EXHIBIT 1.1
West TeleServices Corporation
Common Stock
Underwriting Agreement
----------------------
April __, 2000
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co.,
Credit Suisse First Boston,
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx & Co. Incorporated,
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx LLC,
As representatives of the several Underwriters
named in Schedule I hereto,
c/o Goldman, Sachs & Co.,
00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The stockholders of West TeleServices Corporation, a Delaware corporation
(the "Company"), named in Schedule II hereto (the "Selling Stockholders")
propose, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to sell to the
Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the "Underwriters") an aggregate of
4,500,000 shares (the "Firm Shares") and, at the election of the Underwriters,
up to 675,000 additional shares (the "Optional Shares") of Common Stock, par
value $.01, ("Stock") of the Company. The Firm Shares and the Optional Shares
that the Underwriters elect to purchase pursuant to Section 2 hereof are herein
collectively called the "Shares".
1. (a) The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of
the Underwriters that:
(i) A registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-33926) (the
"Initial Registration Statement") in respect of the Shares has been filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"); the Initial
Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, each in
the form heretofore delivered to you, and, excluding exhibits thereto but
including all documents incorporated by reference in the prospectus
contained therein, to you for each of the other Underwriters, 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 Securities Act of 1933, as amended (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 with the Commission; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness
of the 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 has been initiated or, to the knowledge of the
Company or the Selling Stockholders, threatened by the Commission (any
preliminary prospectus included in
the Initial Registration Statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to
Rule 424(a) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Act is
hereinafter called a "Preliminary Prospectus"; the various parts of the
Initial Registration Statement and the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement,
if any, including all exhibits thereto and including (i) the information
contained in the form of final prospectus filed with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act in accordance with Section 5(a)
hereof and deemed by virtue of Rule 430A under the Act to be part of the
Initial Registration Statement at the time it was declared effective and
(ii) 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, 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"; such final prospectus, in the form first filed pursuant to Rule
424(b) under the Act, is 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 Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Act, as of the date of such
Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be; and 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; and any reference to any
amendment to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to and
include any annual report of the Company filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or
15(d) of the Exchange Act after the effective date of the Initial
Registration Statement that is incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement);
(ii) No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary
Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary
Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, conformed in all material
respects to the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of
the Commission thereunder, and did not contain an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, 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 through
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. expressly for use therein;
(iii) 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 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, in light
of the circumstances under which they were made, 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
2
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 through Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. expressly for use therein;
(iv) The Registration Statement conforms, and the Prospectus 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 rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and 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, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, 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 through Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. expressly for use therein;
(v) 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 material 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; 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 subsidiaries or any material adverse
change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change,
in or affecting the general affairs, management, financial position,
stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the
Prospectus;
(vi) The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in
fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all
personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of all liens,
encumbrances and defects except such as are described in the Prospectus or
such as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not
interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the
Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; and any real property and
buildings held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by
them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as
are not material and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be
made of such property and buildings by the Company and its subsidiaries
taken as a whole;
(vii) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as
a corporation in good standing under the laws of the state of Delaware,
with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and
conduct its business as described in the Prospectus, and has been duly
qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is
in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns
or leases properties or
3
conducts any business so as to require such qualification, or is subject to
no material liability or material disability by reason of the failure to be
so qualified in any such jurisdiction; and each subsidiary of the Company
has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good
standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation;
(viii) 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, are fully paid and non-
assessable and conform to the description of the Stock contained in the
Prospectus; and all of the issued shares of capital stock of each
subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued,
are fully paid and non-assessable and (except for directors' qualifying
shares and except as set forth in the Prospectus) are owned directly or
indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances,
equities or claims;
(ix) The compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of this
Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein 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 which would have a
material adverse effect on the Company or such subsidiaries or which would
have a material adverse effect on the consummation of the issue and sale of
the Shares, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions
of (a) the Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company or (b)
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 which, in the case of clause (b)
would have a material adverse effect on the Company or such subsidiaries or
which would have a material adverse effect on the consummation of the issue
and sale of the Shares; and no consent, approval, authorization, order,
registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental
agency or body is required for the sale of the Shares or the consummation
by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except
the registration under the Act of the Shares 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 Shares by the Underwriters;
(x) 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 material 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 which would individually
or in the aggregate have a material adverse effect on the consolidated
financial position, stockholders' equity or results of operations of the
Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, and other than set forth or
contemplated in the Prospectus neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries has violated any law or any governmental regulation or
requirement which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a material
adverse effect on the consolidated financial position, stockholders' equity
or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as
whole;
4
(xi) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the caption
"Description of Capital Stock", insofar as they purport to constitute a
summary of the terms of the Stock, under the caption "Taxation", and under
the caption "Underwriting", insofar as they purport to describe the
provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate,
complete and fair summaries in all material respects;
(xii) Other than as set forth or contemplated 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 on the current or future
consolidated financial position, stockholders' equity or results of
operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; and, to
the best of the Company's knowledge other than as set forth or contemplated
in the Prospectus, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by
governmental authorities or threatened by others;
(xiii) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and
sale of the Shares, will not be an "investment company", as such term is
defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment
Company Act");
(xiv) Deloitte & Touche LLP, who have certified certain financial
statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, are independent public
accountants as required by the Act and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder.
(b) Each of the Selling Stockholders severally represents and warrants to,
and agrees with, each of the Underwriters and the Company that:
(i) All consents, approvals, authorizations and orders necessary for the
execution and delivery by such Selling Stockholder of this Agreement and
the Power of Attorney and the Custody Agreement hereinafter referred to,
and for the sale and delivery of the Shares to be sold by such Selling
Stockholder hereunder, have been obtained; and such Selling Stockholder has
full right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement, the Power-of-
Attorney and the Custody Agreement and to sell, assign, transfer and
deliver the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder;
(ii) The sale of the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder
hereunder and the compliance by such Selling Stockholder with all of the
provisions of this Agreement, the Power of Attorney and the Custody
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
statute, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other
agreement or instrument to which such Selling Stockholder is a party or by
which such Selling Stockholder is bound or to which any of the property or
assets of such Selling Stockholder is subject, nor will such action result
in any violation of the provisions of the organizational or constituting
documents of such Selling Stockholder if such Selling Stockholder is not an
individual or any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or
governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over such Selling
Stockholder or the property of such Selling Stockholder;
(iii) Such Selling Stockholder has, and immediately prior to the each
Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 4 hereof) such Selling Stockholder
will have, good and valid title to the
5
Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder, free and clear of
all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims; and, upon delivery of such
Shares and payment therefor pursuant hereto, good and valid title to such
Shares, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims, will
pass to the several Underwriters;
(iv) During the period beginning from the date hereof and continuing to
and including the date 90 days after the date of the Prospectus, not to
offer, sell contract to sell or otherwise dispose of, except as provided
hereunder, any securities of the Company that are substantially similar to
the Shares, including but not limited to any securities that are
convertible into or exchangeable for, or that represent the right to
receive, Stock or any such substantially similar securities (other than the
exercise of options in a "cashless exercise" pursuant to employee stock
option plans existing on the date of the Prospectus, or the conversion or
exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities outstanding as of the
date of the Prospectus, provided that any shares of Stock so acquired shall
be subject to the terms of this paragraph), without your prior written
consent;
(v) Such Selling Stockholder has not taken and will not take, directly
or indirectly, any action which is designed to or which has constituted or
which might reasonably be expected to cause or result in stabilization or
manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the
sale or resale of the Shares;
(vi) To the extent that any statements or omissions made in the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto are made in reliance upon and in conformity
with written information furnished to the Company by such Selling
Stockholder expressly for use therein, such Preliminary Prospectus and the
Registration Statement did, and the Prospectus and any further amendments
or supplements to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, when they
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 and the
rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and will not contain 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;
(vii) In order to document the Underwriters' compliance with the
reporting and withholding provisions of the Tax Equity and Fiscal
Responsibility Act of 1982 with respect to the transactions herein
contemplated, such Selling Stockholder will deliver to you prior to or at
the First Time of Delivery (as hereinafter defined) 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);
(viii) Certificates in negotiable form representing all of the Shares
to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder have been placed in
custody under a Custody Agreement, in the form heretofore furnished to you
(the "Custody Agreement"), duly executed and delivered by such Selling
Stockholder to West TeleServices Corporation, as custodian (the
"Custodian"), and such Selling Stockholder has duly executed and delivered
a Power of Attorney, in the form heretofore furnished to you (the "Power of
Attorney"), appointing the persons indicated in Schedule II hereto, and
each of them, as such Selling Stockholder's attorneys-in-fact (the
"Attorneys-in-Fact") with authority to execute and deliver this Agreement
on behalf of such Selling Stockholder, to determine the purchase price to
be paid by the
6
Underwriters to the Selling Stockholders as provided in Section 2 hereof,
to authorize the delivery of the Shares to be sold by such Selling
Stockholder hereunder and otherwise to act on behalf of such Selling
Stockholder in connection with the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement and the Custody Agreement; and
(ix) The Shares represented by the certificates held in custody for such
Selling Stockholder under the Custody Agreement are subject to the
interests of the Underwriters hereunder; the arrangements made by such
Selling Stockholder for such custody, and the appointment by such Selling
Stockholder of the Attorneys-in-Fact by the Power of Attorney, are to that
extent irrevocable; the obligations of the Selling Stockholders hereunder
shall not be terminated by operation of law, whether by the death or
incapacity of any individual Selling Stockholder or, in the case of an
estate or trust, by the death or incapacity of any executor or trustee or
the termination of such estate or trust, or in the case of a partnership or
corporation, by the dissolution of such partnership or corporation, or by
the occurrence of any other event; if any individual Selling Stockholder or
any such executor or trustee should die or become incapacitated, or if any
such estate or trust should be terminated, or if any such partnership or
corporation should be dissolved, or if any other such event should occur,
before the delivery of the Shares hereunder, certificates representing the
Shares shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Selling Stockholders in
accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement and of the
Custody Agreements; and actions taken by the Attorneys-in-Fact pursuant to
the Powers of Attorney shall be as valid as if such death, incapacity,
termination, dissolution or other event had not occurred, regardless of
whether or not the Custodian, the Attorneys-in-Fact, or any of them, shall
have received notice of such death, incapacity, termination, dissolution or
other event.
2. Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, (a) each of the
Selling Stockholders agree, severally and not jointly, to sell to each of the
Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to
purchase from each of the Selling Stockholders, at a purchase price per share of
$.............., the number of Firm Shares (to be adjusted by you so as to
eliminate fractional shares) determined by multiplying the aggregate number of
Firm Shares to be sold by each of the Selling Stockholders as set forth opposite
their respective names in Schedule II hereto by a fraction, the numerator of
which is the aggregate number of Firm Shares to be purchased by such Underwriter
as set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto and the
denominator of which is the aggregate number of Firm Shares to be purchased by
all of the Underwriters from all of the Selling Stockholders hereunder and (b)
in the event and to the extent that the Underwriters shall exercise the election
to purchase Optional Shares as provided below, each of the Selling Stockholders
agrees to sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters
agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from each of the Selling
Stockholders, at the purchase price per share set forth in clause (a) of this
Section 2, that portion of the number of Optional Shares as to which such
election shall have been exercised (to be adjusted by you so as to eliminate
fractional shares) determined by multiplying such number of Optional Shares by a
fraction the numerator of which is the maximum number of Optional Shares which
such Underwriter is entitled to purchase as set forth opposite the name of such
Underwriter in Schedule I hereto and the denominator of which is the maximum
number of Optional Shares that all of the Underwriters are entitled to purchase
hereunder.
Xxxx X. Xxxxx, one of the Selling Stockholders hereby grants to the
Underwriters the right to purchase at their election up to 675,000 Optional
Shares, at the purchase price per share set forth in
7
the paragraph above, for the sole purpose of covering sales of shares in excess
of the number of Firm Shares. Any such election to purchase Optional Shares may
be exercised only by written notice from you to the Attorneys-in-Fact, given
within a period of 30 calendar days after the date of this Agreement and setting
forth the aggregate number of Optional Shares to be purchased and the date on
which such Optional Shares are to be delivered, as determined by you but in no
event earlier than the First Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 4 hereof)
or, unless you and the Attorneys-in-Fact otherwise agree in writing, earlier
than two or later than ten business days after the date of such notice.
3. Upon the authorization by you of the release of the Firm Shares, the
several Underwriters propose to offer the Firm Shares for sale upon the terms
and conditions set forth in the Prospectus.
4. (a) The Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter hereunder, in
definitive form, and in such authorized denominations and registered in such
names as Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. may request upon at least forty-eight hours' prior
notice to the Selling Stockholders shall be delivered by or on behalf of the
Selling Stockholders to Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co., through the facilities of the
Depository Trust Company ("DTC"), for the account of such Underwriter, against
payment by or on behalf of such Underwriter of the purchase price therefor by
wire transfer of Federal (same-day) funds to the account specified by each of
the Selling Stockholders, as their interests may appear, to Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co.
at least forty-eight hours in advance. The Company will cause the certificates
representing the Shares to be made available for checking and packaging at least
twenty-four hours prior to the Time of Delivery (as defined below) with respect
thereto at the office of DTC or its designated custodian (the "Designated
Office"). The time and date of such delivery and payment shall be, with respect
to the Firm Shares, 9:30 a.m., New York time, on ............., 2000 or such
other time and date as Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. and the Selling Stockholders may
agree upon in writing, and, with respect to the Optional Shares, 9:30 a.m., New
York time, on the date specified by Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. in the written notice
given by Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. of the Underwriters' election to purchase such
Optional Shares, or such other time and date as Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. and the
Selling Stockholders may agree upon in writing. Such time and date for delivery
of the Firm Shares is herein called the "First Time of Delivery", such time and
date for delivery of the Optional Shares, if not the First Time of Delivery, is
herein called the "Second Time of Delivery", and each such time and date for
delivery is herein called a "Time of Delivery".
(b) The documents to be delivered at each Time of Delivery by or on behalf
of the parties hereto pursuant to Section 7 hereof, including the cross receipt
for the Shares and any additional documents requested by the Underwriters
pursuant to Section 7(k) hereof, will be delivered at the offices of Xxxxxxxx &
Xxxxxxxx, 000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 (the "Closing Location"),
and the Shares will be delivered at the Designated Office, all at such Time of
Delivery. A meeting will be held at the Closing Location at .......p.m., New
York City time, on the New York Business Day next preceding such Time of
Delivery, at which meeting the final drafts of the documents to be delivered
pursuant to the preceding sentence will be available for review by the parties
hereto. For the purposes of this Section 4, "New York Business Day" shall mean
each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which
banking institutions in New York are generally authorized or obligated by law or
executive order to close.
5. The Company agrees with each of the Underwriters:
8
(a) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by you 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 this Agreement, or, if applicable, such earlier
time as may be required by Rule 430A(a)(3) under the Act; to make no
further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or
Prospectus prior to the last Time of Delivery which shall be disapproved by
you promptly after reasonable notice thereof; to advise you, 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 and
to furnish you 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 subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for so
long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the
offering or sale of the Shares; to advise you, promptly after it receives
notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of
any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or
prospectus, of the suspension of the qualification of the Shares 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 stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any
Preliminary Prospectus or prospectus or suspending any such qualification,
promptly to use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of such order;
(b) Promptly from time to time to take such action as you may reasonably
request to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the securities
laws of such jurisdictions as you 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 the Shares, 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 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the New York 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 in
such quantities as you may reasonably request, and, if the delivery of a
prospectus is required at any time prior to the expiration of nine months
after the time of issue of the Prospectus in connection with the offering
or sale of the Shares and if at such time any events 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 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 or the Exchange Act, to notify
you and upon your request to file such document and to prepare and furnish
without charge to each Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many
copies as you 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, and in case any
Underwriter is
9
required to deliver a prospectus in connection with sales of any of the
Shares at any time nine months or more after the time of issue of the
Prospectus, upon your request but at the expense of such Underwriter, to
prepare and deliver to such Underwriter as many copies as you may request
of an amended or supplemented Prospectus complying with Section 10(a)(3) of
the Act;
(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 hereof and continuing to
and including the date 180 days after the date of the Prospectus, not to
offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of any securities of the
Company that are substantially similar to the Shares, including but not
limited to any securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for, or
that represent the right to receive, Stock or any such substantially
similar securities (other than pursuant to employee stock option plans
existing on, or upon the conversion or exchange of convertible or
exchangeable securities outstanding as of, the date of this Agreement),
without your prior written consent;
(f) To furnish to its stockholders as soon as practicable after the end
of each fiscal year an annual report (including a balance sheet and
statements of income, stockholders' equity and cash flows of the Company
and its consolidated subsidiaries certified by independent public
accountants) and, as soon as practicable after the end of each of the first
three quarters of each fiscal year (beginning with the fiscal quarter
ending after the effective date of the Registration Statement), to make
available to its stockholders consolidated summary financial information of
the Company and its subsidiaries for such quarter in reasonable detail;
(g) During a period of three years from the effective date of the
Registration Statement, to furnish to you copies of all reports or other
communications (financial or other) furnished to stockholders, and to
deliver to you (i) as soon as they are available, copies of any reports and
financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any
national securities exchange on which any class of securities of the
Company is listed; and (ii) such additional publicly disclosed information
concerning the business and financial condition of the Company as you may
from time to time reasonably request (such financial statements to be on a
consolidated basis to the extent the accounts of the Company and its
subsidiaries are consolidated in reports furnished to its stockholders
generally or to the Commission);
(h) To use its best efforts to list for quotation the Shares on the
National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations National
Market System ("NASDAQ"); and
(i) 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
10
Statement or give irrevocable instructions for the payment of such fee
pursuant to Rule 111(b) under the Act.
6. The Company and each of the Selling Stockholders covenant and agree
with one another and with the several Underwriters that (a) 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
Shares 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, the Blue
Sky Memorandum, closing documents (including any compilations thereof) and any
other documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of
the Shares; (iii) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the
Shares for offering and sale under state 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 survey (iv) all fees and expenses in connection with listing the Shares
on the NASDAQ; (v) the filing fees incident to, and the fees and disbursements
of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with, securing any required review
by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. of the terms of the sale
of the Shares; (vi) the cost of preparing stock certificates; (vii) the cost and
charges of any transfer agent or registrar 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; and (b) such Selling
Stockholder will pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the
performance of such Selling Stockholder's obligations hereunder which are not
otherwise specifically provided for in this Section, including (i) any fees and
expenses of counsel for such Selling Stockholder, (ii) such Selling
Stockholder's pro rata share of the fees and expenses of the Attorneys-in-Fact
and the Custodian, and (iii) all expenses and taxes incident to the sale and
delivery of the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder to the
Underwriters hereunder. In connection with clause (b) (iii) of the preceding
sentence, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. agrees to pay New York State stock transfer tax,
and the Selling Stockholder agrees to reimburse Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. for
associated carrying costs if such tax payment is not rebated on the day of
payment and for any portion of such tax payment not rebated. It is understood,
however, that the Company shall bear, and the Selling Stockholders shall not be
required to pay or to reimburse the Company for, the cost of any other matters
not directly relating to the sale and purchase of the Shares pursuant to this
Agreement, and 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, stock transfer taxes on resale of any of the Shares
by them, and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.
7. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder, as to the Shares to be
delivered at each Time of Delivery, shall be subject, in their discretion, to
the condition that all representations and warranties and other statements of
the Company and of the Selling Stockholders herein are, at and as of such Time
of Delivery, true and correct, the condition that the Company and the Selling
Stockholders shall have performed all of its and their obligations hereunder
theretofore to be performed, and the following additional conditions:
(a) The Prospectus 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
11
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 initiated or threatened by the Commission; and
all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall
have been complied with to your reasonable satisfaction;
(b) Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx, counsel for the Underwriters, shall have
furnished to you such written opinion or opinions (a draft of each such
opinion is attached as Annex II(a) hereto), dated such Time of Delivery,
with respect to the incorporation of the Company, the validity of the
Shares, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and such other related
matters as you may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received
such papers and information as they may reasonably request to enable them
to pass upon such matters;
(c) Xxxxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxxx, counsel for the Company, shall have
furnished to you their written opinion (a draft of such opinion is attached
as Annex II(b) hereto), dated such Time of Delivery, in form and substance
satisfactory to you, to the effect that:
(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing
as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the state of
Delaware, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its
properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus;
(ii) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in
the Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the
Company (including the Shares being delivered at such Time of Delivery)
have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and
non-assessable; and the Shares conform in all materials respects as to
legal matters to the description of the Stock contained in the
Prospectus;
(iii) The Company has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation
for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws
of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or
conducts any business so as to require such qualification, or is subject
to no material liability or disability by reason of failure to be so
qualified in any such jurisdiction (such counsel being entitled to rely
in respect of the opinion in this clause upon opinions of local counsel
and in respect of matters of fact upon certificates of officers of the
Company, provided that such counsel shall state that they believe that
both you and they are justified in relying upon such opinions and
certificates);
(iv) Each Significant Subsidiary (as defined in Rule 1-02(w) of
Regulation S-X and including for purposes of this Agreement any single
subsidiaries which, taken in the aggregate, would constitute a
Significant Subsidiary) of the Company has been duly incorporated and is
validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of its
jurisdiction of incorporation; and all of the issued shares of capital
stock of each such Significant Subsidiary have been duly and validly
authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable, and (except
for directors' qualifying shares and except as otherwise set forth in
the Prospectus) are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free
and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims (such counsel
being entitled to rely in
12
respect of the opinion in this clause upon opinions of local counsel and
in respect of matters of fact upon certificates of officers of the
Company or its subsidiaries, provided that such counsel shall state that
they believe that both you and they are justified in relying upon such
opinions and certificates);
(v) To the best of such counsel's knowledge and other than as set
forth in or contemplated by the Prospectus, there are no legal or
governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its
Significant 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 Significant Subsidiaries, would
individually or in the aggregate have a material adverse effect on the
current or future consolidated financial position stockholders' equity
or results of operations of the Company and its Significant
Subsidiaries; and, to the best of such counsel's knowledge, no such
proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities
or threatened by others;
(vi) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered
by the Company;
(vii) The compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of
this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein
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
filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, which such counsel
believes constitute the only such agreements required to be filed as
exhibits to the Registration Statement, 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
known to such counsel of any court or governmental agency or body having
jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their
properties;
(viii) No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or
qualification of or with any United States Federal, New York State or
Delaware State court or governmental agency or body is required for the
consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, except the registration under the Act of the Shares, 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 Shares by the Underwriters;
(ix) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation
of its Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws;
(x) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the caption
"Description of Capital Stock", insofar as they purport to constitute a
summary of the terms of the Stock, under the caption "Taxation", and
under the caption "Underwriting", insofar as they purport to describe
the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, are
accurate, complete and fair summaries in all material respects;
(xi) The Company is not an "investment company" or an entity
"controlled" by an "investment company", as such terms are defined in
the Investment Company Act;
13
(xii) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or
any further amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company prior to
such Time of Delivery (other than the financial statements and related
schedules and the other financial data contained 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 they have no reason to believe that any of
such documents, when such documents 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 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; and
(xiii) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any
further amendments and supplements thereto made by the Company prior to
such Time of Delivery (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 rules and regulations thereunder;
Such counsel shall state that, in connection with the preparation of
the Registration Statement it has participated in conferences with officers
and other representatives of the Company, representatives of the
independent public accountants of the Company and the Underwriters at which
the contents of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and related
matters were discussed and, although such counsel has not undertaken to
investigate or verify independently, and do 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), they have no reason
to believe that, as of its effective date, the Registration Statement or
any further amendment thereto made by the Company prior to such Time of
Delivery (other than the financial statements and related schedules and
other financial data 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 or any further amendment or supplement thereto made by the
Company prior to such Time of Delivery (other than the financial statements
and related schedules and other financial data 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 such Time of Delivery, either the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any further amendment or
supplement thereto made by the Company prior to such Time of Delivery
(other than the financial statements and related schedules and other
financial data 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
14
necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading.
(xiv) To the best of such counsel's knowledge, there are no
amendments to the Registration Statement required to be filed or of 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 or required to be described in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus which are not filed or
incorporated by reference or described as required.
In rendering such opinions, such counsel may (a) rely as to matters
involving the application of laws other than the laws of the United States
and the laws of the State of New York and the General Corporation Law of
the State of Delaware, to the extent such counsel deems proper and to the
extent specified in such opinion, if at all, upon an opinion or opinions
(reasonably satisfactory to Underwriters' counsel) of other counsel
reasonably acceptable to the Underwriters' counsel, familiar with the
applicable laws, and (b) may state that they express no opinion as to the
laws of any jurisdiction outside the United States.
(d) Hall Xxxxxxx, regulatory counsel for the Company, shall have
furnished to you their written opinion (a draft of such opinion is attached
as Annex II hereto), dated such Time of Delivery, in form and substance
satisfactory to you, to the effect that the statements set forth in the
Prospectus in the part of the Business section relating to Government
Regulation, insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws
and documents referred to therein, are accurate summaries in all material
respects;
(e) The respective counsel for each of the Selling Stockholders, as
indicated in Schedule II hereto, each shall have furnished to you their
written opinion with respect to each of the Selling Stockholders for whom
they are acting as counsel (a draft of each such opinion is attached as
Annex II(c) hereto), dated such Time of Delivery, in form and substance
satisfactory to you, to the effect that:
(i) A Power-of-Attorney and a Custody Agreement have been duly
executed and delivered by such Selling Stockholder and constitute valid
and binding agreements of such Selling Stockholder in accordance with
their terms;
(ii) This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by or on
behalf of such Selling Stockholder; and the sale of the Shares to be
sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder and the compliance by such
Selling Stockholder with all of the provisions of this Agreement, the
Power-of-Attorney and the Custody Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions herein and therein contemplated will not conflict with or
result in a breach or violation of any terms or provisions of, or
constitute a default under, any statute, indenture, mortgage, deed of
trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument known to such
counsel to which such Selling Stockholder is a party or by which such
Selling Stockholder is bound or to which any of the property or assets
of such Selling Stockholder is subject, nor will such action result in
any violation of the provisions of the organizational or constituting
documents of the Selling Shareholder if such Selling Stockholder is not
an individual or any order, rule or regulation known to such counsel of
any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over such
Selling Stockholder or the property of such Selling Stockholder;
15
(iii) No consent, approval, authorization or order of any court or
governmental agency or body is required for the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement in connection with the
Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder, except such as
have been obtained under the Act and such as may be required under state
securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and
distribution of such Shares by the Underwriters;
(iv) Immediately prior to such Time of Delivery, such Selling
Stockholder had good and valid title to the Shares to be sold at such
Time of Delivery by such Selling Stockholder under this Agreement, free
and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims, and full
right, power and authority to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the
Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder; and
(v) Good and valid title to such Shares, free and clear of all
liens, encumbrances, equities or claims, has been transferred to each of
the several Underwriters who have purchased such Shares in good faith
and without notice of any such lien, encumbrance, equity or claim or any
other adverse claim within the meaning of the Uniform Commercial Code.
In rendering the opinion in paragraph (iv), such counsel may rely upon a
certificate of such Selling Stockholder in respect of matters of fact as to
ownership of, and liens, encumbrances, equities or claims on, the Shares sold by
such Selling Stockholder, provided that such counsel shall state that they
believe that both you and they are justified in relying upon such certificate.
(f) On the date of the Prospectus at a time prior to the execution of
this Agreement, at 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on the effective date of
any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement filed subsequent
to the date of this Agreement and also at each Time of Delivery, Deloitte &
Touche LLP shall have furnished to you a letter or letters, dated the
respective dates of delivery thereof, in form and substance satisfactory to
you, to the effect set forth in Annex I hereto (the executed copy of the
letter delivered prior to the execution of this Agreement is attached as
Annex I(a) hereto and a draft of the form of letter to be delivered on the
effective date of any post-effective amendment to the Registration
Statement and as of each Time of Delivery is attached as Annex I(b)
hereto);
(g)(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 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, and (ii) since the respective dates as
of which information is given in the Prospectus 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 general affairs, management, financial
position, stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and
its subsidiaries, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the
Prospectus, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i)
or (ii), is in the judgment of the Representatives so material and adverse
as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public
offering or the delivery of the Shares being delivered at such Time of
Delivery on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus;
16
(h) On or after the date hereof (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;
(i) On or after the date hereof 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 or on NASDAQ; (ii) a suspension or
material limitation in trading in the Company's securities on NASDAQ; (iii)
a general moratorium on commercial banking activities declared by either
Federal or New York 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 this clause (iv) in the judgment of the Representatives makes
it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the
delivery of the Shares being delivered at such Time of Delivery on the
terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus;
(j) The Shares at such Time of Delivery shall have been duly listed for
quotation on NASDAQ; and
(k) The Company has obtained and delivered to the Underwriters executed
copies of an agreement from each of Xxxx X. Xxxx, Xxxx X. Xxxx, Xxxxxx X.
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Xxxx X.
Xxxxx, Xxxx X. Xxxxx, Xxxx X. Xxxxx, Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
and Xxx X. Xxxxxx, substantially to the effect set forth in Subsection
1(b)(iv) hereof in form and substance satisfactory to you;
(l) The Company shall have complied with the provisions of Section 5(c)
hereof with respect to the furnishing of prospectuses on the New York
Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement; and
(m) The Company and the Selling Stockholders shall have furnished or
caused to be furnished to you at such Time of Delivery certificates of
officers of the Company and of the Selling Stockholders, respectively,
satisfactory to you as to the accuracy of the representations and
warranties of the Company and the Selling Stockholders, respectively,
herein at and as of such Time of Delivery, as to the performance by the
Company and the Selling Stockholders of all of their respective obligations
hereunder to be performed at or prior to such Time of Delivery, and as to
such other matters as you may reasonably request, and the Company shall
have furnished or caused to be furnished certificates as to the matters set
forth in subsections (a) and (f) of this Section.
8. (a) The Company and each of the Selling Stockholders, jointly and
severally, 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, the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus, 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
17
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 as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the
Company and the Selling Stockholders 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, the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter
through Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. expressly for use therein; and provided, further,
that the Company and the Selling Stockholders shall not be liable to any
Underwriter under the indemnity agreement in this subsection (a) with respect to
any Preliminary Prospectus to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or
liability of such Underwriter results from the fact that such Underwriter sold
Shares to a person as to whom it shall be established that there was not sent or
given, at or prior to the written confirmation of such sale, a copy of the
Prospectus or of the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented in any case
where such delivery is required by the Act if the Company has previously
furnished copies thereof upon request therefor in sufficient quantity to such
Underwriter, and if the loss, claim, damage or liability of such Underwriter
arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
or omission or alleged omission made in the Preliminary Prospectus which was
identified in writing at such time to such Underwriter and corrected in the
Prospectus or in the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented, and provided,
further, that the liability of each Selling Stockholder pursuant to this
subsection (a) shall not exceed the product of the number of Shares sold by such
Selling Stockholder, including any Optional Shares sold, and the offering price
of the Shares as set forth in the Prospectus.
(b) Each Underwriter will indemnify and hold harmless the Company and each
Selling Stockholder against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which
the Company or such Selling Stockholder 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, the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus, 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, in light of the circumstances in which they were made,
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, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus
or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with
written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through
Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. expressly for use therein; and will reimburse the Company
and each Selling Stockholder for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred
by the Company or such Selling Stockholder in connection with investigating or
defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a),
(b) or (c) 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
18
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 and the Selling Stockholders on the one hand and the Underwriters
on the other from the offering of the Shares. 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 and the Selling Stockholders on the one hand and the
Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which
resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect
thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative
benefits received by the Company and the Selling Stockholders 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 Stockholders bear to the total underwriting
discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set
forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault
shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission
to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the
Selling Stockholders on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other and the
parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to
correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company, each of the Selling
Stockholders and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable
if contributions pursuant to this subsection (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 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
19
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 Shares 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 Underwriters' obligations in this subsection
(d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting
obligations and not joint.
(e) The obligations of the Company and the Selling Stockholders under this
Section 8 shall be in addition to any liability which the Company and the
respective Selling Stockholders 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 (including any person
who, with his or her consent, is named in the Registration Statement as about to
become a director of the Company) and to each person, if any, who controls the
Company or any Selling Stockholder within the meaning of the Act.
9. (a) If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase the
Shares which it has agreed to purchase hereunder at a Time of Delivery, you may
in your discretion arrange for you or another party or other parties to purchase
such Shares on the terms contained herein. If within thirty-six hours after
such default by any Underwriter you do not arrange for the purchase of such
Shares, then the Selling Stockholders shall be entitled to a further period of
thirty-six hours within which to procure another party or other parties
satisfactory to you to purchase such Shares on such terms. In the event that,
within the respective prescribed periods, you notify the Selling Stockholders
that you have so arranged for the purchase of such Shares, or the Selling
Stockholders notify you that they have so arranged for the purchase of such
Shares, you or the Selling Stockholders shall have the right to postpone (a)
Time of Delivery 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, or in any other documents or arrangements, and the Company
agrees to file promptly any amendments to the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus which in your opinion 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 this Agreement with respect to such Shares.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the
Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by you and the Selling
Stockholders as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such
Shares which remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate
number of all the Shares to be purchased at such Time of Delivery, then the
Selling Stockholders shall have the right to require each non-defaulting
Underwriter to purchase the number of Shares which such Underwriter agreed to
purchase hereunder at such Time of Delivery and, in addition, to require each
non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase its pro rata share (based on the number
of Shares which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Shares 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.
20
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the
Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by you and the Selling
Stockholders as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such
Shares which remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate number of
all of the Shares to be purchased at such Time of Delivery, or if the Selling
Stockholders shall not exercise the right described in subsection (b) above to
require non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase Shares of a defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters, then this Agreement (or, with respect to the Second
Time of Delivery, the obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and of the
Selling Stockholders to sell the Optional Shares) shall thereupon terminate,
without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company
or the Selling Stockholders, except for the expenses to be borne by the Company
and the Selling Stockholders 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, the Selling Stockholders 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 of the Selling Stockholders, or any officer
or director or controlling person of the Company, or any controlling person of
any Selling Stockholder, and shall survive delivery of and payment for the
Shares.
11. If this Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 9 hereof,
neither the Company nor the Selling Stockholders shall then be under any
liability to any Underwriter except as provided in Sections 6 and 8 hereof; but,
if for any other reason any Shares are not delivered by or on behalf of the
Selling Stockholders as provided herein, each of the Selling Stockholders pro
rata (based on the number of Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder
hereunder), will reimburse the Underwriters through you for all out-of-pocket
expenses approved in writing by you, including fees and disbursements of
counsel, reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in making preparations for the
purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares not so delivered, but the Selling
Stockholders shall then be under no further liability to any Underwriter in
respect of the Shares not so delivered except as provided in Sections 6 and 8
hereof.
12. In all dealings hereunder, you shall act on behalf of each of the
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 you jointly or by Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. on behalf of you as the
representatives; and in all dealings with any Selling Stockholder hereunder, you
and the Company shall be entitled to act and rely upon any statement, request,
notice or agreement on behalf of such Selling Stockholder made or given by any
or all of the Attorneys-in-Fact for such Selling Stockholder.
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 you as the representatives in care of Xxxxxxx, Sachs &
Co., 00 Xxx Xxxx, 00xx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention: Registration
Department; if to any Selling Stockholder shall be delivered or sent by mail,
telex or facsimile transmission to counsel for such Selling Stockholder at its
address set forth in Schedule II hereto; 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:
21
Secretary; provided, however, that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to
Section 8(d) hereof shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile
transmission to such Underwriter at its address set forth in its Underwriters'
Questionnaire or telex constituting such Questionnaire, which address will be
supplied to the Company or the Selling Stockholders by you on request. Any such
statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect upon receipt
thereof.
13. This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the benefit
of, the Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Stockholders 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, any Selling Stockholder 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. No purchaser of any of the Shares from any
Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of such
purchase.
14. Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement. As used herein, the
term "business day" shall mean any day when the Commission's office in
Washington, D.C. is open for business.
15. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with
the laws of the State of New York.
16. This Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties hereto
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 instrument.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and
return to us, and upon the acceptance hereof by you, on behalf of each of the
Underwriters, this letter and such acceptance hereof shall constitute a binding
agreement among each of the Underwriters, the Company and each of the Selling
Stockholders. It is understood that your acceptance of this letter on behalf of
each of the Underwriters is pursuant to the authority set forth in a form of
Agreement among Underwriters, the form of which shall be submitted to the
Company and the Selling Stockholders for examination, upon request, but without
warranty on your part as to the authority of the signers thereof.
22
Any person executing and delivering this Agreement as Attorney-in-Fact for
a Selling Stockholder represents by so doing that he has been duly appointed as
Attorney-in-Fact by such Selling Stockholder pursuant to a validly existing and
binding Power-of-Attorney which authorizes such Attorney-in-Fact to take such
action.
Very truly yours,
West TeleServices Corporation
By:
----------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
Xxxx X. Xxxxx, as Selling Stockholder
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx Xxxxx, as Selling
Stockholder
By:
----------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
As Attorney-in-Fact acting on behalf of
each of the Selling Stockholders named in
Schedule II to this Agreement.
Accepted as of the date hereof at
:
---------------------------------
Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co.
Credit Suisse First Boston,
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx & Co. Incorporated
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx LLC
By:
----------------------------------
(Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co.)
On behalf of each of the Underwriters
23
SCHEDULE I
Number of Optional
Shares to be
Total Number of Purchased if
Firm Shares Maximum Option
Underwriter to be Purchased Exercised
------------------------------------------- --------------- ------------------
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co........................
Credit Suisse First Boston.................
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx & Co. Incorporated.........
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx LLC................
--------------- ------------------
Total..................................
=============== ==================
24
SCHEDULE II
Number of Optional
Shares to be
Total Number of Sold if
Firm Shares Maximum Option
to be Sold Exercised
--------------- ------------------
The Company................................
The Selling Stockholder(s):.............
Xxxx X. Xxxxx (a)..................
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx Xxxxx (b).........
--------------- ------------------
Total..................................
=============== ==================
----------
(a) This Selling Stockholder is represented by [Willkie, Xxxx & Xxxxxxxxx, 000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000], and has appointed [Names of
Attorneys-in-Fact (not less than two)], and each of them, as the Attorneys-
in-Fact for such Selling Stockholder.
(b) This Selling Stockholder is represented by [Willkie, Xxxx & Xxxxxxxxx, 000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000], and has appointed [Names of
Attorneys-in-Fact (not less than two)], and each of them, as the Attorneys-
in-Fact for such Selling Stockholder.
25
ANNEX I
Pursuant to Section 7(d) of the Underwriting Agreement, the accountants
shall furnish letters to the Underwriters to the effect that:
(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;
(ii) In their opinion, the financial statements and any supplementary
financial information and schedules (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 representatives of the
Underwriters (the "Representatives")[and are attached hereto];
(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;
(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;
26
(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;
(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:
(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
as it applies to Form 10-Q 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 conformity
with generally accepted accounting principles;
(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;
(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;
(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
27
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;
(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 stockholders' 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
(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
(vii) In addition to the examination 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 examination 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.
28
