by Rule 424(b); to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus as
amended or supplemented after the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to such Securities and prior to the Time of Delivery for such Securities which shall be disapproved by the Representatives in their reasonable judgment for such Securities promptly
after reasonable notice thereof; to advise the Representatives promptly of any such amendment or supplement after such Time of Delivery and furnish the Representatives with copies thereof; to file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or
information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of such
Securities, and during such same period to advise the Representatives, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any supplement to the Prospectus or any
amended Prospectus has been filed with the Commission, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any prospectus relating to the Securities, of the suspension of the qualification of such
Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for
additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any such stop order or of any such order preventing or suspending the use of any prospectus relating to the Securities or suspending any such qualification, to promptly use its best efforts to
obtain the withdrawal of such order;
(b) Promptly from time to time to take such action as the Representatives may reasonably request to qualify such Securities
for offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to
complete the distribution of such Securities, provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction;
(c) Prior to 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and from time
to time, to furnish the Underwriters with copies of the Prospectus in New York City as amended or supplemented in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request, and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required by law at any time in
connection with the offering or sale of the Securities and if at such time any event shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material
fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary during such same period to amend or
supplement the Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in order to comply with the Act, the Exchange Act or the Trust Indenture Act, to notify the Representatives and upon their request to file
such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to any dealer who has offered or sold the Securities as many copies as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request of an amended Prospectus or a supplement to
the Prospectus which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance;
(d) To make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than eighteen
months after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) under the Act), an earnings statement of the Company and its subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder (including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158);
(e) During the period beginning from the date of the Pricing Agreement for such Designated Securities and continuing to and
including the later of (i) the termination of trading restrictions for such Designated Securities, as notified to the Company by the Representatives and (ii) the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities, not to offer, sell, contract to sell or
otherwise dispose of any debt securities of the Company which mature more than one year after such Time of Delivery and which are substantially similar to such Designated Securities, without the prior written consent of the Representatives; and
(f) If the Company elects to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Company shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the
Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) by 10:00 P.M., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement, and the Company shall at the time of filing either pay to the Commission the filing fee for the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or give
irrevocable instructions for the payment of such fee pursuant to Rule 111(b) under the Act.
6. The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of
the Company's counsel and accountants in connection with the registration of the Securities under the Act and all other expenses in connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the
Prospectus and amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers; (ii) the cost of printing or producing any Agreement among Underwriters, this Agreement, any Pricing Agreement, any
Indenture, any Blue Sky and Legal Investment Memoranda, closing documents (including any compilations thereof) and any other documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Securities; (iii) all reasonable expenses in
connection with the qualification of the Securities for offering and sale under securities laws as provided in Section 5(b) hereof, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in
connection with the Blue Sky and Legal Investment Memoranda; (iv) any fees charged by securities rating services for rating the Securities; (v) any filing fees incident to, and the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with,
any required review by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. of the terms of the sale of the Securities; (vi) the cost of preparing the Securities; (vii) the fees and expenses of any Trustee and any agent of any Trustee and the fees and
disbursements of counsel for any Trustee in connection with any Indenture and the Securities; and (viii) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this
Section. It is understood, however, that, except as provided in this Section and Sections 8 and 11 hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees of their counsel, transfer taxes on resale of any of the
Securities by them, and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.
7. The obligations of the Underwriters of any Designated Securities under the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Securities shall be subject, in the discretion
of the Representatives, to the condition that all representations and warranties and other statements of the Company in or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Securities are, at and as of the Time of Delivery for
such Designated Securities, true and correct, the condition that the Company shall have performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following additional conditions:
(a) The Prospectus as amended or supplemented in relation to the applicable Designated Securities shall have been
filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by the rules and regulations under the Act and in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof; if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b), the
Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have become effective by 10:00 P.M., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and no
proceeding for that purpose shall have been pending before, or to the knowledge of the Company threatened by, the Commission; and all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied with to the Representatives'
reasonable satisfaction;
(b) Counsel for the Underwriters shall have furnished to the Representatives a written opinion or opinions, dated the
Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities, substantially to the effect set forth in paragraphs (i), (ii), (iv), (v), (vi), (xi), (xiii) and (xiv) of subsection (c) below as well as such other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably
request; such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters; and such counsel, in rendering any opinion as to matters governed by the laws of states other than those in
which such counsel is licensed to practice, may rely on the opinion of counsel to the Company, the opinion of counsel licensed to practice in such state, or certificates of public officials in such state;
(c) Counsel for the Company satisfactory to the Representatives shall have furnished to the Representatives a
written opinion or opinions, dated the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives and stating that such opinion may be relied upon by counsel to the Underwriters, to the effect that:
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(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of New Jersey, with corporate power
and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented; |
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(ii) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented; |
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(iii) Other than as set forth in the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or
of which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; and, to such counsel's
knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others; |
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(iv) This Agreement and the Pricing Agreement with respect to the Designated Securities have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company; |
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(v) The Designated Securities have been duly authorized and, when duly executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered to
and paid for by the Underwriters in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms, except as (i) the
enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights generally and (ii) rights of acceleration and the availability of other remedies may be limited by equitable
principles of general applicability; and the Designated Securities and the Indenture conform to the descriptions thereof in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented; |
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(vi) The Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company and executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the
Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as (I) the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights generally and (ii)
rights of acceleration and the availability of other remedies may be limited by equitable principles of general applicability; |
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(vii) The issue and sale of the Designated Securities and the compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of the Designated Securities, the Indenture, this
Agreement and the Pricing Agreement with respect to the Designated Securities and the consummation of the transactions herein and therein contemplated will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of the provisions of, or constitute a default
under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company is subject, except for such conflicts,
breaches, violations or defaults that would not individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect, nor will such actions result in any violation of the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws of the Company or any statute
or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties, except for such violations that would not individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; |
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(viii) No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issue and
sale of the Designated Securities or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or such Pricing Agreement or the Indenture, except such which if not obtained would not have a Material Adverse Effect, such as have
been obtained under the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of
the Designated Securities by the Underwriters; |
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(ix) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws or in default in the performance or observance of
any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or other instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound, except for defaults that would
not have a Material Adverse Effect; |
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(x) To such counsel's knowledge, the property, assets and operations of the Company and its subsidiaries comply in all material respects with all applicable
Environmental Laws, except to the extent that failure to comply with such Environmental Laws would not have a Material Adverse Effect; to the knowledge of such counsel, other than as set forth in the Prospectus, none of the property, assets or operations
of the Company and its subsidiaries is the subject of any federal, state or local investigation evaluating whether any remedial action is needed to respond to a release into the environment of any Hazardous Material or is in contravention of any
Environmental Law that would have a material adverse effect on the current or future general affairs, management, or consolidated financial position, shareholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries; and, other than as set
forth in the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any subsidiary has received any notice or claim, nor are there pending or, to such counsel's knowledge, threatened lawsuits against them with respect to violations of an Environmental Law or in connection
with the release of any Hazardous Material into the environment; |
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(xi) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the captions "Description of Debt Securities" and "Description of the Notes," insofar as they purport to
constitute a summary of the terms of the Securities, and under the caption "Distribution of the Debt Securities," insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate and fair in all material
respects; |
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(xii) The Company is not an "investment company", as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act; |
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In addition to the matters set forth above, such written opinion shall also include a statement, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in the
following paragraphs (xiii) and (xiv); |
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(xiii) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented (other than the financial statements and related schedules therein, as to
which such counsel need express no opinion), when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules
and regulations of the Commission thereunder; and such counsel has no reason to believe that any of such documents, when they became effective or were so filed, as the case may be, contained, in the case of a registration statement which became effective
under the Act, an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or, in the case of other documents which were filed under the Act or the
Exchange Act with the Commission, an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such documents were so filed,
not misleading; the Indenture has been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act; and |
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(xiv) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and any further amendments and supplements thereto made by the Company prior to the Time
of Delivery for the Designated Securities (other than the financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Act and the Trust
Indenture Act and the rules and regulations thereunder; although such counsel does not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, except for those
referred to in the opinion in subsection (xi) of this Section 7(c), such counsel has not been presented with facts that would lead him to believe that, as of its effective date, the Registration Statement or any further amendment thereto made by the
Company prior to the Time of Delivery (other than the financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or that, as of its date, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or any further amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company prior to the Time of Delivery (other than the
financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) contained an 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 or that, as of the Time of Delivery, either the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or any further amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company prior to the
Time of Delivery (other than the financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omits 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 such counsel does not know of any amendment to the Registration Statement required to be filed or any contracts or other documents of a character required to be
filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or required to be incorporated by reference into the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as amended or supplemented which are
not filed or incorporated by reference or described as required; |
The opinions in paragraphs (i), (ii), (iv), (v) (except as to the conformity of the descriptions of the Designated Securities and the Indenture contained in the Prospectus) and (vi), and
(viii) with respect to the laws of the State of New Jersey, shall be furnished by counsel for the Company that is licensed to practice law in the State of New Jersey. The opinions in paragraphs (v) and (vi), as they relate to the enforceability of the
Designated Securities, shall be furnished by Xxxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxx.
(d) On the date of the Pricing Agreement for such Designated Securities at a time prior to the execution of the
Pricing Agreement with respect to such Designated Securities and at the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities, the independent accountants of the Company who have certified the financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries included or
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall have furnished to the Representatives a letter, dated the effective date of the Registration Statement or the date of the most recent report filed with the Commission containing financial
statements and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, if the date of such report is later than such effective date, and a letter dated such Time of Delivery, respectively, to the effect set forth in Annex II hereto, and with respect to
such letter dated such Time of Delivery, as to such other matters as the Representatives may reasonably request and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives;
(e) (i) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall have sustained since the date of the latest audited
financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus as amended prior to the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the Designated Securities and at such Time of Delivery any loss or interference with its business from fire,
explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus as amended prior to the date of the Pricing
Agreement relating to the Designated Securities, and (ii) since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus as amended prior to the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the Designated Securities and at such Time of
Delivery there shall not have been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the current or future general affairs,
management, or consolidated financial position, shareholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus as amended prior to the date of the Pricing Agreement relating
to the Designated Securities, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is in the reasonable judgment of the Representatives so material and adverse to the current or future consolidated financial position, shareholder's
equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Designated Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in
the Prospectus as first amended or supplemented relating to the Designated Securities;
(f) On or after the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the Designated Securities and at such Time of Delivery
(i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded the Company's debt securities or preferred stock by any "nationally recognized statistical rating organization", as that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under
the Act, and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its rating of any of the Company's debt securities or preferred stock;
(g) On or after the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the Designated Securities and at such Time of Delivery
there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange; (ii) a suspension or material limitation in trading in the Company's securities on the New York
Stock Exchange; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities declared by either Federal, New York, Alabama, New Jersey or Georgia State authorities; or (iv) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the United States or the
declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, if the effect of any such event specified in clauses (i) through (iv) in the reasonable judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public
offering or the delivery of the Designated Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating to the Designated Securities;
(h) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the Representatives at the Time of Delivery for the
Designated Securities a certificate or certificates of officers of the Company satisfactory to the Representatives as to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company herein at and as of such Time of Delivery, as to the performance by
the Company of all of its obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to such Time of Delivery, as to the matters set forth in subsections (a) and (e) of this Section and as to such other matters as the Representatives may reasonably request.
8. (a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or
several, to which such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus supplement, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and any other prospectus relating to the Securities, or any amendment or supplement
thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim within 30 days after receipt of invoicing for such expenses; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such
case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in any Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus supplement, the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and any other prospectus relating to the Securities, or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any
Underwriter of Designated Securities through the Representatives expressly for use in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating to such Securities.
(b) Each Underwriter will severally indemnify and hold harmless the Company against any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities to which the Company may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus supplement, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and any other prospectus relating to the Securities, or any amendment or supplement
thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that
such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in any Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus supplement, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and any other prospectus
relating to the Securities, or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein; and will reimburse the Company
for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim within 30 days after receipt of invoicing for such expenses.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of
any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the
indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under such subsection. In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party
of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to
such indemnified party (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 shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof
other than reasonable costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the written consent of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened
action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an
unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action or claim 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 any indemnified party.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an
indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such
indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters of the
Designated Securities on the other from the offering of the Designated Securities to which such loss, claim, damage or liability (or action in respect thereof) relates. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not
permitted by applicable law or if the indemnified party failed to give the notice required under subsection (c) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters of the Designated Securities on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and such Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same
proportion as the total net proceeds from such offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such 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 on the one hand or such Underwriters on the other and the
parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this subsection (d)
were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (d). The
amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by
such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total
price at which the applicable Designated 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. 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 obligations of the Underwriters of Designated Securities in this subsection (d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations with respect to such Securities and not joint.
(e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 8 shall be in addition to any liability which the Company may
otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Act; and the obligations of the Underwriters under this Section 8 shall be in addition to any liability
which the respective Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each officer and director of the Company and to each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act.
9. (a) If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase the Designated Securities which it has agreed to purchase under
the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Securities, the Representatives may in their discretion arrange for themselves or another party or other parties to purchase such Designated Securities on the terms contained herein. If within thirty-six
hours after such default by any Underwriter the Representatives do not arrange for the purchase of such Designated Securities, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of thirty-six hours within which to procure another party or other
parties satisfactory to the Representatives to purchase such Designated Securities on such terms. In the event that, within the respective prescribed period, the Representatives notify the Company that they have so arranged for the purchase of such
Designated Securities, or the Company notifies the Representatives that it has so arranged for the purchase of such Designated Securities, the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Time of Delivery for such Designated
Securities for a period of not more than seven days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, or in any other documents or arrangements, and the Company
agrees to file promptly any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which in the opinion of the Representatives may thereby be made necessary. The term "Underwriter" as used in this Agreement shall include any person
substituted under this Section with like effect as if such person had originally been a party to the Pricing Agreement with respect to such Designated Securities.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Designated Securities of a defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters by the Representatives and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Designated Securities which remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount
of the Designated Securities, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the principal amount of Designated Securities which such Underwriter agreed to purchase under the Pricing Agreement relating to such
Designated Securities and, in addition, to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase its pro rata share (based on the principal amount of Designated Securities which such Underwriter agreed to purchase under such Pricing Agreement) of the
Designated Securities of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements made by the Representatives and the Company as provided in subsection
(a) above for the purchase of the Designated Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, the aggregate principal amount of Designated Securities which remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of the Designated
Securities, as referred to in subsection (b) above, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in subsection (b) above to require non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase Designated Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, then
the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Securities shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company, except for the expenses to be borne by the Company and the Underwriters as provided in
Section 6 hereof and the indemnity and contribution agreements in Section 8 hereof; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
10. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the several Underwriters, as set forth in this
Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any
controlling person of any Underwriter, or the Company, or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Securities.
11. If any Pricing Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 9 hereof, the Company shall not then be under any liability to any Underwriter with respect to
the Designated Securities covered by such Pricing Agreement except as provided in Sections 6 and 8 hereof; but, if for any other reason Designated Securities are not delivered by or on behalf of the Company as provided herein, the Company will reimburse
the Underwriters through the Representatives for all out-of-pocket expenses approved in writing by the Representatives, including fees and disbursements of counsel, reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in making preparations for the purchase, sale and
delivery of such Designated Securities, but the Company shall then be under no further liability to any Underwriter with respect to such Designated Securities except as provided in Sections 6 and 8 hereof.
12. In all dealings hereunder, the Representatives of the Underwriters of Designated Securities shall act on behalf of each of such Underwriters, and the parties
hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any statement, request, notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or given by such Representatives jointly or by such of the Representatives, if any, as may be designated for such purpose in the
Pricing Agreement.
All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to the address of
the Representatives as set forth in the Pricing Agreement; and if to the Company shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to the address of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement: Attention: Secretary.
13. This Agreement and each Pricing Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the benefit of, the Underwriters, the Company and, to the extent provided in
Sections 8 and 10 hereof, the officers and directors of the Company and each person who controls the Company or any Underwriter, and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no other person shall acquire or have any
right under or by virtue of this Agreement or any such Pricing Agreement. No purchaser of any of the Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase.
14. Time shall be of the essence of each Pricing Agreement. As used herein, "Business Day" shall mean any day when commercial banks in New York City are open for
business.
15. THIS AGREEMENT AND EACH PRICING AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
16. This Agreement and each Pricing Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties hereto and thereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall
be deemed to be an original, but all such respective counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.
17. The headings herein are inserted for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be a part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this
Agreement.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and return to us eight counterparts hereof.
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Very truly yours, |
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On behalf of each of the Underwriters |
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ANNEX I |
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Vulcan Materials Company, a New Jersey corporation (the "Company"), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein and in the Underwriting Agreement, dated February ___, 2001
(the "Underwriting Agreement"), between the Company on the one hand and Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co., Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated, Wachovia Securities, Inc., Banc of America Securities LLC, and Banc One Capital Markets, Inc., on the
other hand, to issue and sell to the Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the "Underwriters") the Securities specified in Schedule II hereto (the "Designated Securities"). Each of the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement is incorporated herein by
reference in its entirety and shall be deemed to be a part of this Agreement to the same extent as if such provisions had been set forth in full herein; and each of the representations and warranties set forth therein shall be deemed to have been made at
and as of the date of this Pricing Agreement, except that each representation and warranty which refers to the Prospectus in Section 2 of the Underwriting Agreement shall be deemed to be a representation or warranty as of the date of the Underwriting
Agreement in relation to the Prospectus (as therein defined) and also a representation and warranty as of the date of this Pricing Agreement in relation to the Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating to the Designated Securities which are the
subject of this Pricing Agreement. Each reference to the Representatives herein and in the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement so incorporated by reference shall be deemed to refer to you. Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the
Underwriting Agreement are used herein as therein defined. The Representatives designated to act on behalf of the Representatives and on behalf of each of the Underwriters of the Designated Securities pursuant to Section 12 of the Underwriting Agreement
and the address of the Representatives referred to in such Section 12 are set forth at the end of Schedule II hereto.
An amendment to the Registration Statement or a supplement to the Prospectus, as the case may be, relating to the Designated Securities, in the form heretofore delivered to you, is now proposed
to be filed with the Commission.
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Underwriting Agreement incorporated herein by reference, the Company agrees to issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and
each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the time and place and at the purchase price to the Underwriters set forth in Schedule II hereto, the principal amount of Designated Securities set forth opposite
the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and return to us eight counterparts hereof, and upon acceptance hereof by you, on behalf of each of the Underwriters, this
letter and such acceptance hereof, including the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement incorporated herein by reference, shall constitute a binding agreement between each of the Underwriters and the Company. It is understood that your acceptance of
this letter on behalf of each of the Underwriters is or will be pursuant to the authority set forth in a form of Agreement among Underwriters, the form of which shall be submitted to the Company for examination upon request, but without warranty on the
part of the Representatives as to the authority of the signers thereof.
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Very truly yours, |
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Accepted as of the date hereof: |
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SCHEDULE I |
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Principal |
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TOTAL.................................................................... |
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SCHEDULE II |
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ANNEX II |
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Pursuant to Section 7(d) of the Underwriting Agreement, the accountants shall furnish letters to the Underwriters to the effect that: |
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(i) They are independent certified public accountants with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the meaning of the Act and the applicable published
rules and regulations thereunder; |
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(ii) In their opinion, the financial statements and any supplementary financial information and schedules audited (and, if applicable, financial forecasts and/or
pro forma financial information) examined by them and included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act or the Exchange
Act, as applicable, and the related published rules and regulations thereunder; and, if applicable, they have made a review in accordance with standards established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants of the consolidated interim
financial statements, selected financial data, pro forma financial information, financial forecasts and/or condensed financial statements derived from audited financial statements of the Company for the periods specified in such letter, as indicated in
their reports thereon, copies of which have been [SEPARATELY] furnished to the representative or representatives of the Underwriters (the "Representatives", with such term to include an Underwriter or Underwriters who act without any firm being designated
as its or their representatives) [AND ARE ATTACHED HERETO]; |
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(iii) They have made a review in accordance with standards established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants of the unaudited condensed
consolidated statements of income, consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows included in the Prospectus and/or included in the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q incorporated by reference into the Prospectus as indicated
in their reports thereon copies of which [HAVE BEEN SEPARATELY FURNISHED TO THE REPRESENTATIVES][ARE ATTACHED HERETO]; and on the basis of specified procedures, including inquiries of officials of the Company who have responsibility for financial and
accounting matters regarding whether the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements referred to in paragraph (vi)(A)(i) below comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act
and the related published rules and regulations, nothing came to their attention that caused them to believe that the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements do not comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act and the related published rules and regulations; |
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(iv) The unaudited selected financial information with respect to the consolidated results of operations and financial position of the Company for the five most
recent fiscal years included in the Prospectus and included or incorporated by reference in Item 6 of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year agrees with the corresponding amounts (after restatement where applicable) in
the audited consolidated financial statements for such five fiscal years which were included or incorporated by reference in the Company's Annual Reports on Form 10-K for such fiscal years; |
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(v) They have compared the information in the Prospectus under selected captions with the disclosure requirements of Regulation S-K and on the basis of limited
procedures specified in such letter nothing came to their attention as a result of the foregoing procedures that caused them to believe that this information does not conform in all material respects with the disclosure requirements of Items 301, 302, 402
and 503(d), respectively, of Regulation S-K; |
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(vi) On the basis of limited procedures, not constituting an examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, consisting of a reading of the
unaudited financial statements and other information referred to below, a reading of the latest available interim financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, inspection of the minute books of the Company and its subsidiaries since the date
of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, inquiries of officials of the Company and its subsidiaries responsible for financial and accounting matters and such other inquiries and procedures as may
be specified in such letter, nothing came to their attention that caused them to believe that: |
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(A)(i) the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income, consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows included in the Prospectus
and/or included or incorporated by reference in the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q incorporated by reference in the Prospectus do not comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Exchange Act and
the related published rules and regulations, or (ii) any material modifications should be made to the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income, consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows included in the Prospectus
or included in the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q incorporated by reference in the Prospectus for them to be in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles; |
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(B) any other unaudited income statement data and balance sheet items included in the Prospectus do not agree with the corresponding items in the unaudited
consolidated financial statements from which such data and items were derived, and any such unaudited data and items were not determined on a basis substantially consistent with the basis for the corresponding amounts in the audited consolidated financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year; |
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(C) the unaudited financial statements which were not included in the Prospectus but from which were derived the unaudited condensed financial statements referred
to in clause (A) and any unaudited income statement data and balance sheet items included in the Prospectus and referred to in Clause (B) were not determined on a basis substantially consistent with the basis for the audited financial statements included
or incorporated by reference in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year; |
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(D) any unaudited pro forma consolidated condensed financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus do not comply as to form in all
material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the published rules and regulations thereunder or the pro forma adjustments have not been properly applied to the historical amounts in the compilation of those statements; |
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(E) as of a specified date not more than five days prior to the date of such letter, there have been any changes in the consolidated capital stock (other than
issuances of capital stock upon exercise of options and stock appreciation rights, upon earn-outs of performance shares and upon conversions of convertible securities, in each case which were outstanding on the date of the latest balance sheet included or
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus) or any increase in the consolidated long-term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries, or any decreases in consolidated net current assets or shareholders' equity or other items specified by the
Representatives, or any increases in any items specified by the Representatives, in each case as compared with amounts shown in the latest balance sheet included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, except in each case for changes, increases or
decreases which the Prospectus discloses have occurred or may occur or which are described in such letter; and |
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(F) for the period from the date of the latest financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus to the specified date referred to in
Clause (E) there were any decreases in consolidated net revenues or operating profit or the total or per share amounts of consolidated net income or other items specified by the Representatives, or any increases in any items specified by the
Representatives, in each case as compared with the comparable period of the preceding year and with any other period of corresponding length specified by the Representatives, except in each case for increases or decreases which the Prospectus discloses
have occurred or may occur or which are described in such letter; and |
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(vii) In addition to the audit referred to in their report(s) included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus and the limited procedures, inspection of
minute books, inquiries and other procedures referred to in paragraphs (iii) and (vi) above, they have carried out certain specified procedures, not constituting an audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, with respect to certain
amounts, percentages and financial information specified by the Representatives which are derived from the general accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries, which appear in the Prospectus (excluding documents incorporated by reference), or
in Part II of, or in exhibits and schedules to, the Registration Statement specified by the Representatives or in documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus specified by the Representatives, and have compared certain of such amounts,
percentages and financial information with the accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries and have found them to be in agreement. |
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All references in this Annex III to the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to the Prospectus (including the documents incorporated by reference therein) as defined in the Underwriting
Agreement as of the date of the letter delivered on the date of the Pricing Agreement for purposes of such letter and to the Prospectus as amended or supplemented (including the documents incorporated by reference therein) in relation to the applicable
Designated Securities for purposes of the letter delivered at the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities. |
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