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EXHIBIT 1.1
SCHOOL SPECIALTY, INC.
COMMON STOCK
(PAR VALUE $.001 PER SHARE)
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UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
_________, 1999
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co.,
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Barney Inc.,
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Inc.,
As representatives of the several Underwriters
named in Schedule I hereto,
c/o Goldman, Sachs & Co.,
00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
School Specialty, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),
proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell
to the Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the "Underwriters") an aggregate
of ........ shares (the "Firm Shares") and, at the election of the Underwriters,
up to ........ additional shares (the "Optional Shares") of Common Stock, par
value $.001 per share ("Stock"), of the Company (the Firm Shares and the
Optional Shares that the Underwriters elect to purchase pursuant to Section 2
hereof being collectively called the "Shares").
1. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the
Underwriters that:
(a) A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 33-....) (the
"Initial Registration Statement") in respect of the Shares has been filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"); the Initial
Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, each in the
form heretofore delivered to you, and, excluding exhibits thereto, to you for
each of the other Underwriters, have been declared effective by the Commission
in such form; other than a registration statement, if any, increasing the size
of the offering (a "Rule 462(b) Registration Statement"), filed pursuant to Rule
462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), which became
effective upon filing, no other document with respect to the Initial
Registration Statement has heretofore been filed with the Commission; and no
stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Initial Registration Statement,
any post-effective amendment thereto or the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement,
if any, has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose
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has been initiated or threatened by the Commission (any preliminary prospectus
included in the Initial Registration Statement or filed with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 424(a) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the
Act is hereinafter called a "Preliminary Prospectus"; the various parts of the
Initial Registration Statement and the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if
any, including all exhibits thereto and including the information contained in
the form of final prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b)
under the Act in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof and deemed by virtue of
Rule 430A under the Act to be part of the Initial Registration Statement at the
time it was declared effective, each as amended at the time such part of the
Initial Registration Statement became effective or such part of the Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement, if any, became or hereafter becomes effective, are
hereinafter collectively called the "Registration Statement"; and such final
prospectus, in the form first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act, is
hereinafter called the "Prospectus";
(b) No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary
Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus,
at the time of filing thereof, conformed in all material respects to the
requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder, and did not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit
to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading; and the statements made therein within the coverage of
Rule 175(b) under the Act were made by the Company with a reasonable basis and
in good faith; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall
not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity
with information furnished in writing to the Company by an Underwriter through
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. expressly for use therein;
(c) The Registration Statement conforms, and the Prospectus and any
further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Act
and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and do not and will
not, as of the applicable effective date as to the Registration Statement and
any amendment thereto, and as of the applicable filing date as to the Prospectus
and any amendment or supplement thereto, contain an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; and the statements made
therein within the coverage of Rule 175(b) under the Act were made by the
Company with a reasonable basis and in good faith; provided, however, that this
representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made
in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the
Company by an Underwriter through Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. expressly for use
therein;
(d) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained since
the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Prospectus
any material loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood
or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor
dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set
forth or contemplated in the Prospectus; and, since the respective dates as of
which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus,
there has not been any change in the capital stock, short-term debt or long-term
debt (other than changes to short-term and long-term debt not in excess of $30
million in the aggregate) of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any
material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material
adverse change, in or affecting the general affairs, management, financial
position, stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus;
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(e) The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in
fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal
property owned by them, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances
and defects except such as are described in the Prospectus or such as do not
materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use
made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its
subsidiaries; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the
Company and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and
enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere
with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the
Company and its subsidiaries;
(f) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with power
and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its
business as described in the Prospectus, and has been duly qualified as a
foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing
under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties
or conducts any business so as to require such qualification, or is subject to
no material liability or disability by reason of the failure to be so qualified
in any such jurisdiction; and each subsidiary of the Company has been duly
incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the
laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation; and each subsidiary organized as a
limited liability company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a
limited liability company in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of
organization;
(g) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the
Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have
been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable
and conform to the description of the Stock contained in the Prospectus; and all
of the issued shares of capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company have
been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable
and (except for directors' qualifying shares) are owned directly or indirectly
by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims,
except as may be pledged as security for the $350.0 million credit facility (the
"Credit Facility") as described in the Prospectus;
(h) The unissued Shares to be issued and sold by the Company to the
Underwriters hereunder have been duly and validly authorized and, when issued
and delivered against payment therefor as provided herein, will be duly and
validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable and will conform to the
description of the Stock contained in the Prospectus;
(i) The issue and sale of the Shares by the Company and the compliance
by the Company with all of the provisions of this Agreement and the consummation
of the transactions herein contemplated will not conflict with or result in a
breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a
default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, sale/leaseback agreement,
loan agreement or other similar financing agreement or instrument or other
agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a
party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which
any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is
subject, except where such conflict, breach, violation or default would not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the current
consolidated financial position, stockholders' equity or results of operations
of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as a whole (a "Material Adverse
Effect"), nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the
Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company or any statute or any
order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having
jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their
properties; and no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or
qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency
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or body is required for the issue and sale of the Shares or the consummation by
the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except the
registration under the Act of the Shares and such consents, approvals,
authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state
securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of
the Shares by the Underwriters;
(j) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of
its Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws or other organization documents or
in default in the performance or observance of any material obligation,
agreement, or covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed
of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is
a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound except where such
violation or default would not have a Material Adverse Effect;
(k) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the caption
"Description of Our Capital Stock", insofar as they purport to constitute a
summary of the terms of the Stock, and under the caption "Underwriting", insofar
as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to
therein, are accurate, complete and fair;
(l) Other than as set forth in the Prospectus, there are no legal or
governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries
is a party or of which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is
the subject which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse
Effect; and, to the best of the Company's knowledge, no such proceedings are
threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others;
(m) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and
sale of the Shares, will not be an "investment company", as such term is defined
in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company
Act");
(n) PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who has certified certain financial
statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, and Ernst & Young LLP, BDO
Xxxxxxx LLP and Xxxxxxxxxx, Melvoin and Xxxxxxx LLP, who have certified certain
financial statements of The Re-Print Corporation and American Academic Suppliers
Holding Corporation and Subsidiary are each independent public accountants as
required by the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(o) The Company has reviewed its operations and that of its
subsidiaries to evaluate the extent to which the business or operations of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries will be affected by the Year 2000 Problem. As
a result of such review, the Company has no reason to believe, and does not
believe, that the Year 2000 Problem will have a Material Adverse Effect or
result in any material loss or interference with the Company's business or
operations. The "Year 2000 Problem" as used herein means any significant risk
that computer hardware or software used in the receipt, transmission,
processing, manipulation, storage, retrieval, retransmission or other
utilization of data or in the operation of mechanical or electrical systems of
any kind will not, in the case of dates or time periods occurring after December
31, 1999, function at least as effectively as in the case of dates or time
periods occurring prior to January 1, 2000.
2. Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, (a) the
Company agrees to issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the
Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at
a purchase price per share of $................, the number of Firm Shares set
forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto and (b) in the
event and to the extent that the Underwriters shall exercise the election to
purchase Optional
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Shares as provided below, the Company agrees to issue and sell to each of the
Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to
purchase from the Company, at the purchase price per share set forth in clause
(a) of this Section 2, that portion of the number of Optional Shares as to which
such election shall have been exercised (to be adjusted by you so as to
eliminate fractional shares) determined by multiplying such number of Optional
Shares by a fraction, the numerator of which is the maximum number of Optional
Shares which such Underwriter is entitled to purchase as set forth opposite the
name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto and the denominator of which is
the maximum number of Optional Shares that all of the Underwriters are entitled
to purchase hereunder.
The Company hereby grants to the Underwriters the right to purchase at
their election up to Optional Shares, at the purchase price per share set forth
in the paragraph above, for the sole purpose of covering overallotments in the
sale of the Firm Shares. Any such election to purchase Optional Shares may be
exercised only by written notice from you to the Company, given within a period
of 30 calendar days after the date of this Agreement, setting forth the
aggregate number of Optional Shares to be purchased and the date on which such
Optional Shares are to be delivered, as determined by you but in no event
earlier than the First Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 4 hereof) or,
unless you and the Company otherwise agree in writing, earlier than two or later
than ten business days after the date of such notice.
3. Upon the authorization by you of the release of the Firm Shares, the
several Underwriters propose to offer the Firm Shares for sale upon the terms
and conditions set forth in the Prospectus.
4. (a) The Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter hereunder, in
definitive form, and in such authorized denominations and registered in such
names as Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. may request upon at least forty-eight hours' prior
notice to the Company shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company to
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co., through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company
("DTC"), for the account of such Underwriter, against payment by or on behalf of
such Underwriter of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of Federal
(same-day) funds to the account specified by the Company to Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co.
at least forty-eight hours in advance. The Company will cause the certificates
representing the Shares to be made available for checking and packaging at least
twenty-four hours prior to the Time of Delivery (as defined below) with respect
thereto at the office of [DTC or its designated custodian][Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co.,
00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000] (the "Designated Office"). The time
and date of such delivery and payment shall be, with respect to the Firm Shares,
9:30 a.m., New York City time, on ............., 1999 or such other time and
date as Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. and the Company may agree upon in writing, and,
with respect to the Optional Shares, 9:30 a.m., New York time, on the date
specified by Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. in the written notice given by Xxxxxxx, Sachs
& Co. of the Underwriters' election to purchase such Optional Shares, or such
other time and date as Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. and the Company may agree upon in
writing. Such time and date for delivery of the Firm Shares is herein called the
"First Time of Delivery", such time and date for delivery of the Optional
Shares, if not the First Time of Delivery, is herein called the "Second Time of
Delivery", and each such time and date for delivery is herein called a "Time of
Delivery".
(b) The documents to be delivered at each Time of Delivery by or on
behalf of the parties hereto pursuant to Section 7 hereof, including the cross
receipt for the Shares and any additional documents requested by the
Underwriters pursuant to Section 7(k) hereof, will be delivered at the offices
of Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx, 000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 (the "Closing
Location"), and the Shares will be delivered at the Designated Office, all at
such Time of
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Delivery. A meeting will be held at the Closing Location at 4:00 p.m., New York
City time, on the New York Business Day next preceding such Time of Delivery, at
which meeting the final drafts of the documents to be delivered pursuant to the
preceding sentence will be available for review by the parties hereto. For the
purposes of this Section 4, "New York Business Day" shall mean each Monday,
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which banking
institutions in New York are generally authorized or obligated by law or
executive order to close.
5. The Company agrees with each of the Underwriters:
(a) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by you and to file
such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act not later than the
Commission's close of business on the second business day following the
execution and delivery of this Agreement, or, if applicable, such earlier time
as may be required by Rule 430A(a)(3) under the Act; to make no further
amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus which
shall be disapproved by you promptly after reasonable notice thereof; to advise
you, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment
to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any
supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus has been filed and to
furnish you with copies thereof; to advise you, promptly after it receives
notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any
order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or
prospectus, of the suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offering or
sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for
any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending or
supplementing of the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional
information; and, in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order
preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or prospectus or
suspending any such qualification, promptly to use its best efforts to obtain
the withdrawal of such order;
(b) Promptly from time to time to take such action as you may
reasonably request to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the
securities laws of such jurisdictions as you may request and to comply with such
laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such
jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of
the Shares, provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be
required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to
service of process in any jurisdiction;
(c) Prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the New York Business
Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and from time to time, to furnish
the Underwriters with copies of the Prospectus in New York City in such
quantities as you may reasonably request, and, if the delivery of a prospectus
is required at any time prior to the expiration of nine months after the time of
issue of the Prospectus in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares
and if at such time any event shall have occurred as a result of which the
Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of
a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other
reason it shall be necessary during such period to amend or supplement the
Prospectus in order to comply with the Act, to notify you and upon your request
to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to any dealer in
securities as many copies as you may from time to time reasonably request of an
amended Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus which will correct such
statement or omission or effect such compliance, and in case any Underwriter is
required to deliver a prospectus in connection with sales of any of the Shares
at any time nine months or more after the time of issue of the Prospectus, upon
your request but at the expense
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of such Underwriter, to prepare and deliver to such Underwriter as many copies
as you may request of an amended or supplemented Prospectus complying with
Section 10(a)(3) of the Act;
(d) To make generally available to its securityholders as soon as
practicable, but in any event not later than eighteen months after the effective
date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) under the Act), an
earnings statement of the Company and its subsidiaries (which need not be
audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Act and the rules and regulations
thereunder (including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158);
(e) During the period beginning from the date hereof and continuing to
and including the date 90 days after the date of the Prospectus, not to offer,
sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of, except as provided hereunder any
securities of the Company that are substantially similar to the Shares,
including but not limited to any securities that are convertible into or
exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, Stock or any such
substantially similar securities (other than (i) pursuant to acquisitions where
the Company uses shares of Stock as all or a portion of the consideration for
the acquisitions up to an aggregate of __ million shares of Stock, if holders of
__ million of such shares of Stock execute and deliver a lock-up letter to you
in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A or another agreement approved by you,
and (ii) pursuant to employee stock option plans existing on, or upon the
conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities outstanding as
of, the date of this Agreement), without your prior written consent;
(f) To furnish to its stockholders as soon as practicable after the end
of each fiscal year an annual report (including a balance sheet and statements
of income, stockholders' equity and cash flows of the Company and its
consolidated subsidiaries certified by independent public accountants) and, as
soon as practicable after the end of each of the first three quarters of each
fiscal year (beginning with the fiscal quarter ending after the effective date
of the Registration Statement), to make available to its stockholders
consolidated summary financial information of the Company and its subsidiaries
for such quarter in reasonable detail;
(g) During a period of five years from the effective date of the
Registration Statement, to furnish to you copies of all reports or other
communications (financial or other) furnished to stockholders, and to deliver to
you (i) as soon as they are available, copies of any reports and financial
statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities
exchange on which any class of securities of the Company is listed; and (ii)
such additional information concerning the business and financial condition of
the Company as you may from time to time reasonably request (such financial
statements to be on a consolidated basis to the extent the accounts of the
Company and its subsidiaries are consolidated in reports furnished to its
stockholders generally or to the Commission);
(h) To use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Shares
pursuant to this Agreement in the manner specified in the Prospectus under the
caption "Use of Proceeds";
(i) To use its best efforts to list for quotation the Shares on the
National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations National Market
System ("NASDAQ"); and
(j) If the Company elects to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Company shall
file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with
Rule 462(b) by 10:00 P.M., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement,
and the Company shall at the time of filing either pay to the Commission the
filing fee for the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or give irrevocable
instructions for the payment of such fee pursuant to Rule 111(b) under the Act.
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6. The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that
the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees,
disbursements and expenses of the Company's counsel and accountants in
connection with the registration of the Shares under the Act and all other
expenses in connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and
amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies
thereof to the Underwriters and dealers; (ii) the cost of printing or producing
any Agreement among Underwriters, this Agreement, the Blue Sky Memorandum,
closing documents (including any compilations thereof) and any other documents
in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares;
(iii) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares for
offering and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 5(b)
hereof, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in
connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky survey;
(iv) all fees and expenses in connection with listing the Shares on the NASDAQ;
(v) the filing fees incident to, and the fees and disbursements of counsel for
the Underwriters in connection with, securing any required review by the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. of the terms of the sale of the
Shares; (vi) the cost of preparing stock certificates; (vii) the cost and
charges of any transfer agent or registrar; and (viii) all other costs and
expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not
otherwise specifically provided for in this Section. It is understood, however,
that, except as provided in this Section, and Sections 8 and 11 hereof, the
Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees of
their counsel, stock transfer taxes on resale of any of the Shares by them, and
any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.
7. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder, as to the Shares to
be delivered at each Time of Delivery, shall be subject, in their discretion, to
the condition that all representations and warranties and other statements of
the Company herein are, at and as of such Time of Delivery, true and correct,
the condition that the Company shall have performed all of its obligations
hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following additional conditions:
(a) The Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant
to Rule 424(b) within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by
the rules and regulations under the Act and in accordance with Section 5(a)
hereof; if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement shall have become effective by 10:00 P.M., Washington,
D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement; no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been
issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or
threatened by the Commission; and all requests for additional information on the
part of the Commission shall have been complied with to your reasonable
satisfaction;
(b) Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx, counsel for the Underwriters, shall have
furnished to you such written opinion or opinions, dated such Time of Delivery,
with respect to the incorporation of the Company, the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus and such other related matters as you may reasonably request, and
such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they may
reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters;
(c) Xxxxxxx & Xxxx, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to
you their written opinion, dated such Time of Delivery, in form and substance
satisfactory to you, to the effect that:
(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State
of Delaware, with power
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and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct
its business as described in the Prospectus;
(ii) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth
in the Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the
Company (including the Shares being delivered at such Time of Delivery)
have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and
non-assessable; and the Shares conform to the description of the Stock
contained in the Prospectus;
(iii) The Company has been duly qualified as a foreign
corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing
under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases
properties or conducts any business so as to require such
qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good
standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect (such counsel being
entitled to rely in respect of the opinion in this clause upon opinions
of local counsel and in respect of matters of fact upon certificates of
officers of the Company, provided that such counsel shall state that
they believe that both you and they are justified in relying upon such
opinions and certificates);
(iv) Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated
and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the
laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation; and each subsidiary
organized as a limited liability company has been duly organized and is
validly existing as a limited liability company in good standing under
the laws of its jurisdiction of organization; and all of the issued
shares of capital stock of each such subsidiary have been duly and
validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable, and
(except for directors' qualifying shares) are owned directly or
indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances,
equities or claims, except as may be pledged as security for the Credit
Facility described in the Prospectus (such counsel being entitled to
rely in respect of the opinion in this clause upon opinions of local
counsel and in respect to matters of fact upon certificates of officers
of the Company or its subsidiaries, provided that such counsel shall
state that they believe that both you and they are justified in relying
upon such opinions and certificates);
(v) To the best of such counsel's knowledge and other than as
set forth in the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental
proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is
a party or of which any property of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is the subject which, if determined adversely to the
Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the
aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; and, to the best of such
counsel's knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated
by governmental authorities or threatened by others;
(vi) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company;
(vii) The issue and sale of the Shares being delivered at such
Time of Delivery by the Company and the compliance by the Company with
all of the provisions of this Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions herein contemplated will not conflict with or result in a
breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute
a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed
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of trust, sale/leaseback agreement, loan agreement or other material
financing agreement or any other material agreement or instrument known
to such counsel to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a
party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to
which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is subject, except where such conflict, breach or
violation or default would not have a Material Adverse Effect, nor will
such action result in any violation of the provisions of the
Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company or any statute
or any order, rule or regulation known to such counsel of any court or
governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any
of its subsidiaries or any of their properties;
(viii) No consent, approval, authorization, order,
registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental
agency or body is required for the issue and sale of the Shares or the
consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, except the registration under the Act of the Shares, and
such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or
qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky
laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by
the Underwriters;
(ix) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in
violation of its Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws or in default
in the performance or observance of any material obligation, agreement,
covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of
trust, loan agreement, material lease or other material agreement or
instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its
properties may be bound except where such conflict, breach, violation
or default would not have a Material Adverse Effect;
(x) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the
caption "Description of Our Capital Stock", insofar as they purport to
constitute a summary of the terms of the Stock, and under the caption
"Underwriting", insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of
the laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate, complete and
fair;
(xi) The Company is not an "investment company", as such term
is defined in the Investment Company Act; and
(xii) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any
further amendments and supplements thereto made by the Company prior to
such Time of Delivery (other than the financial statements, related
schedules and financial data therein, as to which such counsel need
express no opinion) comply as to form in all material respects with the
requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder;
although they do not assume any responsibility for the accuracy,
completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus, except for those referred to
in the opinion in subsection (xi) of this section 7(c), they have no
reason to believe that, as of its effective date, the Registration
Statement or any further amendment thereto made by the Company prior to
such Time of Delivery (other than the financial statements, related
schedules and financial data therein, as to which such counsel need
express no opinion) contained an untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or that, as of
its date, the Prospectus or any further
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amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company prior to such Time
of Delivery (other than the financial statements, related schedules and
financial data therein, as to which such counsel need express no
opinion) contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading
or that, as of such Time of Delivery, either the Registration Statement
or the Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement thereto made
by the Company prior to such Time of Delivery (other than the financial
statements, related schedules and financial data therein, as to which
such counsel need express no opinion) contains an untrue statement of a
material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading; and they do not know of any amendment to the
Registration Statement required to be filed or of any contracts or
other documents of a character required to be filed as an exhibit to
the Registration Statement or required to be described in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus which are not filed or
described as required;
(d) On the date of the Prospectus at a time prior to the execution of
this Agreement, at 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on the effective date of any
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement filed subsequent to the
date of this Agreement and also at each Time of Delivery, Pricewaterhouse
Coopers LLP, Ernst & Young LLP, BDO Xxxxxxx LLP and Xxxxxxxxxx, Melvoin and
Xxxxxxx LLP shall have furnished to you a letter or letters, dated the
respective dates of delivery thereof, in form and substance satisfactory to you,
to the effect set forth in Annex I hereto;
(e) (i) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall have
sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in
the Prospectus any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion,
flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor
dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set
forth or contemplated in the Prospectus, and (ii) since the respective dates as
of which information is given in the Prospectus there shall not have been any
change in the capital stock, short-term debt or long-term debt (other than
changes short-term or long-term debt not in excess of $30 million in the
aggregate) of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any change, or any
development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the general affairs,
management, financial position, stockholders' equity or results of operations of
the Company and its subsidiaries, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in
the Prospectus, the effect of which, in any such case described in Clause (i) or
(ii), is in the judgment of the Representatives so material and adverse as to
make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the
delivery of the Shares being delivered at such Time of Delivery on the terms and
in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus;
(f) On or after the date hereof (i) no downgrading shall have occurred
in the rating accorded the Company's debt securities by any "nationally
recognized statistical rating organization", as that term is defined by the
Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act, and (ii) no such
organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or
review, with possible negative implications, its rating of any of the Company's
debt securities;
(g) On or after the date hereof there shall not have occurred any of
the following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in securities
generally on the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ; (ii) a suspension or
material limitation in trading in the Company's securities on NASDAQ; (iii) a
general moratorium on commercial banking activities declared by either Federal
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or New York State authorities; or (iv) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities
involving the United States or the declaration by the United States of a
national emergency or war, if the effect of any such event specified in this
Clause (iv) in the judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or
inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Shares
being delivered at such Time of Delivery on the terms and in the manner
contemplated in the Prospectus;
(h) The Shares to be sold at such Time of Delivery shall have been duly
listed for quotation on NASDAQ;
(i) The Company has obtained and delivered to the Underwriters executed
copies of an agreement from the persons named in Schedule II hereto,
substantially to the effect set forth in Subsection 5(e) hereof in form and
substance satisfactory to you;
(j) The Company shall have complied with the provisions of Section 5(c)
hereof with respect to the furnishing of prospectuses on the New York Business
Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement; and
(k) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to you
at such Time of Delivery certificates of officers of the Company satisfactory to
you as to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company
herein at and as of such Time of Delivery, as to the performance by the Company
of all of its obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to such Time of
Delivery, as to the matters set forth in subsections (a) and (e) of this Section
and as to such other matters as you may reasonably request.
8. (a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which
such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out
of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise
out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, and will reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are
incurred; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such
case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of
or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or
alleged omission made in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement
or the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter
through Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. expressly for use therein.
(b) Each Underwriter will indemnify and hold harmless the Company
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may
become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based
upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based
upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement
or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any such
amendment or
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supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished
to the Company by such Underwriter through Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. expressly for
use therein; and will reimburse the Company for any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or defending
any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a)
or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party
shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying
party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the
commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall
not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party
otherwise than under such subsection. In case any such action shall be brought
against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the
commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate
therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other
indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with
counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the
consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and,
after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its
election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be
liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses of
other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such
indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable
costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the written consent
of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to
the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or
claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought
hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party
to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i)
includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability
arising out of such action or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to
or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of
any indemnified party.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is
unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
subsection (a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each
indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such
indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the
relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters
on the other from the offering of the Shares. If, however, the allocation
provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable
law or if the indemnified party failed to give the notice required under
subsection (c) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such
amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative
fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in
connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any
other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the
Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be
in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before
deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting
discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set
forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault shall
be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state
a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand
or the Underwriters on the other and the parties' relative intent, knowledge,
access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or
omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and
equitable if
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contributions pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by pro rata
allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the
equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (d). The amount
paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this
subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending
any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d),
no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the
amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and
distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any
damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of
such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No
person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section
11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations in
this subsection (d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective
underwriting obligations and not joint.
(e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 8 shall be in
addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend,
upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls any
Underwriter within the meaning of the Act; and the obligations of the
Underwriters under this Section 8 shall be in addition to any liability which
the respective Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same
terms and conditions, to each officer and director of the Company and to each
person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act.
9. (a) If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase
the Shares which it has agreed to purchase hereunder at a Time of Delivery, you
may in your discretion arrange for you or another party or other parties to
purchase such Shares on the terms contained herein. If within thirty-six hours
after such default by any Underwriter you do not arrange for the purchase of
such Shares, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of
thirty-six hours within which to procure another party or other parties
satisfactory to you to purchase such Shares on such terms. In the event that,
within the respective prescribed periods, you notify the Company that you have
so arranged for the purchase of such Shares, or the Company notifies you that it
has so arranged for the purchase of such Shares, you or the Company shall have
the right to postpone such Time of Delivery for a period of not more than seven
days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any other documents or
arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendments to the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus which in your opinion may thereby be
made necessary. The term "Underwriter" as used in this Agreement shall include
any person substituted under this Section with like effect as if such person had
originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Shares.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the
Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by you and the Company as
provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such Shares which
remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate number of all
the Shares to be purchased at such Time of Delivery, then the Company shall have
the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of
shares which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder at such Time of
Delivery and, in addition, to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to
purchase its pro rata share (based on the number of Shares which such
Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Shares of such defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made; but
nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its
default.
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(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the
Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by you and the Company as
provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such Shares which
remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate number of all the
Shares to be purchased at such Time of Delivery, or if the Company shall not
exercise the right described in subsection (b) above to require non-defaulting
Underwriters to purchase Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters,
then this Agreement (or, with respect to the Second Time of Delivery, the
obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and of the Company to sell the
Optional Shares) shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of any
non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company, except for the expenses to be borne
by the Company and the Underwriters as provided in Section 6 hereof and the
indemnity and contribution agreements in Section 8 hereof; but nothing herein
shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
10. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties
and other statements of the Company and the several Underwriters, as set forth
in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to
this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any
investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf
of any Underwriter or any controlling person of any Underwriter, or the Company,
or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, and shall
survive delivery of and payment for the Shares.
11. If this Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 9 hereof,
the Company shall not then be under any liability to any Underwriter except as
provided in Sections 6 and 8 hereof; but, if for any other reason, any Shares
are not delivered by or on behalf of the Company as provided herein, the Company
will reimburse the Underwriters through you for all out-of-pocket expenses
approved in writing by you, including fees and disbursements of counsel,
reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in making preparations for the purchase,
sale and delivery of the Shares not so delivered, but the Company shall then be
under no further liability to any Underwriter except as provided in Sections 6
and 8 hereof.
12. In all dealings hereunder, you shall act on behalf of each of the
Underwriters, and the parties hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any
statement, request, notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or
given by you jointly or by Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. on behalf of you as the
representatives.
All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder
shall be in writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by
mail, telex or facsimile transmission to you as the representatives in care of
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co., 00 Xxx Xxxx, 0xx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000,
Attention: Registration Department; and if to the Company shall be delivered or
sent by mail to the address of the Company set forth in the Registration
Statement, Attention: Chief Executive Officer; provided, however, that any
notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 8(c) hereof shall be delivered or
sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to such Underwriter at its address
set forth in its Underwriters' Questionnaire, or telex constituting such
Questionnaire, which address will be supplied to the Company by you upon
request. Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect
upon receipt thereof.
13. This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the
benefit of, the Underwriters, the Company and, to the extent provided in
Sections 8 and 10 hereof, the officers and directors of the Company and each
person who controls the Company or any Underwriter, and their respective heirs,
executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no other person shall
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acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. No purchaser of
any of the Shares from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by
reason merely of such purchase.
14. Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement. As used herein, the
term "business day" shall mean any day when the Commission's office in
Washington, D.C. is open for business.
15. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE
WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
16. This Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties
hereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an
original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same
instrument.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign
and return to us hereof, and upon the acceptance hereof by the Representatives,
on behalf of each of the Underwriters, this letter and such acceptance hereof
shall constitute a binding agreement between each of the Underwriters and the
Company. It is understood that the Representatives' acceptance of this letter on
behalf of each of the Underwriters is pursuant to the authority set forth in a
form of Agreement among Underwriters, the form of which shall be submitted to
the Company for examination upon request, but without warranty on the part of
the Representatives as to the authority of the signers thereof.
Very truly yours,
School Specialty, Inc.
By:
-------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Title: Chief Executive Officer
Accepted as of the date hereof:
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co.
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx Inc.
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Inc.
By:
-------------------------------
(Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co.)
On behalf of each of the Underwriters
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SCHEDULE I
Number of Optional
Shares to be
Total Number of Purchased if
Firm Shares Maximum Option
UNDERWRITER to be Purchased Exercised
----------- --------------- ------------------
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co........................................
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Barney Inc...................................
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Inc..........................................
--------------- ------------------
Total....................................
=============== ==================
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