• Ordinary Shares in the Form of American Depositary Shares JA SOLAR HOLDINGS CO., LTD. FORM OF UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Exhibit 1.1
• Ordinary Shares in the Form of American Depositary Shares
FORM OF UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
•, 2007
CIBC World Markets Corp.
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
and
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co.
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
As Representatives of the
several Underwriters named in
Schedule I attached hereto (the “Representatives”)
Ladies/Gentlemen:
JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd., an exempted company incorporated with limited liability existing under the laws of the Cayman Islands (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”) an aggregate of • shares (the “Firm Shares”) of its ordinary shares, par value US$0.0001 per share (the “Ordinary Shares”), and, for the sole purpose of covering over-allotments in connection with the sale of the Firm Shares, at the option of the Underwriters, up to an additional • shares of its Ordinary Shares (the “Additional Shares”). The Firm Shares and any Additional Shares purchased by the Underwriters are referred to herein as the “Shares”. The Shares are more fully described in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Prospectus referred to below. CIBC World Markets Corp. and Xxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. are acting as lead managers (the “Lead Managers”) in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares contemplated herein (the “Offering”).
The Underwriters will take delivery of the Shares in the form of American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”). The ADSs are to be issued pursuant to a Deposit Agreement dated as of •, 2007 (the “Deposit Agreement”) among the Company, The Bank of New York, as Depositary (the “Depositary”), and all Holders and Beneficial Owners (each as defined therein) from time to time of ADSs evidenced by American Depositary Receipts (the “ADRs”) issued by the Depositary.
Each ADS will initially represent the right to receive • Ordinary Shares deposited pursuant to the Deposit Agreement.
1. Representations and Warranties of the Company.
The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the Underwriters that:
(a) The Company has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), relating to the Shares, on Form F-1 (No. 333-140002) (the initial filing and all pre-effective amendments thereto collectively being referred to as the “Initial Registration Statement”); and such Initial Registration Statement, and any post-effective amendment thereto, each in the form previously delivered to the Representatives, 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, which will become effective upon filing, no other document with respect to the Initial Registration Statement has heretofore been filed with the Commission. The various parts of the Initial Registration Statement and the 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 Securities Act in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof and deemed by virtue of Rule 430A or 430C under the Securities Act to be part of the Initial Registration Statement at the time it became effective under the Securities Act with respect to the Underwriters, each as amended at the time such part of the Initial Registration Statement or Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, became or hereafter becomes effective under the Securities Act with respect to the Underwriters, are hereafter collectively referred to as the “Registration Statement.” No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Initial Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment thereto or the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or threatened by the Commission.
The prospectus relating to the Shares, in the form first filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, is hereafter referred to as the “Prospectus”. Any preliminary prospectus included in the Initial Registration Statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Securities Act is hereafter referred to as a “Preliminary Prospectus;” and the preliminary prospectus included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to the Applicable Time (as defined below) is hereafter referred to as the “Pricing Prospectus”. Any “issuer free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act) relating to the Shares (including any electronic road show) is hereafter referred to as an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”; and the Pricing Prospectus, as supplemented by the public offering price of the Shares and the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, attached and listed in Annex VII hereto, taken together, are hereafter referred to collectively as the “Pricing Disclosure Package”.
The Company was not an “ineligible issuer” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) as of the eligibility determination date for purposes of Rules 164 and 433 under the Securities Act with respect to the Offering.
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All references in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement (as defined below), the 8-A Registration Statement (as defined below), any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements to any of the foregoing, shall be deemed to include any copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System.
The Company has caused there to be made available at least one version of a “bona fide electronic road show” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act) in a manner that causes the Company not to be required, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, to file with the Commission any road show.
(b) The Registration Statement complies and the Prospectus and any further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus will comply in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “Rules and Regulations”), and do not and will not, as of the applicable effective date as to each part of the Registration Statement and as of the applicable filing date as to the Prospectus and any amendment thereof 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 in order to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein. The parties hereto agree that such information provided by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives consists solely of the material referred to in Section 14 hereof (the “Underwriter Information”).
(c) No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or any free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations, 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 light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any information contained in or omitted from any Preliminary Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.
(d) For purposes of this Agreement, the “Applicable Time” is • p.m. (U.S. Eastern Standard Time) on the date of this Agreement. The Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, did not, and as of the Closing Date and the Additional Closing Date, if any (each as hereinafter defined), 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, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complied and complies in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations, and did not and does not include information that conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, and each Issuer Free Writing
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Prospectus not listed in Annex VII hereto, as supplemented by and taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time, did not, and as of the Closing Date and the Additional Closing Date, if any, 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, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. No representation and warranty is made in this Section 1(d) with respect to any information contained in or omitted from the Pricing Disclosure Package or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.
(e) The Company and the Depositary have filed with the Commission a registration statement, and amendments thereto, on Form F-6 (No. 333-14009) for the registration under the Securities Act of the ADSs, which registration statement, as so amended, has been declared effective by the Commission and copies of which have heretofore been delivered to the Underwriters. Such registration statement, as amended at the time it became effective is hereinafter referred to as the “ADS Registration Statement.” No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the ADS Registration Statement has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission. At the time of the effectiveness of the ADS Registration Statement and at the Closing Date and each Additional Closing Date, if any, the ADS Registration Statement complied or will comply in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations and did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact and did not and will not omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading.
(f) A registration statement on Form 8-A (File No. 000-•) in respect of the registration of the Shares under the Exchange Act was filed with the Commission on •, 2007; such registration statement in the form thereof delivered to the Representatives for each of the other Underwriters was declared effective by the Commission in such form; no other document with respect to such registration statement has heretofore been filed with the Commission. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of such registration statement has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission (the various parts of such registration statement, including all exhibits thereto, each as amended at the time such part of the registration statement became effective, being hereinafter referred to as the “Form 8-A Registration Statement”); and the Form 8-A Registration Statement when it became effective conformed, and any further amendments thereto, if any, will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and the Rules and Regulations, and did not and will not, as of the applicable effective date, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
(g) PricewaterhouseCoopers Xxxxx Xxxx CPAs Limited Company, independent registered public accounting firm (“PwC”), who have audited the financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries that are included in the Registration Statement, Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, and whose reports appear in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, are independent as required by the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the Rules and Regulations.
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(h) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Prospectus, except as disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus, (i) the Company has not declared or paid any dividends, or made any other distribution of any kind, on or in respect of its capital stock, (ii) there has not been any material change in the capital stock or long-term or short-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries listed in Exhibit A hereto (each, a “Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Subsidiaries”), (iii) neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has sustained any material loss or interference with its business or properties from fire, explosion, flood, hurricane, accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or any legal or governmental proceeding, and (iv) there has not been any material adverse change or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, in or affecting the business, general affairs, management, condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, stockholders’ equity, properties or prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Change”). Since the date of the latest balance sheet included in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Prospectus, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has incurred or undertaken any liabilities or obligations, whether direct or indirect, liquidated or contingent, matured or unmatured, or entered into any transactions, including any acquisition or disposition of any business or asset, which are material to the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except for liabilities, obligations and transactions which are disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus.
(i) The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the Pricing Prospectus in the column headed “Actual” under the caption “Capitalization” and, after giving effect to the Offering and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Deposit Agreement, the Registration Statement and the Pricing Prospectus, will be as set forth in the column headed “As adjusted” under the caption “Capitalization”. All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are fully paid and non-assessable and have been duly and validly authorized and issued, in compliance with all applicable state, federal and foreign laws and not in violation of or subject to any preemptive or similar right that does or will entitle any person, upon the issuance or sale of any security, to acquire from the Company or any Subsidiary (i) any Ordinary Shares or other security of the Company, (ii) any security convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, Ordinary Shares or any other security of the Company, (iii) any capital stock or other security of any Subsidiary or (iv) any security convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, such capital stock or any other security of any Subsidiary (any “Relevant Security”), except for such rights as may have been fully satisfied or waived prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or as otherwise disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus.
(j) All grants of company stock options (“Company Stock Options”) were validly issued and properly approved by the Board of Directors of the Company in material compliance with all applicable laws and the terms of the plans under which such Company Stock Options were issued and were recorded on the Company financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”), and no such grants involved any “back-dating,” “forward dating,” “spring loading” or similar practices with respect to the effective date of grant.
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(k) The Shares have been duly and validly authorized and, when issued and delivered in accordance with this Agreement, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, will have been issued in compliance with all applicable state, federal and foreign laws and will not have been issued in violation of or subject to any preemptive or similar right that does or will entitle any person to acquire any Relevant Security from the Company or any Subsidiary upon issuance or sale of the ADSs or the Shares in the Offering. The Ordinary Shares and the Shares conform to the descriptions thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus. Except as disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has outstanding warrants, options to purchase, or any preemptive rights or other rights to subscribe for or to purchase, or any contracts or commitments to issue or sell, any Relevant Security.
(l) The ADSs, when issued by the Depositary against the deposit of Shares in respect thereof in accordance with the provisions of the Deposit Agreement, will be duly authorized and validly issued and the persons in whose names such ADSs are registered will be entitled to the rights of registered holders of ADSs specified therein and in the Deposit Agreement.
(m) The Deposit Agreement, the ADSs and the ADRs conform to the descriptions thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Prospectus.
(n) The Shares and the ADSs are freely transferable by the Company to or for the account of the several Underwriters and (to the extent described in the Pricing Prospectus) the initial holders thereof; and, except as disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus, there are no restrictions on subsequent transfers of the Shares or the ADSs under the laws of the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands, the People’s Republic of China (the “PRC”) or the United States. No holder of the Shares or ADSs is or will be subject to personal liability solely by reason of being such a holder.
(o) The Subsidiaries are the only subsidiaries of the Company within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act. Except for the Subsidiaries, the Company holds no ownership or other interest, nominal or beneficial, direct or indirect, in any corporation, partnership, joint venture or other business entity. All of the issued shares of capital stock of or other ownership interests in each Subsidiary have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company in the respective percentages set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, free and clear of any lien, charge, mortgage, pledge, security interest, claim, equity, trust or other encumbrance, preferential arrangement, defect or restriction of any kind whatsoever (any “Lien”). None of the issued shares of capital stock or other ownership interest in any Subsidiary was issued in violation of preemptive or similar rights of any security holder of such Subsidiary.
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(p) The Company has been duly organized and validly exists as an exempted limited liability company in good standing under the laws of the Cayman Islands. The Company has all requisite power and authority to carry on its business as it is currently being conducted and as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, and to own, lease and operate its properties. The Company is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation, partnership or limited liability company in each jurisdiction in which the character or location of its properties (owned, leased or licensed) or the nature or conduct of its business makes such qualification necessary, except for those failures to be so qualified or in good standing which (individually and in the aggregate) could not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on (i) the business, general affairs, management, condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, shareholders’ equity, properties or prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; or (ii) the ability of the Company to consummate the Offering or any other transaction contemplated by this Agreement, the Deposit Agreement, the Registration Statement or the Pricing Prospectus (any such effect being a “Material Adverse Effect”).
(q) The Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association of the Company, as amended from time to time, comply with the requirements of Cayman Islands law and are in full force and effect.
(r) JA Development Co., Ltd., a company organized and existing under the laws of the British Virgin Islands (the “Overseas Subsidiary”), has been duly organized and validly exists as an exempted limited liability company in good standing under the laws of the British Virgin Islands. The Overseas Subsidiary has all requisite power and authority to carry on its business as it is currently being conducted and as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, and to own, lease and operate its properties. The Overseas Subsidiary is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation, partnership or limited liability company in each jurisdiction in which the character or location of its properties (owned, leased or licensed) or the nature or conduct of its business makes such qualification necessary, except for those failures to be so qualified or in good standing which (individually and in the aggregate) could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(s) Except for the entities incorporated in the PRC as listed on Exhibit A (each a “PRC Subsidiary”), the Company has no direct or indirect subsidiaries or any other entity over which it has direct or indirect effective control incorporated or operating in the PRC. Each PRC Subsidiary has been duly organized and validly exists as a corporation, partnership or limited liability company in good standing under the laws of the PRC. The liability of the Company or any other equity investor in respect of equity interests held in each PRC Subsidiary is limited to its investment therein. Each of the PRC Subsidiaries has all requisite power and authority to carry on its business as it is currently being conducted and as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, and to own, lease and operate its respective properties. Each PRC Subsidiary’s business license is in full force and effect. Each of the PRC Subsidiaries is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation, partnership or limited liability company in each jurisdiction in which the character or location of its properties (owned, leased or licensed) or the nature or conduct of its business makes such qualification necessary, except for those failures to be so qualified or in good standing which
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(individually and in the aggregate) could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Articles of Association of each PRC Subsidiary comply with the requirements of applicable PRC law, including the PRC Company Law, and are in full force and effect.
(t) Each of the Company and each Subsidiary has all necessary consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, registrations, qualifications, licenses, filings and permits of, with and from all judicial, regulatory and other legal or governmental agencies and bodies and all third parties, foreign and domestic (collectively, the “Consents”), to own or lease and operate its properties and conduct its business as it is now being conducted and as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus except in each case as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and each such Consent is valid and in full force and effect, and neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has received notice of any investigation or proceedings which resulted in or, if decided adversely to the Company or any Subsidiary, could reasonably be expected to result in, the revocation of, or imposition of a materially burdensome restriction on, any Consent, except in each case as could not have a Material Adverse Effect. None of the current businesses, activities, agreements or commitments of the Company or any Subsidiary is unauthorized or exceeds the business scope of its business licenses. Each of the Company and each Subsidiary is in compliance with all applicable laws, rules, regulations, ordinances, directives, judgments, decrees and orders, foreign and domestic, except where failure to be in compliance could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No Consent contains a materially burdensome restriction not adequately disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus.
(u) The Company has full right, power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement, to perform its obligations hereunder and thereunder and to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Deposit Agreement, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus. This Agreement, the Deposit Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Deposit Agreement, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus have been duly and validly authorized by the Company. Each of this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and except as enforceability may be subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
(v) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Deposit Agreement, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus do not and will not (i) conflict with, require consent under or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute a default) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any Lien upon any property or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary pursuant to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement, instrument, franchise, license or permit to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which the Company or any Subsidiary or their respective properties, operations or assets may
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be bound, (ii) violate or conflict with any provision of the certificate or articles of incorporation or association, by-laws, certificate of formation, limited liability company agreement, partnership agreement or other organizational documents of the Company or any Subsidiary, or (iii) violate or conflict with any statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, directive, judgment, decree or order of any judicial, regulatory or other legal or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, except with respect to (i) and (iii) where any conflict, breach or violation would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(w) No Consent of, with or from any judicial, regulatory or other legal or governmental agency or body or any third party, foreign or domestic, is required for the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement or consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Deposit Agreement, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, including the issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares and the ADSs to be issued, sold and delivered hereunder, except (i) the registration under the Securities Act of the Shares and the ADSs, which have become effective and the listing of the ADSs on the Nasdaq, (ii) such Consents as may be required under state or foreign securities or blue sky laws or the by-laws and rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the “NASD”) or NASD Regulation, Inc. in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares and the ADSs by the Underwriters, each of which has been obtained and is in full force and effect and (iii) such Consents as have been duly obtained and are in full force and effect.
(x) There is no judicial, regulatory, arbitral or other legal or governmental proceeding or other litigation or arbitration, domestic or foreign, pending to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or of which any property, operations or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary is the subject which, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company or any Subsidiary, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; to the Company’s knowledge, no such proceeding, litigation or arbitration is threatened or contemplated; and the defense of all such proceedings, litigation and arbitration against or involving the Company or any Subsidiary could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(y) The financial statements, including the notes thereto, and the supporting schedules and pro forma information, if any, included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position as of the dates indicated and the cash flows and results of operations for the periods specified of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries; said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. GAAP applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved; and the financial statement schedules, if any, included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus present fairly, in all material respects, the information required to be stated therein. No other financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement or the Pricing Prospectus by the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations. The other financial information included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus present fairly the information included therein and have been prepared on a basis consistent with that of the financial statements that are included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus and the books and records of the respective entities presented therein.
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(z) There are no pro forma or as adjusted financial statements that are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus in accordance with Regulation S-X which have not been included as so required. The pro forma and as adjusted financial information included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus has been properly compiled and prepared in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations and include all adjustments necessary to present fairly in accordance with U.S. GAAP the pro forma financial position of the respective entity or entities presented therein at the respective dates indicated and their cash flows and the results of operations for the respective periods specified.
(aa) The assumptions used in preparing the pro forma and as adjusted financial information included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus provide a reasonable basis for presenting the significant effects directly attributable to the transactions or events described therein; the related adjustments made in the preparation of such pro forma and as adjusted financial information give appropriate effect to those assumptions; and such pro forma and as adjusted financial information reflect the proper application of those adjustments to the corresponding historical financial statement amounts.
(bb) The statistical, industry-related and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources which the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate, and such data agree with the sources from which they are derived.
(cc) The Ordinary Shares have been registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act. The ADSs have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq Global Market (the “Nasdaq”), and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Ordinary Shares under the Exchange Act or de-listing the ADSs from the Nasdaq, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission or the Nasdaq is contemplating terminating such registration or listing
(dd) The Company and its Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting and other controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (iv) the recorded accounting for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.
(ee) The Company maintains a system of internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that has been designed by the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, or under their supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Except as disclosed in the Registration
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Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting is effective and the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting other than as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus. Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, there has been 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 other than as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus.
(ff) The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act; such disclosure controls and procedures have been designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company and its subsidiaries is made known to the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer by others within those entities; such disclosure controls and procedures (i) provide for the periodic evaluation of the effectiveness of such disclosure controls and procedures at the end of the periods in which the periodic reports are required to be prepared and (ii) are effective in all material respects to perform the functions for which they were established; except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, based on the evaluation of its disclosure controls and procedures, the Company is not aware of (i) any significant deficiency in the design or operation of internal controls which could adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data or any material weaknesses in internal controls or (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a role in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The Company is actively taking steps to ensure that it will be in compliance with all other applicable provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002, any related rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission and corporate governance requirements under the NASD Rules upon the effectiveness of such provisions and has no reason to believe that it will not be able to comply with such provisions at the time of effectiveness.
(gg) No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among any of the Company or any affiliate of the Company, on the one hand, and any director, officer, shareholder, customer or supplier of the Company or any affiliate of the Company, on the other hand, which is required by the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or the Rules and Regulations to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus which is not so described as required. There are no outstanding loans, advances (except normal advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees of indebtedness by the Company to or for the benefit of any of the officers or directors of the Company or any of their respective family members, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus. The Company has not, in violation of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 (the “Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”), directly or indirectly, including through a subsidiary, extended or maintained credit, arranged for the extension of credit, or renewed an extension of credit, in the form of a personal loan to or for any director or executive officer of the Company and there is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of its directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any other provision of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act.
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(hh) Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates (within the meaning of Rule 144 under the Securities Act) has taken, directly or indirectly, any action which constitutes or is designed to cause or result in, or which could reasonably be expected to constitute, cause or result in, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares or the ADSs.
(ii) The statements set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and Prospectus under the caption “Description of Share Capital” and “Description of American Depositary Shares”, insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Ordinary Shares and the ADSs, respectively, and under the captions “Shares Eligible for Future Sale”, “Taxation”, and “Underwriting”, insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate, complete and fair in all material respects.
(jj) Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates (within the meaning of Rule 144 under the Securities Act) has, prior to the date hereof, made any offer or sale of any securities which could be “integrated” (within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations) with the offer and sale of the Shares underlying the ADSs and the ADSs pursuant to the Registration Statement. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its affiliates has sold or issued any Relevant Security during the six-month period preceding the date of the Prospectus, including but not limited to any sales pursuant to Rule 144A, Regulation D or Regulation S under the Securities Act.
(kk) No holder of any Relevant Security has any rights to require registration of any Relevant Security as part or on account of, or otherwise in connection with, the offer and sale of the Shares and the ADSs contemplated hereby, and any such rights so disclosed have either been fully complied with by the Company or effectively waived by the holders thereof, and any such waivers remain in full force and effect.
(ll) The Company is not and, at all times up to and including consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Deposit Agreement, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, and after giving effect to application of the net proceeds of the Offering, will not be, subject to registration as an “investment company” or a “business development company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and is not and will not be an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” or a “business development company” within the meaning of such act.
(mm) There are no current or pending judicial, regulatory or other legal or governmental proceedings that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus and that are not so described or any statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents (including, without limitation, any voting agreement) which are required under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or the Rules and Regulations to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not so described or filed.
(nn) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company
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or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement or, to the Company’s knowledge, any arrangements, agreements, understandings, payments or issuance with respect to the Company or any of its officers, directors, shareholders, partners, employees, Subsidiaries or affiliates that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation as determined by the NASD.
(oo) Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries owns or leases all such properties as are necessary to the conduct of its business as presently operated and as proposed to be operated as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus. The Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of any and all Liens except such as are described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus or such as do not (individually or in the aggregate) materially affect the value of such property or materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property by the Company and the Subsidiaries; and any real property and buildings held under lease or sublease by the Company and the Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases or subleases with such exceptions as are not material to, and do not materially interfere with, the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and the Subsidiaries. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any notice of any claim adverse to its ownership of any real or personal property or of any claim against the continued possession of any real property, whether owned or held under lease or sublease by the Company or any Subsidiary.
(pp) Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries (i) owns or possesses adequate right to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, domain names, trade names, trademark registrations, service xxxx registrations, copyrights, licenses, formulae, customer lists, and know-how and other intellectual property (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures, “Intellectual Property”) necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses as presently conducted and as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus and (ii) have no reason to believe that the conduct of their respective businesses does or will conflict with, and have not received any notice of any claim of conflict with, any such right of others. To the Company’s knowledge, all material technical information developed by and belonging to the Company or any Subsidiary which has not been patented has been kept confidential. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has granted, licensed or assigned to any other person or entity any right to manufacture, assemble or sell the current products and services of the Company and its Subsidiaries or those products and services described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus. There is no infringement by third parties of any such Intellectual Property; there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s rights in or to any such Intellectual Property, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim; and there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others that the Company or any Subsidiary infringes or otherwise violates any patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret or other proprietary rights of others, and the Company is unaware of any other fact which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim.
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(qq) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company and the Subsidiaries maintain insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as the Company reasonably considers adequate for the conduct of its business and the value of its properties and as is customary for companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries, all of which insurance is in full force and effect, except where the failure to maintain such insurance could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There are no material claims by the Company or any Subsidiary under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company reasonably believes that it will be able to renew its existing insurance as and when such coverage expires or will be able to obtain replacement insurance adequate for the conduct of the business and the value of its properties at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(rr) Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries has accurately prepared and timely filed all tax returns that are required to be filed by it and has paid or made provision for the payment of all taxes, assessments, governmental or other similar charges, including without limitation, all sales and use taxes and all taxes which the Company or any Subsidiary is obligated to withhold from amounts owing to employees, creditors and third parties, with respect to the periods covered by such tax returns (whether or not such amounts are shown as due on any tax return). No deficiency assessment with respect to a proposed adjustment of the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s taxes is pending or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, threatened. The accruals and reserves on the books and records of the Company and the Subsidiaries in respect of tax liabilities for any taxable period not finally determined are adequate to meet any assessments and related liabilities for any such period and, since the date of the most recent audited financial statements, the Company and the Subsidiaries have not incurred any liability for taxes other than in the ordinary course of its business. There is no tax lien imposed by any taxing authority, outstanding against the assets, properties or business of the Company or any Subsidiary.
(ss) No labor disturbance by the employees of the Company or any Subsidiary exists or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, is imminent and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbances by the employees of any of its or any Subsidiary’s principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors, which, in either case (individually or in the aggregate), could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(tt) There has been no storage, generation, transportation, handling, use, treatment, disposal, discharge, emission, contamination, release or other activity involving any kind of hazardous, toxic or other wastes, pollutants, contaminants, petroleum products or other hazardous or toxic substances, chemicals or materials (“Hazardous Substances”) by, due to, on behalf of, or caused by the Company or any Subsidiary (or, to the Company’s knowledge, any other entity for whose acts or omissions the Company is or may be liable) upon any property now or previously owned, operated, used or leased by the Company or any Subsidiary, or upon any other property, which would be a violation of or give rise to any liability under any applicable law, rule, regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit, common law provision or other legally binding standard relating to pollution or protection of human health and the environment (“Environmental Law”), except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus and except for violations and liabilities which, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material
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Adverse Effect. There has been no disposal, discharge, emission, contamination or other release of any kind at, onto or from any such property or into the environment surrounding any such property of any Hazardous Substances with respect to which the Company or any Subsidiary has knowledge, except as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has agreed to assume, undertake or provide indemnification for any liability of any other person under any Environmental Law, including any obligation for cleanup or remedial action, except as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There is no pending or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, threatened, administrative, regulatory or judicial action, claim or notice of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any Subsidiary. No property of the Company or any Subsidiary is subject to any Lien under any Environmental Law. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is subject to any order, decree, agreement or other individualized legal requirement related to any Environmental Law, except as could not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(uu) The operations of the Company and each Subsidiary are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with financial record-keeping and reporting requirements of all applicable jurisdictions and the money laundering statutes of all applicable jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any Subsidiary with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(vv) None of the Company or the Subsidiaries, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of their respective officers, directors, managers, agents or employees or affiliates have, directly or indirectly, made or authorized any contribution, payment or gift of funds or property to any official, employee or agent of any governmental agency, authority or instrumentality in the United States, the PRC, the Cayman Islands or the British Virgin Islands or any other jurisdiction where either the payment or gift or the purpose of such contribution, payment or gift was, is, or would, after the registration of the Shares and ADSs under the Exchange Act, be prohibited under applicable law, rule or regulation of any relevant locality, including, but not limited to, the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(ww) None of the Company or the Subsidiaries, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of their respective officers, directors, managers, agents, employees or affiliates has at any time during the last five years (i) made any unlawful contribution to any candidate for foreign office, or failed to disclose fully any contribution in violation of law, or (ii) made any payment to any federal or state governmental officer or official, or other person charged with similar public or quasi-public duties, other than payments required or permitted by the laws of the United States of any jurisdiction thereof.
(xx) None of the Company or the Subsidiaries, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of their respective officers, directors, managers, agents, employees or affiliates thereof is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of
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Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”); and neither the Company nor a Subsidiary will, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of this Offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.
(yy) Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries (i) is in violation of its certificate or articles of incorporation or association, by-laws, certificate of formation, limited liability company agreement, partnership agreement or other organizational documents, (ii) is in default under, and no event has occurred which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a default under or result in the creation or imposition of any Lien upon any of its property or assets pursuant to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its property or assets is subject, or (iii) is in violation of any statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, directive, judgment, decree or order of any judicial, regulatory or other legal or governmental agency or body, foreign or domestic, except (in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above), for violations or defaults that could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(zz) The section entitled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Liquidity” in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus accurately and fully describes all material trends, demands, commitments, events, uncertainties and risks, and the potential effects thereof, that the Company believes would materially affect liquidity and are reasonably likely to occur. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has any off-balance sheet arrangements as defined in Item 303 of Regulation S-K, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus.
(aaa) The Company’s board of directors and senior management have reviewed and agreed with the selection, application and disclosure of the Critical Accounting Policies and have consulted with their legal advisers, and independent accountants with regard to such disclosure.
(bbb) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, there are no outstanding guarantees or other contingent obligations of the Company or any Subsidiary that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(ccc) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company has no obligation to provide retirement, death or disability benefits to any of the present or past employees of the Company or any Subsidiary, or to any other person.
(ddd) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, none of the Company or any Subsidiary is engaged in any transactions that are material (or that would otherwise require disclosure under the Act pursuant
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to Item 7 of Form 20-F) with its directors, officers, management, shareholders, or any other person, including persons formerly holding such positions, on terms that are not available from unrelated third parties on an arm’s-length basis.
(eee) None of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends or other distributions, or from making any other distribution on its equity interest, except as disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus; except as disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus, all dividends and other distributions declared and payable upon the equity interests in the Company, the PRC Subsidiaries and the Overseas Subsidiary may be converted into foreign currency that may be freely transferred out of the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands or the PRC (after complying with applicable procedural requirements described in the Pricing Prospectus) as the case may be, and all such dividends and other distributions are not and, except as disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus, will not be, subject to withholding or other taxes under the laws and regulations of the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands or the PRC and, except as disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus, are otherwise free and clear of any other tax, withholding or deduction in the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands and the PRC, in each case without the necessity of obtaining any Consent in the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands or the PRC, except such as have been obtained.
(fff) None of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries nor any of their properties, assets or revenues are entitled to any right of immunity on the grounds of sovereignty from any legal action, suit or proceeding, from set-off or counterclaim, from the jurisdiction of any court, from service of process, from attachment prior to or in aid of execution of judgment, or from other legal process or proceeding for the giving of any relief or for the enforcement of any judgment. The irrevocable and unconditional waiver and agreement of the Company in this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement not to plead or claim any such immunity in any legal action, suit or proceeding based on this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement is valid and binding under the laws of the PRC, the Cayman Islands and the British Virgin Islands.
(ggg) No stamp or other issuance or transfer taxes or duties are payable by or on behalf of the Underwriters to the PRC, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof in connection with (i) the issuance, sale or delivery of the Shares or the ADSs to the Underwriters or (ii) the deposit with the Depositary of any Shares against the issuance of the corresponding ADSs and related ADRs.
(hhh) The Company is a “foreign private issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
(iii) The Company was not for the year ended December 31, 2006, and based on the projected composition of the Company’s income and valuation of its assets, the Company does not expect to be, a passive foreign investment company (“PFIC”) within the meaning of Section 1297 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, for the year ending December 31, 2007.
(jjj) There are no affiliations or associations between any member of the NASD and any of the officers or directors of the Company or the Subsidiaries, or holders of 5% or greater of the securities of the Company.
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(kkk) The choice of the laws of the State of New York as the governing law of this Agreement is a valid choice of law under the laws of the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands and the PRC and will be honored by courts in the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands and the PRC. The Company has the power to submit, and, pursuant to Section 16 of this Agreement, has legally, validly, effectively and irrevocably submitted, to the personal jurisdiction of any court of the State of New York or the United State District Court for the Southern District of the State of New York (each, a “New York Court”) and has validly and irrevocably waived any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court; and the Company has the power to designate, appoint and empower, and pursuant to Section 16 of this Agreement has legally, validly, effectively and irrevocably designated, appointed and empowered, an authorized agent for service of process in any action arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the Deposit Agreement, the Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement or the offering of the Shares or the ADSs in any New York Court, and service of process effected on such authorized agent will be effective to confer valid personal jurisdiction over the Company as provided in Section 16 hereof.
(lll) Each of this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement is in proper form to be enforceable in the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands and the PRC in accordance with its terms; to ensure the legality, validity, enforceability or admissibility into evidence in the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands or the PRC of this Agreement or the Deposit Agreement, it is not necessary that this Agreement or the Deposit Agreement be filed or recorded with any court or other authority in the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands or the PRC (other than court filings in the ordinary course of proceedings) or that any stamp or similar tax in the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands or the PRC (other than nominal stamp or similar tax payable in the ordinary course of proceedings) be paid on or in respect of this Agreement, the Deposit Agreement or any other documents to be furnished hereunder.
(mmm) Any final judgment for a fixed or readily calculable sum of money rendered by a New York Court having jurisdiction under its own domestic laws in respect of any suit, action or proceeding against the Company based upon this Agreement or the Deposit Agreement and any instruments or agreements entered into for the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and therein would be declared enforceable against the Company without re-examination or review of the merits of the cause of action in respect of which the original judgment was given or re-litigation of the matters adjudicated upon or payment of any stamp, registration or similar tax or duty (i) by the courts of the Cayman Islands, provided that (A) such courts had proper jurisdiction over the parties subject to such judgment; (B) such courts did not contravene the rules of natural justice of the Cayman Islands; (C) such judgment was not obtained by fraud; (D) the enforcement of the judgment would not be contrary to the public policy of the Cayman Islands; (E) no new admissible evidence relevant to the action is submitted prior to the rendering of the judgment by the courts of the Cayman Islands; and (F) there is due compliance with the correct procedures under the laws of the Cayman Islands, (ii) by the courts of the British Virgin Islands, provided that (A) such courts had proper jurisdiction over the parties subject to such judgment, (B) such courts did not contravene the rules of natural justice of the British Virgin Islands, (C) such judgment was not obtained by fraud, (D) the enforcement of the judgment would not be contrary to the public policy of the British Virgin Islands, (E) no new admissible evidence relevant to the action is submitted prior to the rendering of the judgment by the courts of the British Virgin Islands and
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(F) there is due compliance with the correct procedures under the laws of the British Virgin Islands and (iii) by the courts of the PRC, provided that (A) the judgment was not contrary to the public policy, state sovereignty or security of the PRC, (B) the judgment was not given or obtained by fraud, (C) the judgment was not based on clear mistake of law or fact, (D) the judgment was not directly or indirectly for the payment of taxes or other charges of a like nature or of a fine or other penalty, (E) the judgment was for a definite sum of money, (F) the judgment was final and conclusive, (G) adequate service of process has been effected and the defendant has had a reasonable opportunity to be heard, (H) such judgments do not conflict with any other valid judgment in the same matter between the same parties, (I) an action between the same parties in the same matter is not pending in any PRC court at the time the lawsuit is instituted in the New York Court, and (J) the requirements of the PRC Civil Procedures Law based either on treaties between the PRC and the United States or on reciprocity between such jurisdictions were met. The Company is not aware of any reason why the enforcement in the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands or the PRC of such a New York Court judgment would be, as of the date hereof, contrary to public policy of the Cayman Islands, public policy of the British Virgin Islands or contrary to the public policy, state sovereignty or security of the PRC.
(nnn) The Company has complied with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Securities Act with respect to each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus including, without limitation, all prospectus delivery, filing, record retention and legending requirements applicable to any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. The Company has not (i) distributed any offering material in connection with the Offering other than the Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus, and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus set forth on Annex VII hereto, or (ii) filed, referred to, approved, used or authorized the use of any “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act with respect to the Offering or the Shares, except for any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus set forth in Annex VII hereto previously approved by the Representatives and any electronic road show previously approved by the Representatives.
(ooo) The Company has taken, or is in the process of taking, all reasonable steps to comply with, and to ensure compliance by all of the Company’s shareholders, option holders, directors and officers who are PRC residents or PRC citizens with any applicable rules and regulations of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (the “SAFE Rules and Regulations”), including without limitation, requiring each shareholder, option holder, director and officer that is, or is directly or indirectly owned or controlled by, a PRC resident or PRC citizen to complete any registration and other procedures required under applicable SAFE Rules and Regulations.
(ppp) None of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is engaged in any trading activities involving commodity contracts or other trading contracts which are not currently traded on a securities or commodities exchange and for which the market value cannot be determined.
(qqq) [Others, subject to further developments and diligence].
Any certificate signed by or on behalf of the Company and delivered to the Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.
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2. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Shares.
(a) On the basis of the representations, warranties, covenants and agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to the Underwriters and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company, at a purchase price per share of $•, the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule I hereto together with any additional number of Shares which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 hereof.
(b) Payment of the purchase price for the Firm Shares shall be made at the office of Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP (“Underwriters’ US Counsel”), ICBC Tower, 35th Floor, 3 Garden Road, Hong Kong, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Lead Managers and the Company, at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the third or (as permitted under Rule 15c6-1 under the Exchange Act) fourth business day (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10 hereof) following the date of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement (or, if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 430A under the Securities Act, the third or (as permitted under Rule 15c6-1 under the Exchange Act) fourth business day after the determination of the public offering price of the Shares), or such other time not later than seven business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called the “Closing Date”).
Payment of the purchase price for the Firm Shares shall be made by wire transfer in same day funds to or as directed in writing by the Company upon delivery of the Firm Shares to the Representatives through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters. Certificates for the Firm Shares shall be registered in such name or names and shall be in such denominations (not less than the minimum denomination of such Shares, as the case may be, as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus) as the Representatives may request at least two business days before the Closing Date. The Company will permit the Lead Managers to examine and package such certificates for delivery at least one full business day prior to the Closing Date.
(c) In addition, on the basis of the representations, warranties, covenants and agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants to the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, the option to purchase up to • Additional Shares at the same purchase price per share to be paid by the Underwriters for the Firm Shares as set forth in Section 2(a) above, for the sole purpose of covering over-allotments in the sale of Firm Shares by the Underwriters. This option may be exercised at any time and from time to time, in whole or in part on one or more occasions, on or before the thirtieth day following the date of the Prospectus, by written notice from the Lead Managers to the Company. Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Additional Shares as to which the option is being exercised and the date and time, as reasonably determined by the Representatives, when the Additional Shares are to be delivered (any such date and time being herein sometimes referred to as the “Additional Closing Date”); provided, however, that no Additional Closing Date shall occur earlier than the Closing Date or earlier than the second full business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised nor later than the fifth full business
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day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised (unless such time and date are postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10 hereof). Upon any exercise of the option as to all or any portion of the Additional Shares, each Underwriter, acting severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company the number of Additional Shares that bears the same proportion of the total number of Additional Shares then being purchased as the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto (or such number increased or decreased pursuant to Section 10 hereof) bears to the total number of Firm Shares that the Underwriters have agreed to purchase hereunder, subject, however, to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as the Representatives in their sole discretion shall make.
(d) Payment of the purchase price for the Additional Shares shall be made at the office of the Underwriters’ US Counsel in Hong Kong, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Lead Managers and the Company, at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the Additional Closing Date (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10 hereof), or such other time as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company. Payment of the purchase price for the Additional Shares shall be made by wire transfer in same day funds to or as directed in writing by the Company upon delivery of the Additional Shares to the Representatives through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters. Certificates for the Additional Shares shall be registered in such name or names and shall be in such denominations (not less than the minimum denomination of such Shares, as the case may be, as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus) as the Representatives may request at least two business days before the Additional Closing Date. The Company will permit the Lead Managers to examine and package such certificates for delivery at least one full business day prior to the Additional Closing Date.
(e) The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) the terms of this Agreement and the Offering (including the price of the Shares) were negotiated at arm’s length between sophisticated parties represented by counsel; (ii) no fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship between the Company and the Underwriters has been created as a result of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the process leading to such transactions, irrespective of whether any Underwriter has advised or is advising any such party on other matters; (iii) the Underwriters’ obligations to the Company in respect of the Offering are set forth in this Agreement in their entirety; and (iv) it has obtained such legal, tax, accounting and other advice as it deems appropriate with respect to this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereunder and any other activities undertaken in connection therewith, and it is not relying on the Underwriters with respect to any such matters.
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3. Offering. Upon authorization of the release of the Firm Shares or the Additional Shares, as the case may be, by the Lead Managers, the Underwriters propose to offer the Shares and the corresponding ADSs for sale to the public upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus.
4. Covenants of the Company. In addition to the other covenants and agreements of the Company contained herein, the Company further covenants and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:
(a) The Company shall prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by the Representatives and file such Prospectus pursuant to, and within the time period specified in, Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A or 430C under the Securities Act; prior to the last date on which an Additional Closing Date, if any, may occur, the Company shall file no further amendment to the Registration Statement or amendment or supplement to the Prospectus to which the Representatives shall object in writing after being furnished in advance a copy thereof and given a reasonable opportunity to review and comment thereon; the Company shall notify the Representatives promptly (and, if requested by the Representatives, confirm such notice in writing) (i) when the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement and any amendments thereto become effective, (ii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment of or supplement to the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement or the Prospectus or for any additional information, (iii) of the Company’s intention to file, or prepare any supplement or amendment to, the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement, the 8-A Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (iv) of the mailing or the delivery to the Commission for filing of any amendment of or supplement to the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement, the 8-A Registration Statement, or the Prospectus, including but not limited to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, (v) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement, the 8-A Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto, or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or, in each case, of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings therefore, (vi) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, and (vii) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Shares or the ADSs for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose. If the Commission shall propose or enter a stop order at any time, the Company will make every effort to prevent the issuance of any such stop order and, if issued, to obtain the lifting of such order as soon as possible.
(b) The Company shall comply with the Securities Act and the Exchange Act to permit completion of the distribution as contemplated in this Agreement, the Deposit Agreement, the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement and the Pricing Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Shares (or, in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Securities Act) is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, any event shall have occurred as a result of which the Pricing Disclosure Package (prior to the availability of the Prospectus) or the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would, in the judgment of the Underwriters or the Company, include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances existing at the time of delivery
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of such Pricing Disclosure Package or Prospectus (or, in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Securities Act) to the purchaser, not misleading, or if to comply with the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations it shall be necessary at any time to amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or the Registration Statement, the Company will notify the Representatives promptly and prepare and file with the Commission an appropriate amendment or supplement (in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives after having provided to the Representatives and the Underwriters’ US Counsel copies of any such amendment or supplement for review and comment a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing) that will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance, and will use its best efforts to have any amendment to the Registration Statement declared effective as soon as possible.
(c) During the Delivery Period (as defined below), the Company shall (i) notify the Representatives promptly of the Company’s intention to prepare or distribute any press release and (ii) provide to the Representatives and the Underwriters’ US Counsel copies of any such press releases for review and comment a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed distribution; and the Company shall not, without the prior consent of the Representatives, make any distribution of any press release.
(d) The Company will not, without the prior consent of the Representatives, (i) make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, except for any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus set forth in Annex VII hereto previously approved by the Representatives and any electronic road show previously approved by the Representatives, or (ii) file, refer to, approve, use or authorize the use of any “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act with respect to the Offering or the Shares. If at any time any event shall have occurred as a result of which any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would, in the judgment of the Underwriters or the Company, conflict with the information in the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented or would, in the judgment of the Underwriters or the Company, include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances existing at the time of delivery to the purchaser, not misleading, or if to comply with the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations it shall be necessary at any time to amend or supplement any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Company will notify the Representatives promptly and, if requested by the Representatives, prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter an appropriate amendment or supplement (in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives) that will correct such statement, omission or conflict or effect such compliance.
(e) The Company will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 with respect to each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus including, without limitation, all prospectus delivery, filing, record retention and legending requirements applicable to each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus; and the Company has caused there to be made available at least one version of a “bona fide electronic road show” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act) in a manner that causes the Company not to be required, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, to file with the Commission any road show. The Company shall retain, in accordance with the Rules and Regulations, all Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses not required to be filed pursuant to the Rules and Regulations.
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(f) The Company will promptly deliver to each of the Representatives and the Underwriters’ US Counsel a signed copy of each of the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement and the 8-A Registration Statement, as initially filed and all amendments thereto, including all consents and exhibits filed therewith, and will maintain in the Company’s files manually signed copies of such documents for at least five years after the date of filing. The Company will promptly deliver to each of the Underwriters such number of copies of any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, the Registration Statement, all Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses, and all amendments of and supplements to such documents, if any, as the Representatives may reasonably request. Prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and from time to time thereafter, the Company will furnish the Underwriters with copies of the Prospectus in New York City in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request.
(g) The Company consents to the use and delivery of the Preliminary Prospectus by the Underwriters in accordance with Rule 430 and Section 5(b) of the Securities Act.
(h) The Company will use its best efforts, in cooperation with the Representatives, at or prior to the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement, to qualify the Shares and the ADSs for offering and sale under the securities laws relating to the offering or sale of the Shares and the ADSs of such jurisdictions, domestic or foreign, as the Representatives may designate and to maintain such qualification in effect for so long as required for the distribution thereof; except that in no event shall the Company be obligated in connection therewith to qualify as a foreign corporation or to execute a general consent to service of process.
(i) The Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Underwriters as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than twelve months after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) under the Securities Act), an earnings statement of the Company and the Subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations (including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158 under the Securities Act).
(j) During the period of 180 days from the date of the Prospectus (the “Lock-Up Period”), without the prior written consent of the Representatives, the Company (i) will not, directly or indirectly, issue, offer, sell, agree to issue, offer or sell, solicit offers to purchase, grant any call option, warrant or other right to purchase, purchase any put option or other right to sell, pledge, borrow or otherwise dispose of any Relevant Security, or make any announcement of any of the foregoing, (ii) will not establish or increase any “put equivalent position” or liquidate or decrease any “call equivalent position” (in each case within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the Rules and Regulations) with respect to any Relevant Security, and (iii) will not otherwise enter into any swap, derivative or other transaction or arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any economic consequence of ownership of a Relevant Security, whether or not such transaction is to be settled by delivery of Relevant Securities, other securities, cash or other consideration; and the Company will obtain an undertaking in substantially the form of Annex VI hereto of each of its
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officers, directors and shareholders listed on Schedule II attached hereto not to engage in any of the aforementioned transactions on their own behalf, other than the sale by the Company of Shares as contemplated by this Agreement and the Company’s issuance of Ordinary Shares upon (A) the conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities outstanding on the date hereof; (B) the exercise of currently outstanding options; (C) the exercise of currently outstanding warrants; and (D) the grant and exercise of options under, or the issuance and sale of Ordinary Shares pursuant to, employee stock option plans in effect on the date hereof, in each case as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus. The Company will not file a registration statement under the Securities Act in connection with any transaction by the Company or any person that is prohibited pursuant to the foregoing, except for registration statements on Form S-8 relating to employee benefit plans, without the prior written consent of the Representatives.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) during the last 17 days of the Lock-Up Period the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs or (2) prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the Lock-Up Period, the restrictions imposed by the immediately preceding paragraph shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event, as applicable, unless the Representatives waive, in writing, such extension. The Company will provide the Lead Managers and any co-managers, each officer, director and shareholder of the Company listed on Schedule II attached hereto with prior notice of any such announcement that gives rise to an extension of the Lock-Up Period.
(k) During the period of five years from the effective date of the Registration Statement, the Company will furnish to the Representatives copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to security holders or from time to time published or publicly disseminated by the Company, and will deliver to the Representatives, (i) as soon as they are available, copies of any reports, financial statements and proxy or information 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 the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request (such financial information to be on a consolidated basis to the extent the accounts of the Company and the Subsidiaries are consolidated in reports furnished to its security holders generally or to the Commission). However, so long as the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of either Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act and is timely filing reports with the Commission on its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (“XXXXX”), it is not required to furnish to the Representatives any reports filed with the Commission on XXXXX.
(l) The Company will use its best efforts to effect and maintain the listing of the ADSs on the Nasdaq.
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(m) The Company will use its best efforts apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares as set forth under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus.
(n) The Company, during the period when a prospectus (or, in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Securities Act) is required to be delivered under the Securities Act in connection with the offer or sale of the Shares (the “Delivery Period”), will file all reports and other documents required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and the Rules and Regulations within the time periods required thereby.
(o) If the Company elects to rely upon Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, the Company shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with Rule 462 by 10:00 p.m. (Eastern 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 Registration Statement or give irrevocable instructions for the payment of such fee pursuant to Rule 111(b) under the Securities Act.
(p) The Company will use its best efforts to do and perform all things required to be done or performed under this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement by the Company prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and to satisfy all conditions precedent to the delivery of the Firm Shares and the Additional Shares.
(q) The Company will not take, and will cause its affiliates (within the meaning of Rule 144 under the Securities Act) not to take, directly or indirectly, any action which constitutes or is designed to cause or result in, or which could reasonably be expected to constitute, cause or result in, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares or the ADSs.
(r) The Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, make any offer relating to the Shares or the ADSs that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. Prior to the last date on which an Additional Closing Date, if any, may occur, the Company will not distribute any offering material in connection with the Offering other than any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to which the Representatives have previously consented in writing.
(s) The Company will indemnify and hold each Underwriter harmless against any documentary, stamp or similar issuance or transfer taxes, duties or fees and any transaction levies, commissions or brokerage charges, including any interest and penalties, which are or may be required to be paid in connection with the creation, allotment, issuance, offer and distribution of the Shares and ADSs to be sold by the Company and the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement; provided, however, that the Company shall not be responsible for any such taxes, duties, fees, levies or charges that arise as a result of the distribution of the Shares and the ADSs by any Underwriter in a manner other than that as is customary in such transactions.
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(t) The Company shall comply with the SAFE Rules and Regulations, and shall use best efforts to cause its directors, officers, option holders and shareholders that are, or that are directly or indirectly owned or controlled by, PRC residents or PRC citizens, to comply with the SAFE Rules and Regulations applicable to them in connection with the Company, including without limitation, requiring each shareholder, option holder, director and officer that is, or is directly or indirectly owned or controlled by, a PRC resident or PRC citizen to complete any registration and other procedures required under applicable SAFE Rules and Regulations.
(u) Upon the Closing Date, the Company will have insurance covering the Company, its directors, and officers for liabilities or losses arising in connection with the Offering, including, without limitation, liabilities or losses arising under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the Rules and Regulations.
5. Covenant of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, covenants and agrees with the Company that such Underwriter will not use or refer to any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) without the prior written consent of the Company where the use of or reference to such “free writing prospectus” would require the Company to file with the Commission any “issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act).
6. Payment of Expenses.
(a) Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the ADS Registration Statement, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company hereby agrees to pay all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including the following: (i) all expenses in connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement, the 8-A Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Prospectus and any and all amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers; (ii) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and accountants in connection with the registration of the Shares and the ADSs under the Securities Act and the Offering; (iii) the cost of producing this Agreement, the Deposit Agreement and any agreement among Underwriters, blue sky survey, closing documents and other instruments, agreements or documents (including any compilations thereof) in connection with the Offering; (iv) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares and the ADSs for offering and sale under state or foreign securities or blue sky laws as provided in Section 4(g) hereof, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with any blue sky survey; (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 NASD of the terms of the Offering; (vi) all fees and expenses in connection with listing the ADSs on the Nasdaq; (vii) all travel expenses of the Company’s officers and employees and any other expense of the Company incurred in connection with attending or hosting meetings with prospective purchasers of the Shares; and (viii) all costs and expenses related to the transfer and delivery of the Shares, in the form of Ordinary Shares or ADSs, to the Underwriters, including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon. The Company also will pay or cause to be paid: (x) the cost of preparing certificates representing the
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Shares; (y) the cost and charges of any transfer agent, registrar or depositary for the Shares and ADSs; and (z) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section 6. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 6, in the event that this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 7 or 12(b) hereof, or subsequent to a Material Adverse Change, the Company will pay all out-of pocket expenses of the Underwriters (including but not limited to fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters) incurred in connection herewith.
7. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Firm Shares and the Additional Shares, as provided herein, shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company herein contained, as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date (for purposes of this Section 7, “Closing Date” shall refer to the Closing Date for the Firm Shares and any Additional Closing Date, if different, for the Additional Shares), to the absence from any certificates, opinions, written statements or letters furnished to the Representatives or to the Underwriters’ US Counsel pursuant to this Section 7 of any misstatement or omission, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional conditions:
(a) The Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission in a timely fashion in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, and no stop order suspending or preventing the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus, shall have been issued by the Commission and no proceedings therefor shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied with to the Representatives’ reasonable satisfaction; if the Company has elected to rely on Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, 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; and all necessary regulatory or stock exchange approvals shall have been received.
(b) At the Closing Date the Representatives shall have received the written opinion of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Xxxxxxx & Xxxx, Hong Kong, U.S. counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives.
(c) At the Closing Date the Representatives shall have received the written opinion of Xxxxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxx, Cayman Islands counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives.
(d) At the Closing Date the Representatives shall have received the written opinion of Tian Yuan Law Firm, PRC counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives.
(e) At the Closing Date the Representatives shall have received the written opinion of Xxxxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxx, British Virgin Islands counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives.
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(f) At the Closing Date the Representatives shall have received the written opinion of Xxxxx, Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx, counsel for the Depositary, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives.
(g) All proceedings taken in connection with the sale of the Firm Shares and the Additional Shares as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and to the Underwriters’ US Counsel, and the Underwriters shall have received from each of the Underwriters’ US Counsel and King & Wood (the “Underwriters’ PRC Counsel”) a written opinion, dated as of the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Shares and the ADSs, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and such other related matters as the Representatives may require, and the Company shall have furnished to the Underwriters’ US Counsel and the Underwriters’ PRC Counsel such documents as they may reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.
(h) At the Closing Date the Representatives shall have received a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, as to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in Section 1 hereof as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date, as to the performance by the Company of all of its obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to the Closing Date, as to the matters set forth in subsections (a) and (j) of this Section 7, and as to such other matters as the Representatives may reasonably request.
(i) At the time this Agreement is executed and at the Closing Date, the Representatives shall have received comfort letters from PwC, independent registered public accounting firm for the Company, dated, respectively, as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing Date, addressed to the Underwriters and in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters and the Underwriters’ US Counsel.
(j) (i) Neither the Company nor an Subsidiary shall have sustained, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Pricing Prospectus, any material loss or interference with its business or properties from fire, explosion, flood, hurricane, accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or any legal or governmental proceeding, other than as set forth in the Pricing Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto); and (ii) subsequent to the dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereto subsequent to the date hereof) and the Pricing Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto), there shall not have been any change in the capital stock or long-term or short-term debt of the Company or any Subsidiary or any change or any development involving a change, whether or not arising from
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transactions in the ordinary course of business, in the business, general affairs, management, condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, stockholders’ equity, properties or prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, the effect of which, in any such case described above, is, in the judgment of the Representatives, so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the Offering on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus (exclusive of any such supplement).
(k) The Representatives shall have received a duly executed lock-up agreement from each director, officer and shareholder of the Company listed on Schedule II hereto, in each case substantially in the form attached hereto as Annex VI.
(l) At the Closing Date, the ADSs shall have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq.
(m) At the Closing Date, the NASD shall have confirmed that it has not raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements for the Offering.
(n) No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares or the corresponding ADSs; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares or the corresponding ADSs.
(o) The Company shall have furnished the Underwriters, the Underwriters’ US Counsel and the Underwriters’ PRC Counsel with such other certificates, opinions or other documents as they may have reasonably requested.
(p) All of the preferred shares of the Company shall have converted or been exchanged into Ordinary Shares in accordance with the terms of such preferred shares.
(q) No Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, Prospectus or amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, the ADS Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall have been filed to which the Representatives object.
(r) The Depositary shall have delivered to the Company at such Closing Date certificates satisfactory to the Representatives evidencing the deposit with the Depositary or its nominee of the Shares being so deposited against issuance of ADRs evidencing the ADSs to be delivered by the Company at the Closing Date, and the execution, countersignature (if applicable), issuance and delivery of ADRs evidencing such ADSs pursuant to the Deposit Agreement.
If any of the conditions specified in this Section 7 shall not have been fulfilled when and as required by this Agreement, or if any of the certificates, opinions, written statements or letters furnished to the Lead Managers, the Underwriters’ US Counsel or the Underwriters’ PRC Counsel pursuant to this Section 7 shall not be satisfactory in form and substance to the Lead Managers, the Underwriters’ US Counsel or the Underwriters’ PRC Counsel, all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be cancelled
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by the Lead Managers at, or at any time prior to, the Closing Date, and the obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Additional Shares may be cancelled by the Lead Managers at, or at any time prior to, the Additional Closing Date. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or by telephone. Any such telephone notice shall be confirmed promptly thereafter in writing.
8. Indemnification.
(a) The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act from and against any and all losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses whatsoever as incurred (including but not limited to attorneys’ fees and any and all expenses whatsoever incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever, and any and all amounts paid in settlement of any claim or litigation), joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained (A) in the Registration Statement, as originally filed or any amendment thereof, or in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or in any supplement thereto or amendment thereof, or in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or in any “issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433(h)(2) under the Securities Act) filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, or (B) in any other materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the Offering, including in any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act) for the Offering (“Marketing Materials”), or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state (A) in the Registration Statement, as originally filed or any amendment thereof, a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or (B) in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or in any supplement thereto or amendment thereof, or in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or in any “issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433(h)(2) under the Securities Act) filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, or in any Marketing Materials, a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent but only to the extent that any such loss, liability, claim, damage or expense 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 Underwriter Information. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have, including but not limited to other liability under this Agreement.
(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of the directors of the Company, each of the officers of the Company who shall have signed the Registration Statement, and each other person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, against any losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses whatsoever as incurred (including but not limited to attorneys’ fees and any and all
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expenses whatsoever incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever, and any and all amounts paid in settlement of any claim or litigation), joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, as originally filed or any amendment thereof, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or in any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that any such loss, liability, claim, damage or expense 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 the Underwriter Information; provided, however, that in no case shall any Underwriter be liable or responsible for any amount in excess of the underwriting discount applicable to the Shares to be purchased by such Underwriter hereunder.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of any claims or 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 each party against whom indemnification is to be sought in writing of the claim or the commencement thereof (but the failure so to notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve the indemnifying party from any liability which it may have under this Section 8 to the extent that it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof or otherwise has notice of any such action, and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability that such indemnifying party may have otherwise than on account of the indemnity agreement hereunder). In case any such claim or action is brought against any indemnified party, and it notifies an indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate, at its own expense in the defense of such action, and to the extent 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 counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the written consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the indemnified party or parties shall have the right to employ its or their own counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party or parties unless (i) the employment of such counsel shall have been authorized in writing by one of the indemnifying parties in connection with the defense of such action, (ii) the indemnifying parties shall not have employed counsel to have charge of the defense of such action within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action, (iii) the indemnifying party does not diligently defend the action after assumption of the defense, or (iv) such indemnified party or parties shall have reasonably concluded that there may be defenses available to it or them which are different from or additional to those available to one or all of the indemnifying parties (in which case the indemnifying parties shall not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party or parties), in any of which events such fees and expenses shall be borne by the indemnifying parties. No
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indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, effect any settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened claim, investigation, action or proceeding in respect of which indemnity or contribution may be or could have been sought by an indemnified party under this Section 8 or Section 9 hereof (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, investigation, action or proceeding and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or any failure to act, by or on behalf of the indemnified party.
9. Contribution. In order to provide for contribution in circumstances in which the indemnification provided for in Section 8 hereof is for any reason held to be unavailable from any indemnifying party or is insufficient to hold harmless a party indemnified thereunder, the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses (or actions in respect thereof) of the nature contemplated by such indemnification provision (including any investigation, legal and other expenses incurred in connection with, and any amount paid in settlement of, any action, suit or proceeding or any claims asserted, but after deducting in the case of losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses suffered by the Company, any contribution received by the Company from persons, other than the Underwriters, who may also be liable for contribution, including persons who control the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, officers of the Company who signed the Registration Statement and directors of the Company) as incurred to which the Company, and one or more of the Underwriters may be subject, (A) in such proportions as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the Offering or, (B) if such allocation is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportions as are appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, 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 hand shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as (x) the total proceeds from the Offering (net of underwriting discounts and commissions but before deducting expenses) received by the Company bears to (y) the underwriting discount or commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault of each of the Company and of the Underwriters 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 hand 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 contribution pursuant to this Section 9 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 Section. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 9 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in
33
investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any judicial, regulatory or other legal or governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 9, (i) no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the discounts and commissions applicable to the Shares underwritten by it and distributed 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 and (ii) no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 9, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act, each officer of the Company who shall have signed the Registration Statement and each director of the Company shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company, as applicable, subject in each case to clauses (i) and (ii) of the immediately preceding sentence. Any party entitled to contribution will, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action, suit or proceeding against such party in respect of which a claim for contribution may be made against another party or parties, notify each 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 obligation it or they may have under this Section 9 or otherwise. The obligations of the Underwriters to contribute pursuant to this Section 9 are several in proportion to the respective number of Shares to be purchased by each of the Underwriters hereunder and not joint.
10. Underwriter Default.
(a) If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall default in its or their obligation to purchase Firm Shares or Additional Shares hereunder, and if the Firm Shares or Additional Shares with respect to which such default relates (the “Default Shares”) do not (after giving effect to arrangements, if any, made by the Lead Managers pursuant to subsection (b) below) exceed in the aggregate 10% of the number of Firm Shares or Additional Shares, each non-defaulting Underwriter, acting severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company that number of Default Shares that bears the same proportion of the total number of Default Shares then being purchased as the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto bears to the aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of the non-defaulting Underwriters, subject, however, to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as the Lead Managers in their sole discretion shall make.
(b) In the event that the aggregate number of Default Shares exceeds 10% of the number of Firm Shares or Additional Shares, as the case may be, the Lead Managers may in their discretion arrange for themselves or for another party or parties (including any non-defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters who so agree) to purchase the Default Shares on the terms contained herein. In the event that within five calendar days after such a default the Lead Managers do not arrange for the purchase of the Default Shares as provided in this Section 10, this Agreement or, in the case of a default with respect to the Additional Shares,
34
the obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and of the Company to sell the Additional Shares shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of the Company with respect thereto (except in each case as provided in Sections 6, 8, 9, 11 and 12(d)) or the Underwriters, but nothing in this Agreement shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters of its or their liability, if any, to the other Underwriters and the Company for damages occasioned by its or their default hereunder.
(c) In the event that any Default Shares are to be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters, or are to be purchased by another party or parties as aforesaid, the Lead Managers or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date or Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding five business days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or in any other documents and arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which, in the opinion of Underwriters’ US Counsel, may thereby be made necessary or advisable. The term “Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall include any party substituted under this Section 10 with like effect as if it had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Firm Shares and Additional Shares.
11. Survival of Representations and Agreements. All representations and warranties, covenants and agreements of the Underwriters and the Company contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any Subsidiary submitted pursuant hereto, including the agreements contained in Sections 4, 5 and 6, the indemnity agreements contained in Section 8 and the contribution agreements contained in Section 9, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any controlling person thereof or by or on behalf of the Company, any of their officers and directors or any controlling person thereof, and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Shares to and by the Underwriters. The representations contained in Section 1 and the agreements contained in Sections 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11 and 12 hereof shall survive any termination of this Agreement, including termination pursuant to Section 10 or 12 hereof.
12. Effective Date of Agreement; Termination.
(a) This Agreement shall become effective upon the later of (i) receipt by the Representatives and the Company of notification of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or (ii) the execution of this Agreement. Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, the provisions of this Section 12 and of Sections 1, 6, 8, 9, 11 and 13 through 21, inclusive, shall remain in full force and effect at all times after the execution hereof.
(b) The Representatives shall have the right to terminate this Agreement at any time prior to the Closing Date or to terminate the obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Additional Shares at any time prior to the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, if, at or after the Applicable Time, (i) any domestic or international event or act or occurrence has materially disrupted, or in the opinion of the Representatives will in the immediate future materially disrupt, the market for the Company’s securities or securities in general; or (ii) a suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally on the NYSE or the
35
Nasdaq shall have occurred; or (iii) a suspension or material limitation in trading in the Company’s securities on the Nasdaq shall have occurred; or (iv) a banking moratorium has been declared by any state or federal authority or any material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services shall have occurred; or (v) (A) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or acts of terrorism involving the United States or there is a declaration of a national emergency or war by the United States or (B) there shall have been any other calamity or crisis or any change in political, financial or economic conditions if the effect of any such event in (A) or (B), in the judgment of the Representatives, makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale and delivery of the Firm Shares or the Additional Shares, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated by the Pricing Prospectus; or (vi) in the judgment of the Lead Managers, any Material Adverse Change shall have occurred since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Pricing Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto since the date hereof).
(c) Any notice of termination pursuant to this Section 12 shall be in writing specifying the provision of this Agreement that was invoked for the termination.
(d) If this Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to any of the provisions hereof (other than pursuant to Section 10(b) hereof), or if the sale of the Shares provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth herein is not satisfied 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, the Company will, subject to demand by the Lead Managers, reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the fees and expenses of their counsel), incurred by the Underwriters in connection herewith.
13. Notices. All communications hereunder, except as may be otherwise specifically provided herein, shall be in writing, and:
(a) if sent to any Underwriter, shall be mailed, delivered, or faxed and confirmed in writing, to such Underwriter:
c/o CIBC World Markets Corp.
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx XxxXxxxx, Equity Capital Markets
Facsimile: x0 (000) 000-0000;
x/x XXXX Xxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxx
0 Queen’s Road Central, Suite #3602
Hong Kong
Attention: Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Head of Legal and Compliance
Facsimile: x(000) 0000-0000;
and,
36
c/o Xxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co.
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Managing Director, General Counsel Department
Facsimile: x0 (000) 000-0000
with a copy to Underwriters’ US Counsel at:
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP
35/F, ICBC Tower
0 Xxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxx, Xxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxx: Xxxxxxx Xxxx
Facsimile: x(000) 0000-0000;
(b) if sent to the Company, shall be mailed, delivered, or faxed and confirmed in writing to the Company at:
Jinglong Group Industrial Park
Jinglong Street
Ningjin, Hebei Province 055550
Attention: Huaijin Yang, CEO
Facsimile: x(00) 000-000-0000,
with a copy to its U.S. counsel at:
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Xxxxxxx & Xxxx
42/F, Edinburgh Tower, The Landmark
00 Xxxxx’x Xxxx, Xxxxxxx
Xxxx Xxxx
Attention: Xxxxxxx X.X. Miao
Facsimile: x(000) 0000-0000;
provided, however, that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 8 shall be delivered or sent by mail or facsimile transmission to such Underwriter at its address set forth in its acceptance facsimile to the Representatives, which address will be supplied to any other party hereto by the Representatives upon request. Any such notices and other communications shall take effect at the time of receipt thereof.
14. The parties acknowledge and agree that, for purposes of this Agreement the information provided by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists solely of the material included in the fourth and eighth paragraph under the caption “Underwriting” in the Prospectus.
15. Parties. This Agreement shall inure solely to the benefit of, and shall be binding upon, the Underwriters, the Company and the controlling persons, directors, officers, employees and agents referred to in Sections 8 and 9 hereof, and their respective
37
successors and assigns, and no other person shall have or be construed to have any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of or by virtue of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties hereto and said controlling persons and their respective successors, officers, directors, heirs and legal representatives, and it is not for the benefit of any other person, firm or corporation. The term “successors and assigns” shall not include a purchaser, in its capacity as such, of Shares or ADSs from any of the Underwriters.
16. Governing Law and Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. The Company irrevocably (a) submits to the jurisdiction of any court of the State of New York or the United State District Court for the Southern District of the State of New York for the purpose of any suit, action, or other proceeding arising out of this Agreement, or any of the agreements or transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Deposit Agreement, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (each, a “Proceeding”), (b) agrees that all claims in respect of any Proceeding may be heard and determined in any such court, (c) waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any immunity from jurisdiction of any such court or from any legal process therein, (d) agrees not to commence any Proceeding other than in such courts, and (e) waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claim that such Proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum. The Company hereby irrevocably designates CT Corporation System Inc, 000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 as agent upon whom process against the Company may be served. THE COMPANY (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ON BEHALF OF ITS RESPECTIVE EQUITY HOLDERS AND CREDITORS) HEREBY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY CLAIM BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT, THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, THE ADS REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND THE PROSPECTUS.
17. Judgment Currency. If for the purposes of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert a sum due hereunder into any currency other than United States dollars, the parties hereto agree, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the relevant party or parties could purchase United States dollars with such other currency in The City of New York on the business day preceding that on which final judgment is given. The obligation of each party hereto with respect to any sum due from it to any other party hereto or any person controlling any such other party shall, notwithstanding any judgment in a currency other than United States dollars, not be discharged until the first business day following receipt by such other party or controlling person of any sum in such other currency, and only to the extent that such other party or controlling person may in accordance with normal banking procedures purchase United States dollars with such other currency. If the United States dollars so purchased are less than the sum originally due to such other party or controlling person hereunder, the first-mentioned party agrees as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify such other party or controlling person against such loss. If the United States dollars so purchased are greater than the sum originally due to such other party or controlling person hereunder, such other party or controlling person agrees to pay to the first-mentioned party an amount equal to the excess of the United States dollars so purchased over the sum originally due to such other party or controlling person hereunder.
38
18. Foreign Taxes. All payments made by the Company under this Agreement will be made without withholding or deduction for or on account of any present or future taxes, duties, assessments or governmental charges of whatever nature imposed or levied by or on behalf of the Cayman Islands, the PRC or the British Virgin Islands or any political subdivision or any taxing authority thereof or therein unless the Company is or becomes required by law to withhold or deduct such taxes, duties, assessments or other governmental charges. In such event, the Company will pay such additional amounts as will result, after such withholding or deduction, in the receipt by each Underwriter and each person controlling any Underwriter, as the case may be, of the amounts that would otherwise have been receivable in respect thereof, except to the extent such taxes, duties, assessments or other governmental charges are imposed or levied by reason of such Underwriter’s or controlling person’s being connected with the Cayman Islands, the PRC or the British Virgin Islands other than by reason of its being an Underwriter or a person controlling any Underwriter under this Agreement.
19. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed 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. Delivery of a signed counterpart of this Agreement by facsimile transmission shall constitute valid and sufficient delivery thereof.
20. Headings. The headings herein are inserted for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.
21. Time is of the Essence. 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.
[signature page follows]
39
If the foregoing correctly sets forth your understanding, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement among us.
Very truly yours, | ||
JA SOLAR HOLDINGS CO., LTD. | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: |
Accepted as of the date first above written
CIBC WORLD MARKETS CORP. | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
and | ||
XXXXX XXXXXXX & CO. | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: |
On behalf of themselves and the other
Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto.
[Signature page]
40
SCHEDULE I
Underwriter |
Total Number of Firm Shares to be Purchased |
Number of Additional Shares to be Purchased if Option is Fully Exercised | ||
CIBC World Markets Corp. |
• | • | ||
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. |
• | • | ||
RBC Capital Markets Corporation |
• | • | ||
Xxxxxxx & Company, LLC |
• | • | ||
• |
• | • | ||
Total |
• | • |
I-1
SCHEDULE II
Baofang Jin
Huaijin Xxxx
Xxxxxx Dai
Xxxxxxx Xxx
Nai-Xx Xxx
Xxxx Xxx
Xxxxxxx Xx
Hexu Xxxx
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx Xxx
Xxxxxx Xxx
Xxxxx Xxxx
Foming Xx
Xxxx Xie
Jinglong Group Co., Ltd.
Improve Forever Investments Limited
Si Fab International, Ltd.
Marlins Fame Limited
Express Power Investments Limited
Giant Fortune Development Limited
Super Shine International Limited
Freshearn Investments Limited
Techport Finance Limited
Mitsubishi Corporation
Leeway Asia X.X.
XX-1
EXHIBIT A
Subsidiaries
Subsidiaries Incorporated in the PRC (“PRC Subsidiaries”)
JingAo Solar Co., Ltd.
Shanghai JA Solar Technology Co., Ltd.
Subsidiary Incorporated Outside the PRC (“Overseas Subsidiary”)
JA Development Co., Ltd.
A-1
ANNEX I
[Intentionally Omitted]
A-I-1
ANNEX II
[Intentionally Omitted]
A-II-1
ANNEX III
[Intentionally Omitted]
A-III-1
ANNEX IV
[Intentionally Omitted]
A-IV-1
ANNEX V
[Intentionally Omitted]
A-V-1
ANNEX VI
Form of Lock-Up Agreement
, 200
CIBC World Markets Corp.
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
and
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co.
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
As Representatives of the
several Underwriters to be named in
the within-mentioned Underwriting Agreement
JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. Lock-Up Agreement
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This letter agreement (this “Agreement”) relates to the proposed public offering (the “Offering”) by JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. an exempted company incorporated with limited liability under the laws of the Cayman Islands (the “Company”) of its ordinary shares, US$0.0001 par value per share (the “Stock”) in the form of American depositary shares (“ADSs”).
In order to induce you and the other underwriters for which you act as representatives (the “Underwriters”) to underwrite the Offering, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of CIBC World Markets Corp. and Xxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. (the “Representatives”), during the period from the date hereof until one hundred eighty (180) days from the date of the final prospectus for the Offering (the “Lock-Up Period”) the undersigned (a) will not, directly or indirectly, offer, sell, agree to offer or sell, solicit offers to purchase, grant any call option, warrant or other right to purchase, purchase any put option or other right to sell, pledge, borrow or otherwise dispose of any Relevant Security (as defined below), or (b) will not establish or increase any “put equivalent position” or liquidate or decrease any “call equivalent position” with respect to any Relevant Security (in each case within the meaning of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder) with respect to any Relevant Security, or otherwise enter into any swap, derivative or other transaction or arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any economic consequence of ownership of a Relevant Security, whether or not such transaction is to be settled by delivery of Relevant Securities, other securities, cash or other consideration. As used herein “Relevant
A-VI-1
Security” means ADSs, the Stock, any other equity security of the Company or any of its subsidiaries and any security convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, any ADSs, the Stock or other such equity security.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) during the last 17 days of the Lock-Up Period the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs or (2) prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the Lock-Up Period, the restrictions imposed by this Agreement shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event, unless the Representatives waive, in writing, such extension. The undersigned acknowledges that the Company has agreed in the underwriting agreement for the Offering to provide notice to the undersigned of any event that would result in an extension of the Lock-Up Period pursuant to this paragraph, and the undersigned agrees that any such notice properly delivered will be deemed to have been given to, and received by, the undersigned.
The undersigned hereby authorizes the Company during the Lock-Up Period to cause any transfer agent for the Relevant Securities to decline to transfer, and to note stop transfer restrictions on the stock register and other records relating to, Relevant Securities for which the undersigned is the record holder and, in the case of Relevant Securities for which the undersigned is the beneficial but not the record holder, agrees during the Lock-Up Period to cause the record holder to cause the relevant transfer agent to decline to transfer, and to note stop transfer restrictions on the stock register and other records relating to, such Relevant Securities. The undersigned hereby further agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, during the Lock-up Period the undersigned (x) will not file or participate in the filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission of any registration statement, or circulate or participate in the circulation of any preliminary or final prospectus or other disclosure document with respect to any proposed offering or sale of a Relevant Security and (y) will not exercise any rights the undersigned may have to require registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission of any proposed offering or sale of a Relevant Security.
The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Agreement and that this Agreement constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the undersigned, enforceable in accordance with its terms. Upon request, the undersigned will execute any additional documents necessary in connection with enforcement hereof. Any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors and assigns of the undersigned from the date first above written.
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. Delivery of a signed copy of this letter by facsimile transmission shall be effective as delivery of the original hereof.
[Signature page follows]
A-VI-2
[If natural person] | ||
Very truly yours, | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
[If entity] | ||
Very truly yours, | ||
[ENTITY NAME] | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: |
A-VI-3
ANNEX VII
Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses included in the Pricing Disclosure Package
None.
A-VII-1