Parallel Petroleum Corporation Common Stock UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
EXHIBIT 1.1
2,500,000
Parallel Petroleum Corporation
Common Stock
August 10, 2006
XXXXXXXXX & COMPANY, INC.
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Introductory. Parallel Petroleum Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”),
proposes to issue and sell to Xxxxxxxxx & Company, Inc., as sole underwriter (the “Underwriter”),
an aggregate of 2,500,000 shares of its common stock, par value $.01 per share (the “Shares”). The
2,500,000 Shares to be sold by the Company are collectively called the “Offered Shares.”
The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
“Commission”) a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-119725), which contains a
form of base prospectus (the “Base Prospectus”) to be used in connection with the public offering
and sale of the Offered Shares. Such registration statement, as amended, including the financial
statements, exhibits and schedules thereto, in the form in which it was declared effective by the
Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Securities Act Regulations”), including all documents
incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein and any information deemed to be a
part thereof at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act or the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder
(collectively, the “Exchange Act”), is called the “Registration Statement.” The preliminary
prospectus supplement dated August 10, 2006, describing the Offered Shares and the offering
thereof, together with the Base Prospectus, is called the “Preliminary Prospectus,” and the
Preliminary Prospectus and any other preliminary prospectus supplement to the Base Prospectus that
describes the Offered Shares and the offering thereof and is used prior to the filing of the
Prospectus (as defined below), together with the Base Prospectus, is called a “preliminary
prospectus.” As used herein, the term “Prospectus” shall mean the final prospectus supplement to
the Base Prospectus that describes the Offered Shares and the offering thereof (the “Final
Prospectus Supplement”), together with the Base Prospectus, in the form first used by the
Underwriter to confirm sales of the Offered Shares or in the form first made available to the
Underwriter by the Company to meet requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities
Act. As used herein, “Applicable Time” is 5:00 p.m. (New York time) on August 10, 2006. As used
herein, “free writing prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act,
and “Time of Sale Prospectus” means the Preliminary Prospectus together with the free writing
prospectus identified in Schedule A hereto, and each “road show” (as defined in Rule 433
under the Securities Act), if any, related to the offering of the Offered Shares contemplated
hereby that is a “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) (each
such road show, a “Road Show”). As used herein, the terms “Registration Statement”, “Preliminary
Prospectus”, “Time of Sale Prospectus” and “Prospectus” shall include the documents incorporated
and deemed to be incorporated by reference therein. All references in this Agreement to amendments
or supplements to the Registration Statement,
the Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the
Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include the filing of any document under the Exchange Act
which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the
Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus, the Base Prospectus, the Time of Sale
Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be. All references in this Agreement to (i) the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, a preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, or
any amendments or supplements to any of the foregoing, shall include any copy thereof filed with
the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (“XXXXX”)
and (ii) the Prospectus shall be deemed to include the “electronic Prospectus” provided for use in
connection with the offering of the Offered Shares as contemplated by Section 3(A)(k) of this
Agreement.
All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information
which are “contained,” “included” or “stated” in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary
Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus, the Base Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the
Prospectus (and all other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such
financial statements and schedules and other information which is or is deemed to be incorporated
by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be; and all
references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, the
Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus, the Base Prospectus, the Time of Sale
Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, and all references in this Agreement to
amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any
preliminary prospectus, the Base Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be
deemed to mean and include the filing of any document under the Exchange Act which is or is deemed
to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any
preliminary prospectus, the Base Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the
case may be.
The Company hereby confirms their respective agreements with the Underwriter as follows:
Section 1. Representations and Warranties of the Company.
The Company hereby represents, warrants and covenants to the Underwriter, as of the date of
this Agreement and as of the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) and covenants with the
Underwriter, as follows:
(a) Compliance with Registration Requirements. The Registration Statement
has been declared effective by the Commission under the Securities Act. The Company has
complied to the Commission’s satisfaction with all requests of the Commission for additional
or supplemental information, if applicable. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of
the Registration Statement is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose have been
instituted or are pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or
threatened by the Commission.
Each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus when filed complied in all material
respects with the Securities Act and, if filed by electronic transmission pursuant to XXXXX
(except as may be permitted by Regulation S-T under the Securities Act), was identical to
the copy thereof delivered to the Underwriter for use in connection with the offer and sale
of the Offered Shares. Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment
thereto, at the time it became effective and at all subsequent times, complied and will
comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and did not and will not contain any
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. As of the Applicable
Time, the Time of Sale Prospectus did not, and at the time of each sale of the Offered
Shares and at the Closing Date (as defined in
2
Section 2), the Time of Sale Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented by the
Company, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Prospectus, as amended or
supplemented, as of its date and at all subsequent times, did not and will not contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading. The representations and warranties set forth in the three immediately
preceding sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration
Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus or the Time of Sale
Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements thereto, made in reliance upon and in
conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing
by the Underwriter expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only
such information furnished by the Underwriter to the Company consists of the information
described in Section 9(b) below. There are no contracts or other documents required to be
described in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the
Registration Statement which have not been described or filed as required.
The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” in connection with the offering of the
Offered Shares pursuant to Rules 164, 405 and 433 under the Securities Act. Any free
writing prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the
Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the
requirements of the Securities Act. Each free writing prospectus that the Company has
filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was
prepared by or on behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply in
all material respects with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Securities Act including
timely filing with the Commission or retention where required and legending, and each such
free writing prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the
completion of the public offer and sale of the Offered Shares did not, does not and will not
include any information that conflicted, conflicts with or will conflict with the
information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any
document incorporated by reference therein. Except for the free writing prospectuses, if
any, identified in Schedule B hereto, and electronic road shows, if any, furnished
to you before first use, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not,
without your prior consent, prepare, use or refer to, any free writing prospectus.
(b) Offering Materials Furnished to Underwriter. The Company has delivered
to the Underwriter a complete copy of the Registration Statement, each amendment thereto and
of each consent and certificate of experts filed as a part thereof, and conformed copies of
the Registration Statement, each amendment thereto and preliminary prospectuses, the Time of
Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, and any free writing prospectus
reviewed and consented to by the Underwriter, in such quantities and at such places as the
Underwriter has reasonably requested.
(c) Distribution of Offering Materials By the Company. The Company has not
distributed and will not distribute, prior to the later of the completion of the
Underwriter’s distribution of the Offered Shares, any offering material in connection with
the offering and sale of the Offered Shares other than a preliminary prospectus, the Time of
Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, any free writing prospectus reviewed and consented to by
the Underwriter, or the Registration Statement.
(d) The Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by, and is a valid and binding agreement of, the Company, enforceable
in
3
accordance with its terms, except as rights to indemnification hereunder may be limited
by applicable law and except as the enforcement hereof may be limited by bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the
rights and remedies of creditors or by general equitable principles.
(e) Authorization of the Offered Shares. The Offered Shares have been duly
authorized for issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered
by the Company pursuant to this Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth
herein, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and the issuance and sale of
the Offered Shares is not subject to any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other
similar rights to subscribe for or purchase the Offered Shares. The statements set forth in
the Prospectus under the caption “Description of Capital Stock—Common Stock,” insofar as it
purports to constitute a summary of the terms of the Common Stock, are accurate and complete
in all respects; no holder of the Shares will be subject to personal liability under the
Delaware General Corporation Law by reason of being such a holder; and the issuance of the
Shares is not subject to the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the
Company.
(f) No Applicable Registration or Other Similar Rights. There are no persons
with registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt securities registered
for sale under the Registration Statement or included in the offering contemplated by this
Agreement, except for such rights as have been duly waived.
(g) Incorporated Documents. Each document incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, at the time they
were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply when filed with
the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder (the “Exchange Act Regulations”), and, when read together with the other
information in the Prospectus, at the date of the Prospectus, at the Closing Date, did not
and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement or Prospectus, when such documents become effective
or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform to the requirements of
the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, 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.
(h) Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm — BDO Xxxxxxx, LLP. The
accountants, BDO Xxxxxxx, LLP, who have certified certain audited financial statements
(which term as used in this Agreement includes the related notes thereto) contained or
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and included in the Prospectus and
the Time of Sale Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), are (A) an independent
registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company, as required by the Securities
Act and the Securities Act Regulations and the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act
Regulations, (B) in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to qualification of
accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X and (C) a registered public accounting firm as
defined by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”) whose registration
has not been suspended or revoked and who has not requested such registration to be
withdrawn.
(i) Financial Statements. The historical financial statements of the
Company, including any amendments, filed as part of the Registration Statement or included
or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and
notes thereto, present
4
fairly the financial condition and results of operation of the Company and its
consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the statement of operations,
stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries for the
periods specified. Such financial statements, including any amendments, have been prepared
in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America
(“GAAP”) applied, except as disclosed therein, on a consistent basis throughout the periods
involved. The supporting schedules, if any, included in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus present fairly in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated
therein.
All financial statements, including any amendments, required to be included in the
Prospectus, or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, under Item 11 of
Form S-3 have been so included or incorporated, and to the extent such financial statements
are required by Rule 3-05 of Regulation S-X present fairly the financial information
contained therein as of the dates and periods specified in conformity with GAAP, and to the
extent such financial statements constitute pro forma financial statements such financial
statements present fairly the information contained therein, have been prepared in
accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines with respect to pro forma financial
statements and have been properly presented on the bases described therein, and the
assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein
are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein.
No other financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in the
Registration Statement or any applicable Prospectus. To the Company’s knowledge, no person
who has been suspended or barred from being associated with a registered public accounting
firm, or who has failed to comply with any sanction pursuant to Rule 5300 promulgated by the
PCAOB, has participated in or otherwise aided the preparation of, or audited, the financial
statements, supporting schedules or other financial data filed with the Commission as a part
of the Registration Statement and included in any Applicable
Prospectus.
(j) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Except as otherwise disclosed in
the Time of Sale Prospectus, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is
given in Time of Sale Prospectus: (A) there has been no material adverse change, or any
development that could reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse change, in the
condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business
prospects, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, of the Company and its
Subsidiaries (as defined herein), considered as one entity (a “Material Adverse Change”);
(B) the Company and its Subsidiaries, considered as one entity, have not incurred any
material liability or obligation, indirect, direct or contingent, not in the ordinary course
of business, nor entered into any material transaction or agreement not in the ordinary
course of business; (C) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared,
paid or made by the Company or, except for dividends paid to the Company or other
Subsidiaries, any of its Subsidiaries, on any class of capital stock; and (D) there has not
been any material adverse change in the capital stock, short-term debt or long-term debt of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(k) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly incorporated and
is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of
Delaware and has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and
to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and to
enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement. The Company is duly qualified
as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction
in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of
property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good
standing would not have a Material Adverse Change. To the Company’s knowledge, no
proceeding has been instituted in any jurisdiction
5
revoking, limiting or curtailing or seeking to revoke, limit or curtail, such power and
authority or qualification. The Company does not own, lease or license any asset or
property outside of the United States of America.
(l) Good Standing of the Subsidiaries. Each subsidiary of the Company (each
a “Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Subsidiaries”) has been duly organized or formed and
is validly existing as a limited partnership or limited liability company, as the case may
be, in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation or organization,
has the limited partnership or limited liability company power and authority, as the case
may be, to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and is duly qualified as a foreign limited
liability company or limited partnership, as the case may be, to transact business and is in
good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by
reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the
failure to be so qualified or in good standing would not have a Material Adverse Change.
All of the issued and outstanding membership and partnership interests of each Subsidiary,
as the case may be, have been duly authorized and are validly issued and non assessable and
are owned by the Company, directly or indirectly, through Subsidiaries, free and clear of
any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity, except for the
membership interests of Parallel, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company and a
wholly-owned subsidiary, and the limited partnership interests of Parallel, L.P., a Texas
limited partnership and a wholly-owned subsidiary, which have been pledged as collateral
security under and pursuant to that certain Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement,
dated as of December 23, 2005, by and among the Company and Parallel, L.P., as borrowers,
Parallel, L.L.C., as guarantor, and Citibank Texas, N.A. and the other financial
institutions parties thereto (as amended, the “Revolving Credit Agreement”) and that certain
Second Lien Term Loan Agreement, dated as of November 15, 2005 by and among the Company and
Parallel, L.P., as borrowers, and BNP Paribas, as administrative agent and the lenders named
as parties thereto (as amended, the “Second Lien Agreement”) (collectively the Revolving
Credit Agreement and the Second Lien Agreement are called the “Credit Agreements”). None of
the outstanding membership and partnership interests, as the case may be, of any Subsidiary
were issued in violation of preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of such
Subsidiary. The only Subsidiaries of the Company are the Subsidiaries listed in the
Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003.
(m) Capitalization. The authorized, issued and outstanding shares of capital
stock of the Company are as set forth in the Prospectus. All of the shares of issued and
outstanding capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued, were
issued in compliance with federal and state securities laws, are fully paid and non
assessable and conform to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus. All of the Company’s options, warrants and other rights to purchase or
exchange any securities for shares of the Company’s capital stock have been duly and validly
authorized and issued, were issued in compliance with federal and state securities laws, and
conform to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company were issued in
violation of preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.
(n) Authorization and Description of Shares. The Offered Shares have been
duly authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriter pursuant to this Agreement and,
when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to this Agreement against payment of the
consideration set forth herein, will be validly issued, fully paid and non assessable. The
Shares (including the
6
Offered Shares) conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained
in the Time of Sale Prospectus.
(o) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries is in violation of its charter, bylaws, partnership agreement or other
governing documents or in default in the performance or observance of any material
obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage,
deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to
which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be
bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary is subject
(collectively including without limitation the Credit Agreements and any “Loan Documents” as
such term is defined under each of the Credit Agreements, “Agreements and Instruments”).
The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of its obligations under this
Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus (including the issuance and sale of the Offered
Shares and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Offered Shares as described in the
Prospectus in the “Use of Proceeds” section of the Prospectus) and compliance by the Company
with its obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action
and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or
both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined
below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance
upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to, the
Agreements and Instruments, nor will such action result in any violation of (A) the
provisions of any charter, bylaws, partnership agreement, limited liability company
agreement or other governing documents of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (B) any
applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any
government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction
over the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their assets, properties or
operations, which violations, in the case of clause (B), would, individually or in the
aggregate, have a Material Adverse Change. As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any
event or condition that gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of
indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the
repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries. Except for permits, consents, approvals and similar
authorizations required under the securities or “Blue Sky” laws of certain jurisdictions,
and except for such permits, consents, approvals and authorizations which have been
obtained, no permit, consent, approval, authorization or order of any court, governmental
agency or body or financial institution is required in connection with the consummation of
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(p) Absence of Labor Dispute. No labor dispute with the employees of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent
that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
(q) Absence of Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or
investigation before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or
foreign now pending, or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, threatened against or
directly affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which could reasonably be expected
to result in a Material Adverse Change, or that might reasonably be expected to materially
and adversely affect the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or
the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder; and to the best of the
Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental
authorities or threatened by others. The aggregate of all pending legal or governmental
proceedings to which the Company or any of
7
its Subsidiaries is a party or of which any of their respective properties or assets is
the subject that are not described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus,
including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, could not reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
(r) Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or documents that are
required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the documents
incorporated by reference therein or to be filed as exhibits thereto that have not been so
described and filed as required.
(s) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or authorization,
approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or
governmental authority or agency is necessary or required for the performance by the Company
of its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the
Offered Shares hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, except (A) for such required under the Securities Act, the Securities Act
Regulations, the Exchange Act, the Exchange Act Regulations and state securities or “Blue
Sky” laws, (B) for such which have been, or prior to the applicable Date of Delivery (as
defined below) will be, obtained or (C) for such which, if not obtained, would not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Change.
(t) Possession of Intellectual Property. The Company and its Subsidiaries
own or possess adequate rights, adequate know-how (including unpatented and/or unpatentable
proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) or other intellectual
property (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) necessary to carry on the business now
operated by them, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any
notice or is otherwise aware of any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of
others with respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or circumstances that could
reasonably be expected to render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect
the interests of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries therein.
(u) Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and its Subsidiaries
possess all such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations
(collectively, “Governmental Licenses”) issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or
foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business in the manner
described in the Prospectus, subject to such qualifications as may be set forth in the
Prospectus and except for such permits which, if not obtained, would not, individually or in
the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Change; the Company and its Subsidiaries are in
compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Governmental Licenses, subject to such
qualifications as may be set forth in the Prospectus and except for such noncompliance which
would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Change; all of the
Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, subject to such qualifications
as may be set forth in the Prospectus. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has
received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such
Governmental Licenses.
(v) Title to Property. The Company and its Subsidiaries have good and
indefeasible title to all of their interests in oil and gas properties (other than interests
earned under farm-out, participation or similar agreements in which an assignment or
transfer is pending) and all other real property owned by the Company and its Subsidiaries
and good title to all other properties owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all
mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any
kind, except such as (A) are described in the
8
Prospectus, (B) liens and encumbrances under the Credit Agreements, (C) liens and
encumbrances under operating agreements, unitization and pooling agreements, production
sales contracts, farm-out agreements and other oil and gas exploration participation,
production and transportation agreements, in each case that secure payment of amounts not
yet due and payable for the performance of other inchoate obligations and are of a scope and
nature customary in the oil and gas industry or arise in connection with drilling and
production operations, or (D) do not, singly or in the aggregate, materially affect the
value of the affected property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be
made of such property by the Company or its Subsidiaries, as the case may be. All of the
leases and subleases of real property that are material to the business of the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries and under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries holds
properties described in the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and neither the
Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received notice of any material claim of any sort
that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries under any of such leases or subleases, or affecting or questioning the rights
of the Company or such Subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or subleased
premises under any such lease or sublease.
(w) Certain Oil and Gas Matters. Except as described in the Prospectus, as
of the date hereof and the Closing Date, (A) all royalties, rentals, deposits and other
amounts owed under the oil and gas leases constituting the oil and gas properties of the
Company and its Subsidiaries have been properly and timely paid (other than amounts held in
routine suspense accounts pending payments), and no material amount of proceeds from the
sale or production attributable to the oil and gas properties of the Company and its
Subsidiaries are currently being held in suspense by any purchaser thereof, except where
such amounts due could not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Change on
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and (B) there are no claims under take-or-pay
contracts pursuant to which natural gas purchasers have any make-up rights affecting the
interests of the Company or its Subsidiaries in their oil and gas properties, except where
such claims could not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Change on the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(x) Investment Company Act. The Company is not, and upon the issuance and
sale of the Offered Shares as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds
therefrom as described in the Prospectus will not be, an “investment company” or an entity
“controlled” by an “investment company” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended.
(y) Environmental Laws. Except as described in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus, (A) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of
any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy
or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including
any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or
protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air,
surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including,
without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of
chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances,
petroleum or petroleum products (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture,
processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of
Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (B) the Company and its
Subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable
Environmental Laws for their business and operations and are each in compliance with their
requirements, (C) to the best knowledge of the Company, there are no pending or threatened
administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims,
liens,
9
notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings relating to any
Environmental Law against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and (D) there are no events
or circumstances (including any spill, discharge, leak, emission or release of Hazardous
Materials) that could reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean up or
remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or governmental body or
agency, against or affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries relating to Hazardous
Materials or any Environmental Laws, except in the case of clauses (A), (B), (C) or (D)
where such violation, failure to receive required permits, authorizations and approvals or
failure to comply with the requirements of such permits, authorizations and approvals,
action or liabilities related to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws would not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Change.
(z) Registration Rights. There are no contracts, agreements or
understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require
the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any
securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, owned or to be owned by such person or
to require the Company to include such securities in the securities registered pursuant to
the Registration Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other
registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act, except for (y) rights
of Stonington Corporation (a corporation owned and controlled by Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx), and
Wealth Preservation LLC (a limited liability company owned and controlled by Xxxxxx X.
Xxxxx), to register up to 190,374 shares of common stock under the Securities Act and other
applicable jurisdictions pursuant to that certain Warrant Purchase Agreement, dated November
20, 2001, between the Company and Stonington Corporation, and (z) rights of Stonington
Corporation to register up to 100,000 shares of common stock under the Securities Act and
other applicable jurisdictions pursuant to that certain Warrant Purchase Agreement, dated
December 23, 2003, between the Company and Stonington Corporation.
(aa) Stabilizing Transactions. The Company has not taken, directly or
indirectly, any action designed to or that might be reasonably expected to cause or result
in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares or any other “reference
security” (as defined in Rule 100 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act (“Regulation M”))
whether to facilitate the sale or resale of the Offered Shares or otherwise, and has taken
no action which would directly or indirectly violate Regulation M.
(bb) Statistical and Market Data. The statistical and market related data
included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus are
based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate or
represent the Company’s good faith estimates that are made on the basis of data derived from
such sources.
(cc) Finders’ Fee. The Company knows of no outstanding claims for services,
in the nature of a finder’s fee or origination fee or other similar claim, with respect to
the transactions contemplated hereby, other than the underwriting fees and compensation to
be paid to the Underwriter in accordance with this Agreement.
(dd) Payment of Taxes. All United States federal income tax returns of the
Company and its Subsidiaries required by law to be filed have been filed (or extensions with
respect to such tax returns have been obtained). All taxes shown by such filed tax returns
or otherwise assessed, that are due and payable, have been paid, except those which are
being contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves have been provided in
accordance with GAAP. The Company has not received any notice from the Internal Revenue
Service that it intends to audit the
10
Company’s federal income tax returns for any year during the three year period ended
December 31, 2005 and no audit proceeding by the Internal Revenue Service has been conducted
during such period. The Company and its Subsidiaries have filed all other tax returns (or
obtained extensions with respect to such tax returns) that are required to have been filed
by them pursuant to applicable foreign, state, local or other law, and have paid all taxes
due pursuant to such returns or pursuant to any assessment received by the Company and its
Subsidiaries, except those which are being contested in good faith and as to which adequate
reserves have been provided in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries
in respect of any income and corporation tax liability for any years not finally determined
are adequate in all material respects to meet any assessments or reassessments for
additional income tax for any years not finally determined.
(ee) Company’s Accounting System. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries
make and keep accurate books and records and maintain a system of internal accounting
controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in
accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are
recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP
and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in
accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded
accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and
appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as disclosed in the
Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005, and its Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2006, there has not been and is no
material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not
remediated) and since December 31, 2005, there has been no change in the Company’s internal
control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to
materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
(ff) Insurance. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries carry, or are
covered by, insurance with financially sound and reputable insurers, in such amounts and
covering such risks as is adequate for the conduct of their respective businesses and the
volume of their respective properties as is generally maintained by companies similar to the
Company engaged in the same or similar business, and all such insurance is in full force and
effect.
(gg) Related Party Transactions. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists
between or among any of the Company or any affiliate of the Company, on the one hand, and
any director, officer, stockholder, customer or supplier of any of them, on the other hand,
which is required by the Securities Act or by the Securities Act Regulations to be described
in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which is not so described or is not
described as required.
(hh) Reserve Reports. The written engineering reserve reports prepared by
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx & Associates, Inc., an independent petroleum engineering consulting firm
(“Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx”), as of December 31, 2005 and June 30, 2006, setting forth the
engineering values attributed to the oil and gas properties of the Company and its
Subsidiaries accurately reflects in all material respects the ownership interests of the
Company and its Subsidiaries in the properties included therein as of December 31, 2005 and
June 30, 2006, respectively, except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus. The information furnished by the Company to Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx for purposes
of preparing its report, including, without limitation, production, costs of operation and
development, current prices for production, agreements relating to current and future
operations and sales of production, was true, correct and complete in
11
all material respects on the date supplied and was prepared in accordance with customary industry
practices, as indicated in the letters of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx dated March 10, 2006 and
July 19, 2006; Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx is independent with respect to the Company.
(ii) No Integration. Except as described in the Prospectus or in the
documents incorporated by reference into the Prospectus, the Company has not sold or issued
any shares of Common Stock during the six month period preceding the date of the Prospectus,
including any sales pursuant to Rule 144A under, or Regulations D or S of, the Securities
Act, other than shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, stock options plans or
other officer, director or employee compensation plans or pursuant to outstanding options,
convertible preferred stock, rights or warrants.
(jj) Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx. The principal executive officer and principal financial
officer of the Company have made all certifications required by the Sarbanes Oxley Act or
any related rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission, and the statements
contained in any such certification are complete and correct. The Company has established
and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e)
and 15d-15(e)), which (A) are designed to ensure that material information relating to the
Company, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to the Company’s principal
executive officer and its principal financial officer by others within those entities,
particularly during the periods in which the periodic reports required under the Exchange
Act are being prepared; (B) have been evaluated by management of the Company for
effectiveness as of a date within 90 days prior to the earlier of the date that the Company
filed its most recent annual or quarterly report with the Commission and the date of the
Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; and (C) are effective in all material respects
to perform the functions for which they were established. Based on the most recent
evaluation of its disclosure controls and procedures, the Company is not aware of (i) any
significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal
control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the
Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information or (ii) any
fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a
significant role in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The Company is
not aware of any change in its internal control over financial reporting that has occurred
during its most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely
to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The Company
is otherwise in compliance in all material respects with all applicable effective provisions
of the Sarbanes Oxley Act and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission.
(kk) Corrupt Practices. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor
any director, officer, agent, employee or other person acting on behalf of the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries, has used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift,
entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; made any direct or
indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from
corporate funds; violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt
Practices Act of 1977; or made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or
other unlawful payment.
(ll) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries are, and have been conducted at all times, in compliance with applicable
financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions
Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all applicable
jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar applicable
rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental
agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering
12
Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency,
authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries
with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the
Company, threatened.
(mm) OFAC. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the
knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or person acting
on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S.
sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury
Department (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of
this offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any
subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing
the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.
Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries and
delivered to the Underwriter or to counsel for the Underwriter shall be deemed a
representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriter as to the matters covered
thereby.
The Company acknowledges that the Underwriter and, for purposes of the opinions to be
delivered pursuant to Section 6 hereof, counsel to the Company and counsel to the
Underwriter, will rely upon the accuracy and truthfulness of the foregoing representations
and hereby consents to such reliance.
Section 2. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Offered Shares.
(a) The Offered Shares. Upon the terms herein set forth, the Company agrees
to issue and sell to the Underwriter an aggregate of 2,500,000 Offered Shares. On the basis
of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and upon the terms but
subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Underwriter agrees to purchase from the
Company the Offered Shares. The purchase price per Offered Share to be paid by the
Underwriter to the Company shall be $24.20 per share.
(b) The Closing Date. Delivery of certificates for the Offered Shares to be
purchased by the Underwriter and payment therefor shall be made at the offices of Jefferies,
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx (or such other place as may be agreed to by the
Company and the Underwriter) at 9:00 a.m. New York time, on August 16, 2006, or such other
time and date not later than 1:30 p.m. New York time, on August 16, 2006 as the Underwriter
shall designate by notice to the Company (the time and date of such closing are called the
“Closing Date”). The Company hereby acknowledges that circumstances under which the
Underwriter may provide notice to postpone the Closing Date as originally scheduled include,
but are in no way limited to, any determination by the Company, or the Underwriter to
recirculate to the public copies of an amended or supplemented Prospectus.
(c) Public Offering of the Offered Shares. The Underwriter hereby advises
the Company that the Underwriter intends to offer for sale to the public, initially on the
terms set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, their respective portions
of the Offered Shares as soon after this Agreement has been executed and the Underwriter, in
its sole judgment, has determined is advisable and practicable.
(d) Payment for the Offered Shares. Payment for the Offered Shares to be
sold by the Company shall be made at the Closing Date by wire transfer of immediately
available funds to the order of the Company.
13
It is understood that the Underwriter has been authorized, for its own account, to
accept delivery of and receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Offered
Shares the Underwriter has agreed to purchase.
(e) Delivery of the Offered Shares. The Company shall deliver, or cause to
be delivered, to the Underwriter for the account of the Underwriter certificates for the
Offered Shares to be sold by them at the Closing Date, against the irrevocable release of a
wire transfer of immediately available funds for the amount of the purchase price therefor.
The certificates for the Offered Shares shall be in definitive form and registered in such
names and denominations as the Underwriter shall have requested at least two full business
days prior to the Closing Date and shall be made available for inspection on the business
day preceding the Closing Date at a location in New York City as the Underwriter may
designate. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and place specified in
this Agreement is a further condition to the obligations of the Underwriter.
Section 3. Additional Covenants of the Company.
The Company further covenants and agrees with the Underwriter as follows:
(a) Delivery of Registration Statement, Time of Sale Prospectus and
Prospectus. The Company shall furnish to you, without charge, copies of the Registration
Statement, any amendments thereto and shall furnish to you in New York City, without charge,
prior to 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the business day next succeeding the date of this
Agreement and during the period mentioned in Section 3(e) or 3(f) below, as many copies of
the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus and any supplements and amendments thereto or to
the Registration Statement as you may reasonably request.
(b) Underwriter’s Review of Proposed Amendments and Supplements. Prior to
amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time
of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus (including any amendment or supplement through
incorporation of any report filed under the Exchange Act), the Company shall furnish to the
Underwriter for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or
use thereof, a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement, and the Company shall not
file or use any such proposed amendment or supplement without the Underwriter’s consent, and
to file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the
Securities Act any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.
(c) Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company shall furnish to the Underwriter
for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or use thereof,
a copy of each proposed free writing prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto to be
prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and the Company shall
not file, use or refer to any proposed free writing prospectus or any amendment or
supplement thereto without the Underwriter’s consent. The Company shall furnish to the
Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of any free writing prospectus prepared by or on
behalf of, or used by the Company, as such Underwriter may reasonably request. If at any
time when a prospectus is required by the Securities Act (including, without limitation,
pursuant to Rule 173(d)) to be delivered in connection with sales of the Offered Shares (but
in any event if at any time through and including the Closing Date) there occurred or occurs
an event or development as a result of which any free writing prospectus prepared by or on
behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company conflicted or would conflict with the
information contained in the Registration Statement or included or would include an untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material
14
fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances prevailing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company shall promptly
amend or supplement such free writing prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict so
that the statements in such free writing prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not
include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at such
subsequent time, not misleading, as the case may be; provided, however, that prior to
amending or supplementing any such free writing prospectus, the Company shall furnish to the
Underwriter for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or
use thereof, a copy of such proposed amended or supplemented free writing prospectus and the
Company shall not file, use or refer to any such amended or supplemented free writing
prospectus without the Underwriter’s consent.
(d) Filing of Underwriter Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company shall not
to take any action that would result in the Underwriter or the Company being required to
file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing
prospectus prepared by or on behalf of the Underwriter that the Underwriter otherwise would
not have been required to file thereunder.
(e) Amendments and Supplements to Time of Sale Prospectus. If the Time of
Sale Prospectus is being used to solicit offers to buy the Shares at a time when the
Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and any event shall occur or
condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale
Prospectus so that the Time of Sale Prospectus does not include an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances when delivered to a prospective purchaser, not
misleading, or if any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which the Time of
Sale Prospectus conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement, or
if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriter, it is necessary to amend or supplement
the Time of Sale Prospectus to comply with applicable law, including the Securities Act, the
Company shall (subject to Sections 3(b) and 3(c)) forthwith prepare, file with the
Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriter and to any dealer upon
request, either amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Prospectus so that the
statements in the Time of Sale Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not include an
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when delivered to a
prospective purchaser, not misleading or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or
supplemented, will no longer conflict with the Registration Statement, or so that the Time
of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law including
the Securities Act.
(f) Securities Act Compliance. After the date of this Agreement, the Company
shall promptly advise the Underwriter in writing (i) of the receipt of any comments of, or
requests for additional or supplemental information from, the Commission, (ii) of the time
and date of any filing of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, or any
amendment or supplement to the Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any free
writing prospectus or the Prospectus, (iii) of the time and date that any post-effective
amendment to the Registration Statement becomes effective and (iv) of the issuance by the
Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or
any post-effective amendment thereto, or any amendment or supplement to any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus or of any order preventing or
suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any free
writing prospectus or the Prospectus, or of any proceedings to remove, suspend or terminate
from listing or quotation the Shares from any securities exchange upon which they are listed
for trading or included or designated for quotation,
15
or of the threatening or initiation of any proceedings for any of such purposes. If
the Commission shall enter any such stop order at any time, the Company will use its best
efforts to obtain the lifting of such order at the earliest possible moment. Additionally,
the Company agrees that it shall comply with the provisions of Rule 424(b), Rule 433 and
Rule 430A, as applicable, under the Securities Act and will use its reasonable efforts to
confirm that any filings made by the Company under such Rule 424(b) or Rule 433 were
received in a timely manner by the Commission.
(g) Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus and Other Securities Act
Matters. If any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary
to amend or supplement the Prospectus so that the Prospectus does not include an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a
purchaser, not misleading, or if in the opinion of the Underwriter or counsel for the
Underwriter it is otherwise necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with
applicable law, including the Securities Act, the Company agrees (subject to Section 3(b)
and 3(c)) to promptly prepare, file with the Commission and furnish at its own expense to
the Underwriter and to dealers, amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the
statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not include an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a
purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply
with applicable law including the Securities Act. Neither the Underwriter’s consent to, or
delivery of, any such amendment or supplement shall constitute a waiver of any of the
Company’s obligations under Sections 3(b) or (c).
(h) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company shall cooperate with the Underwriter
and counsel for the Underwriter to qualify or register the Offered Shares for sale under (or
obtain exemptions from the application of) those jurisdictions designated by the
Underwriter, and shall comply with such laws and shall continue such qualifications,
registrations and exemptions in effect so long as required for the distribution of the
Offered Shares. The Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to
take any action that would subject it to general service of process in any such jurisdiction
where it is not presently qualified or where it would be subject to taxation as a foreign
corporation. The Company will advise the Underwriter promptly of the suspension of the
qualification or registration of (or any such exemption relating to) the Offered Shares for
offering, sale or trading in any jurisdiction or any initiation or threat of any proceeding
for any such purpose, and in the event of the issuance of any order suspending such
qualification, registration or exemption, the Company shall use its best efforts to obtain
the withdrawal thereof at the earliest possible moment.
(i) Use of Proceeds. The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the sale
of the Offered Shares sold by it in the manner described under the caption “Use of Proceeds”
in the Prospectus.
(j) Transfer Agent. The Company shall engage and maintain, at its expense, a
registrar and transfer agent for the Shares.
(k) Earnings Statement. As soon as practicable, but in any event no later
than twelve months after the date of this Agreement, the Company will make generally
available to its security holders and to the Underwriter an earnings statement (which need
not be audited) covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal
quarter of the Company
16
occurring after the date of this Agreement which shall satisfy the provisions of
Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder.
(l) Periodic Reporting Obligations. The Company shall file, on a timely
basis, with the Commission and the Nasdaq Global Market all reports and documents required
to be filed under the Exchange Act. Additionally, the Company shall report the use of
proceeds from the issuance of the Offered Shares as may be required under Rule 463 under the
Securities Act.
(m) Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to maintain the listing
of the Offered Shares and the Shares on the Nasdaq Global Market.
(n) Company to Provide Copy of the Prospectus in Form That May be Downloaded
from the Internet. The Company shall cause to be prepared and delivered, at its expense,
within one business day from the effective date of this Agreement, to Jefferies an
“electronic Prospectus” to be used by the Underwriter in connection with the offering and
sale of the Offered Shares. As used herein, the term “electronic Prospectus” means a form
of Time of Sale Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto, that meets each of the
following conditions: (i) it shall be encoded in an electronic format, satisfactory to
Jefferies, that may be transmitted electronically by Jefferies to offerees and purchasers of
the Offered Shares; (ii) it shall disclose the same information as the paper Time of Sale
Prospectus, except to the extent that graphic and image material cannot be disseminated
electronically, in which case such graphic and image material shall be replaced in the
electronic Prospectus with a fair and accurate narrative description or tabular
representation of such material, as appropriate; and (iii) it shall be in or convertible
into a paper format or an electronic format, satisfactory to Jefferies, that will allow
investors to store and have continuously ready access to the Time of Sale Prospectus at any
future time, without charge to investors (other than any fee charged for subscription to the
Internet as a whole and for on-line time). The Company hereby confirms that it has included
or will include in the Prospectus filed pursuant to XXXXX or otherwise with the Commission
and in the Registration Statement at the time it was declared effective an undertaking that,
upon receipt of a request by an investor or his or her representative, the Company shall
transmit or cause to be transmitted promptly, without charge, a paper copy of the Time of
Sale Prospectus.
(o) Agreement Not to Offer or Sell Additional Shares. During the period
commencing on and including the date hereof and ending on and including the 60th day
following the date of this Agreement (as the same may be extended as described below, the
“Lock-up Period”), the Company will not, without the prior written consent of Jefferies
(which consent may be withheld at the sole discretion of Jefferies), directly or indirectly,
sell (including, without limitation, any short sale), offer, contract or grant any option to
sell, pledge, transfer or establish an open “put equivalent position” within the meaning of
Rule 16a-1(h) under the Exchange Act, or otherwise dispose of or transfer, or announce the
offering of, or file any registration statement under the Securities Act in respect of, any
Shares, options, rights or warrants to acquire Shares or securities exchangeable or
exercisable for or convertible into Shares (other than as contemplated by this Agreement
with respect to the Offered Shares) or publicly announce the intention to do any of the
foregoing; provided, however, that the Company may issue Shares or options to purchase
Shares, or issue Shares upon exercise of the warrants referred to in Section 1(z) of this
Agreement or upon exercise of options, pursuant to any stock option, stock bonus or other
stock plan or arrangement described in each Prospectus, but only if the holders of such shares,
options, or shares issued upon exercise of such options, agree in writing not to
sell, offer, dispose of or otherwise transfer any such shares or options during such Lock-up
Period without the prior written consent of Jefferies (which consent may be withheld at the
sole discretion of the Jefferies). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (i) during the last 17
days of the
17
Lock-up Period, the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material
event relating to the Company occurs or (ii) prior to the expiration of the Lock-up Period,
the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period
beginning on the last day of the Lock-up Period, then in each case the Lock-up Period will
be extended until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the date of the issuance
of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event, as
applicable, unless Jefferies waives, in writing, such extension (which waiver may be
withheld at the sole discretion of Jefferies), except that such extension will not apply if,
(i) within three business days prior to the 15th calendar day before the last day of the
Lock-up Period, the Company delivers a certificate, signed by the Chief Financial Officer or
Chief Executive Officer of the Company, certifying on behalf of the Company that (i) the
Shares are “actively traded securities” (as defined in Regulation M), (ii) the Company meets
the applicable requirements of paragraph (a)(1) of Rule 139 under the Securities Act in the
manner contemplated by NASD Conduct Rule 2711(f)(4), and (iii) the provisions of NASD
Conduct Rule 2711(f)(4) are not applicable to any research reports relating to the Company
published or distributed by the Underwriter during the 15 days before or after the last day
of the Lock-up Period (before giving effect to such extension). The Company will provide
the Underwriter with prior notice of any such announcement that gives rise to an extension
of the Lock-up Period.
(p) Investment Company Act. The Company will take such steps as shall be
necessary to ensure that neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall become an
“investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act.
(q) No Stabilization or Manipulation; Compliance with Regulation M. The
Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might be
reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the
Shares or any other reference security, whether to facilitate the sale or resale of the
Offered Shares or otherwise, and the Company will, and shall cause each of its affiliates
to, comply with all applicable provisions of Regulation M. If the limitations of Rule 102
of Regulation M (“Rule 102”) do not apply with respect to the Offered Shares or any other
reference security pursuant to any exception set forth in Section (d) of Rule 102, then
promptly upon notice from the Underwriter (or, if later, at the time stated in the notice),
the Company will, and shall cause each of its affiliates to, comply with Rule 102 as though
such exception were not available but the other provisions of Rule 102 (as interpreted by
the Commission) did apply.
Jefferies may, in its sole discretion, waive in writing the performance by the Company of any
one or more of the foregoing covenants or extend the time for their performance.
Section 4. Payment of Expenses. The Company agrees to pay for itself all costs, fees and
expenses incurred in connection with the performance of their obligations hereunder and in
connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including without limitation (i) all expenses
incident to the issuance and delivery of the Offered Shares (including all printing and engraving
costs), (ii) all fees and expenses of the registrar and transfer agent of the Shares, (iii) all
necessary issue, transfer and other stamp taxes in connection with the issuance and sale of the
Offered Shares to the Underwriter, (iv) all fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel, independent
public or certified public accountants and other advisors, (v) all costs and expenses incurred in
connection with the preparation, printing, filing, shipping and distribution of the Registration
Statement (including financial statements, exhibits, schedules, consents and certificates of
experts), the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, any free writing prospectus prepared by or
on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company, each preliminary prospectus, and all
amendments and supplements thereto, and this Agreement, (vi) all filing fees, attorneys’ fees and
expenses incurred by the Company or the Underwriter in connection with qualifying
18
or registering (or obtaining exemptions from the qualification or registration of) all or any
part of the Offered Shares for offer and sale under the state securities or blue sky laws or the
provincial securities laws of Canada, and, if requested by the Underwriter, preparing and printing
a “Blue Sky Survey” or memorandum and a “Canadian wrapper”, and any supplements thereto, advising
the Underwriter of such qualifications, registrations, determinations and exemptions, (vii) the
filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriter in
connection with, the NASD’s review, if any, and approval of the Underwriter’s participation in the
offering and distribution of the Offered Shares, (viii) the costs and expenses of the Company
relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing
of the offering of the Offered Shares, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the
preparation or dissemination of any electronic road show, expenses associated with the production
of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with
the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of
the representatives, employees and officers of the Company and of the Underwriter and any such
consultants, and the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show, (ix) the fees
and expenses associated with including the Offered Shares on the Nasdaq Global Market, and (ix) all
other fees, costs and expenses of the nature referred to in Item 14 of Part II of the Registration
Statement. Except as provided in this Section 4, Section 7, Section 9 and Section 10 hereof, the
Underwriter shall pay its own expenses, including the fees and disbursements of its counsel.
Section 5. Covenant of the Underwriter. The Underwriter covenants with the Company not to
take any action that would result in the Company being required to file with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf
of such Underwriter that otherwise would not be required to be filed by the Company thereunder, but
for the action of the Underwriter.
Section 6. Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriter. The obligations of the
Underwriter to purchase and pay for the Offered Shares as provided herein on the Closing Date shall
be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company set
forth in Section 1(A) hereof as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date as though then made
to the timely performance by the Company of their respective covenants and other obligations
hereunder, and to each of the following additional conditions:
(a) Accountants’ Comfort Letter. On the Closing Date, the Underwriter shall
have received from BDO Xxxxxxx, LLP, independent public or certified public accountants for
the Company, (i) a letter dated the date hereof addressed to the Underwriter, in form and
substance satisfactory to the Underwriter, containing statements and information of the type
ordinarily included in accountant’s “comfort letters” to underwriters, delivered according
to Statement of Auditing Standards No. 72 (or any successor bulletin), with respect to the
audited and unaudited financial statements (including the financial statements of certain
acquisitions incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement) and certain financial
information contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, Time of
Sale Prospectus, and each free writing prospectus, if any, and, with respect to each letter
dated the date hereof only, the Prospectus, and (ii) confirming that they are (A)
independent public or certified public accountants as required by the Securities Act and the
Exchange Act and (B) in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the
qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X.
(b) Compliance with Registration Requirements; No Stop Order; No Objection
from NASD. For the period from and after effectiveness of this Agreement and prior to the
Closing Date:
19
(i) the Company shall have filed the Prospectus with the Commission (including
the information required by Rule 430A previously omitted from the Registration
Statement pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act) in the manner and within
the time period required by Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act;
(ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement,
or any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, shall be in effect
and no proceedings for such purpose shall have been instituted or threatened by the
Commission and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information
shall have been complied with; and
(iii) the NASD shall have raised no objection to the fairness and
reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.
(c) No Material Adverse Change or Ratings Agency Change. For the period from
and after the date of this Agreement and through and including the Closing Date:
(i) in the reasonable judgment of the Underwriter there shall not have occurred
any Material Adverse Change; and
(ii) there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have
been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible
change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating
accorded any securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally
recognized statistical rating organization” as such term is defined for purposes of
Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act.
(d) Opinion of Counsel for the Company. On the Closing Date, the Underwriter
shall have received the opinions of each of Xxxxxx and Xxxxx, LLP, special counsel for the
Company, and Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxx, P.C., counsel for the Company, dated as of the Closing
Date, the forms of which are attached as Exhibit A and to such further effect as
counsel for the Underwriter shall reasonably request.
(e) Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriter. On the Closing Date, the
Underwriter shall have received the opinion of Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx L.L.P., counsel for the
Underwriter, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriter, dated as of
such Closing Date.
(f) Officers’ Certificate. On the Closing Date, the Underwriter shall have
received a written certificate executed by the Chief Executive Officer or President of the
Company and the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, dated as of such Closing Date, to
the effect set forth in subsections (b)(ii) and (c)(ii) of this Section 6, and further to
the effect that:
(i) for the period from and including the date of this Agreement through and
including such Closing Date, there has not occurred any Material Adverse Change;
(ii) the representations, warranties and covenants of the Company set forth in
Section 1(A) of this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect
as though expressly made on and as of such Closing Date; and
20
(iii) the Company has complied with all the agreements hereunder and satisfied
all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to
such Closing Date.
(g) Bring-down Comfort Letter. On the Closing Date, the Underwriter shall
have received from BDO Xxxxxxx, LLP, independent public or certified public accountants for
the Company, a letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Underwriter, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished by
them pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section 6, except that the specified date referred
to therein for the carrying out of procedures shall be no more than three business days
prior to the Closing Date.
(h) Lock-Up Agreement from Certain Securityholders of the Company. On or
prior to the date hereof, the Company shall have furnished to the Underwriter an agreement
in the form of Exhibit B hereto from each director and executive officer of the
Company, and such agreement shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date.
(i) Misstatement or Omission. The Underwriter shall not have discovered and
disclosed to the Company on or prior to the Closing Date that the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of a
fact which, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriter, is material or omits to state a
fact which, in the opinion of such counsel, is material and is required to be stated therein
or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
(j) Reserve Engineer’s Letter. At the time of execution of this Agreement,
the Underwriter shall have received from Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx & Associates, Inc., independent
petroleum engineers, a letter, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriter and its
counsel with respect to the Company, they are independent petroleum engineers and confirming
certain reserve information included in the Registration Statement and Prospectus.
(k) Bring-Down Reserve Engineer’s Letter. At the Closing Date, the
Underwriter shall have received from Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx & Associates, Inc. a letter, dated as
of Closing Date, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter
furnished pursuant to subsection (j) of this Section, except that the specified date
referred to shall be dated the Closing Date.
(l) Maintenance of Listing. At the Closing Date, the Company shall have
maintained a listing of the Company’s common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market.
(m) Additional Documents. On or before the Closing Date, the Underwriter and
Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx L.L.P. shall have received such information, documents and opinions as they
may reasonably request for the purposes of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale
of the Offered Shares as contemplated herein, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of
the representations and warranties, or the satisfaction of any of the conditions or
agreements, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with
the issuance and sale of the Offered Shares as contemplated herein and in connection with
the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be satisfactory in form and
substance to the Underwriter and Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx L.L.P.
If any condition specified in this Section 6 is not satisfied when and as required to
be satisfied, this Agreement may be terminated by the Underwriter by notice to the Company
at any time on or prior to the Closing Date which termination shall be without liability on
the part of any
21
party to any other party, except that Section 4, Section 6, Section 8 and Section 9
shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.
Section 7. Reimbursement of Underwriter Expenses. If this Agreement is terminated by the
Underwriter pursuant to Section 6, Section 8 or Section 11, or if the sale to the Underwriter of
the Offered Shares on the Closing Date is not consummated because of any refusal, inability or
failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or to comply with any provision
hereof, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriter upon demand for all out-of-pocket expenses
that shall have been reasonably incurred by the Underwriter in connection with the proposed
purchase and the offering and sale of the Offered Shares, including but not limited to fees and
disbursements of counsel, printing expenses, travel expenses, postage, facsimile and telephone
charges.
Section 8. Effectiveness of this Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective upon the
execution of this Agreement by the parties hereto.
Section 9. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification of the Underwriter. The Company agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless the Underwriter, its officers and employees, and each person, if any, who
controls the Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act
against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which such
Underwriter or such officer, employee or controlling person may become subject, under the
Securities Act, the Exchange Act, other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or the
laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions where Offered Shares have been offered or sold
or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation), insofar as such
loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated
below) arises out of or is based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto,
including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430A under the
Securities Act, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or (ii) any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any preliminary
prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any free writing prospectus that the Company has
used, referred to or filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the
Securities Act or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission
or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or
(iii) any act or failure to act or any alleged act or failure to act by any Underwriter in
connection with, or relating in any manner to, the Offered Shares or the offering
contemplated hereby, and which is included as part of or referred to in any loss, claim,
damage, liability or action arising out of or based upon any matter covered by clause (i) or
(ii) above, provided that the Company shall not be liable under this clause (iii) to the
extent that a court of competent jurisdiction shall have determined by a final judgment that
such loss, claim, damage, liability or action resulted directly from any such acts or
failures to act undertaken or omitted to be taken by such Underwriter through its bad faith
or willful misconduct; and to reimburse the Underwriter and each such officer, employee and
controlling person for any and all expenses (including the fees and disbursements of counsel
chosen by Jefferies) as such expenses are reasonably incurred by such Underwriter or such
officer, employee or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending,
settling, compromising or paying (subject to paragraph (d) below) any such loss, claim,
damage, liability, expense or action; provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity
agreement shall not apply to any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense to the extent,
but only to the extent, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with
22
written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Underwriter
expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any such free
writing prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), it being
understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Underwriter to the
Company consists of the information described in subsection (b) below. The indemnity
agreement set forth in this Section 9(a) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the
Company may otherwise have.
(b) Indemnification of the Company, its Directors and Officers. The
Underwriter agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each
of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls
the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, against any loss,
claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Company, or any such
director, officer or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the
Exchange Act, or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or at common law or
otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with
the written consent of such Underwriter), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or
expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon
any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the
Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any free
writing prospectus that the Company has used, referred to or filed, or is required to file,
pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act or the Prospectus (or such amendment or
supplement thereto), or arises out of or is based upon the omission or alleged omission to
state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that
such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made
in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, such
free writing prospectus that the Company has used, referred to or filed, or is required to
file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act, the Prospectus (or such amendment or
supplement thereto), in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished
to the Company by or on behalf of the Underwriter expressly for use therein; and to
reimburse the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person for any legal and
other expense reasonably incurred by the Company, or any such director, officer or
controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or
paying (subject to paragraph (d) below) any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or
action. The Company hereby acknowledges that the only information that the Underwriter has
furnished to the Company expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary
prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any free writing prospectus that the Company has
filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act or the
Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) are the statements set forth under the
caption “Underwriting” in the Prospectus concerning stabilization and electronic
distribution by the Underwriter. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 9(b)
shall be in addition to any liabilities that each Underwriter may otherwise have.
(c) Notifications and Other Indemnification Procedures. Promptly after
receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 9 of notice of the commencement of any
action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an
indemnifying party under this Section 9, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the
commencement thereof, but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve
it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party for contribution or
otherwise under the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 9 to the extent it is not
materially prejudiced as a proximate result of such failure. In case any such action is
brought against any indemnified party and such indemnified party seeks or intends to seek
indemnity from an indemnifying party, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate
in, and, to the extent that it shall elect, jointly
23
with all other indemnifying parties similarly notified, by written notice delivered to
the indemnified party promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice from such indemnified
party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such
indemnified party; provided, however, if the defendants in any such action include both the
indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably
concluded that a conflict may arise between the positions of the indemnifying party and the
indemnified party in conducting the defense of any such action or that there may be legal
defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or
additional to those available to the indemnifying party, the indemnified party or parties
shall have the right to select separate counsel to assume such legal defenses and to
otherwise participate in the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party or
parties. Upon receipt of notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of
such indemnifying party’s election so to assume the defense of such action the indemnifying
party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 9 for any legal or
other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the
defense thereof unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in
accordance with the proviso to the preceding sentence (it being understood, however, that
the indemnifying party shall not be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one
separate counsel (together with local counsel), representing the indemnified parties who are
parties to such action), which counsel (together with any local counsel) for the indemnified
parties shall be selected by Jefferies (in the case of counsel for the indemnified parties
referred to in Section 9(a) above) or by the Company (in the case of counsel for the
indemnified parties referred to in Section 9(b) above)), (ii) the indemnifying party shall
not have assumed the defense of such action within a reasonable time after notice of
commencement of the action or (iii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel
satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable
time after notice of commencement of the action, in each of which cases the fees and
expenses of counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnifying party and shall be paid as
they are incurred.
(d) Settlements. The indemnifying party under this Section 9 shall not be
liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if
settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the
indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim,
damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the
foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying
party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by
Section 9(c) hereof, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any
settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is
entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid
request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in
accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party
shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement,
compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or
proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and
indemnity was or could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such
settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of such indemnified
party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or
proceeding.
Section 10. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 9 is for any reason
held to be unavailable to or otherwise insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in
respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein, then each
indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount paid or payable by such indemnified
party, as incurred, as a result of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to
therein (i) in such proportion as is
24
appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the
Underwriter, on the other hand, from the offering of the Offered Shares pursuant to this Agreement
or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i)
above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the
other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims,
damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The
relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other hand,
in connection with the offering of the Offered Shares pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to
be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Offered
Shares pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, and the
total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriter, in each case as set forth
on the front cover page of the Prospectus bear to the aggregate public offering price of the
Offered Shares as set forth on such cover. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and
the Underwriter, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things,
whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged
omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, on the one hand,
or the Underwriter, on the other hand, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to
information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities
and expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in
Section 9(c), any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection
with investigating or defending any action or claim. The provisions set forth in Section 9(c) with
respect to notice of commencement of any action shall apply if a claim for contribution is to be
made under this Section 10; provided, however, that no additional notice shall be required with
respect to any action for which notice has been given under Section 9(c) for purposes of
indemnification.
The Company and the Underwriter agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution
pursuant to this Section 10 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of
allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section
10.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 10, the Underwriter shall not be required to
contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discounts and commissions received by it in
connection with the Offered Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public. No person
guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act)
shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 10, each officer and employee of the Underwriter
and each person, if any, who controls the Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act or
the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director
of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person,
if any, who controls the Company with the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act shall
have the same rights to contribution as the Company.
Section 11. Termination of this Agreement. Prior to the purchase of the Offered Shares by the
Underwriter on the Closing Date, this Agreement may be terminated by the Underwriter by notice
given to the Company if at any time (i) trading or quotation in any of the Company’s securities
shall have been suspended or limited by the Commission or by the Nasdaq Global Market, or trading
in securities generally on either the Nasdaq Global Market or the New York Stock Exchange shall
have been suspended or limited, or minimum or maximum prices shall have been generally established
on any of such stock exchanges by the Commission or the NASD; (ii) a general banking moratorium
shall have been declared by any of federal, New York, Delaware, Texas or California authorities;
(iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of national or international hostilities
or any crisis or calamity,
25
or any change in the United States or international financial markets, or any substantial
change or development involving a prospective substantial change in United States’ or international
political, financial or economic conditions, as in the judgment of the Underwriter is material and
adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to market the Offered Shares in the manner and on
the terms described in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus or to enforce contracts for
the sale of securities; (iv) in the judgment of the Underwriter there shall have occurred any
Material Adverse Change; or (v) the Company shall have sustained a loss by strike, fire, flood,
earthquake, accident or other calamity of such character as in the judgment of the Underwriter may
interfere materially with the conduct of the business and operations of the Company regardless of
whether or not such loss shall have been insured. Any termination pursuant to this Section 11
shall be without liability on the part of (a) the Company to any Underwriter, except that the
Company shall be obligated to reimburse the expenses of the Underwriter pursuant to Sections 4 and
7 hereof, (b) the Underwriter to the Company, or (c) of any party hereto to any other party except
that the provisions of Section 9 and Section 10 shall at all times be effective and shall survive
such termination.
Section 12. No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that
(a) the purchase and sale of the Offered Shares pursuant to this Agreement, including the
determination of the public offering price of the Offered Shares and any related discounts and
commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and
the Underwriter, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering contemplated hereby and the
process leading to such transaction the Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal
and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, or its stockholders, creditors, employees or any
other party, (c) the Underwriter has not assumed or will not assume an advisory or fiduciary
responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the
process leading thereto (irrespective of whether the Underwriter has advised or is currently
advising the Company on other matters) and the Underwriter has no obligation to the Company with
respect to the offering contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth in this
Agreement, (d) the Underwriter and its affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions
that involve interests that differ from those of the Company, and (e) the Underwriter has not
provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering contemplated
hereby and the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the
extent it deemed appropriate.
Section 13. Representations and Indemnities to Survive Delivery. The respective indemnities,
agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company, of its officers and of
the Underwriter set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and
effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Underwriter or the Company or
any of its partners, officers or directors or any controlling person, as the case may be, and,
anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, will survive delivery of and payment for the
Offered Shares sold hereunder and any termination of this Agreement.
Section 14. Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be mailed,
hand delivered or telecopied and confirmed to the parties hereto as follows:
26
If to the Underwriter:
Xxxxxxxxx & Company, Inc.
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Attention: General Counsel
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Attention: General Counsel
with a copy to:
Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx L.L.P.
2300 First City Tower
0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000-0000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Attention: T. Xxxx Xxxxx
2300 First City Tower
0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000-0000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Attention: T. Xxxx Xxxxx
If to the Company:
Parallel Petroleum Corporation
0000 X. Xxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
0000 X. Xxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
with a copy to:
Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx & Xxxxx
The Summit, Suite 700
300 North Marienfeld
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
The Summit, Suite 700
300 North Marienfeld
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Any party hereto may change the address for receipt of communications by giving written notice
to the others.
Section 15. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the
parties hereto and to the benefit of the employees, officers and directors and controlling persons
referred to in Section 9 and Section 10, and in each case their respective successors, and no other
person will have any right or obligation hereunder. The term “successors” shall not include any
purchaser of the Offered Shares as such from any of the Underwriter merely by reason of such
purchase.
Section 16. Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any Section,
paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any
other Section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any Section, paragraph or provision of this
Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be
made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and
enforceable.
27
Section 17. Governing Law Provisions. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be
performed in such state. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this
Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby may be instituted in the federal courts of the
United States of America located in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York or the courts
of the State of New York in each case located in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York
(collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive
jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any
such court, as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in any such suit, action
or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party’s address
set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding
brought in any such court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the
laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and
unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit, action
or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
Section 18. General Provisions. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the
parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or oral and all contemporaneous oral
agreements, understandings and negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof. This
Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each one of which shall be an original, with
the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. This
Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the parties hereto, and no
condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived in writing by each party whom the
condition is meant to benefit. The Table of Contents and the Section headings herein are for the
convenience of the parties only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this
Agreement.
Each of the parties hereto acknowledges that it is a sophisticated business person who was
adequately represented by counsel during negotiations regarding the provisions hereof, including,
without limitation, the indemnification provisions of Section 9 and the contribution provisions of
Section 10, and is fully informed regarding said provisions. Each of the parties hereto further
acknowledges that the provisions of Sections 9 and 10 hereto fairly allocate the risks in light of
the ability of the parties to investigate the Company, its affairs and its business in order to
assure that adequate disclosure has been made in the Registration Statement, any preliminary
prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, each free writing prospectus and the Prospectus (and any
amendments and supplements thereto), as required by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.
[Signature page follows.]
28
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, kindly sign
and return to the Company the enclosed copies hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all
counterparts hereof, shall become a binding agreement in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours, | ||||
PARALLEL PETROLEUM | ||||
CORPORATION | ||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |||
Title: | President and Chief Executive Officer | |||
The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted by the Underwriter in
New York, New York as of the date first above written.
XXXXXXXXX & COMPANY, INC. | ||||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx | |||
Name:
|
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx | |||
Title:
|
Managing Director | |||
Signature page to Underwriting Agreement
SCHEDULE A
1. The following pricing term sheet:
Filed Pursuant to Rule 433
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus dated August 10, 2006
Relating to Preliminary Prospectus dated August 10, 2006
Registration No. 333-119725
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus dated August 10, 2006
Relating to Preliminary Prospectus dated August 10, 2006
Registration No. 333-119725
2,500,000 Shares
Parallel Petroleum Corporation
Common Stock
ISSUER FREE WRITING PROSPECTUS
Issuer:
|
Parallel Petroleum Corporation | |
Ticker / Exchange:
|
PLLL / Nasdaq National Market | |
Offering size:
|
2,500,000 shares | |
Public offering price:
|
$25.25 per share | |
Price to PLLL:
|
$24.20 per share | |
Net proceeds to PLLL:
|
We will receive net proceeds of approximately $60.25 million from our sale of 2,500,000 shares of common stock in this offering, after deducting the underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses payable by us. | |
Use of Proceeds:
|
We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes, including debt repayment and the acceleration of our drilling and completion operations in certain core areas such as our Xxxxxxx Shale gas, New Mexico Wolfcamp gas and Permian Basis west Texas oil properties. | |
Trade date:
|
August 11, 2006 | |
Settlement date:
|
August 16, 2006 | |
Sole Underwriter:
|
Jefferies & Company, Inc. |
Schedule A
THE ISSUER HAS FILED A REGISTRATION STATEMENT (INCLUDING A PROSPECTUS) WITH THE SEC FOR THE
OFFERING TO WHICH THIS COMMUNICATION RELATES. BEFORE YOU INVEST, YOU SHOULD READ THE PROSPECTUS
IN THAT REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND OTHER DOCUMENTS THE ISSUER HAS FILED WITH THE SEC FOR MORE
COMPLETE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ISSUER AND THIS OFFERING. YOU MAY GET THESE DOCUMENTS FOR FREE
BY VISITING XXXXX ON THE SEC WEB SITE AT XXX.XXX.XXX. ALTERNATIVELY, THE ISSUER, ANY
UNDERWRITER OR ANY DEALER PARTICIPATING IN THE OFFERING WILL ARRANGE TO SEND YOU THE PROSPECTUS
IF YOU REQUEST IT BY CALLING 432-684-3727.
Schedule A
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF OPINION OF COMPANY COUNSEL
Such opinions to be rendered by Company special counsel, Xxxxxx and Xxxxx, LLP, special
counsel for the Company (“HB”), and Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxx, P.C., counsel for the Company (“LC”),
as indicated.
1. The Company is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of
the State of Delaware. (HB)
2. The Company is qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in
good standing in the State of Texas and each other state set forth on an exhibit to such opinion,
and such counsel has no knowledge that the character of the business conducted by the Company or
the location of the properties owned, leased or operated by it makes such qualification necessary
(except where the failure to so qualify would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a
material adverse effect on the condition (financial or other), results of operations, business or
prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole). (HB)
3. The Company has all corporate power and authority to own or lease its properties and to
conduct its business, as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and to execute
and deliver, and perform its obligations under, the Agreement. (HB)
4. Each of (a) Parallel, L.P. and (b) Parallel, LLC is validly existing as a limited
partnership and limited liability company, as the case may be, in good standing under the laws of
the jurisdiction of its formation or organization, as the case may be, and has limited partnership
and limited liability company power and authority, as the case may be, to own or lease its
properties and to conduct its business, as described in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus; all of the issued and outstanding limited partnership interests and membership
interests of each Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, and are owned of record
and beneficially by the Company, directly or through Subsidiaries. (LC)
5. The
Company’s authorized capital stock consists of ___ shares of common stock, par
value $0.01 per share, and ___ shares of preferred stock, par value $.10 per share; the number of
issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company is as set forth under the caption
“Capitalization” in the Prospectus Supplement (except for subsequent issues or purchases pursuant
to employee benefit plans), 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 thereof contained in the Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement. The Offered Shares have
been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of the Agreement
against payment therefor as set forth in the Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable. (LC)
6. The issuance of the Offered Shares is not subject to the preemptive or other similar rights
of any securityholder of the Company pursuant to the Delaware General Corporation Law, the
certificate of incorporation and by-laws of the Company or any material agreement, contract,
indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument that is described
or referred to in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or filed or incorporated by
reference as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31,
A-1
2005, or referenced as a material agreement or filed as an exhibit in reports of the Company
filed under the Exchange Act after December 31, 2005 (“Material Agreements”). (LC)
7. The Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company. (HB)
8. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in violation of its certificate of incorporation,
bylaws, partnership or limited liability company agreement or other organizational document. (LC)
9. Neither the offer, sale or delivery of the Offered Shares by the Company, the execution,
delivery or performance of the Agreement by the Company (including the use of the proceeds from the
sale of the Offered Shares as described in the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) nor
compliance by the Company with its obligations under the Agreement constitutes or will constitute,
whether with or without the giving of notice or lapse of time or both, a breach of, or default or
Repayment Event (as defined in Section 1(a)(o) of the Agreement) under or result in the creation or
imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any
Subsidiary pursuant to any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement,
note, lease or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party
or by which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the
Company or any Subsidiary is subject, that constitutes a Material Agreement (except for such
breaches or defaults or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not result in a Material Adverse
Effect), nor will any such action result in any violation of (a) the provisions of the charter or
bylaws of the Company or any Subsidiary, (b) any Applicable Laws (as defined in such counsel’s
opinion) (assuming compliance with all applicable state securities and blue sky laws) or (c) any
judgment, order, writ or decree of any court, governmental agency or arbitrator that is known to us
to be applicable to the Company or any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties, which in
the case of clause (b) and (c) would not cause a Material Adverse Effect. (LC)
10. The Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and each amendment or supplement to the
Registration Statement or Prospectus as of their respective effective or issue dates, complied in
all respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations (except
that in each case, we express no opinion as to the financial statements, schedules and other
financial data included therein or excluded therefrom, or the exhibits thereto). (HB)
11. Each of the documents incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement filed
prior to the date hereof complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange
Act and the Exchange Act Regulations (except that in each case, we express no opinion as to the
financial statements, schedules and other financial data included therein or excluded therefrom, or
the exhibits to any of such documents). (LC)
12. To our knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
has been issued, and to such counsel’s knowledge no proceedings for that purpose have been
instituted or are pending or threatened by the SEC. The Prospectus has been filed pursuant to Rule
424(b) of the Securities Act Regulations in the manner and within the time period required by the
Rule. (HB)
13. The statements in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus under the caption
“Description of Capital Stock,” and in the Registration Statement under Item 15, insofar as they
constitute descriptions of contracts, agreements or other legal documents, or refer to statements
of law or legal conclusions, fairly summarize the matter referred to therein, subject to the
qualifications and assumptions stated therein. (LC)
14. No Governmental Approval (as defined in such counsel’s opinion), which has not been
obtained or taken and is not in full force and effect, is required as a condition to the execution
and
A-2
delivery by the Company of the Agreement, or the performance by the Company of its obligations
under the Agreement. (HB)
15. The Company is not an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an
“investment company,” as such terms are defined in the 1940 Act. (HB)
In addition, such counsel shall state that they have participated in conferences with officers
and other representatives of the Company and counsel for and other representatives of the
Underwriter at which the contents of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and related
matters were discussed and, although such counsel have not independently verified and are not
passing upon, and do not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of
the statements contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (except and to the extent
set forth in paragraph 13 above), on the basis of the foregoing, no facts have come to such
counsel’s attention that have lead them to believe that (i) at the time the Registration Statement
became effective, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus included therein 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 (2) the Time of Sale Prospectus as of
the date of this Agreement or as amended or supplemented, if applicable, as of the Closing Date
contained or contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a
material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading, or (3) if different from the Time of Sale Prospectus, the
Prospectus as of its date or as amended or supplemented, if applicable, as of the Closing Date
contained or contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a
material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading; it being understood that such counsel expresses no statement
or belief with respect to (a) the financial statements and related schedules included therein,
including the notes and the auditor’s report thereon, (b) the other information and data of a
financial or accounting nature and oil and gas reserve evaluation data and related data included in
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and (c) the exhibits to the Registration Statement.
A-3
EXHIBIT B
August __, 2005
Jefferies & Company, Inc.
000 Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
000 Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Re: Proposed Public Offering by Parallel Petroleum Corporation
Dear Sirs:
The undersigned, an executive officer and/or, director of Parallel Petroleum Corporation, a
Delaware corporation (the “Company”), understands that Jefferies & Company, Inc., (the
“Underwriter”) proposes to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting
Agreement”) with the Company providing for the public offering of shares (the “Shares”)
of the Company’s common stock, par value $.01 per share (the “Common Stock”). In
recognition of the benefit that such an offering will confer upon the undersigned as an executive
officer and/or director of the Company, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt
and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the undersigned agrees with the Underwriter that,
during a period commencing on the date of the Underwriting Agreement and ending on the 60th day
after the date of the Underwriting Agreement (the “Lock Up Period”), the undersigned will
not (and will cause any spouse or immediate family member of the spouse or the undersigned living
in the undersigned’s household not to), without the prior written consent of the Underwriter,
directly or indirectly, (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to
purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant for the sale
of, or otherwise dispose of or transfer (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed
to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition by any person at any time in the future) any
shares of the Company’s Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or
exercisable for Common Stock, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with
respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition, or file any
registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with respect to any of the
foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in
whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Stock
or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Common Stock, whether any
such swap or transaction is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash
or otherwise; “); provided, that if (A) during the last 17 days of the Lock-up Period, the Company
issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs, or
(B) prior to the expiration of the Lock-up Period, the Company announces that it will release
earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the Lock-up Period, then in
each case the Lock-up Period will be extended until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning
on the date of the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or
material event, as applicable, unless Jefferies & Company, Inc. waives, in writing, such extension,
except that such extension will not apply if, within three business days prior to the 15th calendar
day before the last day of the Lock-up Period, the Company delivers a certificate, signed by the
Chief Financial Officer or Chief Executive Officer of the Company, certifying on behalf of the
Company that (1) the Shares are “actively traded securities” (as defined in Regulation M), (2) the
Company meets the applicable requirements of paragraph (a)(1) of Rule 139 under the Securities Act
in the manner contemplated by NASD Conduct Rule 2711(f)(4), and (3) the provisions of NASD Conduct
Rule 2711(f)(4) are not applicable to any research reports relating to the Company published or
distributed by the Underwriter during the 15 days before or after the last day of the Lock-up
Period (before giving effect to such extension); provided, further, that the foregoing restrictions
in clauses (i) and (ii) shall not apply to:
B-1
(I) the transfer of any or all of the Shares owned by the undersigned, either during his
lifetime or on death, by gift, will or intestate succession to the immediate family of the
undersigned or to a trust the beneficiaries of which are exclusively the undersigned and/or a
member or members of his immediate family; provided, however, that in any such case, it shall be a
condition to such transfer that the transferee executes and delivers to Jefferies & Company, Inc.
an agreement stating that the transferee is receiving and holding the Shares subject to the
provisions of this letter agreement, and there shall be no further transfer of such Shares, except
in accordance with this letter agreement;
(II) any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon the exercise of an option or
warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof and referred to in the
Prospectus;
(III) any issuance of shares of Common Stock, or granting of options to purchase Common Stock,
pursuant to existing employee benefit plans of the Company referred to in the Prospectus;
(IV) any issuance of shares of Common Stock by the Company, or options to purchase Common
Stock, pursuant to any non-employee director stock plan or dividend reinvestment plan described in
the Prospectus; or
(V) any renewal and extension of security interests in shares of Common Stock granted by the
undersigned prior to the date of this Agreement.
The undersigned hereby acknowledges and agrees that written notice of any extension of the
Lock-up Period pursuant to the preceding sentence will be delivered by Jefferies & Company, Inc. to
the Company and that any such notice properly delivered will be deemed to have been given to, and
received by, the undersigned.
In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company and its transfer agent are hereby authorized to
decline to make any transfer of securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach
of this Lock-Up Letter Agreement.
The undersigned understands that the Company and the Underwriter will proceed with the public
offering of the Shares in reliance on this Lock-Up Letter Agreement.
The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and
authority to enter into this Lock-Up Letter Agreement and that, upon request, the undersigned will
execute any additional documents reasonably necessary in connection with the enforcement hereof.
Any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the heirs, personal representatives,
successors and assigns of the undersigned.
Very truly yours, |
||||
B-2