Exhibit 1.1
VIANT CORPORATION
COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE $.001 PER SHARE
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
, 1999
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co.,
Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation
BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc.
As representatives of the several Underwriters
named in Schedule I hereto,
c/o Goldman, Sachs & Co.,
00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Viant Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), proposes,
subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell to the
Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the "Underwriters") an aggregate of
........ shares (the "Firm Shares") and, at the election of the Underwriters, up
to ........ additional shares (the "Optional Shares") of Common Stock, par value
$.001 per share ("Stock") of the Company (the Firm Shares and the Optional
Shares that the Underwriters elect to purchase pursuant to Section 2 hereof
being collectively called the "Shares").
As part of the offering contemplated by this Agreement, the
Underwriters have agreed to reserve out of the Shares up to _____ Shares, for
sale to certain of the Company's employees, officers and directors and other
parties associated with the Company as designated by the Company, including
without limitation, pursuant to that certain Allocation Agreement by and among
the Company and its Series D Preferred Stockholders dated November 13, 1998, as
may be amended (collectively, the "Directed Participants") as set forth in the
Prospectus under the heading "Underwriting" (the "Directed Share Program"). The
Shares to be sold pursuant to the Directed Share Program (the "Directed Shares")
will be sold pursuant to this Agreement at the public offering price in the
jurisdictions designated by the Company. Any Directed Shares not confirmed for
purchase by the Directed Participants by the end of the business day on which
this Agreement is executed will be offered to the public as set forth in the
Prospectus.
1. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the
Underwriters that:
(a) A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-76049)
(the "Initial Registration Statement") in respect of the Shares has been filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"); the Initial
Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, each in the
form heretofore delivered to you, and, excluding exhibits thereto, to you for
each of the other Underwriters, have been declared effective by the Commission
in such form; other than a registration statement, if any, increasing the size
of the offering (a "Rule 462(b) Registration Statement"), filed pursuant to Rule
462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), which became
effective upon filing, no other document with respect to the Initial
Registration Statement has heretofore been filed with the Commission; and no
stop order suspending
the effectiveness of the Initial Registration Statement, any post-effective
amendment thereto or the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, has been
issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or threatened by
the Commission (any preliminary prospectus included in the Initial Registration
Statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) of the rules and
regulations of the Commission under the Act is hereinafter called a "Preliminary
Prospectus"; the various parts of the Initial Registration Statement and the
Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, including all exhibits thereto and
including the information contained in the form of final prospectus filed with
the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act in accordance with Section
5(a) hereof and deemed by virtue of Rule 430A under the Act to be part of the
Initial Registration Statement at the time it was declared effective, each as
amended at the time such part of the Initial Registration Statement became
effective or such part of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, became
or hereafter becomes effective, are hereinafter collectively called the
"Registration Statement"; and such final prospectus, in the form first filed
pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act, is hereinafter called the "Prospectus";
(b) No order preventing or suspending the use of any
Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary
Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, conformed in all material respects to
the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder, and did not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit
to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that this representation and warranty
shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in
conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by an
Underwriter through Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. expressly for use therein;
(c) The Registration Statement conforms, and the Prospectus
and any further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Act
and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and do not and will
not, as of the applicable effective date as to the Registration Statement and
any amendment thereto, and as of the applicable filing date as to the Prospectus
and any amendment or supplement thereto, contain an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that
this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions
made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to
the Company by an Underwriter through Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. expressly for use
therein;
(d) The Company has not sustained since the date of the latest
audited financial statements included in the Prospectus any material loss or
interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity,
whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or
governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or
contemplated in the Prospectus; and, since the respective dates as of which
information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there has
not been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any
material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material
adverse change, in or affecting the general affairs, management, financial
position, stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company,
otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus;
(e) The Company has good and marketable title in fee simple to
all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned
by it, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except
such as are described in the Prospectus or such as do not
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materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use
made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company; and any real
property and buildings held under lease by the Company are held by it under
valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not
material and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such
property and buildings by the Company;
(f) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of
Delaware with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties
and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus, and has been duly
qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in
good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or
leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such qualification,
or is subject to no material liability or disability by reason of the failure to
be so qualified in any such jurisdiction;
(g) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth
in the Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company
have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and
non-assessable and conform to the description of the Stock contained in the
Prospectus; the Company does not own, beneficially or otherwise, any equity
interest in any entity other than an interest in Interactive Factory Inc., as
described in that letter dated _______, 1999 from the Company to counsel to the
Underwriters;
(h) The unissued Shares to be issued and sold by the Company
to the Underwriters hereunder have been duly and validly authorized and, when
issued and delivered against payment therefor as provided herein, will be duly
and validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable and will conform to the
description of the Stock contained in the Prospectus;
(i) The issue and sale of the Shares by the Company and the
compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of this Agreement and the
consummation of the transactions herein contemplated will not conflict with or
result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or
constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan
agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by
which the Company is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the
Company is subject, nor will such action result in any violation of the
provisions of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws
of the Company or any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or
governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its
properties; and no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or
qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is
required for the issue and sale of the Shares or the consummation by the Company
of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except the registration
under the Act of the Shares and such consents, approvals, authorizations,
registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or
Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by
the Underwriters;
(j) The Company is not in violation of its Amended and
Restated Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws or currently in default in the
performance or observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant or
condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement,
lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or
any of its properties may be bound;
(k) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the
caption, "Description of Capital Stock", insofar as they purport to constitute a
summary of the terms of the Stock, and under
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the caption "Underwriting", insofar as they pertain to the Directed Share
Program and lock-up arrangements, and "Management - Employee Benefit Plans",
insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents
referred to therein, are accurate, complete and fair;
(l) Other than as set forth in the Prospectus, there are no
legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company is a party or of
which any property of the Company is the subject which, if determined adversely
to the Company, would individually or in the aggregate have a material adverse
effect on the current or future consolidated financial position, stockholders'
equity or results of operations of the Company; and, to the Company's knowledge,
no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities
or threatened by others;
(m) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the
offering and sale of the Shares, will not be an "investment company", as such
term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the
"Investment Company Act");
(n) Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates does
business with the government of Cuba or with any person or affiliate located in
Cuba within the meaning of Section 517.075, Florida Statutes;
(o) PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who have certified certain
financial statements of the Company are independent public accountants as
required by the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder;
(p) The Company has reviewed its operations and those of any
third parties with which the Company has a material relationship to evaluate the
extent to which the business or operations of the Company will be affected by
the Year 2000 Problem. As a result of such review, the Company has no reason to
believe, and does not believe, that the Year 2000 Problem will have a material
adverse effect on the general affairs, management, the current or future
consolidated financial position, business prospects, stockholders' equity or
results of operations of the Company or result in any material loss or
interference with the Company's business or operations. The "Year 2000 Problem"
as used herein means any significant risk that computer hardware or software
used in the receipt, transmission, processing, manipulation, storage, retrieval,
retransmission or other utilization of data or in the operation of mechanical or
electrical systems of any kind will not, in the case of dates or time periods
occurring after December 31, 1999, function at least as effectively as in the
case of dates or time periods occurring prior to January 1, 2000;
(q) The Company has sufficient interests in all patents,
trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, trade secrets, information,
proprietary rights and processes (collectively, the "Intellectual Property")
necessary for its business as now conducted and has no reason to believe after
reasonable inquiry that the conduct of its business will conflict with or
infringe the interests of others, except as would not have a material adverse
effect on its business as now conducted, and has taken reasonable steps to
secure from third parties interests in such Intellectual Property as is
necessary for its business as described in the Prospectus; the Company is not
aware of outstanding options, licenses or agreements of any kind relating to the
Intellectual Property, except as set forth in the Prospectus or in the written
agreements pursuant to which the Company provides its services to its clients
and except such as would not have a material adverse effect on the financial
position, stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company; none of
the technology employed by the Company has been obtained or is being used by the
Company in violation of any contractual or fiduciary obligation binding on the
Company, its directors or executive officers or any of its employees or
consultants or otherwise in violation of the rights of any person; neither the
Company nor any of its
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employees has received any written or, to the Company's knowledge, oral
communications alleging that the Company has violated or, by conducting its
business, would violate any of the Intellectual Property of any other person or
entity; the operation of the Company's business by the employees of the Company
will not result in a breach or violation of the terms, conditions or provisions
of, or constitute a default under, any material contract, covenant or instrument
under which any of such employees is now obligated; and the Company has taken
and will maintain reasonable measures to prevent the unauthorized dissemination
or publication of its confidential information or the confidential information
of third parties in its possession;
(r) The Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and
the Prospectus comply, and any further amendments or supplements thereto will
comply, with any applicable laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions in
which the Prospectus or any Preliminary Prospectus, as amended or supplemented,
if applicable, are distributed in connection with the Directed Share Program,
and no authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration or
qualification of or with any government, governmental instrumentality or court,
other than such as have been obtained, is necessary under the securities laws
and regulations of foreign jurisdictions in which the Directed Shares are
offered outside the United States; and
(s) The Company has not offered, or caused the Underwriters to
offer, Shares to any person pursuant to the Directed Share Program with the
specific intent to unlawfully influence (a) a customer or supplier of the
Company to alter the customer's or supplier's level or type of business with the
Company, or (b) a trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable
information about the Company or its products.
2. Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, (a) the
Company agrees to issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the
Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at
a purchase price per share of $................, the number of Firm Shares set
forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto and (b) in the
event and to the extent that the Underwriters shall exercise the election to
purchase Optional Shares as provided below, the Company agrees to issue and sell
to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and
not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the purchase price per share set
forth in clause (a) of this Section 2, that portion of the number of Optional
Shares as to which such election shall have been exercised (to be adjusted by
you so as to eliminate fractional shares) determined by multiplying such number
of Optional Shares by a fraction, the numerator of which is the maximum number
of Optional Shares which such Underwriter is entitled to purchase as set forth
opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto and the denominator
of which is the maximum number of Optional Shares that all of the Underwriters
are entitled to purchase hereunder.
The Company hereby grants to the Underwriters the right to purchase at
their election up to ................... Optional Shares, at the purchase price
per share set forth in the paragraph above, for the sole purpose of covering
overallotments in the sale of the Firm Shares. Any such election to purchase
Optional Shares may be exercised only by written notice from you to the Company,
given within a period of 30 calendar days after the date of this Agreement,
setting forth the aggregate number of Optional Shares to be purchased and the
date on which such Optional Shares are to be delivered, as determined by you but
in no event earlier than the First Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 4
hereof) or, unless you and the Company otherwise agree in writing, earlier than
two or later than ten business days after the date of such notice.
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3. Upon the authorization by you of the release of the Firm Shares, the
several Underwriters propose to offer the Firm Shares for sale upon the terms
and conditions set forth in the Prospectus.
4. (a) The Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter hereunder, in
definitive form, and in such authorized denominations and registered in such
names as Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. may request upon at least forty-eight hours' prior
notice to the Company shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company to
Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co., through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company
("DTC") for the account of such Underwriter, against payment by or on behalf of
such Underwriter of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of Federal
(same-day) funds to the account specified by the Company to Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co.
at least forty-eight hours in advance. The Company will cause the certificates
representing the Shares to be made available for checking and packaging at least
twenty-four hours prior to the Time of Delivery (as defined below) with respect
thereto at the office of DTC or its designated custodian (the "Designated
Office"). The time and date of such delivery and payment shall be, with respect
to the Firm Shares, 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on ............., 1999 or
such other time and date as Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. and the Company may agree upon
in writing, and, with respect to the Optional Shares, 9:30 a.m., New York City
time, on the date specified by Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. in the written notice given
by Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. of the Underwriters' election to purchase such Optional
Shares, or such other time and date as Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. and the Company may
agree upon in writing. Such time and date for delivery of the Firm Shares is
herein called the "First Time of Delivery", such time and date for delivery of
the Optional Shares, if not the First Time of Delivery, is herein called the
"Second Time of Delivery", and each such time and date for delivery is herein
called a "Time of Delivery".
(b) The documents to be delivered at each Time of Delivery by
or on behalf of the parties hereto pursuant to Section 7 hereof, including the
cross receipt for the Shares and any additional documents requested by the
Underwriters pursuant to Section 7 hereof, will be delivered at the offices of
Xxxx and Xxxx LLP, 00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx, XX 00000 (the "Closing Location"),
and the Shares will be delivered at the Designated Office, all at such Time of
Delivery. A meeting will be held at the Closing Location at 3:00 p.m., New York
City time, on the New York Business Day next preceding such Time of Delivery, at
which meeting the final drafts of the documents to be delivered pursuant to the
preceding sentence will be available for review by the parties hereto. For the
purposes of this Section 4, "New York Business Day" shall mean each Monday,
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which banking
institutions in New York are generally authorized or obligated by law or
executive order to close.
5. The Company agrees with each of the Underwriters:
(a) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by you and to
file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act not later than the
Commission's close of business on the second business day following the
execution and delivery of this Agreement, or, if applicable, such earlier time
as may be required by Rule 430A(a)(3) under the Act; to make no further
amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus which
shall be disapproved by you promptly after reasonable notice thereof; to advise
you, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment
to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any
supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus has been filed and to
furnish you with copies thereof; to advise you, promptly after it receives
notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any
order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or
Prospectus, of the suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offering or
sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for
any such
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purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing
of the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information; and,
in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order preventing or
suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus or suspending any
such qualification, promptly to use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of
such order;
(b) Promptly from time to time to take such action as you may
reasonably request to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the
securities laws of such jurisdictions as you may request and to comply with such
laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such
jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of
the Shares, provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be
required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to
service of process in any jurisdiction;
(c) Prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the New York
Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and from time to time,
to furnish the Underwriters with copies of the Prospectus in New York City in
such quantities as you may reasonably request, and, if the delivery of a
prospectus is required at any time prior to the expiration of nine months after
the time of issue of the Prospectus in connection with the offering or sale of
the Shares and if at such time any event shall have occurred as a result of
which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if
for any other reason it shall be necessary during such period to amend or
supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the Act, to notify you and
upon your request to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and
to any dealer in securities as many copies as you may from time to time
reasonably request of an amended Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus
which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance, and in
case any Underwriter is required to deliver a prospectus in connection with
sales of any of the Shares at any time nine months or more after the time of
issue of the Prospectus, upon your request but at the expense of such
Underwriter, to prepare and deliver to such Underwriter as many copies as you
may request of an amended or supplemented Prospectus complying with Section
10(a)(3) of the Act;
(d) To make generally available to its securityholders as soon
as practicable, but in any event not later than eighteen months after the
effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) under
the Act), an earnings statement of the Company (which need not be audited)
complying with Section 11(a) of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder
(including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158);
(e) During the period beginning from the date hereof and
continuing to and including the date 180 days after the date of the Prospectus,
not to offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of, except as provided
hereunder any securities of the Company that are substantially similar to the
Shares, including but not limited to any securities that are convertible into or
exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, Stock or any such
substantially similar securities (other than pursuant to employee stock option
plans existing on, or upon the conversion or exchange of convertible or
exchangeable securities outstanding as of, the date of this Agreement), without
your prior written consent;
(f) To furnish to its stockholders as soon as practicable
after the end of each fiscal year an annual report (including a balance sheet
and statements of income, stockholders' equity and cash flows of the Company and
its consolidated subsidiaries certified by independent public
7
accountants) and, as soon as practicable after the end of each of the first
three quarters of each fiscal year (beginning with the fiscal quarter ending
after the effective date of the Registration Statement), to make available to
its stockholders summary financial information of the Company for such quarter
in reasonable detail;
(g) During a period of five years from the effective date of
the Registration Statement, to furnish to you copies of all reports or other
communications (financial or other) furnished to stockholders, and to deliver to
you (i) as soon as they are available, copies of any reports and financial
statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities
exchange on which any class of securities of the Company is listed; and (ii)
such additional information concerning the business and financial condition of
the Company as you may from time to time reasonably request (such financial
statements to be on a consolidated basis to the extent the Company has
subsidiaries and the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries are
consolidated in reports furnished to its stockholders generally or to the
Commission);
(h) To use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of
the Shares pursuant to this Agreement in the manner specified in the Prospectus
under the caption "Use of Proceeds";
(i) To use its best efforts to list for quotation the Shares
on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations National
Market System ("NASDAQ");
(j) To file with the Commission such information on Form 10-Q
or Form 10-K as may be required by Rule 463 under the Act;
(k) If the Company elects to rely upon Rule 462(b), the
Company shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in
compliance with Rule 462(b) by 10:00 P.M., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of
this Agreement, and the Company shall at the time of filing either pay to the
Commission the filing fee for the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or give
irrevocable instructions for the payment of such fee pursuant to Rule 111(b)
under the Act;
(l) In connection with the Directed Share Program, to ensure
that the Directed Shares will be restricted to the extent required by the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") or the NASD rules
from sale, transfer, assignment, pledge or hypothecation for a period of three
months following the date of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement.
Counsel to Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. will notify the Company as to which Directed
Participants will need to be so restricted. The Company will direct the transfer
agent to place stop transfer restrictions upon such securities for such period
of time; and
(m) To comply with all applicable securities and other
applicable laws, rules and regulations in each foreign jurisdiction in which the
Directed Shares are offered in connection with the Directed Share Program.
6. The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that
the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees,
disbursements and expenses of the Company's counsel and accountants in
connection with the registration of the Shares under the Act and all other
expenses in connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and
amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies
thereof to the Underwriters and dealers; (ii) the cost of printing or producing
any Agreement among Underwriters, this Agreement, the Blue Sky Memorandum,
closing documents (including any compilations thereof) and any other documents
in connection with the
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offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares; (iii) all expenses in
connection with the qualification of the Shares for offering and sale under
state securities laws as provided in Section 5(b) hereof, including the fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such
qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky survey, and all fees and
disbursements of counsel incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the
Directed Share Program and stamp duties, similar taxes or duties or other taxes,
if any, incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share
Program; (iv) all fees and expenses in connection with listing the Shares on the
NASDAQ; (v) the filing fees incident to, and the fees and disbursements of
counsel for the Underwriters in connection with, securing any required review by
the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. of the terms of the sale of
the Shares; (vi) the cost of preparing stock certificates; (vii) the cost and
charges of any transfer agent or registrar; and (viii) all other costs and
expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not
otherwise specifically provided for in this Section. It is understood, however,
that, except as provided in this Section, and Sections 8 and 11 hereof, the
Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees of
their counsel, stock transfer taxes on resale of any of the Shares by them, and
any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.
7. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder, as to the Shares to
be delivered at each Time of Delivery, shall be subject, in their discretion, to
the condition that all representations and warranties and other statements of
the Company herein are, at and as of such Time of Delivery, true and correct,
the condition that the Company shall have performed all of its obligations
hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following additional conditions:
(a) The Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 424(b) within the applicable time period prescribed for such
filing by the rules and regulations under the Act and in accordance with Section
5(a) hereof; if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Rule
462(b) Registration Statement shall have become effective by 10:00 P.M.,
Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement; no stop order suspending
the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have
been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or
threatened by the Commission; and all requests for additional information on the
part of the Commission shall have been complied with to your reasonable
satisfaction;
(b) Xxxx and Xxxx LLP counsel for the Underwriters, shall have
furnished to you such written opinion or opinions (a draft of each such opinion
is attached as Annex II(a) hereto), dated such Time of Delivery, with respect to
the matters covered in paragraphs (i), (ii), (vi), (x) and (xii) of subsection
(c) below as well as such other related matters as you may reasonably request,
and such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they may
reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters;
(c) Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxx, counsel for the Company,
shall have furnished to you their written opinion (a draft of such opinion is
attached as Annex II(b) hereto), dated such Time of Delivery, in form and
substance satisfactory to you, to the effect that:
(i)The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of
Delaware, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties
and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus;
(ii) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth
in the Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company
(including the Shares being delivered at
9
such Time of Delivery) have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are
fully paid and non-assessable; and the Shares conform to the description of the
Stock contained in the Prospectus;
(iii) The Company has been duly qualified as a foreign
corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the
laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or
conducts any business so as to require such qualification or is subject to no
material liability or disability by reason of failure to be so qualified in any
such jurisdiction (such counsel being entitled to rely in respect of the opinion
in this clause upon opinions of local counsel and in respect of matters of fact
upon certificates of officers of the Company, provided that such counsel shall
state that they believe that both you and they are justified in relying upon
such opinions and certificates;
(iv) Any real property and buildings held under lease by the
Company are held by it under valid and subsisting leases with such exceptions as
are not material and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made
of such property and buildings by the Company;
(v)To such counsel's knowledge and other than as set forth in
the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which
the Company is a party or of which any property of the Company is the subject
which, if determined adversely to the Company, would individually or in the
aggregate have a material adverse effect on the financial position,
stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company; and, to such
counsel's knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by
governmental authorities or threatened by others;
(vi) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company;
(vii) The issue and sale of the Shares being delivered at such
Time of Delivery by the Company and the compliance by the Company with all of
the provisions of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein
contemplated will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of
the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument known
to such counsel to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound
or to which any of the property or assets of the Company is subject, nor will
such action result in any violation of the provisions of the Amended and
Restated Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company or any statute
or any order, rule or regulation known to such counsel of any court or
governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of their
properties;
(viii) No consent, approval, authorization, order,
registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency
or body is required for the issue and sale of the Shares or the consummation by
the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except the
registration under the Act of the Shares, and such consents, approvals,
authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state
securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of
the Shares by the Underwriters;
(ix) The Company is not in violation of its Amended and
Restated Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws or, to such counsel's
knowledge, in default in the performance or observance of any material
obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument
to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound;
10
(x)The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the
caption "Description of Capital Stock", insofar as they purport to constitute a
summary of the terms of the Stock and under the captions "Underwriting" insofar
as they pertain to the Directed Share Program and lock-up arrangements and
"Management - Employee Benefits Plans", insofar as they purport to describe the
provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate, complete
and fair;
(xi) The Company is not an "investment company", as such term
is defined in the Investment Company Act; and
(xii) (1) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus and
any further amendments and supplements thereto made by the Company prior to such
Time of Delivery (other than the financial statements and related schedules and
financial data therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) comply
as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Act and the
rules and regulations thereunder; (2) although they do not assume any
responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements
contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, except for those
referred to in the opinion in subsection (x) of this section 7(c), they have no
reason to believe that (a) the Registration Statement, as of its effective date,
or any further amendment thereto made by the Company prior to such Time of
Delivery (other than the financial statements and related schedules and
financial data therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion)
contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading or (b) the Prospectus, as of its date, or any further amendment
or supplement thereto made by the Company prior to such Time of Delivery, (other
than the financial statements and related schedules and financial data therein,
as to which such counsel need express no opinion) contained an untrue statement
of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading or (3) that, as of such Time of Delivery, either the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement thereto made
by the Company prior to such Time of Delivery (other than the financial
statements and related schedules and financial data therein, as to which such
counsel need express no opinion) contains an untrue statement of a material fact
or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and
(4) they do not know of any amendment to the Registration Statement required to
be filed or of any contracts or other documents of a character required to be
filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or required to be described in
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which are not filed or described as
required;
(d) On the date of the Prospectus at a time prior to the
execution of this Agreement, at 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on the effective
date of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement filed
subsequent to the date of this Agreement and also at each Time of Delivery,
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP shall have furnished to you a letter or letters,
dated the respective dates of delivery thereof, in form and substance
satisfactory to you, to the effect set forth in Annex I hereto (the executed
copy of the letter delivered prior to the execution of this Agreement is
attached as Annex I(a) hereto and a draft of the form of letter to be delivered
on the effective date of any post-effective amendment to the Registration
Statement and as of each Time of Delivery is attached as Annex I(b) hereto);
(e) (i) The Company shall not have sustained since the date of
the latest audited financial statements included in the Prospectus any loss or
interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity,
whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or
11
court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or
contemplated in the Prospectus, and (ii) since the respective dates as of which
information is given in the Prospectus there shall not have been any change in
the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any change, or any
development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the general affairs,
management, financial position, stockholders' equity or results of operations of
the Company otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus, the
effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is in the
judgment of the Representatives so material and adverse as to make it
impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery
of the Shares being delivered at such Time of Delivery on the terms and in the
manner contemplated in the Prospectus;
(f) On or after the date hereof (i) no downgrading shall have
occurred in the rating accorded the Company's debt securities by any "nationally
recognized statistical rating organization", as that term is defined by the
Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act, and (ii) no such
organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or
review, with possible negative implications, its rating of any of the Company's
debt securities;
(g) On or after the date hereof there shall not have occurred
any of the following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in
securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange or on the NASDAQ; (ii) a
suspension or material limitation in trading in the Company's securities on the
NASDAQ (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities declared by
either Federal or New York or the Commonwealth of Massachusetts State
authorities or (iv) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the
United States or the declaration by the United States of a national emergency or
war, if the effect of any such event specified in this clause (iv) in the
judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed
with the public offering or the delivery of the Shares being delivered at such
Time of Delivery on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus;
(h) The Shares to be sold at such Time of Delivery shall have
been duly listed for quotation on NASDAQ;
(i) The Company has obtained and delivered to the Underwriters
executed copies of an agreement from the stockholders and optionholders listed
on Annex III, substantially to the effect set forth in Subsection 5(e) hereof in
form and substance satisfactory to you;
(j) The Company shall have complied with the provisions of
Section 5(c) hereof with respect to the furnishing of prospectuses on the New
York Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement; and
(k) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished
to you at such Time of Delivery certificates of officers of the Company
satisfactory to you as to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of
the Company herein at and as of such Time of Delivery, as to the performance by
the Company of all of its obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to
such Time of Delivery, as to the matters set forth in subsections (a) and (e) of
this Section and as to such other matters as you may reasonably request.
8. (a) (i) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each
Underwriter against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or
several, to which such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or
otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in
respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus,
12
or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact (x) in the case the
Registration Statement, that is required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading and (y) in the case of any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, that is necessary to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading; and will reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are
incurred; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Company shall not be liable in any such
case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of
or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or
alleged omission made in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement
or the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter
through Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. expressly for use therein.
(ii) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each
Underwriter against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or
several, to which such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or
otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in
respect thereof) (a) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the prospectus wrapper
material prepared by or with the consent of the Company for distribution in
foreign jurisdictions in connection with the Directed Share Program attached to
the Prospectus or any Preliminary Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement
thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to
state a material fact (x) in the case the Registration Statement, that is
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading and (y) in the case of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus,
that is necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading; and will reimburse each Underwriter
for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in
connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such
expenses are incurred; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Company shall not be liable
in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability
arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
or omission or alleged omission made in any such prospectus wrapper material in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company by any Underwriter through Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. expressly for use
therein; and (b) are caused by the failure of any Directed Participant to pay
for and accept delivery of the shares which, immediately following the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement, were subject to a properly
confirmed agreement to purchase.
13
(b) Each Underwriter will indemnify and hold harmless the
Company against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company
may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based
upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based
upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement
or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any such
amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through Xxxxxxx, Sachs
& Co. expressly for use therein; and will reimburse the Company for any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are
incurred.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under
subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such
indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the
indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in
writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the
indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to
any indemnified party otherwise than under such subsection. In case any such
action shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify the
indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be
entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly
with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense
thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not,
except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying
party), and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party
of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall
not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal
expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently
incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other
than reasonable costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the
written consent of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise
of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or
threatened action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution
may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or
potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or
judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all
liability arising out of such action or claim and (ii) does not include a
statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or
on behalf of any indemnified party. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to
the contrary, if indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 8(a)(ii) hereof in
respect of such action or proceeding, then in addition to such separate firm for
the indemnified parties, the indemnifying party shall be liable for the
reasonable fees and expenses of not more than one separate firm (in addition to
any local counsel) for Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co for the defense of any losses,
claims, damages and liabilities arising out of the Directed Share Program, and
all persons, if any, who control Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. within the meaning of
either Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is
unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
subsection (a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each
indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such
indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the
relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the
14
Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Shares. If, however, the
allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by
applicable law or if the indemnified party failed to give the notice required
under subsection (c) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to
such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative
fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in
connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any
other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the
Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be
in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before
deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting
discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set
forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault shall
be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state
a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand
or the Underwriters on the other and the parties' relative intent, knowledge,
access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or
omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and
equitable if contributions pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by
PRO RATA allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for
such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account
of the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (d). The
amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above
in this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating
or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this
subsection (d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in
excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten
by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the
amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay
by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning
of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person
who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters'
obligations in this subsection (d) to contribute are several in proportion to
their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.
(e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 8 shall
be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall
extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls
any Underwriter within the meaning of the Act; and the obligations of the
Underwriters under this Section 8 shall be in addition to any liability which
the respective Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same
terms and conditions, to each officer and director of the Company (including any
person who, with his or her consent, is named in the Registration Statement as
about to become a director of the Company) and to each person, if any, who
controls the Company within the meaning of the Act.
9. (a) If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to
purchase the Shares which it has agreed to purchase hereunder at a Time of
Delivery, you may in your discretion arrange for you or another party or other
parties to purchase such Shares on the terms contained herein. If within
thirty-six hours after such default by any Underwriter you do not arrange for
the purchase of such Shares, then the Company shall be entitled to a further
period of thirty-six hours within which to procure another party or other
parties satisfactory to you to purchase such Shares on such terms. In the event
that, within the respective prescribed periods, you notify the Company that you
have so arranged for the
15
purchase of such Shares, or the Company notifies you that it has so arranged for
the purchase of such Shares, you or the Company shall have the right to postpone
such Time of Delivery for a period of not more than seven days, in order to
effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus, or in any other documents or arrangements, and the
Company agrees to file promptly any amendments to the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus which in your opinion may thereby be made necessary. The term
"Underwriter" as used in this Agreement shall include any person substituted
under this Section with like effect as if such person had originally been a
party to this Agreement with respect to such Shares.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the
purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by you and
the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such
Shares which remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate
number of all the Shares to be purchased at such Time of Delivery, then the
Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to
purchase the number of shares which such Underwriter agreed to purchase
hereunder at such Time of Delivery and, in addition, to require each
non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase its pro rata share (based on the number
of Shares which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Shares of
such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not
been made; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from
liability for its default.
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the
purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by you and
the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such
Shares which remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate number of
all the Shares to be purchased at such Time of Delivery, or if the Company shall
not exercise the right described in subsection (b) above to require
non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters, then this Agreement (or, with respect to the Second Time of
Delivery, the obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and of the Company to
sell the Optional Shares) shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the
part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company, except for the expenses
to be borne by the Company and the Underwriters as provided in Section 6 hereof
and the indemnity and contribution agreements in Section 8 hereof; but nothing
herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
10. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties
and other statements of the Company and the several Underwriters, as set forth
in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to
this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any
investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf
of any Underwriter or any controlling person of any Underwriter, or the Company,
or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, and shall
survive delivery of and payment for the Shares.
11. If this Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 9 hereof,
the Company shall not then be under any liability to any Underwriter except as
provided in Sections 6 and 8 hereof; but, if for any other reason, any Shares
are not delivered by or on behalf of the Company as provided herein, the Company
will reimburse the Underwriters through you for all out-of-pocket expenses
approved in writing by you, including fees and disbursements of counsel,
reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in making preparations for the purchase,
sale and delivery of the Shares not so delivered, but the Company shall then be
under no further liability to any Underwriter except as provided in Sections 6
and 8 hereof.
12. In all dealings hereunder, you shall act on behalf of each of the
Underwriters, and the parties hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any
statement, request, notice or
16
agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or given by you jointly or by
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. on behalf of you as the representatives.
All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in
writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or
facsimile transmission to you as the representatives in care of Xxxxxxx, Sachs &
Co., 00 Xxx Xxxx, 00xx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention: Registration
Department; and if to the Company shall be delivered or sent by mail to the
address of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement, Attention:
Secretary; provided, however, that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to
Section 8(c) hereof shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile
transmission to such Underwriter at its address set forth in its Underwriters'
Questionnaire, or telex constituting such Questionnaire, which address will be
supplied to the Company by you upon request. Any such statements, requests,
notices or agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof.
13. This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the
benefit of, the Underwriters, the Company and, to the extent provided in
Sections 8 and 10 hereof, the officers and directors of the Company and each
person who controls the Company or any Underwriter, and their respective heirs,
executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no other person shall
acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. No purchaser of
any of the Shares from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by
reason merely of such purchase.
14. Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement. As used herein, the
term "business day" shall mean any day when the Commission's office in
Washington, D.C. is open for business.
15. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance
with the laws of the State of New York.
16. This Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties
hereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an
original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same
instrument.
17
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign
and return to us one for the Company and each of the Representatives plus one
for each counsel counterparts hereof, and upon the acceptance hereof by you, on
behalf of each of the Underwriters, this letter and such acceptance hereof shall
constitute a binding agreement between each of the Underwriters and the Company.
It is understood that your acceptance of this letter on behalf of each of the
Underwriters is pursuant to the authority set forth in a form of Agreement among
Underwriters, the form of which shall be submitted to the Company for
examination upon request, but without warranty on your part as to the authority
of the signers thereof.
Very truly yours,
Viant Corporation
By:
---------------------------------
Name:
Title:
Accepted as of the date hereof:
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co.
Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation
BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc.
By:
------------------------------------
(Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co.)
On behalf of each of the Underwriters
18
SCHEDULE I
Number of Optional
Shares to be
Total Number of Purchased if
Firm Shares Maximum Option
Underwriter to be Purchased Exercised
----------- --------------- -------------------
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co..................................
Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation...............
BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc....................
Total
19
ANNEX I
FORM OF COMFORT LETTER
Pursuant to Section 7(d) of the Underwriting Agreement, the accountants
shall furnish letters to the Underwriters to the effect that:
(i) They are independent certified public accountants with
respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the meaning of the
Act and the applicable published rules and regulations thereunder;
(ii) In their opinion, the financial statements and any
supplementary financial information and schedules (and, if applicable,
financial forecasts and/or pro forma financial information) examined by
them and included in the Prospectus or the Registration Statement
comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
accounting requirements of the Act and the related published rules and
regulations thereunder; and, if applicable, they have made a review in
accordance with standards established by the American Institute of
Certified Public Accountants of the unaudited consolidated interim
financial statements, selected financial data, pro forma financial
information, financial forecasts and/or condensed financial statements
derived from audited financial statements of the Company for the
periods specified in such letter, as indicated in their reports
thereon, copies of which have been separately furnished to the
representatives of the Underwriters (the "Representatives");
(iii) They have made a review in accordance with standards
established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
of the unaudited condensed statements of income, balance sheets and
statements of cash flows included in the Prospectus as indicated in
their reports thereon copies of which have been separately furnished to
the Representatives and on the basis of specified procedures including
inquiries of officials of the Company who have responsibility for
financial and accounting matters regarding whether the unaudited
condensed consolidated financial statements referred to in paragraph
(vi)(A)(i) below comply as to form in all material respects with the
applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the related published
rules and regulations, nothing came to their attention that cause them
to believe that the unaudited condensed consolidated financial
statements do not comply as to form in all material respects with the
applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the related published
rules and regulations;
(iv) The unaudited selected financial information with respect
to the consolidated results of operations and financial position of the
Company for the five most recent fiscal years included in the
Prospectus agrees with the corresponding amounts (after restatements
where applicable) in the audited consolidated financial statements for
such five fiscal years which were included or incorporated by reference
in the Company's Annual Reports on Form 10-K for such fiscal years;
(v) They have compared the information in the Prospectus under
selected captions with the disclosure requirements of Regulation S-K
and on the basis of limited procedures specified in such letter nothing
came to their attention as a result of the foregoing procedures that
caused them to believe that this information does not conform in all
material respects with the disclosure requirements of Items 301, 302,
402 and 503(d), respectively, of Regulation S-K;
(vi) On the basis of limited procedures, not constituting an
examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards,
consisting of a reading of the unaudited financial statements and other
information referred to below, a reading of the latest available
interim
20
financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, inspection of
the minute books of the Company since the date of the latest audited
financial statements included in the Prospectus, inquiries of officials
of the Company and responsible for financial and accounting matters and
such other inquiries and procedures as may be specified in such letter,
nothing came to their attention that caused them to believe that:
(A) (i) the unaudited consolidated statements of income,
consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of
cash flows included in the Prospectus do not comply as to form
in all material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of the Act and the related published rules and
regulations, or (ii) any material modifications should be made
to the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income,
consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of
cash flows included in the Prospectus for them to be in
conformity with generally accepted accounting principles;
(B) any other unaudited income statement data and balance sheet
items included in the Prospectus do not agree with the
corresponding items in the unaudited consolidated financial
statements from which such data and items were derived, and
any such unaudited data and items were not determined on a
basis substantially consistent with the basis for the
corresponding amounts in the audited consolidated financial
statements included in the Prospectus;
(C) the unaudited financial statements which were not included in
the Prospectus but from which were derived any unaudited
condensed financial statements referred to in clause (A) and
any unaudited income statement data and balance sheet items
included in the Prospectus and referred to in clause (B) were
not determined on a basis substantially consistent with the
basis for the audited consolidated financial statements
included in the Prospectus;
(D) any unaudited pro forma consolidated condensed financial
statements included in the Prospectus do not comply as to form
in all material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of the Act and the published rules and
regulations thereunder or the pro forma adjustments have not
been properly applied to the historical amounts in the
compilation of those statements;
(E) as of a specified date not more than five days prior to the
date of such letter, there have been any changes in the
consolidated capital stock (other than issuances of capital
stock upon exercise of options and stock appreciation rights,
upon earn-outs of performance shares and upon conversions of
convertible securities, in each case which were outstanding on
the date of the latest financial statements included in the
Prospectus) or any increase in the consolidated long-term debt
of the Company and its subsidiaries, or any decreases in
consolidated net current assets or stockholders' equity or
other items specified by the Representatives, or any increases
in any items specified by the Representatives, in each case as
compared with amounts shown in the latest balance sheet
included in the Prospectus, except in each case for changes,
increases or decreases which the Prospectus discloses have
occurred or may occur or which are described in such letter;
and
(F) for the period from the date of the latest financial
statements included in the Prospectus to the specified date
referred to in clause (E) there were any decreases in
consolidated net revenues or operating profit or the total or
per share amounts of consolidated net income or other items
specified by the Representatives, or any increases in any
items specified by the Representatives, in each case as
compared with the comparable period of the preceding year and
with any other period of corresponding length specified by the
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Representatives, except in each case for decreases or
increases which the Prospectus discloses have occurred or may
occur or which are described in such letter; and
(vii) In addition to the examination referred to in their
report(s) included in the Prospectus and the limited procedures,
inspection of minute books, inquiries and other procedures referred to
in paragraphs (iii) and (vi) above, they have carried out certain
specified procedures, not constituting an examination in accordance
with generally accepted auditing standards, with respect to certain
amounts, percentages and financial information specified by the
Representatives, which are derived from the general accounting records
of the Company, which appear in the Prospectus, or in Part II of, or in
exhibits and schedules to, the Registration Statement specified by the
Representatives, and have compared certain of such amounts, percentages
and financial information with the accounting records of the Company
and have found them to be in agreement.
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ANNEX II(A)
OPINION OF XXXX AND XXXX LLP
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ANNEX II (B)
OPINION OF XXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX & XXXXXX
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ANNEX III
PERSONS SUBJECT TO LOCK-UP AGREEMENTS
25
