Draft of April 6, 1999
5,000,000 Shares(1)
VALUE AMERICA, INC.
Common Stock
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
April , 1999
BANCBOSTON XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX INC.
XXXXX XXXXX XXXXXX & COMPANY, LLC
THE XXXXXXXX-XXXXXXXX COMPANY, LLC
As Representatives of the several Underwriters
c/o BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc.
000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Value America, Inc., a Virginia corporation (the "Company"), and Xxxxx X.
Xxxx and Xxx Xxxxxxx (together the "Selling Stockholders") address you as the
Representatives of each of the persons, firms and corporations listed in
Schedule A hereto (herein collectively called the "Underwriters") and hereby
confirm their respective agreements with the several Underwriters as follows:
1. Description of Shares. The Company proposes to issue and sell 5,000,000
shares of its authorized and unissued common stock, without par value, to the
several Underwriters (the "Firm Shares"). The Selling Stockholders propose to
grant, severally and not jointly, to the Underwriters an option to purchase up
to 750,000 additional shares of the Company's common stock, without par value
(the "Option Shares"), as provided in Section 7 hereof. As used in this
Agreement, the term "Shares" shall refer collectively to the Firm Shares and the
Option Shares. All shares of the Company's common stock, without par value, to
be outstanding after giving effect to the sales contemplated hereby, including
the Shares, are hereinafter referred to as "Common Stock."
2. Representations, Warranties and Agreements of the Company and the
Selling Stockholders.
I. The Company represents and warrants to and agrees with each
Underwriter that:
(a) A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-70961) with respect
to the Shares, including a prospectus subject to completion, has been prepared
by the Company in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "Act"), and the applicable rules and regulations (the
"Rules and Regulations") of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") under the Act and has been filed with the Commission; such
amendments to such registration statement, such amended prospectuses subject to
completion and such abbreviated registration statements pursuant to Rule 462(b)
of the Rules and Regulations as may have been required prior to the date hereof
have been similarly prepared and filed with the Commission; and the Company will
file such additional amendments to such registration statement, such amended
prospectuses subject to completion and such abbreviated registration statements
as may hereafter be required. Copies of such registration statement and
amendments, of each related prospectus subject to completion (the "Preliminary
Prospectuses") and of any abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule
462(b) of the Rules and Regulations have been delivered to you.
If the registration statement relating to the Shares has been declared
effective under the Act by the Commission, the Company will
-----------
(1) Plus an option to purchase up to 750,000 additional shares from certain
stockholders of the Company to cover over-allotments.
prepare and promptly file with the Commission the information omitted from the
registration statement pursuant to Rule 430A(a) or, if BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx Inc., on behalf of the several Underwriters, shall agree to the
utilization of Rule 434 of the Rules and Regulations, the information required
to be included in any term sheet filed pursuant to Rule 434(b) or (c), as
applicable, of the Rules and Regulations pursuant to subparagraph (1), (4) or
(7) of Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations or as part of a post-effective
amendment to the registration statement (including a final form of prospectus).
If the registration statement relating to the Shares has not been declared
effective under the Act by the Commission, the Company will prepare and promptly
file an amendment to the registration statement, including a final form of
prospectus, or, if BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc., on behalf of the several
Underwriters, shall agree to the utilization of Rule 434 of the Rules and
Regulations, the information required to be included in any term sheet filed
pursuant to Rule 434(b) or (c), as applicable, of the Rules and Regulations. The
term "Registration Statement" as used in this Agreement shall mean such
registration statement, including financial statements, schedules and exhibits,
in the form in which it became or becomes, as the case may be, effective
(including, if the Company omitted information from the registration statement
pursuant to Rule 430A(a) or files a term sheet pursuant to Rule 434 of the Rules
and Regulations, the information deemed to be a part of the registration
statement at the time it became effective pursuant to Rule 430A(b) or Rule
434(d) of the Rules and Regulations) and, in the event of any amendment thereto
or the filing of any abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b)
of the Rules and Regulations relating thereto after the effective date of such
registration statement, shall also mean (from and after the effectiveness of
such amendment or the filing of such abbreviated registration statement) such
registration statement as so amended, together with any such abbreviated
registration statement. The term "Prospectus" as used in this Agreement shall
mean the prospectus relating to the Shares as included in such Registration
Statement at the time it becomes effective (including, if the Company omitted
information from the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430A(a) of the
Rules and Regulations, the information deemed to be a part of the Registration
Statement at the time it became effective pursuant to Rule 430A(b) of the Rules
and Regulations); provided, however, that if in reliance on Rule 434 of the
Rules and Regulations and with the consent of BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Inc., on behalf of the several Underwriters, the Company shall have provided to
the Underwriters a term sheet pursuant to Rule 434(b) or (c), as applicable,
prior to the time that a confirmation is sent or given for purposes of Section
2(10)(a) of the Act, the term "Prospectus" shall mean the "prospectus subject to
completion" (as defined in Rule 434(g) of the Rules and Regulations) last
provided to the Underwriters by the Company and circulated by the Underwriters
to all prospective purchasers of the Shares (including the information deemed to
be a part of the Registration Statement at the time it became effective pursuant
to Rule 434(d) of the Rules and Regulations). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if
any revised prospectus shall be provided to the Underwriters by the Company for
use in connection with the offering of the Shares that differs from the
prospectus referred to in the immediately preceding sentence (whether or not
such revised prospectus is required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to
Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations), the term "Prospectus" shall refer to
such revised prospectus from and after the time it is first provided to the
Underwriters for such use. If in reliance on Rule 434 of the Rules and
Regulations and with the consent of BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc., on
behalf of the several Underwriters, the Company shall have provided to the
Underwriters a term sheet pursuant to Rule 434(b) or (c), as applicable, prior
to the time that a confirmation is sent or given for purposes of Section
2(10)(a) of the Act, the Prospectus and the term sheet, together, will not be
materially different from the prospectus in the Registration Statement.
(b) The Commission has not issued any order preventing or suspending the
use of any Preliminary Prospectus or instituted proceedings for that purpose,
and each such Preliminary Prospectus has conformed in all material respects to
the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations and, as of its date,
has not included any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a
material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and at the time the
Registration Statement became or becomes, as the case may be, effective and at
all times subsequent thereto up to and on the Closing Date (hereinafter defined)
and on any later date on which Option Shares are to be purchased, (i) the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and any amendments or supplements
thereto, contained and will contain all material information required to be
included therein by the Act and the Rules and Regulations and will in all
material respects conform to the requirements of the Act and the Rules and
Regulations, (ii) the Registration Statement, and any amendments or supplements
thereto, did not and will not include 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, and (iii) the Prospectus, and any
amendments or supplements thereto, did not and will not include 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; provided, however, that none of the representations and
warranties contained in this subparagraph (b) shall apply to information
contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any
amendment or supplement thereto, in reliance upon, and in conformity with,
written information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company by such
Underwriter specifically for use in the preparation thereof.
(c) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia,
with full power and authority (corporate and other) to own, lease and operate
its properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus; the
Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good
standing in each jurisdiction in which the ownership or leasing of its
properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except
where the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a
material adverse effect on its condition (financial or otherwise), earnings,
operations, business or business prospects; no proceeding has been instituted in
any such jurisdiction revoking, limiting or curtailing, or seeking to revoke,
limit or curtail, such power and authority or qualification; the Company is in
possession of and operating in compliance with all authorizations, licenses,
certificates, consents, orders and permits from state, federal and other
regulatory authorities that are material to the conduct of its business, all of
which are valid and in full force and effect; the Company is not in violation of
its articles of incorporation or bylaws or in default in the performance or
observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition
contained in any bond, debenture, note or other evidence of indebtedness, or in
any material lease, contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan
agreement, joint venture or other agreement or instrument to which the Company
is a party or by which it or its properties may be bound; and Company is not in
violation of any law, order, rule, regulation, writ, injunction, judgment or
decree of any court, government or governmental agency or body, domestic or
foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or its properties of which it has
knowledge, except for violations that, in the aggregate, would not have a
material adverse effect on the Company's condition (financial or otherwise),
earnings, operations, business or business prospects. The Company does not own
or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other
entity.
(d) The Company has full legal right, power and authority to enter into
this Agreement and perform the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement
has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid
and binding agreement on the part of the Company, enforceable in 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 applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws
relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally or by general equitable
principles; the performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions herein contemplated will not result in a material breach or
violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under,
(i) any bond, debenture, note or other evidence of indebtedness, or under any
lease, contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, joint
venture or other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by
which it or its properties may be bound, (ii) the articles of incorporation or
bylaws of the Company, or (iii) any law, order, rule, regulation, writ,
injunction, judgment or decree of any court, government or governmental agency
or body, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or its
properties. No consent, approval, authorization or order of or qualification
with any court, government or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign,
having jurisdiction over the Company or its properties is required for the
execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation by the Company of
the transactions herein contemplated, except such as may be required under the
Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), or
under state or other securities or Blue Sky laws, all of which requirements have
been satisfied in all material respects.
(e) There is not any pending or, to the best of the Company's knowledge,
threatened action, suit, claim or proceeding against the Company or any of its
officers, properties, assets or rights before any court, government or
governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the
Company or its officers, properties or otherwise that (i) might result in any
material adverse change in the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings,
operations, business or business prospects of the Company or might materially
and adversely affect their properties, assets or rights, (ii) might prevent
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or (iii) is required to be
disclosed in the Registration Statement or Prospectus and is not so disclosed;
and there are no agreements, contracts, leases or documents of the Company of a
character required to be described or referred to in the Registration Statement
or Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement by the
Act or the Rules and Regulations that have not been accurately described in all
material respects in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or filed as
exhibits to the Registration Statement.
(f) All outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company (including the
Option Shares) have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid
and nonassessable, have been issued in compliance with all federal and state
securities laws, were not issued in violation of or subject to any preemptive
rights or other rights to subscribe for or purchase securities, and the
authorized and outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the
Prospectus under the caption "Capitalization" and conforms in all material
respects to the statements relating thereto contained in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus (and such statements correctly state in all
material respects the substance of the instruments defining the capitalization
of the Company); the Firm Shares have been duly authorized for issuance and sale
to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by
the Company against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement, will be duly and validly issued and fully paid and nonassessable, and
will be sold free and clear of any pledge, lien, security interest, encumbrance,
claim or equitable interest; and no preemptive right, co-sale right,
registration right, right of first refusal or other similar right of
stockholders exists with respect to any of the Firm Shares or the issuance and
sale thereof other than those that have been expressly waived prior to the date
hereof and those that will automatically expire upon and will not apply to the
consummation of the transactions contemplated on the Closing Date. No further
approval or authorization of any stockholder, the Board of Directors of the
Company or others is required for the issuance and sale or transfer of the
Shares except as may be required under the Act, the Exchange Act or under state
or other securities or Blue Sky laws. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus and
the financial statements of the Company, and the related notes thereto, included
in the Prospectus, the Company does not have any outstanding options to
purchase, or any preemptive rights or other rights to subscribe for or to
purchase, any securities or obligations convertible into, or any contracts or
commitments to issue or sell, shares of its capital stock or any such options,
rights, convertible securities or obligations. The description of the Company's
stock option, stock bonus and other stock plans or arrangements, and the options
or other rights granted and exercised thereunder, set forth in the Prospectus
accurately and fairly presents in all material respects the information required
to be shown with respect to such plans, arrangements, options and rights.
(g) PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, which has examined the financial statements
of the Company, together with the related schedules and notes, as of December
31, 1997 and 1998 and for the period from March 13, 1996 (inception) through
December 31, 1996 and the years ended December 31, 1997 and 1998, filed with the
Commission as a part of the Registration Statement, which are included in the
Prospectus, are independent accountants within the meaning of the Act and the
Rules and Regulations; the audited financial statements of the Company, together
with the related schedules and notes, forming part of the Registration Statement
and Prospectus, fairly present the financial position and the results of
operations of the Company at the respective dates and for the respective periods
to which they apply; and all audited financial statements of the Company,
together with the related schedules and notes, filed with the Commission as part
of the Registration Statement, have been prepared in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles consistently applied throughout the periods
involved except as may be otherwise stated therein. The selected and summary
financial and statistical data included in the Registration Statement present
fairly the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis
consistent with the audited financial statements presented therein. No other
financial statements or schedules are required to be included in the
Registration Statement.
(h) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in
the Registration Statement and Prospectus, there has not been (i) any material
adverse change in the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, operations,
business or business prospects of the Company, (ii) any transaction that is
material to the Company, except transactions entered into in the ordinary course
of business, (iii) any material obligation, direct or contingent, incurred by
the Company, except any obligation incurred in the ordinary course of business,
(iv) any material change in the capital stock or outstanding indebtedness of the
Company (other than exercises, if any, of options outstanding as disclosed in
the Prospectus), (v) any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or
made on the capital stock of the Company, or (vi) any loss or damage (whether or
not insured) to the property of the Company that has been sustained or will have
been sustained and that has a material adverse effect on the condition
(financial or otherwise), earnings, operations, business or business prospects
of the Company.
(i) Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, (i)
the Company has good and marketable title to all properties and assets described
in the Registration Statement and Prospectus as owned by it, free and clear of
any pledge, lien, security interest, encumbrance, claim or equitable interest,
other than such as would not have a material adverse effect on the condition
(financial or otherwise), earnings, operations, business or business prospects
of the Company, (ii) the agreements to which the Company is a party described in
the Registration Statement and Prospectus are valid agreements, enforceable by
the Company, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws
relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally or by general equitable
principles and, to the best of the Company's knowledge, the other contracting
party or parties thereto are not in material breach or material default under
any of such agreements, and (iii) the Company has valid and enforceable leases
for all properties described in the Registration Statement and Prospectus as
leased by it, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws
relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally or by general equitable
principles. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and Prospectus,
the Company owns or leases all such properties as are necessary to its
operations as now conducted or as proposed to be conducted.
(j) The Company has timely filed all necessary federal, state and foreign
income and franchise tax returns and has paid all taxes shown thereon as due,
and there is no tax deficiency that has been or, to the best of the Company's
knowledge, might be asserted against the Company that might have a material
adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, operations,
business or business prospects of the Company; and all tax liabilities are
adequately provided for on the books of the Company.
(k) The Company maintains insurance with insurers of recognized financial
responsibility of the types and in the amounts generally deemed adequate for its
business and consistent with insurance coverage maintained by similar companies
in similar businesses, including insurance covering real and personal property
owned or leased by the Company against theft, damage, destruction, acts of
vandalism and all other risks customarily insured against, all of which
insurance is in full force and effect; the Company has not been refused any
insurance coverage sought or applied for; and the Company does not have any
reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance
coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from
similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that
would not materially and adversely affect the condition (financial or
otherwise), earnings, operations, business or business prospects of the Company.
(l) To the best of Company's knowledge, no labor disturbance by the
employees of the Company exists or is imminent; and the Company is not aware of
any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its
licensors or its significant customers that might be expected to result in a
material adverse change in the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings,
operations, business or business prospects of the Company. No collective
bargaining agreement exists with any of the Company's employees and, to the best
of the Company's knowledge, no such agreement is imminent.
(m) The Company owns or possesses adequate rights to use all patents,
patent rights, inventions, trade secrets, know-how, trademarks, service marks,
trade names and copyrights that are necessary to conduct its businesses as
described in the Registration Statement and Prospectus; the expiration of any
patents, patent rights, trade secrets, trademarks, service marks, trade names or
copyrights would not have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial
or otherwise), earnings, operations, business or business prospects of the
Company; the Company has not received any notice of, and has no knowledge of,
any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of the Company by others
with respect to any patent, patent rights, inventions, trade secrets, know-how,
trademarks, service marks, trade names or copyrights; and the Company has not
received any notice of, and has no knowledge of, any infringement of or conflict
with asserted rights of others with respect to any patent, patent rights,
inventions, trade secrets, know-how, trademarks, service marks, trade names or
copyrights that, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable
decision, ruling or finding, might have a material adverse effect on the
condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, operations, business or business
prospects of the Company.
(n) The Common Stock has been approved for quotation on the Nasdaq National
Market, subject to official notice of issuance.
(o) The Company has been advised concerning the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, and has in the past
conducted, and intends in the future to conduct, its affairs in such a manner as
to ensure that it will not become an "investment company" within the meaning of
the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations
thereunder.
(p) The Company has not distributed and will not distribute prior to the
later of (i) the Closing Date, or any date on which Option Shares are to be
purchased, as the case may be, and (ii) completion of the distribution of the
Shares, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the
Shares other than any Preliminary Prospectuses, the Prospectus, the Registration
Statement and other materials, if any, permitted by the Act.
(q) The Company has not at any time during the last five years (i) made any
unlawful contribution to any candidate for foreign office or failed to disclose
fully any contribution in violation of law or (ii) made any payment to any
federal or state governmental officer or official, or other person charged with
similar public or quasi-public duties, other than payments required or permitted
by the laws of the United States or any jurisdiction thereof.
(r) The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly,
any action designed to or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result
in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Common Stock to facilitate
the sale or resale of the Shares.
(s) Each officer, director and director-nominee of the Company and each
record owner of shares of Common Stock named in Schedule C hereto has agreed in
writing that such person will not, for a period of 180 days after the date of
the Prospectus (the "Lock-Up Period"), offer to sell, contract to sell, or
otherwise sell, dispose of, loan, pledge or grant any rights with respect to
(collectively, a "Disposition") any shares of Common Stock, any options or
warrants to purchase any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible
into or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock (collectively, "Securities") now
owned or hereafter acquired directly by such person or with respect to which
such person has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition, otherwise than
(i) as a bona fide gift or a distribution to limited partners, members or
partners or shareholders of such person, provided that the donees or
distributees thereof (as the case may be) agree in writing to be bound by the
terms of this restriction or (ii) with the prior written consent of BancBoston
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc. The foregoing restriction has been expressly agreed to
preclude the holder of the Securities from engaging in any hedging or other
transaction which is designed to or reasonably expected to lead to or result in
a Disposition of Securities during the Lock-Up Period, even if such Securities
would be disposed of by someone other than such holder. Such prohibited hedging
or other transactions would include any short sale (whether or not against the
box) or any purchase, sale or grant of any right (including any put or call
option) with respect to any Securities or with respect to any security (other
than a broad-based market basket or index) that includes, relates to or derives
any significant part of its value from the Securities. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, this restriction shall not prohibit (i) the sale of Option Shares to
the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) resales of shares of Common
Stock acquired either in the public offering to which the Registration Statement
relates or in subsequent open-market purchases. Furthermore, such person also
has agreed and consented to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the
Company's transfer agent against the transfer of the Securities held by such
person except in compliance with this restriction. The Company has provided to
Xxxxx, Xxxx & Xxxxx LLP, counsel for the several Underwriters ("Underwriters'
Counsel"), a complete and accurate list of all securityholders of the Company
and the number and type of securities held by each securityholder. The Company
has provided to Underwriters' Counsel true, accurate and complete copies of all
of the agreements pursuant to which its officers, directors and stockholders
have agreed to such or similar restrictions (the "Lock-Up Agreements") presently
in effect or effected hereby. The Company hereby represents and warrants that it
will not release any of its officers, directors or other stockholders from any
Lock-Up Agreements currently existing or hereafter effected without the prior
written consent of BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc.
(t) Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, (i)
the Company is in compliance with all rules, laws and regulations relating to
the use, treatment, storage and disposal of toxic substances and protection of
health or the environment ("Environmental Laws") that are applicable to its
business, (ii) the Company has received no notice from any governmental
authority or third party of an asserted claim under Environmental Laws, which
claim is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, (iii) the Company will not be required to make future material
capital expenditures to comply with Environmental Laws and (iv) no property that
is owned, leased or occupied by the Company has been designated as a Superfund
site pursuant to the Comprehensive Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of
1980, as amended (42 U.S.C. ss 9601, et seq.), or has been otherwise designated
as a contaminated site under applicable state or local law.
(u) The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls
sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed
in accordance with management's general or specific authorizations, (ii)
transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial
statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to
maintain accountability for assets, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in
accordance with management's general or specific authorization and (iv) the
recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at
reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any
differences.
(v) There are no outstanding loans, advances (except normal advances for
business expenses in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees of
indebtedness by the Company to or for the benefit of any of the officers or
directors of the Company or any of the members of the families of any of them,
except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(w) The Company has complied with all provisions of Section 517.075,
Florida Statutes relating to doing business with the Government of Cuba or with
any person or affiliate located in Cuba.
(x) There are no issues related to the Company's preparedness for the Year
2000 that (i) are of a character required to be described or referred to in the
Registration Statement or Prospectus by the Act that have not been accurately
described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or (ii) reasonably might
be expected to result in any material adverse change, or any development that
could reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse change, in the
condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, operations, business or business
prospects, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of
business, of the Company or to affect materially its properties, assets or
rights. All internal computer systems and each of the Constituent Components (as
defined below) of those systems (i) have been reviewed to confirm that they
store, process (including sorting and performing mathematical operations,
calculations and computations), input and output data containing date and
information correctly regardless of whether the date contains dates and times
before, on or after January 1, 2000, (ii) have been designated to ensure date
and time entry recognition and calculations, and date data interface values that
reflect the century, (iii) accurately manage and manipulate data involving dates
and times, including single century formulas and multi-century formulas, and
will not cause an abnormal ending scenario within the application or generate
incorrect values or invalid results involving such dates, (iv) accurately
process any date rollover, and (v) accept and respond to two-digit year date
input in a manner that resolves any ambiguities as to the century. "Constituent
Components" means all software (including operating systems, programs, packages
and utilities), firmware, hardware, networking components and peripherals
provided as part of the configuration. The Company has inquired of material
vendors as to their preparedness for the Year 2000 and has disclosed in the
Registration Statement or Prospectus any issues that might reasonably be
expected to result in any material adverse change, or any development that could
reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse change, in the condition
(financial or otherwise), earnings, operations, business or business prospects,
whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, of
the Company or to affect materially the properties, assets or rights of the
Company.
II. Each Selling Stockholder, severally and not jointly, represents and
warrants to and agrees with each Underwriter and the Company that:
(a) Such Selling Stockholder now has, and on any later date on which Option
Shares are purchased, will have valid marketable title to the Option Shares to
be sold by such Selling Stockholder, free and clear of any pledge, lien,
security interest, encumbrance, claim or equitable interest other than pursuant
to this Agreement; and upon delivery of such Option Shares hereunder and payment
of the purchase price as herein contemplated, each of the Underwriters will
obtain valid marketable title to the Option Shares purchased by it from such
Selling Stockholder, free and clear of any pledge, lien, security interest
pertaining to such Selling Stockholder or such Selling Stockholder's property,
encumbrance, claim or equitable interest, including any liability for estate or
inheritance taxes, or any liability to or claims of any creditor, devisee,
legatee or beneficiary of such Selling Stockholder.
(b) Such Selling Stockholder has duly authorized, executed and delivered,
in the form heretofore furnished to the Representatives, an irrevocable Power of
Attorney (the "Power of Attorney") appointing Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx and Xxxxxx X.
Xxxxxx as attorneys-in-fact (collectively, the "Attorneys" and individually, an
"Attorney") and a Letter of Transmittal and Custody Agreement (the "Custody
Agreement") with the Company, as custodian (the "Custodian"); each of the Power
of Attorney and the Custody Agreement constitutes a valid and binding agreement
on the part of such Selling Stockholder, enforceable in accordance with its
terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws
relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally or by general equitable
principles; and each of such Selling Stockholder's Attorneys, acting alone, is
authorized to execute and deliver this Agreement and the certificate referred to
in Section 6(h) hereof on behalf of such Selling Stockholder, to determine the
purchase price to be paid by the several Underwriters to such Selling
Stockholder as provided in Section 3 hereof, to authorize the delivery of the
Option Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder under this Agreement and to
duly endorse (in blank or otherwise) the certificate or certificates
representing such Option Shares or a stock power or powers with respect thereto,
to accept payment therefor, and otherwise to act on behalf of such Selling
Stockholder in connection with this Agreement.
(c) All consents, approvals, authorizations and orders required for the
execution and delivery by such Selling Stockholder of the Power of Attorney and
the Custody Agreement, the execution and delivery by or on behalf of such
Selling Stockholder of this Agreement and the sale and delivery of the Option
Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder under this Agreement (other than,
at the time of the execution hereof (if the Registration Statement has not yet
been declared effective by the Commission), the issuance of the order of the
Commission declaring the Registration Statement effective and such consents,
approvals, authorizations or orders as may be necessary under state or other
securities or Blue Sky laws) have been obtained and are in full force and
effect; and such Selling Stockholder has full legal right to enter into and
perform its obligations under this Agreement and such Power of Attorney and
Custody Agreement, and to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the Shares to be
sold by such Selling Stockholder under this Agreement.
(d) Such Selling Stockholder will not, during the Lock-Up Period, effect
the Disposition of any Securities now owned or hereafter acquired directly by
such Selling Stockholder or with respect to which such Selling Stockholder has
or hereafter acquires the power of disposition, otherwise than (i) as a bona
fide gift, provided that the donees thereof agree in writing to be bound by this
restriction, or (ii) with the prior written consent of BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx Inc. The foregoing restriction is expressly agreed to preclude the
holder of the Securities from engaging in any hedging or other transaction which
is designed to or reasonably expected to lead to or result in a Disposition of
Securities during the Lock-Up Period, even if such Securities would be disposed
of by someone other than the Selling Stockholder. Such prohibited hedging or
other transactions would include any short sale (whether or not against the box)
or any purchase, sale or grant of any right (including any put or call option)
with respect to any Securities or with respect to any security (other than a
broad-based market basket or index) that includes, relates to or derives any
significant part of its value from the Securities. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, this restriction shall not prohibit (i) the sale of Option Shares to
the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) resales of shares of Common
Stock acquired either in the public offering to which the Registration Statement
relates or in subsequent open-market purchases. Such Selling Stockholder also
agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the
Company's transfer agent against the transfer of Securities held by such Selling
Stockholder except in compliance with this restriction.
(e) Certificates in negotiable form for all Option Shares to be sold by
such Selling Stockholder under this Agreement, together with a stock power or
powers duly endorsed in blank by such Selling Stockholder, have been placed in
custody with the Custodian for the purpose of effecting delivery hereunder.
(f) This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by or on behalf of
such Selling Stockholder and is a valid and binding agreement of such Selling
Stockholder, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as rights to
indemnification hereunder may be limited by applicable law or public policy and
except as the enforcement hereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting
creditors' rights generally or by general equitable principles; and the
performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein
contemplated will not result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and
provisions of or constitute a default under any bond, debenture, note or other
evidence of indebtedness, or under any lease, contract, indenture, mortgage,
deed of trust, loan agreement, joint venture or other agreement or instrument to
which such Selling Stockholder is a party or by which such Selling Stockholder,
or any Option Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder, may be
bound or, to the best of such Selling Stockholder's knowledge, result in any
violation of any law, order, rule, regulation, writ, injunction, judgment or
decree of any court, government or governmental agency or body, domestic or
foreign, having jurisdiction over such Selling Stockholder or over the
properties of such Selling Stockholder.
(g) Such Selling Stockholder has not taken and will not take, directly or
indirectly, any action designed to or that might reasonably be expected to cause
or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Common Stock to
facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.
(h) Such Selling Stockholder has not distributed and will not distribute
any prospectus or other offering material in connection with the offering and
sale of the Shares.
(i) All information furnished by or on behalf of such Selling Stockholder
relating to such Selling Stockholder and the Option Shares that is contained in
the representations and warranties of such Selling Stockholder in such Selling
Stockholder's Power of Attorney or set forth in the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus is, and at the time the Registration Statement became or becomes,
as the case may be, effective and at all times subsequent thereto up to and on
any date on which Option Shares are to be purchased, was or will be, true,
correct and complete, and does not, and at the time the Registration Statement
became or becomes, as the case may be, effective and at all times subsequent
thereto up to and on any date on which Option Shares are to be purchased, 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 such information not
misleading.
(j) Such Selling Stockholder will review the Prospectus and will comply
with all agreements and satisfy all conditions on its part to be complied with
or satisfied pursuant to this Agreement on or prior to any date on which Option
Shares are to be purchased and will advise one of its Attorneys and BancBoston
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc. prior to such date on which Option Shares are to be
purchased if any statement to be made on behalf of such Selling Stockholder in
the certificate contemplated by Section 6(h) would be inaccurate if made as of
such date on which Option Shares are to be purchased.
(k) Such Selling Stockholder does not have, or has waived prior to the date
hereof, any preemptive right, co-sale right or right of first refusal or other
similar right to purchase any of the Shares that are to be sold by the Company
or the other Selling Stockholder to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement;
such Selling Stockholder does not have, or has waived prior to the date hereof,
any registration right or other similar right to participate in the offering
made by the Prospectus, other than such rights of participation as have been
satisfied by the participation of such Selling Stockholder in the transactions
to which this Agreement relates in accordance with the terms of this Agreement;
and such Selling Stockholder does not own any warrants, options or similar
rights to acquire, and does not have any right or arrangement to acquire, any
capital stock, rights, warrants, options or other securities from the Company,
other than those described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(l) Such Selling Stockholder hereby confirms the truth and accuracy of each
of the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in Section 2.I.
above, as if such representations and warranties were set forth in this Section
2.II.
This Section 2.II shall not be of any force or effect if the Representatives do
not exercise, in whole or in part, the option provided for in Section 7(a)
hereof,
3. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of Shares. On the basis of the
representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject to the
terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell the Firm
Shares to the Underwriters, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not
jointly, to purchase the Firm Shares from the Company at a purchase price of
$ per share. The obligation of each Underwriter to the Company
shall be to purchase from the Company that number of Firm Shares that (as
nearly as practicable, as determined by you) is in the same proportion to the
total number of Firm Shares to be purchased by all the Underwriters under this
Agreement as the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such
Underwriter in Schedule A hereto (subject to adjustment as provided in
Section 10) is to the total number of Firm Shares to be purchased by all the
Underwriters under this Agreement.
Delivery of definitive certificates for the Firm Shares to be purchased by
the Underwriters pursuant to this Section 3 shall be made against payment of the
purchase price therefor by the several Underwriters by certified or official
bank check or checks drawn in or by wire transfer of same-day funds, payable to
the order of the Company at the offices of XxXxxxx Xxxx, A Professional
Corporation, 000 Xxxx Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx (or at such other place as
may be agreed upon among the Representatives and the Company), at 7 A.M., San
Francisco time, (a) on the third full business day following the first day that
Shares are traded, (b) if this Agreement is executed and delivered after 1:30
P.M., San Francisco time, the fourth full business day following the day that
this Agreement is executed and delivered or (c) at such other time and date not
later than seven full business days following the first day that Shares are
traded as the Representatives and the Company may determine (or at such time and
date to which payment and delivery shall have been postponed pursuant to Section
10 hereof), such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called the
"Closing Date"; provided, however, that if the Company has not made available to
the Representatives copies of the Prospectus within the time provided in Section
4(d) hereof, the Representatives may, in their sole discretion, postpone the
Closing Date until no later than two full business days following delivery of
copies of the Prospectus to the Representatives. The certificates for the Firm
Shares to be so delivered will be made available to you at such office or such
other location, including in New York City, as you may reasonably request for
checking at least one full business day prior to the Closing Date and will be in
such names and denominations as you may request, such request to be made at
least two full business days prior to the Closing Date. If the Representatives
so elect, delivery of the Firm Shares may be made by credit through full fast
transfer to the accounts at The Depository Trust Company designated by the
Representatives.
It is understood that you, individually, and not as the Representatives
of the several Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of
the purchase price on behalf of any Underwriter or Underwriters whose check or
checks shall not have been received by you prior to the Closing Date for the
Firm Shares to be purchased by such Underwriter or Underwriters. Any such
payment by you shall not relieve any such Underwriter or Underwriters of any of
its or their obligations hereunder.
After the Registration Statement becomes effective, the several
Underwriters intend to make an initial public offering (as such term is
described in Section 11 hereof) of the Firm Shares at an initial public offering
price of $ per share. After the initial public offering, the several
Underwriters may, in their discretion, vary the public offering price.
The information set forth in the second, seventh, eighth and eleventh
paragraphs and the last sentence of the fourth paragraph under the caption
"Underwriting" in any Preliminary Prospectus and in the Prospectus constitutes
the only information furnished by the Underwriters to the Company for inclusion
in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or the Registration Statement, and
you, on behalf of the respective Underwriters, represent and warrant to the
Company and the Selling Stockholders that the statements made therein do not
include 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, in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
4. Further Agreements of the Company. The Company agrees with the several
Underwriters that:
(a) The Company will use its best efforts to cause the Registration
Statement and any amendment thereof, if not effective at the time and date
that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto, to
become effective as promptly as possible; the Company will use its best
efforts to cause any abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule
462(b) of the Rules and Regulations as may be required subsequent to the
date the Registration Statement is declared effective to become effective
as promptly as possible; the Company will notify you, promptly after it
shall receive notice thereof, of the time when the Registration Statement,
any subsequent amendment to the Registration Statement or any abbreviated
registration statement has become effective or any supplement to the
Prospectus has been filed; if the Company omitted information from the
Registration Statement at the time it was originally declared effective in
reliance upon Rule 430A(a) of the Rules and Regulations, the Company will
provide evidence satisfactory to you that the Prospectus contains such
information and has been filed, within the time period prescribed, with the
Commission pursuant to subparagraph (1) or (4) of Rule 424(b) of the Rules
and Regulations or as part of a post-effective amendment to such
Registration Statement as originally declared effective that is declared
effective by the Commission; if the Company files a term sheet pursuant to
Rule 434 of the Rules and Regulations, the Company will provide evidence
satisfactory to you that the Prospectus and term sheet meeting the
requirements of Rule 434(b) or (c), as applicable, of the Rules and
Regulations, have been filed, within the time period prescribed, with the
Commission pursuant to subparagraph (7) of Rule 424(b) of the Rules and
Regulations; if for any reason the filing of the final form of Prospectus
is required under Rule 424(b)(3) of the Rules and Regulations, it will
provide evidence satisfactory to you that the Prospectus contains such
information and has been filed with the Commission within the time period
prescribed; it will notify you promptly of any request by the Commission
for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus or for additional information; promptly upon your request, it
will prepare and file with the Commission any amendments or supplements to
the Registration Statement or Prospectus that, in the reasonable opinion of
Underwriters' Counsel, may be necessary or advisable in connection with the
distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters; it will promptly prepare
and file with the Commission, and promptly notify you of the filing of, any
amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that
may be necessary to correct any statements or omissions, if, at any time
when a prospectus relating to the Shares is required to be delivered under
the Act, any event shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus
or any other prospectus relating to the Shares as then in effect would
include 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; in case any
Underwriter is required to deliver a prospectus nine months or more after
the effective date of the Registration Statement in connection with the
sale of the Shares, it will prepare promptly upon request, but at the
expense of such Underwriter, such amendment or amendments to the
Registration Statement and such prospectus or prospectuses as may be
necessary to permit compliance with the requirements of Section 10(a)(3) of
the Act; and it will file no amendment or supplement to the Registration
Statement or Prospectus that shall not previously have been submitted to
you a reasonable time prior to the proposed filing thereof or to which you
shall reasonably object in writing, subject, however, to compliance with
the Act and the Rules and Regulations and the provisions of this Agreement.
(b) The Company will advise you, promptly after it shall receive notice
or obtain knowledge, of the issuance of any stop order by the Commission
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of the
initiation or threat of any proceeding for that purpose; and it will
promptly use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or
to obtain its withdrawal at the earliest possible moment if such stop order
should be issued.
(c) The Company will use its best efforts to qualify the Shares for
offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as you
may designate and to continue such qualifications in effect for so long as
may be required for purposes of the distribution of the Shares, except that
the Company shall not be required in connection therewith or as a condition
thereof to qualify as a foreign corporation or to execute a general consent
to service of process in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise
required to be so qualified or to so execute a general consent to service
of process. In each jurisdiction in which the Shares shall have been
qualified as above provided, the Company will make and file such statements
and reports in each year as are or may be required by the laws of such
jurisdiction.
(d) The Company will furnish to you, as soon as available, and, in the
case of the Prospectus and any term sheet or abbreviated term sheet under
Rule 434, in no event later than the first full business day following the
first day that Shares are traded, copies of the Registration Statement
(three of which will be signed and which will include all exhibits), each
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements to
such documents, including any prospectus prepared to permit compliance with
Section 10(a)(3) of the Act, all in such quantities as you may from time to
time reasonably request. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if BancBoston
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc., on behalf of the several Underwriters, shall agree
to the utilization of Rule 434 of the Rules and Regulations, the Company
shall provide to you copies of a Preliminary Prospectus updated in all
respects through the date specified by you in such quantities as you may
from time to time reasonably request.
(e) The Company will make generally available to its securityholders as
soon as practicable, but in any event not later than the forty-fifth day
following the end of the fiscal quarter first occurring after the first
anniversary of the effective date of the Registration Statement, an
earnings statement (which will be in reasonable detail but need not be
audited) complying with the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and
covering a twelve-month period beginning after the effective date of the
Registration Statement.
(f) During a period of five years after the date hereof, the Company
will furnish to its stockholders as soon as practicable after the end of
each respective period, annual reports (including financial statements
audited by independent certified public accountants) and unaudited
quarterly reports of operations for each of the first three quarters of the
fiscal year, and will furnish to you and the other several Underwriters
hereunder, upon request (i) concurrently with furnishing such reports to
its stockholders, statements of operations of the Company for each of the
first three quarters in the form furnished to the Company's stockholders,
(ii) concurrently with furnishing to its stockholders, a balance sheet of
the Company as of the end of such fiscal year, together with statements of
operations, of stockholders' equity, and of cash flows of the Company for
such fiscal year, accompanied by a copy of the certificate or report
thereon of independent certified public accountants, (iii) as soon as they
are available, copies of all reports (financial or other) mailed to
stockholders, (iv) as soon as they are available, copies of all reports and
financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission, any
securities exchange or the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
(the "NASD"), (v) every material press release and every material news item
or article in respect of the Company or its affairs that was delivered to
stockholders in their capacities as stockholders of the Company, and (vi)
any additional information of a public nature concerning the Company, or
its business that you may reasonably request. During such five-year period,
if the Company shall have any active subsidiaries, the foregoing financial
statements shall be on a consolidated basis to the extent that the accounts
of the Company and such subsidiaries are consolidated and shall be
accompanied by similar financial statements for any significant subsidiary
that is not so consolidated.
(g) The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares
being sold by it in the manner set forth under the caption "Use of
Proceeds" in the Prospectus.
(h) The Company will maintain a transfer agent and, if necessary under
the jurisdiction of incorporation of the Company, a registrar (which may be
the same entity as the transfer agent) for its Common Stock.
(i) If the transactions contemplated hereby are not consummated by
reason of any failure, refusal or inability on the part of the Company or
either Selling Stockholder to perform any agreement on their respective
parts to be performed hereunder or to fulfill any condition of the
Underwriters' obligations hereunder, or if the Company shall terminate this
Agreement pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, or if the Underwriters shall
terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 11(b)(i), the Company will
reimburse the several Underwriters for all out-of-pocket expenses
(including fees and disbursements of Underwriters' Counsel) reasonably
incurred by the Underwriters in investigating or preparing to market or
marketing the Shares.
(j) If at any time during the ninety-day period after the Registration
Statement becomes effective, any rumor, publication or event relating to or
affecting the Company shall occur as a result of which in your opinion the
market price of the Common Stock has been or is likely to be materially
affected (regardless of whether such rumor, publication or event
necessitates a supplement to or amendment of the Prospectus), the Company
will, after written notice from you advising the Company to the effect set
forth above, forthwith prepare, consult with you concerning the substance
of and disseminate a press release or other public statement, reasonably
satisfactory to you, responding to or commenting on such rumor, publication
or event.
(k) During the Lock-Up Period, the Company will not, without the prior
written consent of BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc., effect the
Disposition of, directly or indirectly, any Securities other than the sale
of the Firm Shares hereunder and the Company's issuance of options or
Common Stock under the Company's presently authorized 1997 Stock Incentive
Plan.
(l) During a period of ninety days from the date of the Prospectus, the
Company will not file a registration statement registering shares under the
Company's presently authorized 1997 Stock Incentive Plan or any other
benefit plan.
(m) The Company (i) shall obtain directors' and officers' liability
insurance in the minimum amount of $10,000,000 that shall apply to the
offering contemplated hereby and (ii) shall cause the Representatives to be
added as additional insureds to such policy in respect of the offering
contemplated hereby.
5. Expenses.
(a) The Company and the Selling Stockholders agree with each
Underwriter that:
(i) The Company will pay and bear all costs and expenses in
connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the
Registration Statement (including financial statements, schedules and
exhibits), Preliminary Prospectuses and the Prospectus and any
amendments or supplements thereto; the issuance and delivery of the
Shares hereunder to the several Underwriters, including transfer taxes,
if any, the cost of all certificates representing the Shares, and
transfer agents' and registrars' fees; the fees and disbursements of
counsel for the Company; all fees and other charges of the Company's
independent certified public accountants; the cost of furnishing to the
several Underwriters copies of the Registration Statement (including
appropriate exhibits), Preliminary Prospectuses and the Prospectus and
any amendments or supplements to any of the foregoing; NASD filing fees
and the cost of qualifying the Shares under the laws of such
jurisdictions as you may designate (including filing fees and fees and
disbursements of Underwriters' Counsel in connection with such NASD
filings and Blue Sky qualifications); and all other expenses directly
incurred by the Company and the Selling Stockholders in connection with
the performance of their obligations hereunder. Any additional expenses
incurred as a result of the sale of the Shares by the Selling
Stockholders will be borne collectively by the Company and the Selling
Stockholders. The provisions of this Section 5(a)(i) are intended to
relieve the Underwriters from the payment of the expenses and costs
that the Company and the Selling Stockholders hereby agree to pay, but
shall not affect any agreement that the Company and the Selling
Stockholders may make, or may have made, for the sharing of any of such
expenses and costs. Such agreements shall not impair the obligations of
the Company and the Selling Stockholders hereunder to the several
Underwriters.
(ii) In addition to its other obligations under Section 8(a)
hereof, the Company agrees that, as an interim measure during the
pendency of any claim, action, investigation, inquiry or other
proceeding described in Section 8(a) hereof, it will reimburse the
Underwriters on a monthly basis for all reasonable legal or other
expenses incurred in connection with investigating or defending any
such claim, action, investigation, inquiry or other proceeding,
notwithstanding the absence of a judicial determination as to the
propriety and enforceability of the Company's obligation to reimburse
the Underwriters for such expenses and the possibility that such
payments might later be held to have been improper by a court of
competent jurisdiction. To the extent that any such interim
reimbursement payment is so held to have been improper, the
Underwriters shall promptly return such payment to the Company together
with interest, compounded daily, determined on the basis of the prime
rate (or other commercial lending rate for borrowers of the highest
credit standing) listed from time to time in The Wall Street Journal
that represents the base rate on corporate loans posted by a
substantial majority of the nation's thirty largest banks (the "Prime
Rate"). Any such interim reimbursement payments that are not made to
the Underwriters within thirty days of a request for reimbursement
shall bear interest at the Prime Rate from the date of such request.
(iii) In addition to his other obligations under Section 8(b)
hereof, each Selling Stockholder agrees that, as an interim measure
during the pendency of any claim, action, investigation, inquiry or
other proceeding described in Section 8(b) hereof relating to such
Selling Stockholder, it will reimburse the Underwriters on a monthly
basis for all reasonable legal or other expenses incurred in connection
with investigating or defending any such claim, action, investigation,
inquiry or other proceeding, notwithstanding the absence of a judicial
determination as to the propriety and enforceability of such Selling
Stockholder's obligation to reimburse the Underwriters for such
expenses and the possibility that such payments might later be held to
have been improper by a court of competent jurisdiction, provided, that
if such claim, action, investigation or other proceeding is within the
purview of Section 8(a) hereof, the Underwriters shall first demand
interim reimbursement from the Company pursuant to Section 5(a)(ii)
hereof and shall have failed to be so reimbursed in full within fifteen
days of such demand prior to invoking their rights against such Selling
Stockholder pursuant to this Section 5(a)(iii). To the extent that any
such interim reimbursement payment is so held to have been improper,
the Underwriters shall promptly return such payment to the Selling
Stockholders, together with interest, compounded daily, determined on
the basis of the Prime Rate. Any such interim reimbursement payments
that are not made to the Underwriters within thirty days of a request
for reimbursement shall bear interest at the Prime Rate from the date
of such request.
(b) In addition to their other obligations under Section 8(c) hereof,
the Underwriters severally and not jointly agree that, as an interim
measure during the pendency of any claim, action, investigation, inquiry or
other proceeding described in Section 8(c) hereof, they will reimburse the
Company and each Selling Stockholder on a monthly basis for all reasonable
legal or other expenses incurred in connection with investigating or
defending any such claim, action, investigation, inquiry or other
proceeding, notwithstanding the absence of a judicial determination as to
the propriety and enforceability of the Underwriters' obligation to
reimburse the Company and each such Selling Stockholder for such expenses
and the possibility that such payments might later be held to have been
improper by a court of competent jurisdiction. To the extent that any such
interim reimbursement payment is so held to have been improper, the Company
and each such Selling Stockholder shall promptly return such payment to the
Underwriters together with interest, compounded daily, determined on the
basis of the Prime Rate. Any such interim reimbursement payments that are
not made to the Company and each such Selling Stockholder within thirty
days of a request for reimbursement shall bear interest at the Prime Rate
from the date of such request.
(c) It is agreed that any controversy arising out of the operation of
the interim reimbursement arrangements set forth in Sections 5(a)(ii),
5(a)(iii) and 5(b) hereof, including the amounts of any requested
reimbursement payments, the method of determining such amounts and the
basis on which such amounts shall be apportioned among the reimbursing
parties, shall be settled by arbitration conducted under the provisions of
the Constitution and Rules of the Board of Governors of the New York Stock
Exchange, Inc. or pursuant to the Code of Arbitration Procedure of the
NASD. Any such arbitration must be commenced by service of a written demand
for arbitration or a written notice of intention to arbitrate, therein
electing the arbitration tribunal. In the event the party demanding
arbitration does not make such designation of an arbitration tribunal in
such demand or notice, then the party responding to said demand or notice
is authorized to do so. Any such arbitration will be limited to the
operation of the interim reimbursement provisions contained in Sections
5(a)(ii), 5(a)(iii) and 5(b) hereof and will not resolve the ultimate
propriety or enforceability of the obligation to indemnify for expenses
that is created by the provisions of Sections 8(a), 8(b) and 8(c) hereof or
the obligation to contribute to expenses that is created by the provisions
of Section 8(e) hereof.
6. Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations. The obligations of the several
Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Shares as provided herein shall be
subject to the accuracy, as of the date hereof and the Closing Date and any
later date on which Option Shares are to be purchased, as the case may be, of
the representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling Stockholders
herein, to the performance by the Company and the Selling Stockholders of their
respective obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) The Registration Statement shall have become effective not later
than 2 P.M., San Francisco time, on the date following the date of this
Agreement, or such later date as shall be consented to in writing by you;
and no stop order suspending the effectiveness thereof shall have been
issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been initiated or, to
the knowledge of the Company, either Selling Stockholder or any
Underwriter, threatened by the Commission, and any request of the
Commission for additional information (to be included in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus or otherwise) shall have been complied with to
the reasonable satisfaction of Underwriters' Counsel.
(b) All corporate proceedings and other legal matters in connection
with this Agreement, the form of Registration Statement and the Prospectus,
and the registration, authorization, issue, sale and delivery of the
Shares, shall have been reasonably satisfactory to Underwriters' Counsel,
and Underwriters' Counsel shall have been furnished with such papers and
information as they may reasonably have requested to enable them to pass
upon the matters referred to in this Section.
(c) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and
prior to the Closing Date, or any later date on which Option Shares are to
be purchased, as the case may be, there shall not have been any change in
the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, operations, business or
business prospects of the Company from that set forth in the Registration
Statement or Prospectus that, in your reasonable judgment, is material and
adverse and that makes it, in your reasonable judgment, impracticable or
inadvisable to proceed with the public offering of the Shares as
contemplated by the Prospectus.
(d) You shall have received on the Closing Date and on any later date on
which Option Shares are to be purchased, as the case may be, the following
opinion of XxXxxxx Xxxx, A Professional Corporation, counsel for the Company
and the Selling Stockholders, dated the Closing Date or such later date on
which Option Shares are to be purchased, addressed to the Underwriters and
with reproduced copies or signed counterparts thereof for each of the
Underwriters, to the effect that:
(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing
as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the Commonwealth of
Virginia.
(ii) The Company has the corporate power and authority to own, lease
and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in
the Prospectus.
(iii) The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the
Company is as set forth in the Prospectus under the caption
"Capitalization" as of the dates stated therein. The issued and
outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company (including the Option
Shares) have been duly and validly issued and are fully paid and
nonassessable and, to such counsel's knowledge, have not been issued in
violation of or subject to any preemptive right, co-sale right,
registration right, right of first refusal or other similar right.
(iv) The Firm Shares have been duly authorized and, upon issuance
and delivery against payment therefor in accordance with the terms
hereof, will be duly and validly issued and fully paid and
nonassessable, and will not have been issued in violation of or subject
to any preemptive right, co-sale right, registration right, right of
first refusal or other similar right.
(v) The Company has the corporate power and authority to enter into
this Agreement and to issue, sell and deliver the Firm Shares to the
Underwriters.
(vi) This Agreement has been duly authorized by all necessary
corporate action on the part of the Company and has been duly executed
and delivered by the Company and, assuming due authorization, execution
and delivery by you, is a valid and binding agreement of the Company,
enforceable in accordance with its terms, except insofar as
indemnification provisions may be limited by applicable law and except
as enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium or similar laws relating to or affecting
creditors' rights generally or by general equitable principles.
(vii) The Registration Statement has become effective under the Act,
and to such counsel's knowledge, no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no
proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or
threatened under the Act.
(viii) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and each
amendment or supplement thereto (other than the financial statements,
including supporting schedules, and financial data derived therefrom, as
to which such counsel need express no opinion), as of the effective date
of the Registration Statement, complied as to form in all material
respects with the requirements of the Act and the applicable Rules and
Regulations.
(ix) The information in the Prospectus under the caption
"Description of Capital Stock," to the extent that it constitutes
matters of law or legal conclusions, has been reviewed by such counsel
and is a fair summary of such matters and conclusions; and the forms of
certificates evidencing the Common Stock and filed as exhibits to the
Registration Statement comply with the corporation law of the
Commonwealth of Virginia.
(x) The description in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus
of the articles of incorporation and bylaws of the Company and of
statutes are accurate and fairly present the information required to be
presented by the Act and the applicable Rules and Regulations.
(xi) To such counsel's knowledge, there are no agreements,
contracts, leases or documents to which the Company is a party of a
character required to be described or referred to in the Registration
Statement or Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement that are not described or referred to therein or filed as
required.
(xii) The performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions herein contemplated (other than performance of the
Company's indemnification obligations hereunder, concerning which no
opinion need be expressed) will not (a) result in any violation of the
Company's articles of incorporation or bylaws or (b) to such counsel's
knowledge, result in a material breach or violation of any of the terms
and provisions of, or constitute a default under, (1) any bond,
debenture, note or other evidence of indebtedness, or any lease,
contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, joint
venture or other agreement or instrument known to such counsel to which
the Company is a party or by which its properties are bound, (2) any
applicable statute, rule or regulation known to such counsel or (3) any
order, writ or decree known to such counsel of any court, government or
governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any
of its properties or operations.
(xiii) No consent, approval, authorization or order of or
qualification with any court, government or governmental agency or body
having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties or
operations is necessary in connection with the consummation by the
Company of the transactions herein contemplated, except such as have
been obtained under the Act or such as may be required under state or
other securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and
the distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters.
(xiv) To such counsel's knowledge, there are no legal or
governmental proceedings pending or threatened against the Company of a
character required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus by the Act or the Rules and Regulations, other than those
described therein.
(xv) To such counsel's knowledge, the Company is not presently (a)
in material violation of its articles of incorporation or bylaws or (b)
in material breach of any applicable statute, rule or regulation known
to such counsel or, to such counsel's knowledge, any order, writ or
decree of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction
over the Company or any of its properties or operations.
(xvi) To such counsel's knowledge, except as set forth in the
Registration Statement and Prospectus, no holders of Common Stock or
other securities of the Company have registration rights with respect to
securities of the Company and, except as set forth in the Registration
Statement and Prospectus, all holders of securities of the Company
having rights known to such counsel to registration of such shares of
Common Stock or other securities, because of the filing of the
Registration Statement by the Company have, with respect to the offering
contemplated thereby, waived such rights or such rights have expired by
reason of lapse of time following notification of the Company's intent
to file the Registration Statement or have included securities in the
Registration Statement pursuant to the exercise of and in full
satisfaction of such rights.
(xvii) The Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement of each Selling
Stockholder has been duly executed and delivered by or on behalf of such
Selling Stockholder; and the Power of Attorney and Custody Agreement of
each Selling Stockholder constitutes the valid and binding agreement of
such Selling Stockholder, enforceable in accordance with its terms,
except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to
or affecting creditors' rights generally or by general equitable
principles.
(xviii) Each of the Selling Stockholders has full right to enter
into and to perform its obligations under this Agreement and to sell,
transfer, assign and deliver the Option Shares to be sold by such
Selling Stockholder hereunder.
(xix) This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by or on
behalf of each Selling Stockholder.
(xx) Upon the delivery of and payment for the Option Shares as
contemplated in this Agreement, each of the Underwriters will receive
valid marketable title to the Option Shares purchased by it from such
Selling Stockholder, free and clear of any pledge, lien, security
interest, encumbrance, claim or equitable interest. In rendering such
opinion, such counsel may assume that the Underwriters are without
notice of any defect in the title of the Option Shares being purchased
from the Selling Stockholders.
In addition, such counsel shall state that such counsel has
participated in conferences with officials and other representatives of the
Company, the Representatives, Underwriters' Counsel and the independent
certified public accountants of the Company, at which such conferences the
contents of the Registration Statement and Prospectus and related matters
were discussed, and although they have not verified the accuracy or
completeness of the statements contained in the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus, nothing has come to the attention of such counsel that leads
them to believe that, at the time the Registration Statement became
effective and at all times subsequent thereto up to and on the Closing Date
and on any later date on which Option Shares are to be purchased, the
Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto (other than
the financial statements, including supporting schedules, and other
financial and statistical information derived therefrom, as to which such
counsel need express no comment) contained any 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 at
the Closing Date or any later date on which the Option Shares are to be
purchased, as the case may be, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus
and any amendment or supplement thereto (except as aforesaid) contained any
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact
necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading.
Counsel rendering the foregoing opinion may rely as to questions of
law not involving the laws of the United States or the Commonwealth of
Virginia upon opinions of local counsel, and as to questions of fact upon
representations or certificates of officers of the Company, of the Selling
Stockholders, and of government officials, in which case their opinion is to
state that they are so relying and that they have no knowledge of any
material misstatement or inaccuracy in any such opinion, representation or
certificate. Copies of any opinion, representation or certificate so relied
upon shall be delivered to you, as Representatives of the Underwriters, and
to Underwriters' Counsel.
(e) You shall have received on the Closing Date and on any later date on
which Option Shares are to be purchased, as the case may be, an opinion of
Underwriters' Counsel, in form and substance satisfactory to you, with
respect to the sufficiency of all such corporate proceedings and other legal
matters relating to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby
as you may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to
Underwriters' Counsel such documents as they may have requested for the
purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.
(f) You shall have received on the Closing Date and on any later date on
which Option Shares are to be purchased, as the case may be, a letter from
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP addressed to the Underwriters, dated the Closing
Date or such later date on which Option Shares are to be purchased, as the
case may be, confirming that they are independent certified public
accountants with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act and
the applicable published Rules and Regulations and based upon the procedures
described in such letter delivered to you concurrently with the execution of
this Agreement (herein called the "Original Letter"), but carried out to a
date not more than five business days prior to the Closing Date or such
later date on which Option Shares are to be purchased, as the case may be,
(i) confirming, to the extent true, that the statements and conclusions set
forth in the Original Letter are accurate as of the Closing Date or such
later date on which Option Shares are to be purchased, as the case may be,
and (ii) setting forth any revisions and additions to the statements and
conclusions set forth in the Original Letter that are necessary to reflect
any changes in the facts described in the Original Letter since the date of
such letter, or to reflect the availability of more recent financial
statements, data or information. The letter shall not disclose any change in
the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, operations, business or
business prospects of the Company from that set forth in the Registration
Statement or Prospectus that, in your sole judgment, is material and adverse
and that makes it, in your sole judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to
proceed with the public offering of the Shares as contemplated by the
Prospectus. The Original Letter from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP shall be
addressed to or for the use of the Underwriters in form and substance
satisfactory to the Underwriters and shall (i) represent that they are
independent certified public accountants with respect to the Company within
the meaning of the Act and the applicable published Rules and Regulations,
(ii) set forth their opinion with respect to their examination of the
balance sheets of the Company as of December 31, 1997 and 1998 and related
statements of operations, stockholders' equity, and cash flows for the
period from March 13, 1996 (inception) through December 31, 1996 and the
years ended December 31, 1997 and 1998, and (iii) address other matters
agreed upon by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and you. In addition, you shall
have received from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP a letter addressed to the
Company and made available to you for the use of the Underwriters stating
that they had reviewed the Company's system of internal accounting controls
to the extent they deemed necessary in establishing the scope of their
examination of the Company's financial statements as of December 31, 1998;
such letter shall not disclose any weakness in internal controls that
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP deemed to constitute a reportable condition.
(g) You shall have received on the Closing Date and on any later date on
which Option Shares are to be purchased, as the case may be, a certificate
of the Company, dated the Closing Date or such later date on which Option
Shares are to be purchased, as the case may be, signed by the Chief
Executive Officer or the President of the Company and the Chief Financial
Officer of the Company, to the effect that, and you shall be satisfied that:
(i) The representations and warranties of the Company in this
Agreement are true and correct, as if made on and as of the Closing Date
or any later date on which Option Shares are to be purchased, as the
case may be, and the Company has complied with all the agreements and
satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at
or prior to the Closing Date or any later date on which Option Shares
are to be purchased, as the case may be;
(ii) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been
instituted or are pending or threatened under the Act;
(iii) When the Registration Statement became effective and at all
times subsequent thereto up to the delivery of such certificate, the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and any amendments or
supplements thereto, contained all material information required to be
included therein by the Act and the Rules and Regulations and in all
material respects conformed to the requirements of the Act and the Rules
and Regulations, the Registration Statement, and any amendment or
supplement thereto, did not and does not include 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, the
Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto, did not and does
not include 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, and, since
the effective date of the Registration Statement, there has occurred no
event required to be set forth in an amended or supplemented Prospectus
that has not been so set forth; and
(iv) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is
given in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, there has not been
(a) any material adverse change in the condition (financial or
otherwise), earnings, operations, business or business prospects of the
Company, (b) any transaction that is material to the Company, except
transactions entered into in the ordinary course of business, (c) any
material obligation, direct or contingent, incurred by the Company,
except obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business, (d) any
change in the capital stock or outstanding indebtedness of the Company
that is material to the Company (other than exercises, if any, of
options outstanding as disclosed in the Prospectus), (e) any dividend or
distribution of any kind declared, paid or made on the capital stock of
the Company, or (f) any loss or damage (whether or not insured) to the
property of the Company that has been sustained or will have been
sustained and that has a material adverse effect on the condition
(financial or otherwise), earnings, operations, business or business
prospects of the Company.
(h) You shall be satisfied that, and you shall have received a
certificate dated any date on which Option Shares are to be purchased from
the Attorneys for each Selling Stockholder to the effect that, as of such
date on which Option Shares are to be purchased they have not been informed
that:
(i) The representations and warranties made by such Selling
Stockholder herein are not true or correct in any material respect on
such date on which Option Shares are to be purchased; or
(ii) Such Selling Stockholder has not complied with any obligation
or satisfied any condition that is required to be performed or satisfied
on the part of such Selling Stockholder at or prior to such date on
which Option Shares are to be purchased.
(i) The Company shall have obtained and delivered to you an agreement
from each officer, director and director-nominee of the Company and each
record owner of Common Stock (including each Selling Stockholder) in writing
prior to the date hereof that such person will not, during the Lock-Up
Period, effect the Disposition of any Securities now owned or hereafter
acquired directly by such person or with respect to which such person has or
hereafter acquires the power of disposition, otherwise than (i) as a bona
fide gift or a distribution to limited partners, members or shareholders of
such person, provided that the donees or distributees thereof (or as the
case may be) agree in writing to be bound by the terms of this restriction
or (ii) with the prior written consent of BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc.
The foregoing restriction shall have been expressly agreed to preclude the
holder of the Securities from engaging in any hedging or other transaction
which is designed to or reasonably expected to lead to or result in a
Disposition of Securities during the Lock-Up Period, even if such Securities
would be disposed of by someone other than the such holder. Such prohibited
hedging or other transactions would include any short sale (whether or not
against the box) or any purchase, sale or grant of any right (including any
put or call option) with respect to any Securities or with respect to any
security (other than a broad-based market basket or index) that includes,
relates to or derives any significant part of its value from the Securities.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, this restriction shall not prohibit (i) the
sale of Shares to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or (ii)
resales of shares of Common Stock acquired either in the public offering to
which the Registration Statement relates or in subsequent open-market
purchases. Furthermore, such person will have also agreed and consented to
the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company's transfer agent
against the transfer of the Securities held by such person except in
compliance with this restriction.
(j) The Company and the Selling Stockholders shall have furnished to you
such further certificates and documents as you shall reasonably request
(including certificates of officers of the Company and of the Selling
Stockholders as to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the
Company and the Selling Stockholders herein, as to the performance by the
Company and the Selling Stockholders of their respective obligations
hereunder and as to the other conditions concurrent and precedent to the
obligations of the Underwriters hereunder.
All such opinions, certificates, letters and documents will be in
compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are reasonably satisfactory
to Underwriters' Counsel. The Company and the Selling Stockholders will furnish
you with such number of conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters
and documents as you shall reasonably request.
7. Option Shares.
(a) On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements
herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth,
the Selling Stockholders hereby grant, severally and not jointly, to the
several Underwriters, for the purpose of covering over-allotments in
connection with the distribution and sale of the Firm Shares only,
nontransferable options to purchase the respective number of Option Shares
as set forth opposite the names of the Selling Stockholders in Schedule B
hereto, all at the purchase price per share for the Firm Shares set forth in
Section 3 hereof. Such option may be exercised by the Representatives on
behalf of the several Underwriters on one or more occasions in whole or in
part during the period of thirty days after the date on which the Firm
Shares are initially offered to the public, by giving written notice to the
Selling Stockholders in accordance with Section 12 hereof. The number of
Option Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter upon the exercise of such
option shall be the same proportion of the total number of Option Shares to
be purchased by the several Underwriters pursuant to the exercise of such
option as the number of Firm Shares purchased by such Underwriter (set forth
in Schedule A hereto) bears to the total number of Firm Shares purchased by
the several Underwriters (set forth in Schedule A hereto), adjusted by the
Representatives in such manner as to avoid fractional shares. In the event
such option is exercised for less than all of the Option Shares, the Option
Shares to be purchased shall be purchased from the Selling Stockholders on a
pro rata basis, adjusted by the Representatives in such manner as to avoid
fractional shares.
The certificates in negotiable form for the Option Shares to be sold
by the Selling Stockholders pursuant to the exercise of the option granted
by this Section 7 have been placed in custody (for delivery under this
Agreement) under the Custody Agreement. Each Selling Stockholder agrees that
the certificates for the Option Shares of such Selling Stockholder so held
in custody are subject to the interests of the Underwriters hereunder, that
the arrangements made by such Selling Stockholder for such custody,
including the Power of Attorney is to that extent irrevocable and that the
obligations of such Selling Stockholder hereunder shall not be terminated by
the act of such Selling Stockholder or by operation of law, whether by the
death or incapacity of such Selling Stockholder or the occurrence of any
other event, except as specifically provided herein or in the Custody
Agreement. If either Selling Stockholder should die or be incapacitated, or
if any other such event should occur, before the delivery of the
certificates for the Option Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder,
such Option Shares shall, except as specifically provided herein or in the
Custody Agreement, be delivered by the Custodian in accordance with the
terms and conditions of this Agreement as if such death, incapacity or other
event had not occurred, regardless of whether the Custodian shall have
received notice of such death or other event.
Delivery of definitive certificates for the Option Shares to be
purchased by the several Underwriters pursuant to the exercise of the option
granted by this Section 7 shall be made against payment of the purchase
price therefor by the several Underwriters by certified or official bank
check or checks drawn in same-day funds or by wire transfer of same-day
funds, payable to the order of the Custodian for the respective accounts of
Selling Stockholders. Such delivery and payment shall take place at the
offices of XxXxxxx Xxxx, A Professional Corporation, 000 Xxxx Xxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx, or at such other place as may be agreed upon among the
Representatives, the Company and the Attorneys (i) on the Closing Date, if
written notice of the exercise of such option is received by the Company and
the Selling Stockholders at least two full business days prior to the
Closing Date, or (ii) on a date that shall not be later than the third full
business day following the date the Company and the Selling Stockholders
receive written notice of the exercise of such option, if such notice is
received by the Company and the Selling Stockholders less than two full
business days prior to the Closing Date.
The certificates for the Option Shares to be so delivered will be
made available to you at such office or such other location, including in
New York City, as you may reasonably request for checking at least one full
business day prior to the date of payment and delivery and will be in such
names and denominations as you may request, such request to be made at least
two full business days prior to such date of payment and delivery. If the
Representatives so elect, delivery of the Option Shares may be made by
credit through full fast transfer to the accounts at The Depository Trust
Company designated by the Representatives.
It is understood that you, individually, and not as the
Representatives of the several Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated
to) make payment of the purchase price on behalf of any Underwriter or
Underwriters whose check or checks shall not have been received by you prior
to the date of payment and delivery for the Option Shares to be purchased by
such Underwriter or Underwriters. Any such payment by you shall not relieve
any such Underwriter or Underwriters of any of its or their obligations
hereunder.
(b) Upon exercise of any option provided for in Section 7(a) hereof, the
obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase such Option Shares will
be subject (as of the date hereof and as of the date of payment and delivery
for such Option Shares) to the accuracy of and compliance with the
representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the Selling
Stockholders herein, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company, the
Selling Stockholders and officers of the Company made pursuant to the
provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company and the Selling
Stockholders of their respective obligations hereunder, to the conditions
set forth in Section 6 hereof, and to the condition that all proceedings
taken at or prior to the payment date in connection with the sale and
transfer of such Option Shares shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and
substance to you and to Underwriters' Counsel, and you shall have been
furnished with all such documents, certificates and opinions as you may
reasonably request in order to evidence the accuracy and completeness of any
of the representations, warranties or statements, the performance of any of
the covenants or agreements of the Company and the Selling Stockholders or
the satisfaction of any of the conditions herein contained.
8. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to
which such Underwriter may become subject (including in its capacity as an
Underwriter or as a "qualified independent underwriter" within the meaning
of Schedule E of the Bylaws of the NASD), under the Act, the Exchange Act or
otherwise, specifically including losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions in respect thereof) arising out of or based upon (i) any breach of
any representation, warranty, agreement or covenant of the Company herein
contained, (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any
material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment or
supplement thereto, or 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 or (iii) any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of any material fact contained in any Preliminary
Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or the
omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and agrees to
reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by it in connection with investigating or defending any such loss,
claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company
shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss,
claim, damage, liability or action arises out of or is based upon an untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made
in the Registration Statement, such Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus, or any such amendment or supplement thereto, in reliance upon,
and in conformity with, written information relating to any Underwriter
furnished to the Company by such Underwriter, directly or through you,
specifically for use in the preparation thereof and, provided further that
the indemnity agreement provided in this Section 8(a) with respect to any
Preliminary Prospectus shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter
from whom the person asserting any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or
actions based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of
material fact or omission or alleged omission to state therein a material
fact purchased Shares, if a copy of the Prospectus (or any amendment or
supplement thereto, to the extent available at the time) in which such
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission
was corrected had not been sent or given to such person within the time
required by the Act and the Rules and Regulations, unless such failure is
the result of noncompliance by the Company with Section 4(d) hereof.
The indemnity agreement in this Section 8(a) shall extend upon the
same terms and conditions to, and shall inure to the benefit of, each
person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Act
or the Exchange Act. This indemnity agreement shall be in addition to any
liabilities that the Company may otherwise have.
(b) Subject to Section 8(f), each Selling Stockholder, severally and not
jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter against any
losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such
Underwriter may become subject (including in its capacity as an Underwriter)
under the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, specifically including losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arising out
of or based upon (i) any breach of any representation, warranty, agreement
or covenant of such Selling Stockholder herein contained, (ii) any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the
Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto, or 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,
or (iii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material
fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to
state therein a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading,
in the case of subparagraphs (ii) and (iii) of this Section 8(b) to the
extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company or such
Underwriter by such Selling Stockholder, directly or through such Selling
Stockholder's representatives, specifically for use in the preparation
thereof, and agrees to reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred by it in connection with investigating or
defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided,
however, that:
(i) any payment obligation of the Selling Stockholders under this
Section 8(b) shall be limited to the amount of losses, claims, damages
and liabilities that are not paid by the Company pursuant to Section
8(a), and any payment by the Selling Stockholders under this Section
8(b) shall not be required until after (A) compliance with the
provisions of Section 8(d) with respect to the obligations of the
Company under Section 8(a) and (B) demand for payment has been made by
the Underwriters first upon the Company and such payment has not made by
the Company within fifteen days of such demand, provided, however, that
this clause (i) shall not apply with respect to any Selling Stockholder
in the event and to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or
liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, or
any amendment or supplement thereto, in reliance upon, and in conformity
with, written information relating to such Selling Stockholder furnished
to the Company by such Selling Stockholder specifically for use in the
preparation thereof; and
(ii) the indemnity agreement provided in this Section 8(b) with
respect to any Preliminary Prospectus shall not inure to the benefit of
any Underwriter from whom the person asserting any losses, claims,
damages, liabilities or actions based upon any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged
omission to state therein a material fact purchased Shares, if a copy of
the Prospectus in which such untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission was corrected had not been
sent or given to such person within the time required by the Act and the
Rules and Regulations, unless such failure is the result of
noncompliance by the Company with Section 4(d) hereof.
The indemnity agreement in this Section 8(b) shall extend upon the
same terms and conditions to, and shall inure to the benefit of, each
person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Act
or the Exchange Act. This indemnity agreement shall be in addition to any
liabilities that such Selling Stockholder otherwise may have.
(c) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless the Company and each Selling Stockholder against any losses,
claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which the Company or
such Selling Stockholder may become subject under the Act or otherwise,
specifically including losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in
respect thereof) arising out of or based upon (i) any breach of any
representation, warranty, agreement or covenant of such Underwriter herein
contained, (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any
material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment or
supplement thereto, or 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 or (iii) any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of any material fact contained in any Preliminary
Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or the
omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading, in the case of subparagraphs (ii) and (iii)
of this Section 8(c) to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was
made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished
to the Company by such Underwriter, directly or through you, specifically
for use in the preparation thereof, and agrees to reimburse the Company and
each such Selling Stockholder for any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by the Company and each such Selling Stockholder in connection with
investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or
action.
The indemnity agreement in this Section 8(c) shall extend upon the
same terms and conditions to, and shall inure to the benefit of, each
officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement and each
director of the Company, each Selling Stockholder and each person, if any,
who controls the Company or either Selling Stockholder within the meaning of
the Act or the Exchange Act. This indemnity agreement shall be in addition
to any liabilities that each Underwriter may otherwise have.
(d) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8
of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall,
if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against any indemnifying party
under this Section 8, 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 that it may have to any indemnified
party otherwise than under this Section 8. In case any such action is
brought against any indemnified party, and it notified the indemnifying
party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled
to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall elect 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, that 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 there may be legal defenses available to it
and/or other indemnified parties that 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 the indemnifying party's
election so to assume the defense of such action and approval by the
indemnified party of counsel, the indemnifying party will not be liable to
such indemnified party under this Section 8 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 next preceding
sentence (it being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall
not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate counsel (together
with appropriate local counsel) approved by the indemnifying party
representing all the indemnified parties under Section 8(a), 8(b) or 8(c)
hereof who are parties to such action), (ii) 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 or (iii) the indemnifying party has authorized the employment
of counsel for the indemnified party at the expense of the indemnifying
party; provided that in no event shall the indemnifying party be liable to
such indemnified party for any legal fees or expenses in excess of
reasonable legal fees and expenses. In no event shall any indemnifying party
be liable in respect of any amounts paid in settlement of any action unless
the indemnifying party shall have approved the terms of such settlement;
provided that such consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. No
indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the
indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened
proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a
party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such
indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release
of such indemnified party from all liability on all claims that are the
subject matter of such proceeding.
(e) In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in any
action in which a claim for indemnification is made pursuant to this Section
8 but it is judicially determined (by the entry of a final judgment or
decree by a court of competent jurisdiction and the expiration of time to
appeal or the denial of the last right of appeal) that such indemnification
may not be enforced in such case notwithstanding the fact that this Section
8 provides for indemnification in such case, all the parties hereto shall
contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which
they may be subject (after contribution from others) in such proportion so
that, except as set forth in Section 8(f) hereof, the Underwriters
severally and not jointly are responsible pro rata for the portion
represented by the percentage that the underwriting discount bears to
the initial public offering price, and the Company and the Selling
Stockholders are responsible for the remaining portion, provided, however,
that (i) no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in
excess of the amount by which the underwriting discount applicable to the
Shares purchased by such Underwriter exceeds the amount of damages that such
Underwriter has otherwise required to pay and (ii) no person guilty of a
fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the
Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who is not guilty of
such fraudulent misrepresentation. The contribution agreement in this
Section 8(e) shall extend upon the same terms and conditions to, and shall
inure to the benefit of, each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter,
the Company or either Selling Stockholder within the meaning of the Act or
the Exchange Act and each officer of the Company who signed the Registration
Statement and each director of the Company.
(f) The liability of each Selling Stockholder under the indemnity and
contribution agreements contained in the provisions of this Section 8 shall
be limited to an amount equal to the initial public offering price of any
Option Shares sold by such Selling Stockholder to the Underwriters minus the
amount of the underwriting discounts and commissions paid thereon to the
Underwriters by such Selling Stockholder. Without limiting the foregoing, if
no Option Shares are sold by the Selling Stockholders to the Underwriters,
the Selling Stockholders, as such, shall have no liability under this
Section 8. The Company and such Selling Stockholders may agree, as among
themselves and without limiting the rights of the Underwriters under this
Agreement, as to the respective amounts of such liability for which they
each shall be responsible.
(g) The parties to this Agreement hereby acknowledge that they are
sophisticated business persons who were represented by counsel during the
negotiations regarding the provisions hereof including the provisions of
this Section 8, and are fully informed regarding said provisions. They
further acknowledge that the provisions of this Section 8 fairly allocate
the risks in light of the ability of the parties to investigate the Company
and its business in order to assure that adequate disclosure is made in the
Registration Statement and Prospectus as required by the Act and the
Exchange Act.
9. Representations, Warranties, Covenants and Agreements to Survive
Delivery. All representations, warranties, covenants and agreements of the
Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters herein or in certificates
delivered pursuant hereto, and the indemnity and contribution agreements
contained in Section 8 hereof shall remain operative and in full force and
effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter
or any person controlling any Underwriter within the meaning of the Act or the
Exchange Act, or by or on behalf of the Company or either Selling Stockholder,
or any of their officers, directors or controlling persons within the meaning of
the Act or the Exchange Act, and shall survive the delivery of the Shares to the
several Underwriters hereunder or termination of this Agreement.
10. Substitution of Underwriters. If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall
fail to take up and pay for the number of Firm Shares agreed by such Underwriter
or Underwriters to be purchased hereunder upon tender of such Firm Shares in
accordance with the terms hereof, and if the aggregate number of Firm Shares
that such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters so agreed but failed to
purchase does not exceed ten percent of the Firm Shares, the remaining
Underwriters shall be obligated, severally in proportion to their respective
commitments hereunder, to take up and pay for the Firm Shares of such defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters.
If any Underwriter or Underwriters so defaults and the aggregate number
of Firm Shares that such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but
failed to take up and pay for exceeds ten percent of the Firm Shares, the
remaining Underwriters shall have the right, but shall not be obligated, to take
up and pay for (in such proportions as may be agreed upon among them) the Firm
Shares that the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters so agreed but failed to
purchase. If such remaining Underwriters do not, at the Closing Date, take up
and pay for the Firm Shares that the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters so
agreed but failed to purchase, the Closing Date shall be postponed for
twenty-four hours to allow the several Underwriters the privilege of
substituting within twenty-four hours (including non-business hours) another
underwriter or underwriters (which may include any nondefaulting Underwriter)
satisfactory to the Company. If no such underwriter or underwriters shall have
been substituted as aforesaid by such postponed Closing Date, the Closing Date
may, at the option of the Company, be postponed for a further twenty-four hours,
if necessary, to allow the Company the privilege of finding another underwriter
or underwriters, satisfactory to you, to purchase the Firm Shares that the
defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters so agreed but failed to purchase. If it
shall be arranged for the remaining Underwriters or substituted underwriter or
underwriters to take up the Firm Shares of the defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters as provided in this Section 10, (i) the Company shall have the
right to postpone the time of delivery for a period of not more than seven full
business days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary
in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any other documents or
arrangements, and the Company agrees promptly to file any amendments to the
Registration Statement, supplements to the Prospectus or other such documents
that may thereby be made necessary, and (ii) the respective number of Firm
Shares to be purchased by the remaining Underwriters and substituted underwriter
or underwriters shall be taken as the basis of their underwriting obligation. If
the remaining Underwriters shall not take up and pay for all such Firm Shares so
agreed to be purchased by the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters or
substitute another underwriter or underwriters as aforesaid and the Company
shall not find or shall not elect to seek another underwriter or underwriters
for such Firm Shares as aforesaid, then this Agreement shall terminate.
In the event of any termination of this Agreement pursuant to the
preceding paragraph of this Section 10, neither the Company nor either Selling
Stockholder shall be liable to any Underwriter (except as provided in Sections 5
and 8 hereof) nor shall any Underwriter (other than an Underwriter who shall
have failed, otherwise than for some reason permitted under this Agreement, to
purchase the number of Firm Shares agreed by such Underwriter to be purchased
hereunder, which Underwriter shall remain liable to the Company, the Selling
Stockholders and the other Underwriters for damages, if any, resulting from such
default) be liable to the Company or either Selling Stockholder (except to the
extent provided in Sections 5 and 8 hereof).
The term "Underwriter" in this Agreement shall include any person
substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10.
11. Effective Date of this Agreement and Termination.
(a) This Agreement shall become effective at the earlier of (i) 6:30
A.M., San Francisco time, on the first full business day following the
effective date of the Registration Statement or (ii) the time of the initial
public offering of any of the Shares by the Underwriters after the
Registration Statement becomes effective. The time of the initial public
offering shall mean the time of the release by you, for publication, of the
first newspaper advertisement relating to the Shares, or the time at which
the Shares are first generally offered by the Underwriters to the public by
letter, telephone, telegram or telecopy, whichever shall first occur. By
giving notice as set forth in Section 12 before the time this Agreement
becomes effective, you, as Representatives of the several Underwriters, or
the Company, may prevent this Agreement from becoming effective without
liability of any party to any other party, except as provided in Sections
4(j), 5 and 8 hereof.
(b) You, as Representatives of the several Underwriters, shall have the
right to terminate this Agreement by giving notice as hereinafter specified
at any time on or prior to the Closing Date or on or prior to any later date
on which Option Shares are to be purchased, as the case may be, (i) if the
Company or either Selling Stockholder shall have failed, refused or been
unable to perform any agreement on its part to be performed, or because any
other condition of the Underwriters' obligations hereunder required to be
fulfilled is not fulfilled, including any change in the condition (financial
or otherwise), earnings, operations, business or business prospects of the
Company from that set forth in the Registration Statement or Prospectus
that, in your sole judgment, is material and adverse, or (ii) if additional
material governmental restrictions, not in force and effect on the date
hereof, shall have been imposed upon trading in securities generally or
minimum or maximum prices shall have been generally established on the New
York Stock Exchange or on the American Stock Exchange or in the
over-the-counter market by the NASD, or trading in securities generally
shall have been suspended on either such exchange or in the over-the-counter
market by the NASD, or if a banking moratorium shall have been declared by
federal, New York or California authorities, or (iii) if the Company shall
have sustained a loss by strike, fire, flood, earthquake, accident or other
calamity of such character as to interfere materially with the conduct of
the business and operations of the Company regardless of whether or not such
loss shall have been insured or (iv) if there shall have been a material
adverse change in the general political or economic conditions or financial
markets as in your reasonable judgment makes it inadvisable or impracticable
to proceed with the offering, sale and delivery of the Shares, or (v) if
there shall have been an outbreak or escalation of hostilities or of any
other insurrection or armed conflict or the declaration by the United States
of a national emergency that, in the reasonable opinion of the
Representatives, makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the
public offering of the Shares as contemplated by the Prospectus. In the
event of termination pursuant to subparagraph (i) above, the Company shall
remain obligated to pay costs and expenses pursuant to Sections 4(j), 5 and
8 hereof. Any termination pursuant to any of subparagraphs (ii) through (v)
above shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as
provided in Sections 5 and 8 hereof.
If you elect to prevent this Agreement from becoming effective or to
terminate this Agreement as provided in this Section 11, you shall promptly
notify the Company by telephone, telecopy or telegram, in each case
confirmed by letter. If the Company shall elect to prevent this Agreement
from becoming effective, the Company shall promptly notify you by telephone,
telecopy or telegram, in each case, confirmed by letter.
12. Notices. All notices or communications hereunder, except as herein
otherwise specifically provided, shall be in writing and if sent to you shall be
mailed, delivered, telegraphed (and confirmed by letter) or telecopied (and
confirmed by letter) to you c/o BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc., 000
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000, Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000, telecopier
number (000) 000-0000, Attention: General Counsel; if sent to the Company, such
notice shall be mailed, delivered, telegraphed (and confirmed by letter) or
telecopied (and confirmed by letter) to Value America, Inc., 0000 Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, telecopier number (000) 000-0000,
Attention: Chief Executive Officer; if sent to one or more of the Selling
Stockholders, such notice shall be sent mailed, delivered, telegraphed (and
confirmed by letter) or telecopied (and confirmed by letter) to Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx,
as Attorney-in-Fact for the Selling Stockholders, at Value America, Inc., 0000
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, telecopier number (804)
817-7700.
13. Parties. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding
upon the several Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Stockholders and
their respective executors, administrators, successors and assigns. Nothing
expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to
give any person or entity, other than the parties hereto and their respective
executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and the controlling persons
within the meaning of the Act or the Exchange Act, officers and directors
referred to in Section 8 hereof, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim
in respect of this Agreement or any provisions herein contained, this Agreement
and all conditions and provisions hereof being intended to be and being for the
sole and exclusive benefit of the parties hereto and their respective executors,
administrators, successors and assigns and said controlling persons and said
officers and directors, and for the benefit of no other person or entity. No
purchaser of any of the Shares from any Underwriter shall be construed a
successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase.
In all dealings with the Company under this Agreement, you shall act on
behalf of each of the several Underwriters, and the Company and the Selling
Stockholders shall be entitled to act and rely upon any statement, request,
notice or agreement made or given by you jointly or by BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx Inc. on behalf of you.
14. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in
accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
15. Construction. The headings in this Agreement are included only for
convenience and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of this
Agreement. The words "herein" and "hereof" and other words of similar import
refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular part of this
Agreement. The word "including" as used herein shall not be construed so as to
exclude any other thing not referred to or described.
16. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in several counterparts, each
of which will constitute an original.
* * *
If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding among the Company,
the Selling Stockholders and the several Underwriters, please so indicate in the
space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a
binding agreement among the Company, the Selling Stockholders and the several
Underwriters.
Very truly yours,
VALUE AMERICA, INC.
By
---------------------------------------
Chairman
SELLING STOCKHOLDERS
By
---------------------------------------
Attorney-in-Fact for the Selling
Stockholders named in Schedule B hereto
Accepted as of the date first above written:
BANCBOSTON XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX INC.
XXXXX XXXXX XXXXXX & COMPANY, LLC
THE XXXXXXXX-XXXXXXXX COMPANY, LLC
On their behalf and on behalf of each of the
several Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto
By BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc.
By _________________________________________
Authorized Signatory
SCHEDULE A
Number
of
Firm
Underwriters Shares
To Be
Purchased
---------
BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc.............................
Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx & Company, LLC.............................
The Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxxxxx Company, LLC............................
---------
Total.................................................... 5,000,000
=========
SCHEDULE B
Number
of
Option
Company or Selling Shares
Stockholder To
Be
Sold
----
Xxxxx X. Xxxx......... 525,000
Xxx Xxxxxxx........... 225,000
-------
Total............ 750,000
=======
SCHEDULE C
Name of Stockholder Subject to
Lock-Up Agreement
-------------------------------
