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SCI Systems, Inc.
[% [Debentures/Notes Due] __]
Form of Underwriting Agreement
New York, New York
, 20
To the Representatives
named in Schedule I
hereto of the Underwriters
named in Schedule II hereto
Ladies and Gentlemen:
SCI Systems, Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of
Delaware (the "Company"), proposes to sell to the several underwriters named in
Schedule II hereto (the "Underwriters"), for whom you (the "Representatives")
are acting as representatives, the principal amount of its securities identified
in Schedule I hereto (the "Securities"), to be issued under an indenture (the
"Indenture") dated as of , 20 , between the Company and ,
as trustee (the "Trustee"). To the extent there are no additional Underwriters
listed on Schedule I other than you, the term Representatives as used herein
shall mean you, as Underwriters, and the terms Representatives and Underwriters
shall mean either the singular or plural as the context requires. Any reference
herein to the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary
Final Prospectus or the Final Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include
the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3
which were filed under the Exchange Act on or before the Effective Date of the
Registration Statement or the issue date of the Basic Prospectus, any
Preliminary Final Prospectus or the Final Prospectus, as the case may be; and
any reference herein to the terms "amend", "amendment" or "supplement" with
respect to the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary
Final Prospectus or the Final Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include
the filing of any document under the Exchange Act after the Effective Date of
the Registration Statement or the issue date of the Basic Prospectus, any
Preliminary Final Prospectus or the Final Prospectus, as the case may be, deemed
to be incorporated therein by reference. Certain terms used herein are defined
in Section 17 hereof.
1. Representations and Warranties. The Company
represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter as set forth below
in this Section 1.
(a) The Company meets the requirements for use of Form
S-3 under the Act and has prepared and filed with the Commission a
registration statement (the file number of which is set forth in
Schedule I hereto) on Form S-3, including a
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related basic prospectus, for registration under the Act of the
offering and sale of the Securities. The Company may have filed one or
more amendments thereto, including a Preliminary Final Prospectus, each
of which has previously been furnished to you. The Company will next
file with the Commission one of the following: (1) after the Effective
Date of such registration statement, a final prospectus supplement
relating to the Securities in accordance with Rules 430A and 424(b),
(2) prior to the Effective Date of such registration statement, an
amendment to such registration statement (including the form of final
prospectus supplement) or (3) a final prospectus in accordance with
Rules 415 and 424(b). In the case of clause (1), the Company has
included in such registration statement, as amended at the Effective
Date, all information (other than Rule 430A Information) required by
the Act and the rules thereunder to be included in such registration
statement and the Final Prospectus. As filed, such final prospectus
supplement or such amendment and form of final prospectus supplement
shall contain all Rule 430A Information, together with all other such
required information, and, except to the extent the Representatives
shall agree in writing to a modification, shall be in all substantive
respects in the form furnished to you prior to the Execution Time or,
to the extent not completed at the Execution Time, shall contain only
such specific additional information and other changes (beyond that
contained in the Basic Prospectus and any Preliminary Final Prospectus)
as the Company has advised you, prior to the Execution Time, will be
included or made therein. The Registration Statement, at the Execution
Time, meets the requirements set forth in Rule 415(a)(1)(x).
(b) On the Effective Date, the Registration Statement did
or will, and when the Final Prospectus is first filed (if required) in
accordance with Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date (as defined
herein), the Final Prospectus (and any supplement thereto) will, comply
in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act,
the Exchange Act and the Trust Indenture Act and the respective rules
thereunder; on the Effective Date and at the Execution Time, the
Registration Statement did not or will not contain any untrue statement
of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not
misleading; on the Effective Date and on the Closing Date the Indenture
did or will comply in all material respects with the applicable
requirements of the Trust Indenture Act and the rules thereunder; and,
on the Effective Date, the Final Prospectus, if not filed pursuant to
Rule 424(b), will not, and on the date of any filing pursuant to Rule
424(b) and on the Closing Date, the Final Prospectus (together with any
supplement thereto) will not, include any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the
Company makes no representations or warranties as to (i) that part of
the Registration Statement which shall constitute the Statement of
Eligibility and Qualification (Form T-1) under the Trust Indenture Act
of the Trustee or (ii) the
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information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or
the Final Prospectus (or any supplement thereto) in reliance upon and
in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by
or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives
specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement or the Final
Prospectus (or any supplement thereto).
(c) The Company is not an "investment company" within the
meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, without
taking account of any exemption arising out of the number of holders of
the Company's securities, and, if the Company conducts its business as
set forth in the Final Prospectus, will not become an "investment
company" and will not be required to be registered under the Investment
Company Act.
(d) Each "significant subsidiary" (as defined in Rule
1-02(w) of Regulation S-X under the Act and the Exchange Act) of the
Company is included in Schedule III hereto.
Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to
the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the
offering of the Securities shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the
Company, as to matters covered thereby, to each Underwriter.
2. Purchase and Sale. Subject to the terms and
conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set
forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter
agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the purchase
price set forth in Schedule I hereto the principal amount of the Securities set
forth opposite such Underwriter's name in Schedule II hereto.
3. Delivery and Payment. Delivery of and payment for the
Securities shall be made on the date and at the time specified in Schedule I
hereto or at such time on such later date not more than three Business Days
after the foregoing date as the Representatives shall designate, which date and
time may be postponed by agreement between the Representatives and the Company
or as provided in Section 9 hereof (such date and time of delivery and payment
for the Securities being herein called the "Closing Date"). Delivery of the
Securities shall be made to the Representatives for the respective accounts of
the several Underwriters against payment by the several Underwriters through the
Representatives of the purchase price thereof to or upon the order of the
Company by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to an account specified by
the Company. Delivery of the Securities shall be made through the facilities of
The Depository Trust Company unless the Representatives shall otherwise
instruct.
4. Offering by Underwriters. It is understood that the
several Underwriters propose to offer the Securities for sale to the public as
set forth in the Final Prospectus.
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5. Agreements. The Company agrees with the several
Underwriters that:
(a) The Company will use its best efforts to cause the
Registration Statement, if not effective at the Execution Time, and any
amendment thereof, to become effective. Prior to the termination of the
offering of the Securities, the Company will not file any amendment of
the Registration Statement or supplement (including the Final
Prospectus or any Preliminary Final Prospectus) to the Basic Prospectus
or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement unless the Company has
furnished you a copy for your review prior to filing and will not file
any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably
object. Subject to the foregoing sentence, if the Registration
Statement has become or becomes effective pursuant to Rule 430A, or
filing of the Final Prospectus is otherwise required under Rule 424(b),
the Company will cause the Final Prospectus, properly completed, and
any supplement thereto to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the
applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) within the time period prescribed
and will provide evidence satisfactory to the Representatives of such
timely filing. The Company will promptly advise the Representatives (1)
when the Registration Statement, if not effective at the Execution
Time, shall have become effective, (2) when the Final Prospectus, and
any supplement thereto, shall have been filed (if required) with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) or when any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement shall have been filed with the Commission, (3) when, prior to
termination of the offering of the Securities, any amendment to the
Registration Statement shall have been filed or become effective, (4)
of any request by the Commission or its staff for any amendment of the
Registration Statement, or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or
for any supplement to the Final Prospectus or for any additional
information, (5) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the
institution or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose and (6)
of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the
suspension of the qualification of the Securities for sale in any
jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for
such purpose. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent the
issuance of any such stop order or the suspension of any such
qualification and, if issued, to obtain as soon as possible the
withdrawal thereof.
(b) If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the
Securities is required to be delivered under the Act, any event occurs
as a result of which the Final Prospectus as then supplemented would
include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made not misleading, or if it
shall be necessary to amend the Registration Statement or supplement
the Final Prospectus to comply with the Act or the Exchange Act or the
respective rules thereunder, the Company promptly will (1) notify the
Representatives of such event, (2) prepare and file with the
Commission, subject
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to the second sentence of paragraph (a) of this Section 5, an amendment
or supplement which will correct such statement or omission or effect
such compliance and (3) supply any supplemented Final Prospectus to you
in such quantities as you may reasonably request.
(c) As soon as practicable, the Company will make
generally available to its security holders and to the Representatives
an earnings statement or statements of the Company and its subsidiaries
which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule
158 under the Act.
(d) The Company will furnish to the Representatives and
counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the
Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and to each other
Underwriter a copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits
thereto) and, so long as delivery of a prospectus by an Underwriter or
dealer may be required by the Act, as many copies of each Preliminary
Final Prospectus and the Final Prospectus and any supplement thereto as
the Representatives may reasonably request. The Company will pay the
expenses of printing or other production of all documents relating to
the offering.
(e) The Company will arrange, if necessary, for the
qualification of the Securities for sale under the laws of such
jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate, will maintain such
qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of
the Securities and will pay any fee of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc., in connection with its review of the
offering; provided that in no event shall the Company be obligated to
qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not now so
qualified or to take any action that would subject it to service of
process in suits, other than those arising out of the offering or sale
of the Securities, in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject.
(f) The Company will not, without the prior written
consent of , offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, or
otherwise dispose of, (or enter into any transaction which is designed
to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition
(whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to
cash settlement or otherwise) by the Company or any affiliate of the
Company or any person in privity with the Company or any affiliate of
the Company) directly or indirectly, including the filing (or
participation in the filing) of a registration statement with the
Commission in respect of, or establish or increase a put equivalent
position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the
meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act, any debt securities issued
or guaranteed by the Company (other than the Securities) or publicly
announce an intention to effect any such transaction, until the
Business Day set forth on Schedule I hereto.
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(g) The Company will not take, directly or indirectly,
any action designed to or which has constituted or which might
reasonably be expected to cause or result, under the Exchange Act or
otherwise, in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any
security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the
Securities.
6. Conditions to the Obligations of the Underwriters.
The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Securities shall be subject
to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company
contained herein as of the Execution Time and the Closing Date, to the accuracy
of the statements of the Company made in any certificates pursuant to the
provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its obligations
hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) If the Registration Statement has not become
effective prior to the Execution Time, unless the Representatives agree
in writing to a later time, the Registration Statement will become
effective not later than (i) 6:00 PM New York City time, on the date of
determination of the public offering price, if such determination
occurred at or prior to 3:00 PM New York City time on such date or (ii)
9:30 AM on the Business Day following the day on which the public
offering price was determined, if such determination occurred after
3:00 PM New York City time on such date; if filing of the Final
Prospectus, or any supplement thereto, is required pursuant to Rule
424(b), the Final Prospectus, and any such supplement, will be filed in
the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b); and no
stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have
been instituted or threatened.
(b) The Company shall have requested and caused ,
counsel for the Company, to have furnished to the Representatives their
opinion, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives,
to the effect that:
(i) each of the Company and (individually a
"Subsidiary" and collectively the "Subsidiaries") has been
duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in
good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it
is chartered or organized, with full corporate power and
authority to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate
its properties and conduct its business as described in the
Final Prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business as a
foreign corporation and is in good standing under the laws of
each jurisdiction which requires such qualification;
(ii) all the outstanding shares of capital stock
of each Subsidiary have been duly and validly authorized and
issued and are fully paid and nonassessable, and, except as
otherwise set forth in the Final Prospectus, all outstanding
shares of capital stock of the Subsidiaries are owned by the
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Company either directly or through wholly owned subsidiaries
free and clear of any perfected security interest and, to the
knowledge of such counsel, after due inquiry, any other
security interest, claim, lien or encumbrance;
(iii) the Company's authorized equity capitalization is as
set forth in the Final Prospectus; [and] the Securities conform
in all material respects to the description thereof contained
in the Final Prospectus; [the Securities are duly listed, and
admitted and authorized for trading subject to official notice
of issuance [and evidence of satisfactory distribution] on the
Stock Exchange], and, except as set forth in the
Final Prospectus, no options, warrants or other rights to
purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue, or rights to
convert any obligations into or exchange any securities for,
shares of capital stock of or ownership interests in the Company
are outstanding;
(iv) the Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered, has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture
Act, and constitutes a legal, valid and binding instrument
enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms
(subject, as to enforcement of remedies, to applicable
bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium or other
laws affecting creditors' rights generally from time to time in
effect and to general principles of equity, including, without
limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith
and fair dealing, regardless of whether considered in a
proceeding in equity or at law); and the Securities have been
duly authorized and, when executed and authenticated in
accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered
to and paid for by the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement,
will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the
Company entitled to the benefits of the Indenture;
(v) to the knowledge of such counsel, there is no pending
or threatened action, suit or proceeding by or before any court
or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator
involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries or its or
their property, of a character required to be disclosed in the
Registration Statement which is not adequately disclosed in the
Final Prospectus, and there is no franchise, contract or other
document of a character required to be described in the
Registration Statement or Final Prospectus, or to be filed as
an exhibit thereto, which is not described or filed as
required; and the statements included or incorporated by
reference in the Final Prospectus under the heading[s] "Certain
Federal Income Tax Considerations" [and [add other sections
which discuss specific legal or regulatory matters or
proceedings]] fairly summarize the matters therein described;
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(vi) the Registration Statement has become
effective under the Act; any required filing of the Basic
Prospectus, any Preliminary Final Prospectus and the Final
Prospectus, and any supplements thereto, pursuant to Rule
424(b) has been made in the manner and within the time period
required by Rule 424(b); to the knowledge of such counsel, no
stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement has been issued, no proceedings for that purpose
have been instituted or threatened, and the Registration
Statement and the Final Prospectus (other than the financial
statements and other financial information contained therein,
as to which such counsel need express no opinion) comply as to
form in all material respects with the applicable requirements
of the Act, the Exchange Act and the Trust Indenture Act and
the respective rules thereunder; and such counsel has no
reason to believe that on the Effective Date or the date the
Registration Statement was last deemed amended the
Registration Statement contained any untrue statement of a
material fact or omitted to state any material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading or that the Final Prospectus as of its
date and on the Closing Date included or includes any untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a
material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading (in each case, other than the financial statements
and other financial information contained therein, as to which
such counsel need express no opinion);
(vii) this Agreement has been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by the Company;
(viii) the Company is not and, after giving effect
to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application
of the proceeds thereof as described in the Final Prospectus,
will not be an "investment company" as defined in the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended;
(ix) no consent, approval, authorization, filing
with or order of any court or governmental agency or body is
required in connection with the transactions contemplated
herein, except such as have been obtained under the Act and
such as may be required under the blue sky laws of any
jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution
of the Securities by the Underwriters in the manner
contemplated in this Agreement and in the Final Prospectus and
such other approvals (specified in such opinion) as have been
obtained;
(x) neither the execution and delivery of the
Indenture, the issue and sale of the Securities, nor the
consummation of any other of the transactions herein
contemplated nor the fulfillment of the terms hereof
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will conflict with, result in a breach or violation of or
imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any
property or assets of the Company or its subsidiaries pursuant
to, (i) the charter or by-laws of the Company or its
subsidiaries, (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract,
lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement
or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or
instrument to which the Company or its subsidiaries is a party
or bound or to which its or their property is subject, or
(iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or
decree applicable to the Company or its subsidiaries of any
court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental
body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over
the Company or its subsidiaries or any of its or their
properties; and
(xi) no holders of securities of the Company have
rights to the registration of such securities under the
Registration Statement.
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely (A) as to matters
involving the application of laws of any jurisdiction other than the
State of New York, the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
or the Federal laws of the United States, to the extent they deem
proper and specified in such opinion, upon the opinion of other counsel
of good standing whom they believe to be reliable and who are
satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters and (B) as to matters of
fact, to the extent they deem proper, on certificates of responsible
officers of the Company and public officials. References to the Final
Prospectus in this paragraph (b) include any supplements thereto at the
Closing Date.
(c) The Representatives shall have received from
, counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated
the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives, with respect to
the issuance and sale of the Securities, the Indenture, the
Registration Statement, the Final Prospectus (together with any
supplement thereto) and other related matters as the Representatives
may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such
counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them
to pass upon such matters.
(d) The Company shall have furnished to the
Representatives a certificate of the Company, signed by the Chairman of
the Board or the President and the principal financial or accounting
officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that the
signers of such certificate have carefully examined the Registration
Statement, the Final Prospectus, any supplements to the Final
Prospectus and this Agreement and that:
(i) the representations and warranties of the
Company in this Agreement are true and correct in all material
respects on and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as
if made on the Closing Date and the
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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;
(ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness
of the Registration Statement has been issued and no
proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to the
Company's knowledge, threatened; and
(iii) since the date of the most recent financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in the Final
Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto), there has
been no material adverse effect on the condition (financial or
otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties of the
Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not
arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business,
except as set forth in or contemplated in the Final Prospectus
(exclusive of any supplement thereto).
(e) The Company shall have requested and caused Ernst &
Young LLP to have furnished to the Representatives, at the Execution
Time and at the Closing Date, letters, (which may refer to letters
previously delivered to one or more of the Representatives), dated
respectively as of the Execution Time and as of the Closing Date, in
form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, confirming that
they are independent accountants within the meaning of the Act and the
Exchange Act and the respective applicable rules and regulations
adopted by the Commission thereunder and [that they have performed a
review of the unaudited interim financial information of the Company
for the -month period ended , 20 , and as at ,
20 , in accordance with Statement on Auditing Standards No. 71,] and
stating in effect, except as provided in Schedule I hereto, that:
(i) in their opinion the audited financial
statements and financial statement schedules [and pro forma
financial statements] included or incorporated by reference in
the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus and
reported on by them comply as to form in all material respects
with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the
Exchange Act and the related rules and regulations adopted by
the Commission;
(ii) on the basis of a reading of the latest
unaudited financial statements made available by the Company
and its subsidiaries; [their limited review, in accordance
with standards established under Statement on Auditing
Standards No. 71, of the unaudited interim financial
information for the -month period ended , 20
and as at , 20 [, as indicated in their report
dated , 20 incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement and the Final Prospectus];]
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carrying out certain specified procedures (but not an
examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards) which would not necessarily reveal matters of
significance with respect to the comments set forth in such
letter; a reading of the minutes of the meetings of the
stockholders, directors and [the executive and audit]
committees of the Company and the Subsidiaries; and inquiries
of certain officials of the Company who have responsibility
for financial and accounting matters of the Company and its
subsidiaries as to transactions and events subsequent to
, 20 , nothing came to their attention which
caused them to believe that:
(1) any unaudited financial statements
included or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus do
not comply as to form in all material respects with
applicable accounting requirements of the Act and
with the related rules and regulations adopted by the
Commission with respect to financial statements
included or incorporated by reference in quarterly
reports on Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act; and said
unaudited financial statements are not in conformity
with generally accepted accounting principles applied
on a basis substantially consistent with that of the
audited financial statements included or incorporated
by reference in the Registration Statement and the
Final Prospectus;
(2) with respect to the period
subsequent to , 20 , there were any
changes, at a specified date not more than five days
prior to the date of the letter, in the long-term
debt of the Company and its subsidiaries or capital
stock of the Company or decreases in the
stockholders' equity of the Company as compared with
the amounts shown on the , 20 consolidated
balance sheet included or incorporated by reference
in the Registration Statement and the Final
Prospectus, or for the period from , 20
to such specified date there were any decreases, as
compared with in net sales or income from continuing
operations before income taxes or in total or per
share amounts of net income of the Company and its
subsidiaries, except in all instances for changes or
decreases set forth in such letter, in which case the
letter shall be accompanied by an explanation by the
Company as to the significance thereof unless said
explanation is not deemed necessary by the
Representatives;
(3) the information included or
incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement and Final Prospectus in response to
Regulation S-K, Item 301 (Selected Financial Data),
Item 302
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(Supplementary Financial Information), Item 402
(Executive Compensation) and Item 503(d) (Ratio of
Earnings to Fixed Charges) is not in conformity with
the applicable disclosure requirements of Regulation
S-K; [or] [and]
(4) [the unaudited amounts of [insert
capsule information, if any] do not agree with the
amounts set forth in the unaudited financial
statements for the same periods or were not
determined on a basis substantially consistent with
that of the corresponding amounts in the audited
financial statements included or incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement and the Final
Prospectus; and]
(iii) they have performed certain other specified
procedures as a result of which they determined that certain
information of an accounting, financial or statistical nature
(which is limited to accounting, financial or statistical
information derived from the general accounting records of the
Company and its subsidiaries) set forth in the Registration
Statement and the Final Prospectus and in Exhibit 12 to the
Registration Statement, including the information set forth
under the captions " " and " " in the Final
Prospectus, the information included or incorporated by
reference in Items [1, 2, 6, 7 and 11] of the Company's Annual
Report on Form 10-K, incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus, [and] [the
information included in the "Management's Discussion and
Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition"
included or incorporated by reference in the Company's
Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, incorporated by reference in
the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus], agrees
with the accounting records of the Company and its
subsidiaries, excluding any questions of legal
interpretation[; and][.]
(iv) [on the basis of a reading of the unaudited
pro forma financial statements included or incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement and the Final
Prospectus (the "pro forma financial statements"); carrying
out certain specified procedures; inquiries of certain
officials of the Company [and ] who have responsibility
for financial and accounting matters; and proving the
arithmetic accuracy of the application of the pro forma
adjustments to the historical amounts in the pro forma
financial statements, nothing came to their attention which
caused them to believe that the pro forma financial statements
do not comply as to form in all material respects with the
applicable accounting requirements of Rule 11-02 of Regulation
S-X or that the pro forma adjustments have not been properly
applied to the historical amounts in the compilation of such
statements.]
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References to the Final Prospectus in this paragraph (e)
include any supplement thereto at the date of the letter.
(f) Subsequent to the Execution Time or, if earlier, the
dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement
(exclusive of any amendment thereof) and the Final Prospectus
(exclusive of any supplement thereto), there shall not have been (i)
any change or decrease specified in the letter or letters referred to
in paragraph (e) of this Section 6 or (ii) any change, or any
development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the
condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, business or properties of
the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not
arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as
set forth in or contemplated in the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any
supplement thereto) the effect of which, in any case referred to in
clause (i) or (ii) above, is, in the sole judgment of the
Representatives, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or
inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities
as contemplated by the Registration Statement (exclusive of any
amendment thereof) and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any
supplement thereto).
(g) Subsequent to the Execution Time, there shall not
have been any decrease in the rating of any of the Company's debt
securities by any "nationally recognized statistical rating
organization" (as defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) under the Act) or
any notice given of any intended or potential decrease in any such
rating or of a possible change in any such rating that does not
indicate the direction of the possible change.
(h) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have
furnished to the Representatives such further information, certificates
and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.
[(i) The Securities shall have been listed and admitted
and authorized for trading on the Stock Exchange, and
satisfactory evidence of such actions shall have been provided to the
Representatives.]
[Insert additional closing conditions, if any, such as any concurrent offering
closing, repayment of debt, recapitalization, reorganization, credit facility
closing, additional borrowing, acquisition closing and stock split.]
If any of the conditions specified in this Section 6 shall not
have been fulfilled in all material respects when and as provided in this
Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or
elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be in all material respects reasonably
satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the
Underwriters, this Agreement and all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder
may be canceled at, or at any time prior to, the Closing Date by the
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Representatives. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in
writing or by telephone or facsimile confirmed in writing.
The documents required to be delivered by this Section 6 shall
be delivered at the office of , counsel for the Underwriters, at
[Underwriters' counsel's address], on the Closing Date.
7. Reimbursement of Underwriters' Expenses. If the sale
of the Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any condition
to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 6 hereof is not
satisfied, because of any termination pursuant to Section 10 hereof or because
of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any
agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof other than by reason of a
default by any of the Underwriters, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters
severally through on demand for all out-of-pocket expenses
(including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) that shall have been
incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the
Securities.
8. Indemnification and Contribution. (a) The Company
agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, the directors, officers,
employees and agents of each Underwriter and each person who controls any
Underwriter within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act against any
and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they
or any of them may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or other
Federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise,
insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect
thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the registration statement for the
registration of the Securities as originally filed or in any amendment thereof,
or in the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Final Prospectus or the Final
Prospectus, or in any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or arise out of
or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading, and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified party, as
incurred, for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in
connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage,
liability or action; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in
any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability
arises out of or is based upon any such untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission made therein in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of
any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion therein.
This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Company
may otherwise have.
(b) Each Underwriter severally and not jointly agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its
officers who signs the Registration Statement, and each person who controls the
Company within the meaning
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of either the Act or the Exchange Act, to the same extent as the foregoing
indemnity from the Company to each Underwriter, but only with reference to
written information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company by or
on behalf of such Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for
inclusion in the documents referred to in the foregoing indemnity. This
indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which any Underwriter
may otherwise have. The Company acknowledges that the statements set forth [in
the last paragraph of the cover page regarding delivery of the Securities, the
legend in block capital letters on page [2] related to stabilization, syndicate
covering transactions and penalty bids] and, under the heading "Underwriting" or
"Plan of Distribution", (i) the list of Underwriters and their respective
participation in the sale of the Securities, (ii) the sentences related to
concessions and reallowances and (iii) the paragraph related to stabilization,
syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids in any Preliminary Final
Prospectus and the Final Prospectus constitute the only information furnished in
writing by or on behalf of the several Underwriters for inclusion in any
Preliminary Final Prospectus or the Final Prospectus.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under
this Section 8 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified
party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying
party under this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the
commencement thereof; but the failure so to notify the indemnifying party (i)
will not relieve it from liability under paragraph (a) or (b) above unless and
to the extent it did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results
in the forfeiture by the indemnifying party of substantial rights and defenses
and (ii) will not, in any event, relieve the indemnifying party from any
obligations to any indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation
provided in paragraph (a) or (b) above. The indemnifying party shall be entitled
to appoint counsel of the indemnifying party's choice at the indemnifying
party's expense to represent the indemnified party in any action for which
indemnification is sought (in which case the indemnifying party shall not
thereafter be responsible for the fees and expenses of any separate counsel
retained by the indemnified party or parties except as set forth below);
provided, however, that such counsel shall be satisfactory to the indemnified
party. Notwithstanding the indemnifying party's election to appoint counsel to
represent the indemnified party in an action, the indemnified party shall have
the right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel), and the
indemnifying party shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and expenses of such
separate counsel if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the indemnifying party to
represent the indemnified party would present such counsel with a conflict of
interest, (ii) the actual or potential defendants in, or targets of, 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 which are different
from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, (iii) the
indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the
indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time
after notice of the institution of such action or (iv) the indemnifying party
shall authorize the indemnified party to employ separate counsel at
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the expense of the indemnifying party. An indemnifying party will not, without
the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or
consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened
claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or
contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are
actual or potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement,
compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each indemnified
party from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding.
(d) In the event that the indemnity provided in paragraph
(a) or (b) of this Section 8 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless
an indemnified party for any reason, the Company and the Underwriters severally
agree to contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages and liabilities
(including legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with
investigating or defending same) (collectively "Losses") to which the Company
and one or more of the Underwriters may be subject in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one
hand and by the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities;
provided, however, that in no case shall any Underwriter (except as may be
provided in any agreement among underwriters relating to the offering of the
Securities) be responsible for any amount in excess of the underwriting discount
or commission applicable to the Securities purchased by such Underwriter
hereunder. If the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is
unavailable for any reason, the Company and the Underwriters severally shall
contribute in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such
relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and
of the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions
which resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations. Benefits received by the Company shall be deemed to be equal to
the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by
it, and benefits received by the Underwriters shall be deemed to be equal to the
total underwriting discounts and commissions, in each case as set forth on the
cover page of the Final Prospectus. Relative fault shall be determined by
reference to, among other things, whether any untrue or any alleged untrue
statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a
material fact relates to information provided by the Company on the one hand or
the Underwriters on the other, the intent of the parties and their relative
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such
untrue statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it
would not be just and equitable if contribution were determined by pro rata
allocation or any other method of allocation which does not take account of the
equitable considerations referred to above. Notwithstanding the provisions of
this paragraph (d), no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the
meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any
person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of
this Section 8, each person who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of
either the Act or the Exchange Act and each director, officer, employee and
agent of an Underwriter shall have the same rights to contribution as such
Underwriter, and each person who controls the Company within the
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meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, each officer of the Company who
shall have signed the Registration Statement and each director of the Company
shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case
to the applicable terms and conditions of this paragraph (d).
9. Default by an Underwriter. If any one or more
Underwriters shall fail to purchase and pay for any of the Securities agreed to
be purchased by such Underwriter or Underwriters hereunder and such failure to
purchase shall constitute a default in the performance of its or their
obligations under this Agreement, the remaining Underwriters shall be obligated
severally to take up and pay for (in the respective proportions which the
principal amount of Securities set forth opposite their names in Schedule II
hereto bears to the aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth opposite
the names of all the remaining Underwriters) the Securities which the defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase; provided, however,
that in the event that the aggregate principal amount of Securities which the
defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase shall
exceed 10% of the aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth in Schedule
II hereto, the remaining Underwriters shall have the right to purchase all, but
shall not be under any obligation to purchase any, of the Securities, and if
such nondefaulting Underwriters do not purchase all the Securities, this
Agreement will terminate without liability to any nondefaulting Underwriter or
the Company. In the event of a default by any Underwriter as set forth in this
Section 9, the Closing Date shall be postponed for such period, not exceeding
five Business Days, as the Representatives shall determine in order that the
required changes in the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus or in
any other documents or arrangements may be effected. Nothing contained in this
Agreement shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to
the Company and any nondefaulting Underwriter for damages occasioned by its
default hereunder.
10. Termination. This Agreement shall be subject to
termination in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice given
to the Company prior to delivery of and payment for the Securities, if at any
time prior to such time (i) trading in the Company's Common Stock shall have
been suspended by the Commission [or the Stock Exchange] [or the
Nasdaq National Market] or trading in securities generally on the New York Stock
Exchange [or the Stock Exchange] [or the Nasdaq National Market]
shall have been suspended or limited or minimum prices shall have been
established on [either of] such Exchange[s] [or the Nasdaq National Market],
(ii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared either by Federal or New York
State authorities or (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation
of hostilities, declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war,
or other calamity or crisis the effect of which on financial markets is such as
to make it, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, impractical or
inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities as
contemplated by the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).
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11. Representations and Indemnities to Survive. The
respective agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other
statements of the Company or its officers and of the Underwriters set forth in
or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect,
regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the
Company or any of the officers, directors, employees, agents or controlling
persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and will survive delivery of and
payment for the Securities. The provisions of Sections 7 and 8 hereof shall
survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement.
12. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in
writing and effective only on receipt, and, if sent to the Representatives, will
be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to the General Counsel (fax no.: )
and confirmed to the General Counsel, , at [insert address], Attention:
General Counsel; or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or
telefaxed to [facsimile number] and confirmed to it at [insert address],
attention of the Legal Department.
13. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit
of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and
the officers, directors, employees, agents and controlling persons referred to
in Section 8 hereof, and no other person will have any right or obligation
hereunder.
14. Applicable Law. This Agreement will be governed by
and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to
contracts made and to be performed within the State of New York.
15. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in one or
more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original and all of which
together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
16. Headings. The section headings used herein are for
convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
17. Definitions. The terms which follow, when used in
this Agreement, shall have the meanings indicated.
"Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and
the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
"Basic Prospectus" shall mean the prospectus referred to in
paragraph 1(a) above contained in the Registration Statement at the
Effective Date including any Preliminary Final Prospectus.
"Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a
Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions or
trust companies are authorized or obligated by law to close in New York
City [or ____________].
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"Commission" shall mean the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
"Effective Date" shall mean each date and time that the
Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment or amendments
thereto and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement became or become
effective.
"Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated
thereunder.
"Execution Time" shall mean the date and time that this
Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto.
"Final Prospectus" shall mean the prospectus supplement
relating to the Securities that was first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)
after the Execution Time, together with the Basic Prospectus.
"Preliminary Final Prospectus" shall mean any preliminary
prospectus supplement to the Basic Prospectus which describes the
Securities and the offering thereof and is used prior to filing of the
Final Prospectus, together with the Basic Prospectus.
"Registration Statement" shall mean the registration statement
referred to in paragraph 1(a) above, including exhibits and financial
statements, as amended at the Execution Time (or, if not effective at
the Execution Time, in the form in which it shall become effective)
and, in the event any post-effective amendment thereto or any Rule
462(b) Registration Statement becomes effective prior to the Closing
Date, shall also mean such registration statement as so amended or such
Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, as the case may be. Such term shall
include any Rule 430A Information deemed to be included therein at the
Effective Date as provided by Rule 430A.
"Rule 415", "Rule 424", "Rule 430A" and "Rule 462" refer to
such rules under the Act.
"Rule 430A Information" shall mean information with respect to
the Securities and the offering thereof permitted to be omitted from
the Registration Statement when it becomes effective pursuant to Rule
430A.
"Rule 462(b) Registration Statement" shall mean a registration
statement and any amendments thereto filed pursuant to Rule 462(b)
relating to the offering covered by the registration statement referred
to in Section 1(a) hereof.
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"Trust Indenture Act" shall mean the Trust Indenture Act of
1939, as amended and the rules and regulations of the Commission
promulgated thereunder.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of
our agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof,
whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement
among the Company and the several Underwriters.
Very truly yours,
SCI Systems, Inc.
By:
----------------------
Name:
Title:
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The foregoing Agreement is
hereby confirmed and accepted
as of the date specified in
Schedule I hereto.
[name of co-manager, if any]
By:
By:
-------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
For [itself] [themselves] and the other
several Underwriters, if any,
named in Schedule II to the
foregoing Agreement.
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SCHEDULE I
Underwriting Agreement dated
Registration Statement No.
Representative(s):
Title, Purchase Price and Description of Securities:
Title:
Principal amount:
Purchase price (include accrued
interest or amortization, if
any):
Sinking fund provisions:
Redemption provisions:
Other provisions:
Closing Date, Time and Location: , 20 at 10:00 a.m. at
[name and address of Underwriters' counsel]
Type of Offering: Non-delayed
Date referred to in Section 5(f) after which the Company may offer or sell debt
securities issued or guaranteed by the Company without the consent of the
Representative(s):
Modification of items to be covered by the letter from
Ernst & Young LLP delivered pursuant to
Section 6(e) at the Execution Time:
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SCHEDULE II
PRINCIPAL AMOUNT
UNDERWRITERS OF SECURITIES
------------ TO BE PURCHASED
---------------
------------------
------------
Total................... $
============
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SCHEDULE III
Significant Subsidiaries
