WildHorse Resource Development Corporation Shares of Common Stock UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Exhibit 1.1
WildHorse Resource Development Corporation
27,500,000
Shares of Common Stock
December 13, 2016
BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC.
XXXXXXX LYNCH, PIERCE, XXXXXX & XXXXX
INCORPORATED
BMO CAPITAL MARKETS CORP.
As Representatives of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule I attached hereto,
c/o Barclays Capital Inc.
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
WildHorse Resource Development Corporation, a Delaware corporation (except as described below, the “Company”), proposes to sell an aggregate of 27,500,000 shares (the “Firm Stock”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”). In addition, the Company proposes to grant to the underwriters named in Schedule I (each individually, an “Underwriter” and collectively, the “Underwriters”) attached to this agreement (this “Agreement”) an option to purchase up to an aggregate of 4,125,000 additional shares of Common Stock on the terms set forth in Section 3 (the “Option Stock”). The Firm Stock and the Option Stock, if purchased, are hereinafter collectively called the “Stock.” This Agreement is to confirm the agreement concerning the purchase of the Stock from the Company by the Underwriters.
The steps outlined in the next paragraph below, and the transactions contemplated thereby, are collectively referred to as the “Reorganization.” As used in this Agreement, references to the “Company” with respect to periods prior to the consummation of the Reorganization shall be deemed references to WildHorse and Esquisto (as such terms are defined herein), unless the context requires otherwise.
Immediately prior to the Initial Delivery Date, through mergers, share contributions and other transactions, (i) the owners of WildHorse Resources II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“WildHorse”), will exchange all of their interests in WildHorse for equivalent interests in WildHorse Investment Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“WildHorse Investments”), (ii) the owners of Esquisto Resources II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Esquisto”), will exchange all of their interests in Esquisto for equivalent interests in Esquisto Investment Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company
(“Esquisto Investments”), (iii) WildHorse Investments will contribute all of its interests in WildHorse to WRD Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“WildHorse Holdings”), (iv) Esquisto Investments will contribute all of its interests in Esquisto to Esquisto Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Esquisto Holdings”), (v) the owner of WHE AcqCo., LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Acquisition Co.”), which holds the right to acquire certain assets (the “CWEI Assets”), will contribute all of its interests in Acquisition Co. to WHE AcqCo. Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Acquisition Co. Holdings”), in exchange for equivalent interests in Acquisition Co. Holdings, and (vi) WildHorse Holdings, Esquisto Holdings and Acquisition Co. Holdings will contribute all of their interests in WildHorse, Esquisto and Acquisition Co., respectively, to the Company in exchange for shares of Common Stock.
The Company and all of its subsidiaries are referred to collectively herein as the “Company Parties” and, individually, as a “Company Party.”
1. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants that:
(a) A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-214569) relating to the Stock (i) has been prepared by the Company in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) thereunder; (ii) has been filed with the Commission under the Securities Act; and (iii) has become effective under the Securities Act. Copies of such registration statement and any amendment thereto have been delivered by the Company to you as the representatives (the “Representatives”) of the Underwriters. As used in this Agreement:
(i) “Applicable Time” means 4:30 P.M. (New York City time) on December 13, 2016;
(ii) “Effective Date” means the date and time as of which the Registration Statement, or the most recent post-effective amendment thereto, was declared effective by the Commission in accordance with the rules and regulations under the Securities Act;
(iii) “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means each “issuer free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act) as listed on Schedule IV;
(iv) “Preliminary Prospectus” means any preliminary prospectus relating to the Stock included in the Registration Statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act;
(v) “Pricing Disclosure Package” means, as of the Applicable Time, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, together with the information included in each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus filed or used by the Company at or before the Applicable Time, other than a road show that is an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus but is not required to be filed under Rule 433 under the Securities Act;
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(vi) “Prospectus” means the final prospectus relating to the Stock, as filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act;
(vii) “Registration Statement” means the registration statement (File No. 333-214569), as amended as of the Effective Date relating to the offering, issuance and sale of the Stock, including any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, all exhibits to such registration statement and including the information deemed by virtue of Rule 430A under the Securities Act to be part of such registration statement as of the Effective Date;
(viii) “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act; and
(ix) “Written Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
Any reference to the “most recent Preliminary Prospectus” shall be deemed to refer to the latest Preliminary Prospectus included in the Registration Statement or filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act prior to or on the date hereof. Any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include the abbreviated registration statement to register additional shares of Common Stock under Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement”). The Commission has not issued any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and no proceeding or examination for such purpose has been instituted or threatened by the Commission.
(b) From the time of initial confidential submission of the Registration Statement to the Commission through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”).
(c) The Company was not at the time of the initial confidential submission of the Registration Statement and at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Securities Act) of the Stock, is not on the date hereof and will not be on the applicable Delivery Date, an “ineligible issuer” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act).
(d) The Registration Statement conformed and will conform in all material respects on the Effective Date and on the applicable Delivery Date, and any amendment to the Registration Statement filed after the date hereof will conform in all material respects when filed, to the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. The most recent Preliminary Prospectus conformed, and the Prospectus will conform, in all material respects when filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act and on the applicable Delivery Date to the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.
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(e) The Registration Statement did not, as of the Effective Date, 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 that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 10(f).
(f) The Prospectus will not, as of its date or as of the applicable Delivery Date, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 10(f).
(g) The Pricing Disclosure Package did not, as of the Applicable Time, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Pricing Disclosure Package in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 10(f).
(h) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed in Schedule III hereto, when taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package, did not, as of the Applicable Time, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed in Schedule IV hereto in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 10(f).
(i) No Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, as of the Applicable Time, when taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication listed on Schedule V hereto in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 10(f), and the Company has to the extent required filed publicly on XXXXX at least 15 calendar days prior to any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act), any confidentially submitted registration statement and registration statement amendments relating to the offer and sale of the Stock. Each Written Testing-the-Waters Communications did not, as of the Applicable Time, and at all times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Stock will not, include any information that in any material respect conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus.
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(j) The Company has not (i) alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the consent of the Representatives with entities that are qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A of the Securities Act or institutions that are accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 of the Securities Act and (ii) authorized anyone other than the Representatives to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company reconfirms that the Representatives have been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications.
(k) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conformed or will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder on the date of first use, and the Company has complied with all prospectus delivery and any filing requirements applicable to such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus pursuant to the Securities Act and rules and regulations thereunder. The Company has not made any offer relating to the Stock that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus without the prior written consent of the Representatives, except as set forth on Schedule III hereto. The Company has retained in accordance with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder all Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses that were not required to be filed pursuant to the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. The Company has taken all actions necessary so that any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act) in connection with the offering of the Stock will not be required to be filed pursuant to the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.
(l) Each of the Company Parties has been duly organized, is validly existing and in good standing as a corporation or other business entity under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization and is duly qualified to do business and in good standing as a foreign corporation or other business entity in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its businesses requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing would not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to (A) have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, stockholders’ equity, properties, business or prospects of the Company Parties taken as a whole or (B) materially impair the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement (each clause (A) and (B), a “Material Adverse Effect”). Each of the Company Parties has all power and authority necessary to own or hold its properties and to conduct the business in which it is engaged as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus. The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity that in the aggregate would constitute a “significant subsidiary” of the Company as of the date hereof (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02(w) or Regulation S-X) other than the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21.1 to the Registration Statement.
(m) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in each of the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus under the heading “Capitalization,” and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have, or after giving effect to the
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Reorganization will have, been duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, conform to the description thereof contained in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus in all material respects and were issued in compliance with federal and state securities laws and not in violation of any preemptive right, resale right, right of first refusal or similar right. All of the Company’s options, warrants and other rights to purchase or exchange any securities for shares of the Company’s capital stock have been duly authorized and validly issued, conform to the description thereof contained in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and were issued in compliance with federal and state securities laws. Following the Reorganization, all of the issued shares of capital stock or other ownership interest of each subsidiary of the Company will have been duly authorized and validly issued, will be fully paid and non-assessable and will be owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims, except for liens arising under (i) the credit agreement, dated August 8, 2013, as amended, by and between WildHorse and Bank of Montreal as administrative agent, Bank of America, N.A. and Xxxxx Fargo Bank, National Association, as co-syndication agents, Comerica Bank and U.S. Bank National Association, as co-documentation agents and certain other lenders party thereto and (ii) the credit agreement, dated July 22, 2015 by and between Esquisto Resources, LLC and the lenders thereto, and except as in connection with the such liens, encumbrances, equities or claims as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(n) The Stock to be issued and sold by the Company to the Underwriters hereunder have been duly authorized and, upon payment and delivery in accordance with this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, will conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, will be issued in compliance with federal and state securities laws and will be free of statutory and contractual preemptive rights, rights of first refusal and similar rights. The shares of Common Stock to be issued by the Company to WildHorse Holdings, Esquisto Holdings and Acquisition Co. Holdings pursuant to the Reorganization (the “Reorganization Stock”) have been duly authorized by the Company, and, upon payment and delivery, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and will conform in all material respects to the description thereof in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus; and the issuance of the Reorganization Stock is not subject to any preemptive or similar rights, except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus.
(o) The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized and validly executed and delivered by the Company. The Company Parties have all requisite corporate power and authority to execute and perform their obligations pursuant to the Reorganization.
(p) The issue and sale of the Stock and the Reorganization Stock, the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company, the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and by the Reorganization and the application of the proceeds from the sale of the Stock as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus under the caption “Prospectus Summary—Corporate Reorganization” will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, impose any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company Parties, or constitute a default under,
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any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, license, lease or other agreement or instrument to which any of the Company Parties is a party or by which any of the Company Parties is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company Parties is subject; (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws (or similar organizational documents) of any of the Company Parties; or (iii) result in any violation of any statute or any judgment, order, decree, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company Parties or any of their properties or assets, except, with respect to clauses (i) and (iii) above, for conflicts, breaches, violations or defaults that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(q) No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing, registration or qualification with, any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over any of the Company Parties or any of their properties or assets is required for the issue and sale of the Stock or the Reorganization Stock, the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company, the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and by the Reorganization, the application of the proceeds from the sale of the Stock as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, except (A) such as have been, or prior to the Initial Delivery Date, will be obtained or made, (B) for the registration of the offer and sale of the Stock to be sold pursuant hereto under the Securities Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, filings, registrations or qualifications as may be required under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and applicable state and foreign securities laws and/or the bylaws and rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (the “FINRA”) in connection with the purchase and sale of the Stock by the Underwriters, (C) filings that will be made on or prior to the Initial Delivery Date with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware in connection with the Reorganization and (D) for such consents that, if not obtained, have not or would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(r) The historical financial statements (including the related notes and supporting schedules) included in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act and present fairly in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the entities purported to be shown thereby at the dates and for the periods indicated and have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved.
(s) The pro forma combined financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus include assumptions that provide a reasonable basis for presenting the significant effects directly attributable to the transactions and events described therein, the related pro forma adjustments give appropriate effect to those assumptions, and the pro forma adjustments reflect an appropriate application of those adjustments to the historical consolidated financial statement amounts in the pro forma combined financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus. The pro forma combined financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act. The summary historical and pro forma financial and
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operating information set forth in the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus under the caption “Summary—Summary Pro Forma Financial Data” and the selected historical and pro forma financial and operating information set forth under the caption “Selected Historical Consolidated and Unaudited Pro Forma Financial Data” in the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus is accurately presented in all material respects and prepared on a basis consistent with the audited and unaudited historical financial statements and pro forma financial statements, as applicable, from which it has been derived, unless expressly noted otherwise.
(t) KPMG LLP, who has certified certain financial statements of WildHorse and the CWEI Assets, whose report appears in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and who have delivered the initial letter referred to in Section 9(g) hereof, are independent public accountants as required by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder; and Ernst & Young LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of Esquisto, its accounting predecessor and certain oil and gas properties acquired from Xxxxxxxx Resources, Inc., whose reports appear in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and who have delivered the initial letter referred to in Section 9(g) hereof, were independent public accountants as required by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder during the periods covered by the financial statements on which they reported contained in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus.
(u) The Company Parties (considered as one entity) maintain internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of the Company’s financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and to maintain accountability for its assets, (iii) access to the Company’s assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization and (iv) the recorded accountability for the Company’s assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.
(v) (i) The Company Parties (considered as one entity) maintain disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act), (ii) such disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that the information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports it files or will file or submit under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to management of the Company Parties, including their respective principal executive officers and principal financial officers, as appropriate and (iii) such disclosure controls and procedures are effective in all material respects to perform the functions for which they were established.
(w) Since the date of the most recent balance sheet of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries reviewed or audited by KPMG LLP, (i) the Company has not been advised of or become aware of (A) any significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls that could adversely affect the ability of any of the Company Parties to record, process, summarize and report financial data, or any material weaknesses in internal controls, or (B) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the internal controls of the Company Parties; and (ii) there have been no significant changes in internal controls or in other factors that could significantly affect internal controls, including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.
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(x) There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company and any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any provision of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith applicable to the Company.
(y) The section entitled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates” sets forth in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus accurately and fully describes (i) the accounting policies that the Company believes are the most important in the portrayal of the Company’s financial condition and results of operations and that require management’s most difficult, subjective or complex judgments (“Critical Accounting Policies”); (ii) the judgments and uncertainties affecting the application of Critical Accounting Policies; and (iii) the likelihood that materially different amounts would be reported under different conditions or using different assumptions and an explanation thereof.
(z) Other than as disclosed in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or in connection with the Reorganization, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, none of the Company Parties has (i) sustained any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, (ii) issued or granted any securities, (iii) incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, other than liabilities and obligations that were incurred in the ordinary course of business, (iv) entered into any material transaction not in the ordinary course of business, or (v) declared or paid any dividend or distribution on its capital stock, partnership or limited liability company interests, as applicable, and since such date, there has not been any change in the capital stock, partnership or limited liability company interests, as applicable, or long-term debt of any of the Company Parties, considered as one entity, or any adverse change, or any development involving a prospective adverse change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, stockholders’ equity, properties, management, business or prospects of the Company Parties taken as a whole, in each case except as would not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(aa) The Company Parties have or will have (i) generally satisfactory title to all of their interests in their producing oil and gas properties and to all of their material interests in nonproducing oil and gas properties, title investigations having been carried out by the Company Parties, in accordance with the general practice in the oil and gas industry, (ii) good and indefeasible title to all other real property owned by them that is material to the Company Parties taken as a whole, and (iii) good and valid title to all personal property owned by them that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects, except such liens, encumbrances and defects as (i) are described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus (ii) do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company Parties and (iii) would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
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(bb) The Company Parties have such permits, licenses, patents, franchises, certificates of need and other approvals or authorizations of governmental or regulatory authorities (“Permits”) as are necessary under applicable law to own their properties and conduct their businesses in the manner described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, except for any of the foregoing that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company Parties have fulfilled and performed all of their respective obligations with respect to the Permits, and no event has occurred that allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or results in any other impairment of the rights of the holder or any such Permits, except for any of the foregoing that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received notice of any revocation or modification of any such Permits or has any reason to believe that any such Permits will not be renewed in the ordinary course.
(cc) The Company Parties own or possess adequate rights to use all material patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service xxxx registrations, copyrights, licenses, know-how, software, systems and technology (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) necessary to conduct their businesses, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(dd) Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which any of the Company Parties is a party or of which any property or assets of any of the Company Parties is the subject that would, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or would, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the performance of this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby; and to the Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or others.
(ee) There are no contracts or other documents required to be described in the Registration Statement or the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement, which are not described and, if applicable, filed as required. The statements made in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, insofar as they purport to constitute summaries of the terms of the contracts and other documents described and filed, if applicable, constitute accurate summaries of the terms of such contracts and documents in all material respects.
(ff) The statements made in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus under the captions “Shares Eligible for Future Sale,” “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations for Non-U.S. Holders,” “Business—Regulation of the Oil and Natural Gas Industry,” “Business—Regulation of Pipeline Safety and Maintenance,” “Business—Regulation of Environmental and Occupational Safety and Health Matters,” and “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions” insofar as they purport to constitute summaries of the terms of statutes, rules or regulations, legal or governmental proceedings or contracts and other documents, constitute accurate summaries of the terms of such statutes, rules and regulations, legal and governmental proceedings and contracts and other documents in all material respects.
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(gg) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, each of the Company Parties carry, or are covered by, insurance from insurers of recognized financial responsibility in such amounts and covering such risks as is reasonably adequate for the conduct of their respective businesses and the value of their respective properties and as is customary for companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries. All policies of insurance of the Company Parties are in full force and effect; the Company Parties are in compliance with the terms of such policies in all material respects; there are no material claims by any of the Company Parties under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause; and none of the Company Parties has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(hh) Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, no relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among any Company Party, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers or suppliers of any Company Party, on the other hand, that is required to be described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus which is not so described.
(ii) No labor disturbance by or dispute with the employees of any of the Company Parties exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(jj) None of the Company Parties (i) is in violation of its charter or by-laws (or similar organizational documents), (ii) is in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant, condition or other obligation contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, license or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its properties or assets is subject or (iii) is in violation of any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over it or its property or assets, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), to the extent any such conflict, breach, violation or default would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(kk) Each of the Company Parties (i) are, and at all times prior hereto were, in compliance with all laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, orders, judgments, decrees, permits or other legal requirements of any governmental authority, including without limitation any international, foreign, national, state, provincial, regional, or local authority, relating to pollution, the protection of occupational health and workplace safety, the environment, or natural resources, or to use, handling, storage, manufacturing, transportation, treatment, discharge, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”) applicable to such entity, which compliance includes, without limitation, obtaining, maintaining and complying with all permits and authorizations and approvals required by Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses, and (ii) have not received notice or otherwise have knowledge of any actual or alleged violation of Environmental Laws, or of any actual or potential liability for or other obligation concerning the
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presence, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, except in the case of clause (i) or (ii) where such non-compliance, violation, liability, or other obligation would not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, (x) there are no proceedings that are pending, or known to be contemplated, against any of the Company Parties under Environmental Laws in which a governmental authority is also a party, other than such proceedings regarding which it is reasonably believed no monetary sanctions of $100,000 or more will be imposed, (y) the Company Parties are not aware of any issues regarding compliance with Environmental Laws, including any pending or proposed Environmental Laws, or liabilities or other obligations under Environmental Laws or concerning hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (z) none of the Company Parties anticipate material capital expenditures relating to Environmental Laws other than those incurred in the ordinary course of business.
(ll) Except as, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, each of the Company Parties has filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns required to be filed through the date hereof, subject to permitted extensions, and have paid all taxes due. No tax deficiency that, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect has been determined adversely to any of the Company Parties. The Company does not have any knowledge of any tax deficiencies that have been, or could reasonably be expected to be, asserted against the Company, that would, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(mm) Except, in each case, for any such matter as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (i) each “employee benefit plan” (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”)) for which the Company or any member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any organization which is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”)) would have any liability (each a “Plan”) has been maintained in material compliance with its terms and with the requirements of all applicable statutes, rules and regulations including ERISA and the Code; (ii) no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any Plan excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption; (iii) with respect to each Plan subject to Title IV of ERISA (A) no “reportable event” (within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur, (B) no Plan is or is reasonably expected to be “at risk” status (within the meaning of Section 430 of the Code or Section 303 of ERISA) (C) there has been no filing pursuant to Section 412(c) of the Code or Section 302(c) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan or the receipt by the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates from the PBGC or the plan administrator of any notice relating to the intention to terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan, (D) no conditions contained in Section 303(k)(1)(A) of ERISA for imposition of a lien shall have been met with respect to any Plan and (E) neither the Company nor any member of its Controlled Group has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than contributions to the Plan or premiums to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation in the ordinary course and without default) in respect of a Plan (including a
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“multiemployer plan,” within the meaning of Section 4001(c)(3) of ERISA) (“Multiemployer Plan”); (iv) no Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, “insolvent” (within the meaning of Section 4245 of ERISA), in “reorganization” (within the meaning of Section 4241 of ERISA), or in “endangered” or “critical” status (within the meaning of Section 432 of the Code or Section 304 of ERISA); and (v) each Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.
(nn) The statistical and market-related data included in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus included in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable in all material respects.
(oo) The Company is not, and as of the applicable Delivery Date and, after giving effect to the Reorganization and the offer and sale of the Stock and the application of the proceeds therefrom as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, will not be, an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”) and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(pp) Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx & Associates, whose reports appear in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and who has delivered the letter referred to in Section 9(i) hereof, was, as of the date of such reports, an independent petroleum engineer with respect to Esquisto and WildHorse, as applicable, and is, as of the date hereof, an independent petroleum engineer with respect to the Company.
(qq) Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right (other than rights that have been waived in writing or otherwise satisfied) to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such person or to require the Company to include such securities in the securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act.
(rr) None of the Company Parties is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against any of them or the Underwriters for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Stock, except for the arrangement of the Representatives with Solebury Capital LLC (“Solebury”) whereby Solebury is acting as a financial advisor in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.
(ss) The sale and issuance of the Reorganization Stock is exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and securities laws of any state having jurisdiction with respect thereto, and the Company has neither taken nor will take any action that would cause the loss of such exemption. The Company has not sold or issued, or agreed to sell or issue, any securities that would be integrated with the offering of the Stock contemplated by this Agreement pursuant to the Securities Act, the rules and regulations thereunder or the interpretations thereof by the Commission.
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(tt) The Company and its affiliates have not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to constitute, or that has constituted, or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company in connection with the offering of the shares of the Stock.
(uu) The Stock has been approved for listing, subject to official notice of issuance and evidence of satisfactory distribution on, The New York Stock Exchange.
(vv) The Company has not distributed and, prior to the later to occur of any Delivery Date and completion of the distribution of the Stock, will not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Stock other than any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to which the Representatives have consented in accordance with Section 1(g) or Section 6(a)(vi).
(ww) None of the Company Parties, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or other person associated with or acting on behalf of any of the Company Parties, has in the course of its actions for, or on behalf of, any of the Company Parties: (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any “foreign official” (as defined in the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended (collectively, the “FCPA”)) or domestic government official; or (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the FCPA, or any other applicable anti-bribery statute or regulation. The Company Parties have conducted their respective businesses in compliance with the FCPA, and all other applicable anti-bribery statutes and regulations.
(xx) The operations of the Company Parties are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the applicable money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions where the Company Parties conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, that have been issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving any of the Company Parties with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(yy) None of the Company Parties nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of any of the Company Parties is currently subject to or the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”), the U.S. Department of State or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”); and the Company Parties are not located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria and Crimea); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the
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purpose of financing the activities of any person, or in any country or territory, that currently is the subject or target of Sanctions or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction whether as an underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions. The Company Parties have not knowingly engaged in for the past five years, and are not now knowingly engaged in, any dealings or transactions with any individual or entity, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction, is or was the subject or target of Sanctions.
(zz) The reserve estimates of Esquisto, and WildHorse, as applicable, as of December 31, 2015 and June 30, 2016 contained in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus are derived from reports that have been prepared or audited, as applicable, by Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx & Associates, as set forth and to the extent indicated therein; and such estimates fairly reflect, in all material respects, the oil and natural gas reserves of Esquisto or WildHorse, as applicable, at the dates indicated therein and are in accordance, in all material respects, with Commission rules and guidelines that are currently in effect for oil and gas producing companies applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered.
(aaa) The Company does not have operations or conduct any business outside of the United States.
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 Stock shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company, as to matters covered thereby, to each Underwriter.
2. Reserved.
3. Purchase of the Stock by the Underwriters. On the basis of the representations, warranties and covenants contained in, and subject to the terms and conditions of, this Agreement, the Company agrees to sell 27,500,000 shares of the Firm Stock to the several Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase the number of shares of the Firm Stock set forth opposite that Underwriter’s name in Schedule I hereto. Each Underwriter shall be obligated to purchase from the Company that number of shares of the Firm Stock that represents the same proportion of the number of shares of the Firm Stock to be sold by the Company as the number of shares of the Firm Stock set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I represents to the total number of shares of the Firm Stock to be purchased by all of the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement. The respective purchase obligations of the Underwriters with respect to the Firm Stock shall be rounded among the Underwriters to avoid fractional shares, as the Representatives may determine.
In addition, the Company grants to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to 4,125,000 shares of the Option Stock. Such option is exercisable in the event that the Underwriters sell more shares of Common Stock than the number of shares of Firm Stock in the offering and as set forth in Section 5 hereof. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of shares of Option Stock (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as the Representatives may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of shares of Option Stock to be sold on such Delivery Date as the number of shares of Firm Stock set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of shares of Firm Stock.
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The purchase price payable by the Underwriters for the Firm Stock is $14.19375 per share for the first 17,500,000 shares representing Firm Stock and $15.000 per share for the remaining 10,000,000 shares representing Firm Stock. The purchase price payable by the Underwriters for the Option Stock is $14.19375 per share. The Company is not obligated to deliver any of the Firm Stock or Option Stock to be delivered on the applicable Delivery Date, except upon payment for all such Stock to be purchased on such Delivery Date as provided herein.
4. Offering of Stock by the Underwriters. Upon authorization by the Representatives of the release of the Firm Stock, the several Underwriters propose to offer the Firm Stock for sale upon the terms and conditions to be set forth in the Prospectus.
5. Delivery of and Payment for the Stock. Delivery of and payment for the Firm Stock shall be made at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on December 19, 2016 or at such other date or place as shall be determined by agreement between the Representatives and the Company. This date and time are sometimes referred to as the “Initial Delivery Date.” Delivery of the Firm Stock shall be made to the Representatives for the account of each Underwriter against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives of the aggregate purchase price of the Firm Stock being sold by the Company by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Company. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and place specified pursuant to this Agreement is a further condition of the obligation of each Underwriter hereunder. The Company shall deliver the Firm Stock through the facilities of DTC unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.
The option granted in Section 3 will expire 30 days after the date of this Agreement and may be exercised in whole or from time to time in part by written notice being given to the Company by the Representatives; provided that if such date falls on a day that is not a business day, the option granted in Section 3 will expire on the next succeeding business day. Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of shares of Option Stock as to which the option is being exercised, the names in which the shares of Option Stock are to be registered, the denominations in which the shares of Option Stock are to be issued and the date and time, as determined by the Representatives, when the shares of Option Stock are to be delivered; provided, however, that this date and time shall not be earlier than the Initial Delivery Date nor earlier than the second business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised nor later than the fifth business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised. Each date and time the shares of Option Stock are delivered is sometimes referred to as an “Option Stock Delivery Date,” and the Initial Delivery Date and any Option Stock Delivery Date are sometimes each referred to as a “Delivery Date.”
Delivery of the Option Stock by the Company and payment for the Option Stock by the several Underwriters through the Representatives shall be made at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the date specified in the corresponding notice described in the preceding paragraph or at such other date or place as shall be determined by agreement among the Representatives and the Company. On each Option Stock Delivery Date, the Company shall deliver, or cause to
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be delivered, the Option Stock, to the Representatives for the account of each Underwriter, against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives and of the aggregate purchase price of the Option Stock being sold by the Company or upon the order of the Company of the purchase price by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Company. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and place specified pursuant to this Agreement is a further condition of the obligation of each Underwriter hereunder. The Company shall deliver the Option Stock through the facilities of DTC unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.
6. Further Agreements of the Company and the Underwriters. (a) The Company agrees:
(i) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by the Representatives and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act not later than the Commission’s close of business on the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement; to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus prior to the last Delivery Date except as provided herein; to advise the Representatives, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus has been filed and to furnish the Representatives with copies thereof; to advise the Representatives, 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 the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, of the suspension of the qualification of the Stock for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding or examination for any such purpose of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing 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 the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or suspending any such qualification, to use promptly its best efforts to obtain its withdrawal.
(ii) To furnish promptly to the Representatives and to counsel for the Underwriters upon request a signed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed with the Commission, and each amendment thereto filed with the Commission, including all consents and exhibits filed therewith.
(iii) To deliver promptly to the Representatives such number of the following documents as the Representatives shall reasonably request: (A) conformed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed with the Commission and each amendment thereto (in each case excluding exhibits other than this Agreement), (B) each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any amended or supplemented Prospectus, and (C) each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus; and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required at any time after the date hereof in connection with the offering or sale of the Stock or any other securities relating thereto and if at such time any events shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made on
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the applicable Delivery Date of the Prospectus, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the Securities Act, to notify the Representatives and, upon their request, to file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many copies as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request of an amended or supplemented Prospectus that will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance.
(iv) To file promptly with the Commission any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that may, in the judgment of the Company or the Representatives, be required by the Securities Act or requested by the Commission.
(v) Prior to filing with the Commission any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, to furnish a copy thereof to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters and obtain the consent of the Representatives to the filing.
(vi) Not to make any offer relating to the Stock that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus without the prior written consent of the Representatives.
(vii) To comply with all applicable requirements of Rule 433 under the Securities Act with respect to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. If at any time after the date hereof any events shall have occurred as a result of which any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, would conflict with the information in the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or 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, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary to amend or supplement any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to notify the Representatives and, upon its request, to file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter as many copies as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request of an amended or supplemented Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that will correct such conflict, statement or omission or effect such compliance.
(viii) As soon as practicable after the Effective Date (it being understood that the Company shall have until at least 410 days or, if the fourth quarter following the fiscal quarter that includes the Effective Date is the last fiscal quarter of the Company’s fiscal year, 455 days after the end of the Company’s current fiscal quarter), to make generally available to the Company’s security holders and to deliver to the Representatives (or make available through the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval System) an earnings statement of the Company Parties (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder (including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158).
(ix) Promptly from time to time to take such action as the Representatives may reasonably request to qualify the Stock for offering and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of Canada and such other jurisdictions as the Representatives may request and
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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 Stock; provided, that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to (A) qualify as a foreign corporation in any jurisdiction in which it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (B) file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction, or (C) subject itself to taxation in any jurisdiction in which it would not otherwise be subject.
(x) For a period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the 180th day after the date of the Prospectus (the “Lock-Up Period”), not to, directly or indirectly, (A) offer for sale, sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition by any person at any time in the future of) any shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock (other than the Stock and shares of, or any securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, Common Stock (i) to be issued in connection with the Rosewood Acquisition (as described in the Preliminary Prospectus), (ii) to be issued in connection with the Reorganization, (iii) issued or to be issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified stock option plans or other employee compensation plans existing on the Effective Date or as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or (iv) issued or sold by the Company in connection with any acquisition or strategic investment (including any joint venture or partnership) as long as (1) the aggregate number of such shares does not exceed 10% of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after the issuance and sale of the Stock pursuant to this Agreement and (2) each recipient of any such shares issued or issuable agrees to the restrictions on the resale of securities that are consistent with the lock-up letters described in Section 9(o) hereof for the remainder of the Lock-Up Period), or sell or grant options, rights or warrants with respect to any shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock (other than the grant of options pursuant to employee benefit plans, option plans, qualified stock option plans or other employee compensation plans existing on the Effective Date or as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus), (B) enter into any swap or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic benefits or risks of ownership of such shares of Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (A) or (B) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise, (C) file or cause to be filed a registration statement, including any amendments thereto, with respect to the registration of any shares of Common Stock or securities convertible, exercisable or exchangeable into Common Stock or any other securities of the Company (other than any registration statement on Form S-8), or (D) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing, in each case without the prior written consent of Barclays Capital Inc. on behalf of the Underwriters, and to cause each officer, director and stockholder of the Company set forth on Schedule II hereto to furnish to the Representatives, prior to the Initial Delivery Date, a letter or letters, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto (the “Lock-Up Agreements”).
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(xi) If Barclays Capital Inc., in its sole discretion, agrees to release or waive the restrictions set forth in a Lock-Up Agreement for an officer or director of the Company and provides the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three business days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by issuing a press release substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, and containing such other information that Barclays Capital Inc. may reasonably require with respect to the circumstances of the release or waiver and/or the identity of the officer(s) and/or director(s) with respect to which the release or waiver applies, through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver.
(xii) To apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Stock being sold by the Company substantially in accordance with the description as set forth in the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds.”
(xiii) To file with the Commission such information on Form 10-Q or Form 10-K as may be required by Rule 463 under the Securities Act.
(xiv) If the Company elects to rely upon Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, the Company shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act by 10:00 P.M., New York City time, on the date of this Agreement, and the Company shall, within the time period provided under the rules and regulations of the Securities Act, pay the Commission the filing fee for the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement.
(xv) The Company will promptly notify the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (A) the time when a prospectus relating to the offering or sale of the Stock or any other securities relating thereto is not required by the Securities Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act or any similar rule) and (B) completion of the Lock-Up Period.
(xvi) The Company and its affiliates will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that reasonably would be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company in connection with the offering of the Stock.
(xvii) The Company will do and perform all things required or necessary to be done and performed under this Agreement by it prior to each Delivery Date, and to satisfy all conditions precedent to the Underwriters’ obligations hereunder to purchase the Stock.
(b) Each Underwriter severally agrees that such Underwriter shall not include any “issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act) in any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) used or referred to by such Underwriter without the prior consent of the Company (any such issuer information with respect to whose use the Company has given its consent, “Permitted Issuer Information”); provided that (i) no such consent shall be required with respect to any such issuer information contained in any document filed by the Company with the Commission prior to the use of such free writing prospectus, (ii) “issuer information,” as used in this Section 6(b), shall not be deemed to include
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information prepared by or on behalf of such Underwriter on the basis of or derived from issuer information and (iii) that any Testing-the-Waters Communications undertaken by it were with entities that are qualified institutional buyers as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act or institutions that are accredited investors as defined in Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act.
7. Reserved.
8. Expenses. The Company agrees, whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, to pay all expenses, costs, fees and taxes incident to and in connection with (a) the authorization, issuance, sale and delivery of the Stock and any stamp duties or other taxes payable in that connection, and the preparation and printing of certificates for the Stock; (b) the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement (including any exhibits thereto), any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, and any amendment or supplement thereto; (c) the distribution of the Registration Statement (including any exhibits thereto), any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, and any amendment or supplement thereto, all as provided in this Agreement; (d) the production and distribution of this Agreement, any supplemental agreement among Underwriters, and any other related documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Stock; (e) the delivery and distribution of each Custody Agreement and each Power of Attorney and the fees and expenses of the Custodian (and any other attorney-in-fact); (f) any required review by the FINRA of the terms of sale of the Stock (including related fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters in an amount that is not greater than $15,000); (g) the listing of the Stock on the New York Stock Exchange; (h) the qualification of the Stock under the securities laws of the several jurisdictions as provided in Section 6(a)(ix) and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including related reasonable fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters); (i) the preparation, printing and distribution of one or more versions of the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus for distribution in Canada, including in the form of a Canadian “wrapper” (including related fees and expenses of Canadian counsel to the Underwriters); (j) the investor presentations on any “road show” or any Testing-the-Waters Communication, undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Stock, including, without limitation, expenses associated with any electronic road show, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and one-half of the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show or any Testing-the-Waters Communications; (k) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement and (l) any Independent Underwriter (as defined in Section 10(g)); provided that, except as provided in this Section 8 and in Section 13, the Underwriters shall pay their own costs and expenses, including the costs and expenses of their counsel, any transfer taxes on the Stock which they may sell and the expenses of advertising any offering of the Stock made by the Underwriters, and any transfer taxes payable in connection with its sale of Stock to the Underwriters and reimburse the Company for their pro rata share of the fees and expenses paid by the Company in connection with the offering of the Stock.
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9. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The respective obligations of the Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy, when made and on each Delivery Date, of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional terms and conditions:
(a) The Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission in accordance with Section 5(a)(i). The Company shall have complied with all filing requirements applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus used or referred to after the date hereof; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been issued and no proceeding or examination for such purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and any request of the Commission for inclusion of additional information in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or otherwise shall have been complied with. If the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have become effective by 10:00 P.M., New York City time, on the date of this Agreement.
(b) No Underwriter shall have discovered and disclosed to the Company on or prior to such Delivery Date that the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Pricing Disclosure Package, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of a fact which, in the opinion of Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, is material or omits to state a fact which, in the opinion of such counsel, is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
(c) All corporate proceedings and other legal matters incident to the authorization, form and validity of this Agreement, the Stock, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and all other legal matters relating to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be reasonably satisfactory in all material respects to counsel for the Underwriters, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel all documents and information that they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
(d) Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx L.L.P. shall have furnished to the Representatives its written opinion, as counsel to the Company, addressed to the Underwriters and dated such Delivery Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C.
(e) [Reserved]
(f) The Representatives shall have received from Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated such Delivery Date, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Stock, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package and other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.
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(g) At the time of execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from each of Ernst & Young LLP and KPMG LLP a letter, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, addressed to the Underwriters and dated the date hereof (i) confirming that they are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and are in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission, and (ii) stating, as of the date hereof (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial information is given in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, as of a date not more than three days prior to the date hereof), the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters ordinarily covered by accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters in connection with registered public offerings.
(h) With respect to the letters of each of Ernst & Young LLP and KPMG LLP referred to in the preceding paragraph and delivered to the Representatives concurrently with the execution of this Agreement (the “initial letter”), the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a letter (the “bring-down letter”) of such accountants, addressed to the Underwriters and dated such Delivery Date (i) confirming that they are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and are in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission, (ii) stating, as of the date of the bring-down letter (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial information is given in the Prospectus, as of a date not more than three days prior to the date of the bring-down letter), the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters covered by the initial letter, and (iii) confirming in all material respects the conclusions and findings set forth in the initial letter.
(i) At the time of execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx & Associates an initial letter (the “Initial Expert Letter”), in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, addressed to the Underwriters and dated the date hereof and a subsequent letter dated as of the Delivery Date, which such letter shall cover the period from any Initial Expert Letter to the Delivery Date, stating the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to reserve and other operational information and other matters as is customary to underwriters in connection with registered public offerings.
(j) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate, dated such Delivery Date, of its Chief Executive Officer and its Chief Financial Officer as to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, including, without limitation, a statement:
(i) That the representations and warranties of the Company in Section 1 are true and correct on and as of such Delivery Date, and the Company has complied with all its agreements contained herein and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Delivery Date;
23
(ii) That no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued; and no proceedings or examination for that purpose have been instituted or, to the knowledge of such officers, threatened; and
(iii) That they have examined the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package, and, in their opinion, (A) (1) the Registration Statement, as of the Effective Date, (2) the Prospectus, as of its date and on the applicable Delivery Date, and (3) the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, did not and do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact and did not and do not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (except in the case of the Registration Statement, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, and (B) since the Effective Date, no event has occurred that should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that has not been so set forth.
(k) [Reserved]
(l) Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, (i) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall have sustained, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, or (ii) since such date there shall not have been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of any of the Company Parties taken as a whole or any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, stockholders’ equity, properties, management, business or prospects of the Company Parties, taken as a whole, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is, individually or in the aggregate, 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 Stock being delivered on such Delivery Date on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.
(m) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) (A) trading in securities generally on any securities exchange that has registered with the Commission under Section 6 of the Exchange Act (including the New York Stock Exchange, The NASDAQ Global Select Market, The NASDAQ Global Market or The NASDAQ Capital Market), or (B) trading in any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market, shall have been suspended or materially limited or the settlement of such trading generally shall have been materially disrupted or minimum prices shall have been established on any such exchange or such market by the Commission, by such exchange or by any other regulatory body or governmental authority having jurisdiction, (ii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or state authorities, (iii) the United States shall have become engaged in hostilities, there
24
shall have been an escalation in hostilities involving the United States or there shall have been a declaration of a national emergency or war by the United States, or (iv) there shall have occurred such a material adverse change in general economic, political or financial conditions, including, without limitation, as a result of terrorist activities after the date hereof (or the effect of international conditions on the financial markets in the United States shall be such), as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or delivery of the Stock being delivered on such Delivery Date on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.
(n) The New York Stock Exchange shall have approved the Stock for listing, subject only to official notice of issuance and evidence of satisfactory distribution.
(o) The Lock-Up Agreements between the Representatives and the officers, directors and stockholders of the Company set forth on Schedule II, delivered to the Representatives on or before the date of this Agreement, shall be in full force and effect on such Delivery Date.
(p) On or prior to each Delivery Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Underwriters such further certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.
All opinions, letters, evidence and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.
10. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) The Company hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors, officers and employees and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in respect thereof (including, but not limited to, any loss, claim, damage, liability or action relating to purchases and sales of Stock), to which that Underwriter, affiliate, director, officer, employee or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in (A) any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto, (B) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto, (C) any Permitted Issuer Information used or referred to in any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) used or referred to by any Underwriter, (D) any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Stock, including any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act) not constituting an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication (“Marketing Materials”), or (E) any Blue Sky application or other document prepared or executed by the Company (or based upon any written information furnished by the
25
Company for use therein) specifically for the purpose of qualifying any or all of the Stock under the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction (any such application, document or information being hereinafter called a “Blue Sky Application”) or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Permitted Issuer Information, any Marketing Materials or any Blue Sky Application, any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and shall reimburse each Underwriter and each such affiliate, director, officer, employee or controlling person promptly upon demand for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by that Underwriter, affiliate, director, officer, employee or controlling person in connection with investigating or defending or preparing to defend against any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action 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, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any such amendment or supplement thereto or in any Permitted Issuer Information, any Marketing Materials or any Blue Sky Application, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information concerning such Underwriter furnished to the Company through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information consists solely of the information specified in Section 10(f). The foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have to any Underwriter or to any affiliate, director, officer, employee or controlling person of that Underwriter.
(b) [Reserved]
(c) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in respect thereof, to which the Company or any such director, officer, employee or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Marketing Materials or Blue Sky Application, or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Marketing Materials or Blue Sky Application, any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but in each case only to the extent that the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information concerning such Underwriter furnished to the Company through the Representatives by or on behalf of that Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which information is limited to the information set forth in Section 10(f). The foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to any liability that any Underwriter may otherwise have to the Company or any such director, officer, employee or controlling person.
26
(d) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 10 of notice of any claim or the commencement of any action, the indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 10, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the claim or the commencement of that action; provided, however, that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have under this Section 10 except to the extent it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights and defenses) by such failure and, provided, further, that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 10. If any such claim or action shall be brought against an indemnified party, and it shall notify the indemnifying party thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it wishes, jointly with any other similarly notified indemnifying party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. After notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the defense of such claim or action, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to the indemnified party under this Section 10 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation; provided, however, that the indemnified party shall have the right to employ counsel to represent jointly the indemnified party and those other indemnified parties and their respective affiliates, directors, officers, employees and controlling persons who may be subject to liability arising out of any claim in respect of which indemnity may be sought under this Section 10 if (i) the indemnified party and the indemnifying party shall have so mutually agreed; (ii) the indemnifying party has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party; (iii) the indemnified party and its directors, officers, employees and controlling persons shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to them that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnified parties or their respective affiliates, directors, officers, employees or controlling persons, on the one hand, and the indemnifying party, on the other hand, and representation of both sets of parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them, and in any such event the fees and expenses of such separate counsel shall be paid by the indemnifying party. No indemnifying party shall (x) without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), 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, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party, from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding and 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, or (y) be liable for any settlement of any such action effected
27
without its written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), but if settled with the consent of the indemnifying party or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff in any such action, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by Section 10(a) or (b) hereof, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 60 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request or disputed in good faith the indemnified party’s entitlement to such reimbursement prior to the date of such settlement.
(e) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 10 shall for any reason be unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section 10(a), 10(b) or 10(c) in respect of any loss, claim, damage or liability, or any action in respect thereof, referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, (i) in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, from the offering of the Stock, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to the statements or omissions that resulted in such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action 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, with respect to such offering shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Stock purchased under this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters with respect to the shares of the Stock purchased under this Agreement, as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, on the other hand. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Underwriters, the intent of the parties and their relative 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 Section 10(e) were to be determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 10(e) shall be deemed to include, for purposes of this Section 10(e), any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection
28
with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 10(e), in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Stock exceeds the amount of any damages that 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 Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute as provided in this Section 10(e) are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.
(f) The Underwriters severally confirm and the Company acknowledges and agrees that the statements regarding delivery of shares by the Underwriters set forth on the cover page of, and the concession and reallowance figures and the paragraph relating to stabilization by the Underwriters appearing under the caption “Underwriting” in, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus are correct and constitute the only information concerning such Underwriters furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of the Underwriters specifically for inclusion in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Marketing Materials.
(g) Without limitation of and in addition to its obligations under the other paragraphs of this Section 10, the Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Barclays Capital Inc. (in the capacity described in this paragraph, the “Independent Underwriter”), its affiliates, directors, officers and employees and each person who controls Independent Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act from and against any and all loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in respect thereof (including, but not limited to, any loss, claim, damage, liability or action relating to purchases and sales of Stock) to which the Independent Underwriter, affiliate, director, officer, employee or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, the Independent Underwriter’s acting as a “qualified independent underwriter” (within the meaning of FINRA Rule 5121) in connection with the offering contemplated by this Agreement, and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified party promptly upon demand for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending or preparing to defend any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that it is determined in a final judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction that such loss, claim, damage, liability or action resulted directly from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Independent Underwriter.
29
11. Defaulting Underwriters.
(a) If, on any Delivery Date, any Underwriter defaults in its obligations to purchase the Stock that it has agreed to purchase under this Agreement, the remaining non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Stock by the non-defaulting Underwriters or other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement. If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Stock, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Stock on such terms. In the event that within the respective prescribed periods, the non-defaulting Underwriters notify the Company that they have so arranged for the purchase of such Stock, or the Company notifies the non-defaulting Underwriters that it has so arranged for the purchase of such Stock, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company may postpone such Delivery Date for up to seven full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or in any such other document or arrangement that effects any such changes. As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context requires otherwise, any party not listed in Schedule I hereto that, pursuant to this Section 11, purchases Stock that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Stock of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the total number of shares of the Stock that remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the total number of shares of all the Stock, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the total number of shares of Stock that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder plus such Underwriter’s pro rata share (based on the total number of shares of Stock that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Stock of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made; provided that the non-defaulting Underwriters shall not be obligated to purchase more than 110% of the total number of shares of Stock that it agreed to purchase on such Delivery Date pursuant to the terms of Section 3.
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Stock of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the total number of shares of Stock that remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the total number of shares of all the Stock, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 11 shall be without liability on the part of the Company, except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Sections 8 and 13 and except that the provisions of this Section 11 shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.
30
(d) Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have to the Company or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default.
12. Termination. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be terminated by the Representatives by notice given to and received by the Company prior to delivery of and payment for the Firm Stock if, prior to that time, any of the events described in Sections 9(l) and 9(m) shall have occurred or if the Underwriters shall decline to purchase the Stock for any reason permitted under this Agreement.
13. Reimbursement of Underwriters’ Expenses. If (a) the Company fails to tender the Stock for delivery to the Underwriters for any reason, or (b) the Underwriters shall decline to purchase the Stock for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters) incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the proposed purchase of the Stock, and upon demand the Company shall pay the full amount thereof to the Representatives. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 11 by reason of the default of one or more Underwriters or the purchase of the Stock is not consummated as a result of the occurrence of any of the events described in Section 9(m) (other than the occurrence of an event described in Section 9(m)(i)(B)), the Company shall not be obligated to reimburse any defaulting Underwriter on account of those expenses.
14. Research Analyst Independence. The Company acknowledges that the Underwriters’ research analysts and research departments are required to be independent from their respective investment banking divisions and are subject to certain regulations and internal policies, and that such Underwriters’ research analysts may hold views and make statements or investment recommendations and/or publish research reports with respect to the Company and/or the offering that differ from the views of their respective investment banking divisions. The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company may have against the Underwriters with respect to any conflict of interest that may arise from the fact that the views expressed by their independent research analysts and research departments may be different from or inconsistent with the views or advice communicated to the Company by such Underwriters’ investment banking divisions. The Company acknowledges that each of the Underwriters is a full service securities firm and as such from time to time, subject to applicable securities laws, may effect transactions for its own account or the account of its customers and hold long or short positions in debt or equity securities of the companies that may be the subject of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
15. No Fiduciary Duty. The Company acknowledges and agrees that in connection with this offering, sale of the Stock or any other services the Underwriters may be deemed to be providing hereunder, notwithstanding any preexisting relationship, advisory or otherwise, between the parties or any oral representations or assurances previously or subsequently made by the Underwriters: (a) no fiduciary or agency relationship between the Company and any other person, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, exists; (b) the Underwriters are not acting as advisors, expert or otherwise, to the Company, including, without limitation, with respect to the determination of the public offering price of the Stock, and
31
such relationship between the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, is entirely and solely commercial, based on arms-length negotiations; (c) any duties and obligations that the Underwriters may have to the Company shall be limited to those duties and obligations specifically stated herein; and (d) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may have interests that differ from those of the Company. The Company hereby waives any claims that the Company may have against the Underwriters with respect to any breach of fiduciary duty in connection with this offering.
16. Notices, etc. All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and:
(a) if to the Underwriters, shall be delivered or sent by mail or facsimile transmission to Barclays Capital Inc., 000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention: Syndicate Registration (Fax: (000) 000-0000), with a copy, in the case of any notice pursuant to Section 10(d), to the Director of Litigation, Office of the General Counsel, Barclays Capital Inc., 000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000; and
(b) if to the Company, shall be delivered or sent by mail or facsimile transmission to the address of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement, Attention: General Counsel (Fax: (000) 000-0000).
Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect at the time of receipt thereof. The Company shall be entitled to act and rely upon any request, consent, notice or agreement given or made on behalf of the Underwriters by any of the Representatives.
17. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters, the Company and their respective personal Representatives and successors. This Agreement and the terms and provisions hereof are for the sole benefit of only those persons, except that (a) the representations, warranties, indemnities and agreements of the Company contained in this Agreement shall also be deemed to be for the benefit of the affiliates, directors, officers and employees of the Underwriters and each person or persons, if any, who control any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, and (b) the indemnity agreement of the Underwriters contained in Section 10(c) of this Agreement shall be deemed to be for the benefit of the directors of the Company, the officers of the Company who have signed the Registration Statement and any person controlling the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, other than the persons referred to in this Section 17, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein.
18. Survival. The respective indemnities, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Stock and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any of them or any person controlling any of them or any termination of this Agreement.
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19. Definition of the Terms “Business Day,” “Affiliate” and “Subsidiary.” For purposes of this Agreement, (a) “business day” means each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday that is not a day on which banking institutions in New York City are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close, and (b) “affiliate” and “subsidiary” have the meanings set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
20. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without regard to conflict of laws principles (other than Section 5-1401 of the General Obligations Law).
21. Waiver of Jury Trial. The Company and the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
22. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts and, if executed in more than one counterpart, the executed counterparts shall each be deemed to be an original but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.
23. Headings. The headings herein are inserted for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.
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If the foregoing correctly sets forth the agreement among the Company and the Underwriters, please indicate your acceptance in the space provided for that purpose below.
Very truly yours,
| ||
By: | /s/ Xxx X. Xxxxxx | |
Name: Xxx X. Xxxxxx | ||
Title: CEO |
Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement
Accepted:
BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC.
For itself and as a Representative
of the several Underwriters named
in Schedule I hereto
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxxx Xxxx | |
Name: Xxxxxxxx Xxxx | ||
Title: Vice President |
Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement
Accepted:
XXXXXXX LYNCH, PIERCE, XXXXXX & XXXXX
INCORPORATED
For itself and as a Representative
of the several Underwriters named
in Schedule I hereto
By: | /s/ Xxxx Xxxxxxxx Xx. | |
Name: Xxxx Xxxxxxxx Xx. | ||
Title: Managing Director |
Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement
Accepted:
BMO CAPITAL MARKETS CORP.
For itself and as a Representative
of the several Underwriters named
in Schedule I hereto
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx | ||
Title: MD & U.S. ECM Group Head |
Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement
SCHEDULE I
Underwriters |
Number of Shares of Firm Stock |
|||
Barclays Capital Inc. |
7,700,000 | |||
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx |
3,850,000 | |||
BMO Capital Markets Corp. |
3,850,000 | |||
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. |
2,200,000 | |||
Xxxxx Fargo Securities, LLC |
2,200,000 | |||
Guggenheim Securities, LLC |
1,100,000 | |||
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities LLC |
1,100,000 | |||
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Associates, Inc. |
1,100,000 | |||
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Companies |
1,100,000 | |||
Tudor, Pickering, Xxxx & Co. Securities, Inc. |
1,100,000 | |||
Capital One Securities, Inc. |
550,000 | |||
Comerica Securities, Inc. |
550,000 | |||
Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. |
550,000 | |||
Xxxxxxxxxx Securities, Inc. |
550,000 | |||
|
|
|||
Total |
27,500,000 | |||
|
|
SCHEDULE II
PERSONS DELIVERING LOCK-UP AGREEMENTS
Directors
Xxx X. Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
Xxxx X. Xxxxx
Officers
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
Xxxx X. Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
Five Percent Stockholders
WRD Holdings, LLC
Esquisto Holdings, LLC
WHE AcqCo. Holdings, LLC
NGP XI US Holdings, L.P.
SCHEDULE III
ISSUER FREE WRITING PROSPECTUSES – ROAD SHOW MATERIALS
None.
SCHEDULE IV
ISSUER FREE WRITING PROSPECTUS
1. | Issuer Free Writing Prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 433 of the Securities Act dated December 12, 2016. |
2. | Issuer Free Writing Prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 433 of the Securities Act dated December 13, 2016. |
SCHEDULE V
WRITTEN TESTING-THE-WATERS COMMUNICATIONS
WildHorse Resource Development Corporation Company Presentation November 2016
EXHIBIT A
LOCK-UP LETTER AGREEMENT
December 13, 2016
BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC.
As a Representative of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule I,
c/o Barclays Capital Inc.
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned understands that you and certain other firms (the “Underwriters”) propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) providing for the purchase by the Underwriters of shares (the “Stock”) of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”), of WildHorse Resource Development Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and that the Underwriters propose to reoffer the Stock to the public (the “Offering”).
In consideration of the execution of the Underwriting Agreement by the Underwriters, and for other good and valuable consideration, the undersigned hereby irrevocably agrees that, without the prior written consent of Barclays Capital Inc., on behalf of the Underwriters, the undersigned will not, directly or indirectly, (1) offer for sale, sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition by any person at any time in the future of) any shares of Common Stock (including, without limitation, shares of Common Stock that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and shares of Common Stock that may be issued upon exercise of any options or warrants) or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock (other than the Stock), (2) enter into any swap or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic benefits or risks of ownership of shares of Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise, (3) make any demand for or exercise any right or cause to be filed a registration statement, including any amendments thereto, with respect to the registration of any shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or any other securities of the Company, or (4) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing for a period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the 180th day after the date of the Prospectus relating to the Offering (such 180-day period, the “Lock-Up Period”).
Exhibit A-1
The foregoing paragraph shall not apply to (a) transactions relating to shares of Common Stock or other securities acquired in the open market after the completion of the offering, (b) the exercise of warrants or the exercise of stock options granted pursuant to the Company’s stock option/incentive plans or otherwise outstanding on the date hereof; provided, that the restrictions shall apply to shares of Common Stock issued upon such exercise or conversion, (c) the establishment of any contract, instruction or plan that satisfies all of the requirements of Rule 10b5-1 (a “Rule 10b5-1 Plan”) under the Exchange Act; provided, however, that no sales of Common Stock or securities convertible into, or exchangeable or exercisable for, Common Stock, shall be made pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 Plan prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period (as the same may be extended pursuant to the provisions hereof); provided further, that the Company is not required to report the establishment of such Rule 10b5-1 Plan in any public report or filing with the Commission under the Exchange Act during the lock-up period and does not otherwise voluntarily effect any such public filing or report regarding such Rule 10b5-1 Plan, and (d) any demands or requests for, exercise any right with respect to, or take any action in preparation of, the registration by the Company under the Securities Act of the undersigned’s shares of Common Stock, provided that no transfer of the undersigned’s shares of Common Stock registered pursuant to the exercise of any such right and no registration statement shall be filed under the Securities Act with respect to any of the undersigned’s shares of Common Stock during the Lock-Up Period. [Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no circumstance shall the undersigned distribute any Stock during the Lock-Up Period to its equity holders other than in complete liquidation.]1
If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, (i) the undersigned agrees that the foregoing provisions shall be equally applicable to any issuer-directed Stock, as referred to in FINRA Rule 5131(d)(2)(A) that the undersigned may purchase in the Offering pursuant to an allocation of Stock that is directed in writing by the Company, (ii) Barclays Capital Inc. agrees that, at least three business days before the effective date of any release or waiver of the foregoing restrictions in connection with a transfer of shares of Common Stock, Barclays Capital Inc. will notify the Company of the impending release or waiver and (iii) the Company has agreed in the Underwriting Agreement to announce the impending release or waiver by issuing a press release through a major news service (as referred to in FINRA Rule 5131(d)(2)(B)) at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver. Any release or waiver granted by Barclays Capital Inc. hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two business days after the publication date of such press release. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if both (a) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer not for consideration, and (b) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this letter that are applicable to the transferor, to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the transfer.
1 | To be included where the locked-up party is an entity taxed as a partnership. |
Exhibit A-2
In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company and its transfer agent are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Lock-Up Letter Agreement.
It is understood that, if the Company notifies the Underwriters that it does not intend to proceed with the Offering, if the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Stock, the undersigned will be released from its obligations under this Lock-Up Letter Agreement.
The undersigned understands that the Company and the Underwriters will proceed with the Offering in reliance on this Lock-Up Letter Agreement.
Whether or not the Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including market conditions. Any Offering will only be made pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation among the Company and the Underwriters.
This Lock-Up Letter Agreement shall automatically terminate upon the earliest to occur, if any, of (1) the termination of the Underwriting Agreement before the sale of any Stock to the Underwriters or (2) January 31, 2017, in the event that the Underwriting Agreement has not been executed by that date.
[Signature page follows]
Exhibit A-3
The undersigned, as of the date first set forth above, hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Lock-Up Letter Agreement and that, upon request, the undersigned will execute any additional documents necessary in connection with the enforcement hereof. Any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the heirs, personal representatives, successors and assigns of the undersigned.
Very truly yours, | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
Exhibit A-4
EXHIBIT B
FORM OF PRESS RELEASE
WildHorse Resource Development Corporation
[Insert date]
WildHorse Resource Development Corporation (the “Company”), announced today that Barclays Capital Inc., the lead book-running manager in the Company’s recent public sale of 27,500,000 shares of common stock is [waiving]/[releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to [●] shares of the Company’s common stock held by [certain officers or directors]/[an officer or director]2 of the Company.3 The [waiver]/[release] will take effect on [insert date], and the shares may be sold or otherwise disposed of on or after such date.
This press release is not an offer for sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
2 | If Barclays Capital Inc. so requests in writing (either in or accompanying the notice to the Company about the impending release or waiver), the Company will include in the press release such other information as Barclays Capital Inc. may require regarding the circumstances of the release or waiver and/or the identity of the officer(s) or director(s) with respect to which the release or waiver applies. |
3 | Depending on the circumstances, Barclays may wish to consider whether it may be appropriate to include the names of the specific officers/directors for which a waiver or release has been granted. |
Exhibit B-1
EXHIBIT C
FORM OF OPINION OF COMPANY’S COUNSEL
Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx L.L.P. shall have furnished to the Underwriters its written opinion, as counsel to the Company, addressed to the Underwriters and dated the Delivery Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect that:
1. | The Company is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of Delaware, with the corporate power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its business as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing in the States of Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas. |
2. | Each Subsidiary of the Company is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation with power and limited liability company authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package; and each of the Subsidiaries is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in good standing in all jurisdictions listed on Schedule I to such opinion. |
3. | The Stock to be issued and sold by the Company to the Underwriters under the Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized in accordance with the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws (together, the “Governing Documents”) and, when issued and delivered by the Company to the Underwriters upon payment therefor in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement, will be validly issued in accordance with the Governing Documents, free of preemptive rights under federal law, the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) or the Governing Documents, fully paid and non-assessable. |
4. | Except as set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no persons with registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or registered by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) or otherwise, in each case, created pursuant to any agreement filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement; and, except as set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no options, warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue, or convert any obligations into or exchange any securities for, shares of capital stock of or ownership interests in the Company created pursuant to any agreement filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement are outstanding. |
5. | The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Underwriting Agreement and to issue and sell the Stock. |
6. | The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company. |
Exhibit C-1
7. | None of the issuance and sale of the Stock, the execution, delivery and performance of the Underwriting Agreement by the Company or the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, and the application of the proceeds from the sale of the Stock as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will (a) result in a breach or result in a default (or an event that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such an event) under the credit agreement of the Company to be entered into in connection with closing of the transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement; (b) violate the provisions of the limited liability company agreement, charter or by-laws (or similar organizational documents) of the Company or the Subsidiaries or (c) violate any federal (based on the limitations set forth in such opinion) rule or regulation applicable to the Company, or the DGCL, except, with respect to clauses (a) and (c), as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; it being understood that we express no opinion in clause (c) of this paragraph (7) with respect to any federal or state securities, Blue Sky or anti-fraud laws, rules or regulations. |
8. | The Registration Statement has been declared effective under the Securities Act; to our knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or threatened by the Commission; and any required filing of the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act has been made in the manner and within the time period required by such rule. |
9. | The Transactions contemplated by the Reorganization have been duly authorized by WildHorse, WildHorse Holdings, WildHorse Investments, Esquisto, Esquisto Holdings, Esquisto Investments, Acquisition Co., Acquisition Co. Holdings and the Company (together, the “Reorganization Parties”), as applicable. |
10. | The Master Reorganization Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the applicable Reorganization Parties and constitutes a valid and legally binding agreement of the Reorganization Parties party thereto, and is enforceable against the Reorganization Parties in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited (A) by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally or by equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding at law or in equity) relating to enforceability and (B) public policy, applicable law relating to fiduciary duties and indemnification and an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. |
11. | Except as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no consent, approval, authorization or order of, registration or qualification with any United States federal or Delaware court or governmental agency is required to be obtained or made by the Company for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Underwriting Agreement, the compliance by the Company with the terms thereof and the issuance and sale of the Stock by the Company, being delivered on the date hereof pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, except (a) as have been obtained or made, (b) for the registration of the offering and sale of the Stock under the Securities Act, (c) for such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, registrations or qualifications as may be required under applicable federal or state securities or Blue Sky laws and the approval by FINRA of the underwriting terms and arrangements in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Stock by the Underwriters or (d) for such consents that, if not obtained, have not or would not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. |
Exhibit C-2
12. | The statements set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the headings “Business—Regulation of the Oil and Gas Industry,” “Business—Regulation of Environmental and Occupational Safety and Health Matters,” “Description of Capital Stock” and “Shares Eligible for Future Sale” and in the Registration Statement in Item 14, to the extent that they constitute descriptions or summaries of the terms of the Stock or the documents referred to therein, or refer to statements of federal law, the laws of the State of Delaware or legal conclusions, are accurate in all material respects, subject to the assumptions and qualifications set for therein. |
13. | The statements contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations for Non-U.S. Holders,” insofar as they purport to constitute summaries of matters of United States federal tax law and regulations or legal conclusions with respect thereto, constitute accurate summaries of the matters described therein in all material respects, subject to the assumptions and qualifications set for therein. |
14. | The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offer and sale of the Stock pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement and application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds,” will not be, an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act. |
15. | Each of the Registration Statement, at the time it was declared effective, the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, and the Prospectus, when filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act and at the Closing Date (in each case other than (a) the financial statements and related schedules, including the notes and schedules thereto and the auditor’s report thereon, (b) the other financial data derived therefrom and (c) oil and natural gas reserve data or reports, in each case included in or omitted from the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as to which we express no opinion), appeared on their face to comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act. |
We have participated in conferences with representatives of the Company and with representatives of its independent accountants and counsel for the Underwriters at which conferences the contents of the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and any amendment and supplement thereto and related matters were discussed. Although we have not independently verified, are not passing upon, and are not assuming any responsibility for or expressing any opinion regarding the accuracy, completeness, or fairness of the statements contained in, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (except to the extent specified in paragraphs (12) and (13) above), based on the foregoing, in participation in this transaction (and relying as to materiality as to factual matters on officers, employees, and other representatives of the Company), no facts have come to our attention that have caused us to believe that:
(a) the Registration Statement, at the time it was declared effective (including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A to be part of the Registration Statement at the time of effectiveness), contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading;
Exhibit C-3
(b) the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or
(c) the Prospectus, as of its date and as of the date hereof, included or includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits 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;
except that in each case such counsel need not express any belief with respect to (i) the financial statements and related schedules, including the notes and schedules thereto and the auditor’s report thereon, (ii) any other financial or accounting information; or (iii) any oil and natural gas reserve data or reports, in each case included in or omitted from the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
Exhibit C-4