ARCHER-DANIELS-MIDLAND COMPANY $750,000,000 2.900% Notes due 2032 Underwriting Agreement
Exhibit 1.1
$750,000,000
XXXXXX-XXXXXXX-MIDLAND COMPANY
$750,000,000 2.900% Notes due 2032
February 23, 2022
To the Representatives
named in Schedule I
hereto of the Underwriters
named in Schedule II hereto
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Xxxxxx-Xxxxxxx-Midland Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), confirms its agreement with each of the Underwriters named in Schedule II hereto (collectively, the “Underwriters,” which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 9 hereof), for whom the representative or representatives, if any, named in Schedule I hereto are acting as representatives (in such capacity, the “Representatives”), with respect to the issue and sale by the Company and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the respective principal amounts set forth in said Schedule II of the Company’s 2.900% Notes due 2032 (the “Securities”). The Securities are to be issued pursuant to an indenture dated as of October 16, 2012 (as amended and supplemented, the “Indenture”), between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (the “Trustee”). If the firm or firms listed in Schedule II hereto include only the firm or firms listed in Schedule I hereto, then the terms “Underwriters” and “Representatives,” as used herein, shall each be deemed to refer to such firm or firms. The term “Representatives” also refers to a single firm acting as sole representative of the Underwriters. Certain terms used herein are defined in Section 17 hereof.
The Company understands that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Securities as soon as the Representative(s) deem(s) advisable after this agreement (this “Agreement”) has been executed and delivered.
The Company has filed with the Commission an automatic shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-240250), including the related preliminary prospectus or prospectuses, which registration statement became effective upon filing under Rule 462(e). Such registration statement covers the registration of the Securities under the Act. Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a prospectus in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430B and Rule 424 under the Act. Such registration statement, at any given time, including the amendments thereto to such time, the exhibits and any schedules thereto at such time, the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Act at such time and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof or included therein by the Regulations, is herein called the “Registration Statement.” The Registration Statement at the time it originally became effective is herein called the “Original Registration Statement.” The Prospectus in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Securities and filed pursuant to Rule 424(b), including the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Act at the time of the execution of this Agreement and any preliminary prospectuses filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that form a part thereof, is herein called the “Prospectus.” For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to mean the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (“XXXXX”).
All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included” or “stated” in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and
other information which is incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed by the Regulations to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include the filing of any document under the Exchange Act which is incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed by the Regulations to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement, such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be.
1. | Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, the Applicable Time and the Closing Date referred to in Section 3 hereof, and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows: |
(a) |
(i) | (A) At the time of filing the Original Registration Statement and (B) at the time the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c)) made any offer relating to the Securities in reliance on the exemption of Rule 163 and (C) at the date hereof, the Company was and is a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405. The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement,” as defined in Rule 405. The Company has not received from the Commission any notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) objecting to the use of the automatic shelf registration statement form. |
(ii) | At the time of filing the Original Registration Statement, 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)) of the Securities and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405. |
(iii) | The Original Registration Statement became effective upon filing under Rule 462(e) on July 31, 2020, and any post-effective amendment thereto also became effective upon filing under Rule 462(e). No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued under the Act and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information has been complied with. |
(b) |
(i) | At the respective times the Original Registration Statement and each amendment thereto became effective, at the deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) and at the Closing Date, the Registration Statement complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Act and the Regulations and the Trust Indenture Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to that part of the Registration Statement which shall constitute the Statement of Eligibility (Form T-1) under the Trust Indenture Act of the Trustee. |
(ii) | Neither the Prospectus nor any amendments or supplements thereto, at the time the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement was filed and at the Closing Date, included or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will 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. |
(iii) | Each preliminary prospectus (including the prospectus or prospectuses filed as part of the Original Registration Statement or any amendment thereto) complied when so filed in all material respects with the Regulations and each preliminary prospectus and the |
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Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this offering was identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to XXXXX, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T. |
(iv) | As of the Applicable Time, the Statutory Prospectus, the Final Term Sheet (as defined below) and any other Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus(es) issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, all considered together (collectively, the “Disclosure Package”), did not include any 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. |
(v) | Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein and any preliminary or other prospectus deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified and each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as supplemented by and taken together with the Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time, did not and will not include any 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. |
The representations and warranties in this subsection (b) shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the Statutory Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein.
(c) | The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, when they were filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act, and none of such documents, when they were so filed, 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; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, when such documents are filed with the Commission, will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act, as applicable, and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. |
(d) | The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation under the laws of the State of Delaware, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing (or the local equivalent) under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such qualification, except where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or other), earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”). |
(e) | Each of the Company’s subsidiaries that constitutes a “significant subsidiary” (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X) (each a “Subsidiary” and collectively, the “Subsidiaries”) has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation or limited liability company in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, and has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation or limited liability company for the transaction of business and is in good standing (or the local equivalent) under the laws of each |
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other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such qualification, except where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. All the outstanding shares of capital stock of each Subsidiary have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable, and, except as otherwise set forth in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Subsidiaries are owned by the Company either directly or through wholly owned subsidiaries free and clear of any security interest, claim, lien or encumbrance, other than any such security interests, claims, liens or encumbrances which would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. |
(f) | This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company. |
(g) | The Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms (except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency and other laws affecting the enforceability of creditors’ rights generally and general principles of equity and an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing). |
(h) | The Securities have been duly authorized by the Company and, when executed and authenticated in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will have been duly executed and delivered by the Company, and will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and enforceable in accordance with their terms and the terms of the Indenture (except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency and other laws affecting the enforceability of creditors’ rights generally and general principles of equity and an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing); and the Securities and the Indenture conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. |
(i) | The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Indenture and any other agreement or instrument entered into or issued or to be entered into or issued by the Company in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder and thereunder do not and will not conflict with or result in a breach of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any assets, properties or operations of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound or to which any of the assets, properties or operations of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject (collectively, the “Agreements and Instruments”) the result of which would have a Material Adverse Effect, nor will such action result in any violation of (i) the provisions of the charter or bylaws of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) any applicable law or statute or any order, rule, regulation or judgment of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their assets, properties or operations, except, with respect to (ii) above, for any such violations that would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect or have a material adverse effect on the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under and consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities. |
(j) | No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any court or governmental agency or body is required for the due authorization, execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement or for the performance by the Company of the transactions contemplated under the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, this Agreement or the Indenture, |
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except such as have already been made, obtained or rendered, as applicable, and such as may be required under state securities laws. |
(k) | The financial statements and schedules of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates and for the periods indicated, comply as to form with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and have been prepared in conformance with United States generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except as otherwise noted therein). The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly the information called for in all material respects and were prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. |
(l) | Xxxxx & Young LLP, who have certified the financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, are independent public accountants as required by the Act. |
(m) | To the best knowledge of the Company, there is no pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of the Subsidiaries of a character required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement which is not adequately disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement). |
(n) | Since the date of the most recent financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto), (i) there has been no material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition (financial or other), earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Change”), except as set forth or contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto); and (ii) there have been no transactions entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other than those arising in the ordinary course of business, which are material with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole. |
(o) | The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package, will not be an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act. |
(p) | The Company has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15 under the Exchange Act) that (i) are designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to the Company’s chief executive officer and its chief financial officer by others within those entities, (ii) have been evaluated for effectiveness as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing of the Company’s most recent Annual Report filed with the Commission and (iii) are effective to perform the functions for which they were established. Additionally, the Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability, (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. |
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(q) | Since December 31, 2021, there has been (i) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (ii) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. |
(r) | There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or, to the best knowledge of the Company, 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 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”), including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications. |
(s) | Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor any director or officer of the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries nor any agent, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made or taken an act in furtherance of an offer, promise or authorization of any direct or indirect unlawful payment or benefit to any foreign or domestic government or regulatory official or employee, including of any government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or any applicable law or regulation implementing the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, or committed an offence under the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom, or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption laws; or (iv) made, offered, agreed, requested or taken an act in furtherance of any unlawful bribe or other unlawful benefit, including, without limitation, any rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful or improper payment or benefit. No part of the proceeds of the offering will be used, directly or indirectly, in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom, each as may be amended, or similar law of any other relevant jurisdiction, or the rules or regulations thereunder. The Company and its subsidiaries have instituted, maintain and enforce, and will continue to maintain and enforce policies and procedures designed to promote and ensure compliance with all applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws. |
(t) | The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and, to the best knowledge of the Company, have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the applicable money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions where the Company or any of its subsidiaries conducts business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any governmental or regulatory agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental or regulatory agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened. |
(u) | Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor any director or officer of the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any employee, agent, or affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently the subject or the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Government, (including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”) or the U.S. Department of State and including, without limitation, the designation as a “specially designated national” or “blocked person”), the United Nations Security Council (“UNSC”), the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”), or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Company or any of its subsidiaries located, |
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organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or the target of Sanctions (each, a “Sanctioned Country”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Securities hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject or the target of Sanctions, (ii) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business in any Sanctioned Country or (iii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions. The Company and its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in, are not now knowingly engaged in, and will not knowingly engage in, any dealings or transactions with any person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or the target of Sanctions. |
(v) | (i) There has been no security breach or incident, unauthorized access or disclosure, or other compromise of or relating to the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ information technology and computer systems, networks, hardware, software, data and databases (including the data and information of their respective customers, employees, suppliers, vendors and any third party data maintained, processed or stored by the Company and its subsidiaries, and any such data processed or stored by third parties on behalf of the Company and its subsidiaries), equipment or technology (collectively, “IT Systems and Data”), except any such breach that individually or in the aggregate would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries have not been notified of, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would result in, any material security breach or incident, unauthorized access or disclosure or other compromise to their IT Systems and Data; (iii) the Company and its subsidiaries have implemented appropriate controls, policies, procedures, and technological safeguards to maintain and protect the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of their IT Systems and Data reasonably consistent with industry standards and practices, or as required by applicable regulatory standards and (iv) the Company and its subsidiaries are presently in material compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification. |
2. | Purchase and Sale. Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the respective purchase prices set forth in Schedule I hereto, the amount of the Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule II hereto. |
3. | Delivery and Payment. Delivery of and payment for the Securities shall be made on the date and at the time specified in Schedule I hereto or at such time on such later date not more than three Business Days after the foregoing date as the Representatives shall designate, which date and time may be postponed by agreement between the Representatives and the Company or as provided in Section 9 hereof (such date and time of delivery and payment for the Securities being herein called the “Closing Date”). Delivery of the Securities shall be made to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives of the purchase price thereof to or upon the order of the Company by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to an account specified by the Company. Delivery of the Securities shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct. |
4. | Offering by Underwriters. It is understood that the several Underwriters propose to offer the Securities for sale to the public as set forth in the Disclosure Package. |
5. | Agreements. The Company agrees with the several Underwriters that: |
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(a) | Prior to the termination of the offering of the Securities, the Company will not file any amendment of the Registration Statement or any supplement or amendment to either any preliminary prospectus or to the Prospectus, whether pursuant to the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise unless the Company has furnished to the Underwriters a copy for review prior to filing and will not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which an Underwriter reasonably objects. The Company will prepare a final term sheet (the “Final Term Sheet”), in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto, reflecting the final terms of the Securities, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, and shall file such Final Term Sheet as an “issuer free writing prospectus” pursuant to Rule 433 under the Act prior to the close of business two Business Days after the date hereof; provided that the Company shall furnish the Representatives with copies of any such Final Term Sheet a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing and will not use or file any such document to which the Representatives or counsel to the Underwriters shall object. Subject to the second preceding sentence, the Company will comply with the requirements of Rule 430B and cause the Prospectus, properly completed, and any supplement thereto to be filed in a form approved by the Representatives with the Commission pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) under the Act within the time period prescribed (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and will provide evidence satisfactory to the Representatives of such timely filing. The Company will promptly advise the Representatives (1) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or new registration statement relating to the Securities shall become effective, (2) when the Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, shall have been filed (if required) with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), (3) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (4) of any request by the Commission or its staff for any amendment of the Registration Statement, or for any supplement to the Prospectus or any document incorporated by reference therein or otherwise deemed to be a part thereof, or for any additional information, (5) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose or any notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) or any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(e) concerning the Registration Statement, (6) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A in connection with the offering of the Securities and (7) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or the suspension of any such qualification and, if issued, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof. The Company shall pay the required Commission filing fees relating to the Securities within the time required by Rule 456(b)(1)(i) without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) (including, if applicable, by updating the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in accordance with Rule 456(b)(1)(ii) either in a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or on the cover page of a prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)). |
(b) | If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Act), any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Prospectus to comply with the Act or the Exchange Act or the respective rules thereunder, the Company promptly will (1) notify the Representatives of such event, (2) prepare and file with the Commission, subject to the first sentence of paragraph (a) of this Section 5, an amendment or supplement which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance and (3) supply any supplemented Prospectus to you in such quantities as you may reasonably request. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement (or any |
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other registration statement relating to the Securities) or the Statutory Prospectus or any preliminary prospectus or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representatives and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission. |
(c) | As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Representatives an earnings statement or statements of the Company and its subsidiaries which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) and Rule 158 under the Act. |
(d) | The Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and each amendment thereto which shall become effective on or prior to the Closing Date and, so long as delivery of a prospectus by an Underwriter or dealer may be required by the Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Act), as many copies of any preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments thereof and supplements thereto as the Representatives may reasonably request. The Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and accountants in connection with the registration of the Securities under the Act and all other expenses in connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus and amendments thereof and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers; (ii) the expenses of printing all documents relating to the offering (other than any agreement among Underwriters relating to the offering of the Securities); (iii) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Securities for offering and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 5(e) hereof, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky and legal investment surveys; (iv) any fees charged by securities rating agencies for rating the Securities; (v) the cost of preparing the Securities; (vi) the fees and expenses of the Trustee and the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Trustee in connection with this Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities; and (vii) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section. It is understood, however, that, except as provided in this Section, Section 7 and Section 8 hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees and disbursements of their counsel, transfer taxes on resale of any of the Securities by them, and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make. |
(e) | The Company will arrange for the qualification of the Securities for sale under the laws of such states as the Representatives may designate, will maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Securities and will arrange for the determination of the legality of the Securities for purchase by institutional investors; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or to take any action which would subject it to general or unlimited service of process in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject. |
(f) | The Company will use its best efforts to list the Securities on the stock exchange, if any, set forth in Schedule I hereto. |
(g) | The Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of, (or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise) by the Company or any entity affiliate of the Company or any person in privity with the Company or any entity affiliate of the Company) directly or indirectly, including the filing (or participation in the filing) of a |
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registration statement with the Commission in respect of, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act, any debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company that are substantially similar to the Securities (other than the Securities and any debt securities that mature within one year of their date of issue) or publicly announce an intention to effect any such transaction, until the Business Day set forth on Schedule I hereto. |
(h) | The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities. |
(i) | The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities in the manner specified in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under “Use of Proceeds.” |
(j) | The Company represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representatives, and each Underwriter represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Company and the Representatives, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405, required to be filed with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided, however, that the prior written consent of the parties hereto shall be deemed to have been given in respect of any free writing prospectus included in Schedule III hereto. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Company and the Representatives is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. |
6. | Conditions to the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Securities shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company contained herein as of the date hereof, as of the date of the effectiveness of any amendment to the Registration Statement filed prior to the Closing Date (including the filing of any document incorporated therein by reference), as of the Applicable Time and as of the Closing Date, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company made in any certificates pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions: |
(a) | The Registration Statement has become effective and on the Closing Date, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued under the Act or proceedings therefor initiated or threatened by the Commission, no notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) shall have been received by the Company and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of counsel to the Underwriters. A prospectus containing the Rule 430B Information shall have been filed with the Commission in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) (or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed and become effective in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430B). The Company shall have paid the required Commission filing fees relating to the Securities within the time period required by Rule 456(b)(1)(i) without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) and the Regulations and, if applicable, shall have updated the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in accordance with Rule 456(b)(1)(ii) either in a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or on the cover page of a prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b). |
(b) | The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives the opinion of Faegre Drinker Xxxxxx & Xxxxx LLP, counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that: |
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(i) | the Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and the Company has all necessary corporate power and authority to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; |
(ii) | the Company’s authorized capitalization is as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and the Securities conform to the description thereof contained in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; |
(iii) | the Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, and, assuming the authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the Trustee, constitutes a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, voidable transactions, fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium, assignment for the benefit of creditors and other similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and equitable principles of general applicability (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and except further as enforcement thereof may be limited by governmental authority that limits, delays or prohibits the making of payments outside the United States; |
(iv) | this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company; |
(v) | the Securities have been duly authorized and executed by the Company and, when authenticated by the Trustee in accordance with the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, will be duly issued and delivered by the Company and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture and enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, voidable transactions, fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium, assignment for the benefit of creditors and other similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and equitable principles of general applicability (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and except further as enforcement thereof may be limited by governmental authority that limits, delays or prohibits the making of payments outside the United States; |
(vi) | to the actual knowledge of such counsel, (A) there is no pending action, suit or proceeding before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries of a character required to be disclosed by the Company in the Registration Statement which is not adequately disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (B) there is no action, suit or proceeding that has been threatened in writing by any governmental or regulatory authority or by others of a character required to be disclosed by the Company in the Registration Statement which is not adequately disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and (C) there is no franchise, contract or other document of a character required to be described by the Company in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement which was not described or filed as required; |
(vii) | the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto have become effective under the Act; and each of the Registration Statement, including without limitation the Rule 430B Information, the Prospectus and each amendment thereof or supplement thereto as of its respective effective or issue date (including without limitation each deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2)) |
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(other than the financial statements, statistical information, financial data and supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference therein and other than the Form T-1, as to each of which such counsel need express no opinion) complied as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act and the respective rules thereunder; |
(viii) | no consent, approval, authorization or order of any court or governmental agency or body is required to be made or obtained by the Company under any law, statute, rule or regulation applicable to the Company for the consummation of the transactions contemplated in the Underwriting Agreement, except such as have been obtained under the Act and such as may be required under state securities or “Blue Sky” laws or regulations or Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. laws or regulations in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters; |
(ix) | neither the issue and sale of the Securities, nor the consummation by the Company of any of the other transactions contemplated in this Agreement nor the performance by the Company of its obligations thereunder will (A) violate the charter or by-laws of the Company or any law or statute or rule or regulation of any governmental or regulatory authority applicable to the Company, (B) to the actual knowledge of such counsel, violate any order, judgment or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental agency or body that names the Company or any of its subsidiaries and is specifically directed to the Company, its subsidiaries or its or their property or assets or (C) result in a breach of or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, or result in the creation of a lien or other encumbrance on any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, any loan or credit agreement, indenture, mortgage, note or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates is a party or by which any of them or their properties or assets is bound and which has been filed as an exhibit to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 (provided that no opinion is rendered regarding breaches or defaults under any financial covenant or other provision contained in any such instrument or agreement requiring financial calculations or determinations to ascertain compliance); |
(x) | The statements under the heading “Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations” contained in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, to the extent that such statements summarize laws, governmental rules or regulations or documents referred to therein, constitute accurate summaries of such laws, governmental rules or regulations and documents described therein in all material respects; and |
(xi) | The Company is not, and after giving effect to the sale of the Securities in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement and the application of the proceeds as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds” will not be required to be, registered as an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder. |
In addition, such counsel shall state that any required filing of each prospectus relating to the Securities (including the Prospectus) pursuant to Rule 424(b) has been made in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reference to Rule 424(b)(8)); any required filing of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus pursuant to Rule 433 has been made in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 433(d), and, to the actual knowledge of such counsel, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, as amended, has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or threatened by the Commission and no notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) has been received by the Company.
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Such counsel shall also state that it has participated in conferences with representatives of the Company and with representatives of its independent accountants at which conferences the contents of the Original Registration Statement, the Registration Statement, including any 430B Information, the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package and related matters were discussed and, on the basis of such participation and review, but without independent verification by such counsel of, and without assuming any responsibility for, the accuracy, completeness or fairness of such documents and any amendment or supplement thereto (except as expressly provided in the paragraphs above), no facts have come to such counsel’s attention that causes such counsel to believe that:
(A) the Original Registration Statement or any amendment thereof (other than the financial statements, financial data and supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference therein and other than the Form T-1, as to each of which such counsel need express no belief), at the time the Original Registration Statement or any such amendment became effective, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading;
(B) the Registration Statement, including any Rule 430B Information (other than the financial statements, financial data and supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference therein and other than the Form T-1, as to each of which such counsel need express no belief), at the deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2), contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading;
(C) the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (other than the financial statements, financial data and supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference therein, as to each of which such counsel need express no belief), at the time the Prospectus was issued, at the time any such amendment or supplement thereto was issued or at the Closing Date, included or includes any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or
(D) the Disclosure Package (other than the financial statements, financial data and supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference therein, as to each of which such counsel need express no belief), as of the Applicable Time, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely (A) as to matters involving the application of laws of any jurisdiction other than the States of Minnesota, other than with respect to opinions (iii), (v), (viii) and (ix), New York or, with respect to its corporation law, Delaware, or the United States, to the extent deemed proper and specified in such opinion, upon the opinion of other counsel of good standing believed to be reliable and who are satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters; and (B) as to factual matters, to the extent deemed proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and public officials.
(c) | X. Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Esq., Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of the Company, Xxxx-Xxx X. Xx, Chief Counsel, Corporate, Securities and M&A and Assistant Secretary of the Company or Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, Esq., Associate General Counsel, Corporate, Securities and M&A of the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives his or her written opinion, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that: |
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(i) | the Company has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware; and the Company has full corporate power and authority to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; |
(ii) | the Company is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing in every jurisdiction where, in light of the nature of the business transacted or the property owned by it, such qualification is necessary and the failure so to qualify might permanently impair title to property material to its operations or its right to enforce a material contract against others or expose it to substantial liabilities in such jurisdictions; |
(iii) | nothing has come to such counsel’s attention which causes such counsel to believe that |
(A) the Original Registration Statement or any amendment thereof (other than the financial statements, financial data and supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference therein and other than the Form T-1, as to each of which such counsel need express no belief), at the time the Original Registration Statement or any such amendment became effective, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading;
(B) the Registration Statement, including any Rule 430B Information (other than the financial statements, financial data and supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference therein and other than the Form T-1, as to each of which such counsel need express no belief), at the deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) , contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading;
(C) the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (other than the financial statements, financial data and supporting schedule included or incorporated by reference therein, as to each of which such counsel need express no belief), at the time the Prospectus was issued, at the time any such amendment or supplement thereto was issued or at the Closing Date, included or includes any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or
(D) the Disclosure Package (other than the financial statements, financial data and supporting schedule included or incorporated by reference therein, as to each of which such counsel need express no belief), as of the Applicable Time, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and
(iv) | the descriptions in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus of statutes, legal and governmental investigations and proceedings, contracts and other documents are accurate and fairly present the information required to be shown; and such counsel does not know of any statute or legal or pending or threatened governmental investigation or proceeding required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus which is not described as required, or of any franchise, contract or other document of a character required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement which is not described or filed as required. |
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In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely (A) as to matters involving the application of laws of any jurisdiction other than the States of Illinois or, with respect to its corporation law, Delaware, or the United States, to the extent deemed proper and specified in such opinion, upon the opinion of other counsel of good standing believed to be reliable and who are satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters and (B) as to matters of fact, to the extent deemed proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and public officials. References to the Prospectus in this paragraph (c) include any supplements thereto at the date such opinion is rendered.
(d) | The Representatives shall have received from Xxxxx Xxxxx LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Securities, this Agreement, the Indenture, the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters. |
(e) | The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate of the Company, signed by the Chairman of the Board, the President or any Vice President and the principal financial or accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that the signers of such certificate have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, any supplements to the Prospectus and this Agreement and that to the best of their knowledge: |
(i) | the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct in all material respects on and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as if made on the Closing Date and the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date; |
(ii) | no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, as amended, has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to their knowledge, threatened; and |
(iii) | since the date of the most recent financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto), there has been no Material Adverse Change, except as set forth or contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto). |
(f) | On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date, Xxxxx & Young LLP shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, and the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off” date no more than three business days prior to the Closing Date. |
(g) | Subsequent to the Applicable Time or, if earlier, the dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof), the Disclosure Package (exclusive of any amendment thereof or supplement thereto) and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto), there shall not have been (i) any change or decrease specified in the letter or letters referred to in paragraph (f) of this Section 6 or (ii) any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package (exclusive of any amendment thereof or supplement |
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thereto) and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto) the effect of which, in any case referred to in clause (i) or (ii) above, is, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities as contemplated by the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof), the Disclosure Package (exclusive of any amendment thereof or supplement thereto) and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto). |
(h) | Subsequent to the Applicable Time, there shall not have been any decrease in the rating of any of the Company’s debt securities by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act) and no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its rating of any of the Company’s debt securities. |
(i) | Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such further information, certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request. |
If any of the conditions specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled in all material respects when and as provided in this Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be in all material respects reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, this Agreement and all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be canceled by the Representatives at, or at any time prior to, the Closing Date. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or by telephone or telegraph confirmed in writing.
7. | Reimbursement of Underwriters’ Expenses. If the sale of the Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 6 hereof is not satisfied, because of any termination pursuant to Section 10(i) (with respect to a suspension in the trading of the Company’s common stock only) hereof or because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof other than by reason of a default by any of the Underwriters, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters severally through the Representatives on demand for all out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) that shall have been reasonably incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Securities. |
8. | Indemnification and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 501(b)), its selling agents and each person who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or other Federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (including any amendment thereof) (including the Rule 430B Information), or in the Statutory Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act or the Prospectus, or in any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made therein in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have. |
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(b) | Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signs the Registration Statement, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to each Underwriter, but only with reference to written information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use in the preparation of the documents referred to in the foregoing indemnity. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which any Underwriter may otherwise have. The Company acknowledges that the following statements set forth under the heading “Underwriting” in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus constitute the only information furnished in writing by or on behalf of the several Underwriters for inclusion in any preliminary prospectus, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus: (i) the list of Underwriters and their respective participation in the sale of the Securities, (ii) the sentences related to concessions and reallowances and (iii) the paragraph related to stabilization and over-allotment transactions. |
(c) | Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of the commencement of any action, such Indemnified Party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 8. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party, and it notifies the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it may elect by written notice delivered to the indemnified party promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice from such indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, that if the defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, the indemnified party or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to assert such legal defenses and to otherwise participate in the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties. Upon receipt of notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense of such action and approval by the indemnified party of counsel, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 8 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in connection with the assertion of legal defenses in accordance with the proviso to the next preceding sentence (it being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate counsel (except to the extent that local counsel is required in order to defend such action), approved by the Representatives in the case of subparagraph (a), representing the indemnified parties under subparagraph (a) who are parties to such action), (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action or (iii) the indemnifying party has authorized the employment of counsel for the indemnified party at the expense of the indemnifying party; and except that, if clause (i) or (iii) is applicable, such liability shall be only in respect of the counsel referred to in such clause (i) or (iii). |
(d) | In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in circumstances in which the indemnification provided for in paragraph (a) of this Section 8 is due in accordance with its terms but is for any reason held by a court to be unavailable from the Company on grounds of policy or otherwise, the Company and the Underwriters shall contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending same) to which the Company and one or more of the Underwriters may be subject in such proportion so that the Underwriters are responsible for that portion represented by the percentage that the underwriting discount bears to the sum of such discount and the purchase price of the Securities specified in Schedule I hereto and the Company |
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is responsible for the balance; provided, however, that (y) in no case shall any Underwriter (except as may be provided in any agreement among Underwriters relating to the offering of the Securities) be responsible for any amount in excess of the underwriting discount applicable to the Securities purchased by such Underwriter hereunder and (z) no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f)) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 8, each person who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of the Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signs the Registration Statement, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to clause (y) of this paragraph (d). Any party entitled to contribution will, promptly after receipt of notice of the commencement of any action against such party in respect of which a claim for contribution may be made against another party or parties under this paragraph (d), notify such party or parties from whom contribution may be sought, but the omission to so notify such party or parties shall not relieve the party or parties from whom contribution may be sought from any other obligation it or they may have otherwise than under this paragraph (d). |
9. | Default by an Underwriter. If any one or more Underwriters shall fail to purchase and pay for any of the Securities agreed to be purchased by such Underwriter or Underwriters hereunder and such failure to purchase shall constitute a default in the performance of its or their obligations under this Agreement, the remaining Underwriters shall be obligated severally to take up and pay for (in the respective proportions which the amount of Securities set forth opposite their names in Schedule II hereto bear to the aggregate amount of Securities set forth opposite the names of all the remaining Underwriters) the Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase; provided, however, that in the event that the amount of Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase shall exceed 10% of the aggregate amount of Securities set forth in Schedule I hereto, the remaining Underwriters shall have the right to purchase all, but shall not be under any obligation to purchase any, of the Securities, and if such non-defaulting Underwriters do not purchase all the Securities, this Agreement will terminate without liability to any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company. In the event of a default by any Underwriter as set forth in this Section 9, the Closing Date shall be postponed for such period, not exceeding seven days, as the Representatives shall determine in order that the required changes in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the Company and to any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages occasioned by its default hereunder. |
10. | Termination. This Agreement shall be subject to termination in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice given to the Company prior to delivery of and payment for the Securities, if at any time prior to such time (i) trading in the Company’s Common Stock shall have been suspended by the Commission or the New York Stock Exchange, or trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange, shall have been suspended or limited or minimum prices shall have been established on such Exchange, (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared either by Federal or New York State authorities or a material disruption shall have occurred in securities settlement, payment or clearance services in the United States, or (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, or other calamity or crisis the effect of which on the financial markets is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impracticable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities as contemplated by the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto). |
11. | Representations and Indemnities to Survive. The respective agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Company or its officers and of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or any of the officers, directors or controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. The provisions of Sections 7 and 8 hereof shall survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement. |
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12. | Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt, and, if sent to the Representatives, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to them at the address specified in Schedule I hereto; or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to it at 00 Xxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 0000, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: Secretary. |
13. | Successors. This Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure solely to the benefit of the Underwriters, the Company and, to the extent provided in Sections 8 and 11 hereof, the officers and directors of the Company and each person who controls the Company or an Underwriter, and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. No purchaser of any of the Securities from an Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase. |
14. | Applicable Law; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed within the State of New York. THE COMPANY AND EACH OF THE UNDERWRITERS HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, 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. |
15. | Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties hereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in this Agreement or in any other certificate, agreement or document related to this Agreement, if any, shall include images of manually executed signatures transmitted by facsimile or other electronic format (including, without limitation, “pdf,” “tif” or “jpg”) and other electronic signatures (including, without limitation, DocuSign and AdobeSign). The use of electronic signatures, records and delivery methods shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature and physical delivery thereof to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act and any other applicable law. |
16. | Headings. The section headings used herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof. |
17. | Definitions. The terms which follow, when used in this Agreement, shall have the meanings indicated. |
“Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
“Applicable Time” means 4:00 p.m. (New York time) on February 23, 2022 or such other time as agreed by the Company and the Representatives.
“Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies are authorized or obligated by law to close in New York City.
“Commission” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
“Investment Company Act” means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, relating to the Securities that (i) is required to be filed with the Commission by the Company,
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or (ii) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Securities or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).
“Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors, as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule III hereto.
“Regulations” shall mean the rules and regulations of the Commission.
“Rule 163,” “Rule 164,” “Rule 401,” “Rule 405,” “Rule 415,” “Rule 424,” “Rule 430B,” “Rule 433,” “Rule 456,” “Rule 457,” “Rule 462” and “Rule 501” refer to such rules under the Act.
“Rule 430B Information” shall mean information included in the Prospectus that was omitted from the Registration Statement at the time it became effective but that is deemed to be part of and included in the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430B.
“Statutory Prospectus” as of any time means the prospectus relating to the Securities that is included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to that time, including any document incorporated by reference therein and any preliminary or other prospectus deemed to be a part thereof.
“Trust Indenture Act” shall mean the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
18. | No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility. The Company acknowledges and agrees that: (i) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the public offering price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other hand, and the Company is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (ii) in connection with each transaction contemplated hereby and the process leading to such transaction each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the financial advisor, agent or fiduciary of the Company, or its affiliates, stockholders, creditors or employees or any other party; (iii) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory, agency or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement; (iv) the several Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company and that the several Underwriters have no obligation to disclose any of such interests by virtue of any advisory, agency or fiduciary relationship; and (v) the Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering contemplated hereby and the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate. |
19. | Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes. |
(a) | In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. |
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(b) | In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. |
(c) | As used in this Section 19: |
“BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k). |
“Covered Entity” means any of the following: (i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b); (ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or (iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b). |
“Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable. |
“U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Xxxx-Xxxxx Xxxx Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder. |
This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the several Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof. The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company may have against the several Underwriters with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty.
[Remainder of page intentionally left blank; signatures appear on next page]
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement among the Company and the several Underwriters.
Very truly yours,
XXXXXX-XXXXXXX-MIDLAND COMPANY | ||
By: | /s/ Xxx X. Xxxxx | |
Name: Xxx X. Xxxxx | ||
Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement
The foregoing Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date specified in Schedule I hereto. | ||
BNP PARIBAS SECURITIES CORP. | ||
X.X. XXXXXX SECURITIES LLC | ||
As representatives of the several underwriters | ||
By: BNP PARIBAS SECURITIES CORP. | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx | ||
Title: Managing Director | ||
By: X.X. XXXXXX SECURITIES LLC | ||
By: | /s/ Som Xxxxxxxxxxxxx | |
Name: Som Xxxxxxxxxxxxx | ||
Title: Executive Director |
Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement
SCHEDULE I
Underwriting Agreement dated February 23, 2022
Representative(s): | BNP Paribas Securities Corp. | |
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx | ||
New York, New York 10019 | ||
Attention: High Grade Syndicate | ||
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities LLC 000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 Facsimile: 000-000-0000 Attention: Investment Grade Syndicate Desk, 3rd Floor |
Closing date and time: February 28, 2022, 9:00 a.m. New York City Time
Description of Securities:
Title: | 2.900% Notes due 2032 | |
Specified currency: | U.S. Dollars | |
Aggregate principal amount: | $750,000,000 | |
Stated maturity date: | March 1, 2032 | |
Purchase price (include accrued interest or amortization, if any): | 99.343% | |
Offering price (include accrued interest or amortization, if any): | 99.793% | |
Sinking fund provisions: | None | |
Redemption provisions: | As specified in the Prospectus. | |
Change of control provisions: | 101% upon events specified in the Prospectus. | |
Other Provisions: |
||
Interest payment dates: | Semi-annually on March 1 and September 1, beginning on September 1, 2022 | |
Record dates: | 15 calendar days prior to the Interest Payment Dates | |
Method of payment: | Same-day funds | |
Stock exchange listing, if any: | None | |
Last day of blackout period pursuant to Section 5(g): | First Business Day after the Closing Date | |
Additional procedures to be performed by Xxxxx & Young LLP, if any: | None |
Schedule I–1
SCHEDULE II
Underwriter |
Principal Amount of 2032 Notes |
|||
BNP Paribas Securities Corp. |
$ | 157,500,000 | ||
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities LLC |
$ | 157,500,000 | ||
BofA Securities, Inc |
$ | 97,500,000 | ||
Citigroup Global Markets Inc |
$ | 97,500,000 | ||
Barclays Capital Inc |
$ | 67,500,000 | ||
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc |
$ | 67,500,000 | ||
MUFG Securities Americas Inc |
$ | 67,500,000 | ||
Academy Securities, Inc |
$ | 9,375,000 | ||
Xxxxxx & Company |
$ | 9,375,000 | ||
Loop Capital Markets LLC |
$ | 9,375,000 | ||
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx & Co., LLC.. |
$ | 9,375,000 | ||
|
|
|||
Total |
$ | 750,000,000 | ||
|
|
Schedule II–1
Schedule III
Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus
Final Term Sheet
Supplementing the Preliminary Prospectus
Supplement dated February 23, 2022
(To Prospectus dated July 31, 2020)
$750,000,000
Xxxxxx-Xxxxxxx-Midland Company
$750,000,000 2.900% Notes due 2032
Final Term Sheet
February 23, 2022
Issuer: |
Xxxxxx-Xxxxxxx-Midland Company | |
Trade Date: |
February 23, 2022 | |
Settlement Date: |
February 28, 2022 (T+3) | |
Expected Ratings*: |
[Intentionally Omitted] | |
Joint Book-Running Managers: |
BNP Paribas Securities Corp. X.X. Xxxxxx Securities LLC BofA Securities, Inc. Citigroup Global Markets Inc. | |
Senior Co-Managers: |
Barclays Capital Inc. Deutsche Bank
Securities Inc. | |
Co-Managers: |
Academy Securities, Inc. Xxxxxx & Company Loop Capital Markets LLC | |
Title of Securities: |
2.900% Notes due 2032 (the “Notes”) | |
Principal Amount: |
$750,000,000 | |
Maturity Date: |
March 1, 2032 | |
Interest Rate: |
2.900% | |
Interest Payment Dates: |
Semi-annually on March 1 and September 1, beginning on September 1, 2022 | |
Yield to Maturity: |
2.924% | |
Spread to Benchmark Treasury: |
+95 bps | |
Benchmark Treasury: |
UST 1.875% due February 15, 2032 | |
Benchmark Treasury Price and Yield: |
99-03+ / 1.974% | |
Price to Public: |
99.793% | |
Aggregate Gross Proceeds to Issuer, before expenses: |
$748,447,500 | |
Aggregate Net Proceeds to Issuer, before expenses: |
$745,072,500 |
Redemption Provisions: | ||
Make-Whole Call: | The Issuer may redeem the Notes at its option, either in whole at any time or in part from time to time prior to December 1, 2031 (three months prior to the maturity date of the Notes, the “Par Call Date”), at a redemption price equal to the greater of (1) 100% of the principal amount of the Notes being redeemed or (2) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest that would have been payable if the Notes being redeemed on that redemption date matured on the Par Call Date (excluding interest accrued to the redemption date), discounted to the redemption date on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate plus 15 basis points, plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes being redeemed to, but excluding, the redemption date. | |
Par Call: | The Issuer may also redeem the Notes at its option, either in whole at any time or in part from time to time on and after the Par Call Date at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes being redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes being redeemed to, but excluding, the redemption date. | |
Change of Control Repurchase: | As described in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement | |
CUSIP/ISIN: | 000000XX0 / US039482AD67 |
* | Note: A securities rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities and may be subject to revision or withdrawal at any time. |
The issuer expects that delivery of the notes will be made against payment therefor on or about February 28, 2022 which is the third business day following the date of this final term sheet (such settlement being referred to as “T+3”). Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in two business days, unless the parties to a trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade the notes prior to the second business day before delivery of the notes will be required, by virtue of the fact that the notes initially will settle in T+3, to specify alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a failed settlement.
The Issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus, Registration Statement No. 333-240250) with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the Issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the Issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting XXXXX on the SEC Web site at xxx.xxx.xxx. Alternatively, the Issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by calling: BNP Paribas Securities Corp. toll-free at 0-000-000-0000 or X.X. Xxxxxx Securities LLC collect at 0-000-000-0000.