Wisconsin Public Service Corporation Senior Notes, 6.375% Series Due December 1, 2015 Underwriting Agreement
Exhibit
(1)
EXECUTION
COPY
Senior
Notes, 6.375% Series Due December 1, 2015
December
1,
0000
Xxxx
xx Xxxxxxx
Securities LLC
Citigroup
Global
Markets Inc.
X.X.
Xxxxxx
Securities Inc.
UBS
Securities
LLC
as
Representatives of the
several
Underwriters listed
on
Schedule II hereto
c/o
UBS Securities
LLC
000
Xxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Ladies
and
Gentlemen:
Wisconsin
Public
Service Corporation, a corporation organized under the laws of Wisconsin (the
“Company”), proposes to sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule II
hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you (the “Representatives”) are acting as
representatives, the principal amount of its senior debt securities identified
in Schedule I hereto (the “Senior Notes”), to be issued under an Indenture
dated as of December 1, 1998, between the Company and U.S. Bank National
Association (as successor to Firstar Bank Milwaukee, N.A.), as trustee (the
“Senior Trustee”), as amended and supplemented to the date hereof (the “Original
Senior Indenture”) and to be further supplemented by the Eighth Supplemental
Indenture dated as of December 1, 2008, creating the series in which the Senior
Notes are to be issued (the “Supplemental Indenture to the Senior
Indenture”). The term “Senior Indenture,” as used herein, means the
Original Senior Indenture as supplemented by the Supplemental Indenture to
the
Senior Indenture. To the extent there are no additional Underwriters
listed on Schedule II other than you, the term Representatives as used
herein shall mean you, as Underwriters.
Until
the Release
Date (as defined in the Senior Indenture), the Senior Notes will be secured
as
to payment of principal and interest by the Company’s First Mortgage Bonds,
Collateral Series H (the “Collateral Bonds”), issued under and ratably secured
by the First Mortgage and Deed of Trust dated January 1, 1941 between the
Company and U.S. Bank National Association (the successor to First Wisconsin
Trust Company), as Trustee (the “Mortgage Trustee”), as amended and supplemented
to the date hereof (as so amended and supplemented, the “Original Mortgage
Indenture”) and to be further supplemented by the Fortieth Supplemental
Indenture thereto creating the Collateral Bonds (the “Supplemental Indenture to
the Mortgage Indenture”). The term “Mortgage Indenture,” as used
herein, means
the
Original
Mortgage Indenture, as supplemented by the Supplemental Indenture to the
Mortgage Indenture. The Collateral Bonds will be issued, pledged and
delivered to the Senior Trustee by the Company concurrently with the issue
and
delivery of the Senior Notes.
Any
reference
herein to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary
Prospectus or the Final Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include
the
documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of
Form S-3 which were filed under the Exchange Act on or before, in the case
of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale (as defined below), or, in
the
case of the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus,
the applicable issue date, and any reference herein to the terms “amend”,
“amendment” or “supplement” shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing
of any document under the Exchange Act after the Time of Sale, with respect
to
the Registration Statement, or the issue date of the Base Prospectus, any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus, as the case may be, that is
deemed to be incorporated therein by reference. All references in
this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information
which
is “contained,” “included,” “set forth” or “stated” in the Registration
Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Final
Prospectus (and all other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean
and
include all such financial statements and schedules and other information that
are or are deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement,
the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, or the Final Prospectus, as
the
case may be. Certain terms used herein are defined in Section 19
hereof.
1. Representations
and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to, and
agrees with, each Underwriter as set forth below in this
Section 1.
(a) Filing
Status; Filing and
Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Company meets the
requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Act and has prepared and filed
with the Commission a registration statement on Form S-3 (the file number of
which is set forth in Schedule I hereto), including a related base
prospectus, for registration under the Act of the offering and sale of the
Senior Notes, from time to time, in accordance with Rule 415. The
Company has filed with the Commission such amendments thereto, if any, as may
have been required prior to the date hereof. Such registration
statement, if and as amended, has been declared effective by the
Commission. The Company is not and was not an “ineligible issuer,” as
defined under Rule 405, at the relevant times specified in the Act in connection
with the offering of the Senior Notes. The Registration Statement
meets the requirements set forth in Rule 415(a)(1)(x).
(b) Time
of Sale
Information. At or prior to the time when sales of the Senior
Notes were first made (the “Time of Sale”), the Company prepared a Preliminary
Prospectus, dated December 1, 2008, and each “free-writing prospectus” (as
defined pursuant to Rule 405), if any, listed on Annex A hereto. Such
Preliminary Prospectus and the free-writing prospectuses, if any, included
on
Annex A, are collectively referred to in this Agreement as the “Time of Sale
Information.”
(c) Final
Prospectus. Except to the extent the Representatives shall
agree in writing to a modification, the Final Prospectus shall be in all
substantive respects in the form furnished to you prior to the execution and
delivery of this Agreement or, to the extent not
2
completed
as of
such time, shall contain only such specific additional information and other
changes (beyond that contained in the Base Prospectus and the Time of Sale
Information) as the Company has advised you, prior to such time, will be
included or made therein.
(d) Preliminary
Prospectus. No order preventing or suspending the use of any
Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary
Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all material respects
with the Act and did not contain any 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, in the light of the circumstances under which
they
were made, not misleading; provided that the
Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements
or
omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating
to
any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through
the Representatives expressly for use in any Preliminary
Prospectus. The Preliminary Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters
for use in connection with the offering of the Senior Notes was identical to
the
electronically transmitted copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant
to
XXXXX, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T under the
Act.
(e) Time
of Sale Information. The
Time of Sale Information, at the Time of Sale, did not, and at the Closing
Date
will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
a
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light
of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the
Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements
or
omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating
to
any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through
the Representatives expressly for use in such Time of Sale
Information. No statement of material fact included in the Final
Prospectus has been omitted from the Time of Sale Information, and no statement
of material fact included in the Time of Sale Information that is required
to be
included in the Final Prospectus has been omitted therefrom.
(f) IssuerFree
Writing
Prospectus. The Company (including its agents and
representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has
not
prepared, made, used, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare,
make, use, authorize, approve or refer to any “written communication” (as
defined in Rule 405) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an
offer to buy the Securities (each such communication by the Company or its
agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clauses
(i), (ii) and (iii) below) an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”) other than (i)
any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a)
of
the Act or Rule 134, (ii) the Preliminary Prospectus included in the Time of
Sale Information, (iii) the Final Prospectus, (iv) the documents listed on
Annex
A hereto as constituting the Time of Sale Information, and (v) any electronic
road show or other written communications, in each case approved in writing
in
advance by the Representatives. Each such Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus complied in all material respects with the Act, has been or will
be
(within the time period specified in Rule 433) filed in accordance with the
Act
(to the extent required thereby) and, when taken together with the Preliminary
Prospectus filed prior to the first use of such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus,
did not, and at the Closing Date will not, contain any untrue statement
of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
3
statements
therein,
in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
provided that
the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements
or omissions made in each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon
and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to
the
Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly
for
use in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.
(g) Registration
Statement and Final
Prospectus. The Company has not received, and has no notice
of, any order preventing or suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or instituting proceedings for that purpose. On the
Effective Date, the Registration Statement complied, and when the Final
Prospectus is first filed in accordance with Rule 424(b) and on the Closing
Date (as defined below), the Final Prospectus (and any supplement thereto)
will
comply, in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act,
the Exchange Act and the Trust Indenture Act and the respective rules
thereunder. On the Effective Date, at the Time of Sale and on the
Closing Date, the Registration Statement did not contain any untrue statement
of
a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary in order to make the statements therein not
misleading. On the Effective Date and on the Closing Date the Senior
Indenture did or will comply in all material respects with the applicable
requirements of the Trust Indenture Act and the rules thereunder; and on the
date thereof and on the Closing Date, the Final Prospectus (together with any
supplement thereto) will not include any untrue statement of a material fact
or
omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein,
in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
provided, however, that
the Company makes no representations or warranties as to (i) that part of the
Registration Statement which shall constitute the Statement of Eligibility
and
Qualification (Form T-1) under the Trust Indenture Act of the Trustee or (ii)
the information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or
the
Final Prospectus (or any 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 inclusion in the
Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus (or any supplement
thereto).
(h) Incorporated
Documents. The documents incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information, and the Final Prospectus
when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may
be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange
Act,
and none of such documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact
or
omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they
were made, not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated
by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and
the
Final Prospectus, when such documents become effective or are filed with the
Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the
requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and will not contain
any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein,
in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
(i) Incorporation
and Good
Standing. The Company has been duly incorporated and is
validly existing as a corporation under the laws of the State of Wisconsin
4
with
power and
authority (corporate and other) to own or lease, as the case may be, and to
operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration
Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Final Prospectus; the Company
has not filed Articles of Dissolution with the Department of Financial
Institutions of the State of Wisconsin, and no grounds exist for the Department
of Financial Institutions of the State of Wisconsin to dissolve such corporation
administratively pursuant to the provisions of the Wisconsin Business
Corporation Law; the Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign
corporation and is in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction which
requires such qualification; the Company is a “public utility company,” as such
term was previously defined in the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935,
as amended. The copies of the Company’s articles of incorporation and
by-laws incorporated by reference as exhibits to the Company’s most recent
Annual Report on Form 10-K are complete and correct as of the date
hereof.
(j) Subsidiaries. The
Company has no subsidiaries which, either individually or considered in the
aggregate as a single subsidiary, constitute a “significant subsidiary” as
defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X.
(k) Ownership
of Common Stock;
Capitalization. All of the Company’s issued and outstanding
shares of common stock are owned, beneficially and of record, by Integrys Energy
Group, Inc., a Wisconsin corporation (“Integrys”); the Company’s authorized
preferred stock is as set forth in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale
Information, and Final Prospectus; except as set forth in the Registration
Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus, no options, warrants
or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue, or rights
to convert any obligations into or exchange any securities for, shares of
capital stock or ownership interests of the Company are
outstanding.
(l) Material
Contracts. There is no franchise, contract or other document
of a character required to be described in the Registration Statement, Time
of
Sale Information and Final Prospectus, or to be filed as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement, which is not described or filed as
required.
(m) Underwriting
Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed
and delivered by the Company and constitutes a valid and binding obligation
of
the Company enforceable in accordance with its terms.
(n) Senior
Indenture. The Original Senior Indenture has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Company; the Supplemental Indenture
to
the Senior Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company and, on the Closing
Date, will have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming
due authorization, execution and delivery by the Senior Trustee, the Senior
Indenture will be a valid and binding instrument enforceable against the Company
in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement of remedies, to
applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium, or other laws
affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and to general
principles of equity, including, without limitation, concepts of materiality,
reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, regardless of whether considered
in
a proceeding in equity or at law (the “Bankruptcy Exceptions”);
the
Senior Indenture conforms in all material respects to the description thereof
contained in the Final Prospectus.
5
(o) Senior
Notes. The
Senior Notes have been duly authorized by the Company; on the Closing Date,
the
Senior Notes will have been duly executed by the Company, and when authenticated
in accordance with the provisions of the Senior Indenture and delivered and
paid
for by the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, will constitute valid and
legally binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits and security
provided by the Senior Indenture and enforceable against the Company in
accordance with their terms, subject, as to enforcement of remedies, to the
Bankruptcy Exceptions; the Senior Notes conform in all material respects to
the
description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale
Information and Final Prospectus.
(p) Mortgage
Indenture. The Original Mortgage Indenture has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Company; the Supplemental Indenture
to
the Mortgage Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company and, on the
Closing Date, will have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and,
assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the Mortgage Trustee,
the
Mortgage Indenture will constitute a valid and binding instrument, enforceable
against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as the same may be
limited by the laws of the States of Wisconsin and Michigan affecting the
remedies for the enforcement of the security provided for therein (which laws
do
not make such remedies inadequate for the realization of the benefits of such
security) and by the Bankruptcy Exceptions; the Mortgage Indenture conforms
in
all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration
Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus.
(q) Collateral
Bonds. The Collateral Bonds have been duly authorized by the
Company and, when duly executed and authenticated in accordance with the
provisions of the Mortgage Indenture and delivered to the Senior Trustee in
the
manner provided therein, will have been duly authorized, executed, authenticated
and issued and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the
Company, secured by the lien of, and entitled to the benefits provided by,
the
Mortgage Indenture, equally and ratably with all other bonds of the Company
duly
issued and outstanding under the Mortgage Indenture, and will be enforceable
against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as the same may
be
limited by the laws of the States of Wisconsin and Michigan affecting the
remedies for the enforcement of the security provided for therein (which laws
do
not make such remedies inadequate for the realization of the benefits of such
security) and by the Bankruptcy Exceptions; the Collateral Bonds conform in
all
material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration
Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus.
(r) Ownership
of
Properties. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries owns or
leases all such properties as are necessary to the conduct of its operations
as
presently conducted. The properties of the Company described under
Item 2 of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K are owned in
fee simple either individually or jointly, as indicated in such annual report,
or are held under valid leases, in each case subject only to the lien of the
Mortgage Indenture and minor imperfections of titles and encumbrances, if any,
which are not substantial in amount, do not materially detract from the value
or
marketability of the properties subject thereto, and do not materially impair
the Company’s operations.
(s) Investment
Company
Act. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the
offering and sale of the Senior Notes and the application of the proceeds
thereof as
6
described
in the
Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus, will
not
be an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended.
(t) Regulatory
Approvals. The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin has duly
authorized the issuance and sale by the Company of the Senior Notes and the
issuance and pledge of the Collateral Bonds on the terms set forth in the
Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information, Final Prospectus and this
Agreement, and such authorization is in force and effect and sufficient for
the
issuance and sale of the Senior Notes to the Underwriters and the issuance
and
pledge of the Collateral Bonds to the Senior Trustee. No other
consent, approval, authorization, filing with or order of any court or other
governmental agency or body is required in connection with the transactions
contemplated herein, except such as have been obtained under the Act and the
Trust Indenture Act and such as may be required under the blue sky laws of
any
jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Senior
Notes by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated herein and in the
Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final
Prospectus.
(u) No
Conflicts. The
execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Senior Indenture or the
Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage Indenture, the issue and sale of the
Senior Notes, the issue and pledge of the Collateral Bonds, the consummation
of
any other of the transactions herein contemplated or the fulfillment of the
terms hereof will not conflict with, or result in a breach or violation or
imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of
the
Company or any of its subsidiaries (or constitute an event which with notice,
lapse of time, or both would result in any breach, violation or imposition
of
any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company
or
any of its subsidiaries) pursuant to (i) the charter or by-laws of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries, (ii) the terms of any indenture,
contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or
other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which the
Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or bound or to which its or their
property is subject (other than the lien of the Mortgage Indenture), or
(iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree
applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any court, regulatory
body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority
having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of its
or
their properties.
(v) Absence
of Registration
Rights. No holders of securities of the Company have rights to
the registration of such securities under the Registration
Statement.
(w) Financial
Statements. The consolidated historical financial statements
and schedules of the Company and its consolidated subsidiary included in the
Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus present
fairly the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the
Company and its consolidated subsidiary as of the dates and for the periods
indicated, comply as to form with the applicable accounting requirements of
the
Act and have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except
as otherwise noted therein). The selected financial data set forth
under the caption “Summary Financial Information” in the Registration Statement,
Time of Sale Information and Final
Prospectus
fairly present, on the basis stated in the Registration Statement, Time of
Sale
Information and Final Prospectus, the information included therein.
7
(x) Legal
Proceedings. No action, suit or proceeding by or before any
court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving
the
Company or any of its subsidiaries or its or their property is pending or,
to
the knowledge of the Company, threatened that (i) could reasonably be
expected to have a material adverse effect on the performance of this Agreement
or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby or
(ii) could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the
condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties
of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising
from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in
or
contemplated in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final
Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).
(y) No
Violation or
Default. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in
violation or default (nor has any event occurred which, with notice, lapse
of
time, or both would result in a violation or default) of (i) any provision
of its charter or bylaws, (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease,
mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement,
obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which it is a party or bound
or
to which its property is subject, except for such violations or defaults which
would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect
on
the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or
properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or
not
arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, or (iii) any
statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any court,
regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other
authority having jurisdiction over the Company or such subsidiary or any of
its
properties, as applicable.
(z) Independent
Accountants. Deloitte & Touche LLP, who have certified
certain financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiary
and
delivered their report with respect to the audited consolidated financial
statements and schedules incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus, is an
independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and
its consolidated subsidiary within the meaning of the Act and the applicable
published rules and regulations thereunder and under the applicable rules and
regulations of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. The
Company has complied and will comply with the Act and all applicable regulations
under the Act and the Exchange Act with respect to the inclusion of the audit
report of Deloitte & Touche LLP in the Company’s most recent Annual Report
on Form 10-K and the incorporation by reference of such Annual Report on Form
10-K in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Final
Prospectus.
(aa) Taxes. The
Company
has filed all foreign, federal, state and local tax returns that are required
to
be filed or has requested extensions thereof (except in any case in which the
failure so to file would not have a material adverse effect on the condition
(financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties of the
Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from
transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or
contemplated in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and
Final Prospectus
(exclusive of any supplement thereto) and has paid all taxes
required to be paid by it and any other assessment, fine or penalty levied
against it, to the extent that any of the foregoing is due and payable, except
for any such assessment, fine or penalty that is currently being contested
in
good faith or as would not have a material adverse effect on the condition
(financial
8
or
otherwise),
prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries,
taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary
course of business (except as set forth in or contemplated in the Registration
Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus (exclusive of any
supplement thereto)).
(bb) No
Labor
Disputes. No labor problem or dispute with the employees of
the Company exists or is threatened or imminent, and the Company is not aware
of
any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its
principal suppliers, contractors or customers, that could have a material
adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings,
business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole,
whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business,
except as set forth in or contemplated in the Registration Statement, Time
of
Sale Information and Final Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement
thereto).
(cc) Insurance. The
Company and each of its subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized
financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts
as
are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged; all
policies of insurance and fidelity or surety bonds insuring the Company or
any
of its subsidiaries or their respective businesses, assets, employees, officers
and directors are in full force and effect; the Company and its subsidiaries
are
in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material
respects; and there are no claims by the Company or any of its subsidiaries
under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying
liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause, except for such
claims which, if successfully denied, would not have a material adverse effect
on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or
properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or
not
arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business; neither the
Company nor any such subsidiary has been refused any insurance coverage sought
or applied for; and neither the Company nor any subsidiary has any reason to
believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as
and
when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers
as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not have
a
material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects,
earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken
as a
whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of
business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Registration Statement,
Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement
thereto).
(dd) Licenses
and
Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries possess all
licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by the
appropriate federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to
conduct their respective businesses, and neither the Company nor any subsidiary
has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or
modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit which, singly
or
in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding,
would have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise),
prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and
its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in
the
ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the
Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus (exclusive
of any supplement thereto).
9
(ee) Disclosure
Controls. The Company has established and maintains
“disclosure controls and procedures” (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15 and
15d-15 under the Exchange Act) that (i) are designed to ensure that material
information relating to the Company, including its consolidated subsidiary,
is
made known to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and its Chief Financial
Officer (or persons performing similar functions) by others within these
entities, particularly during the periods in which the filings made by the
Company with the Commission which it may make under Sections 13(a), 13(c),
14 or
15(d) of the Exchange Act are being prepared, (ii) have been evaluated for
effectiveness as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing of the Company’s
most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission, and (iii)
are effective to perform the functions for which they were
established.
(ff) Accounting
Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain systems of
“internal control over financial reporting” (as such term is defined in Rule
13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements
of
the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their
respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons
performing similar functions, 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, including but not limited to, internal accounting controls
sufficient to provide reasonable assurance 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 generally accepted accounting principles
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 accountability for assets is compared
with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is
taken
with respect to any differences. The Company’s independent auditors
and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been
advised of: (i) all significant deficiencies, if any, in the design or operation
of internal controls which could adversely affect the Company’s ability to
record, process, summarize and report financial data; and (ii) all fraud, if
any, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who
have a role in the Company’s internal controls; all material weaknesses, if any,
in internal controls have been identified to the Company’s independent auditors;
since the date of the most recent evaluation of such disclosure controls and
procedures and internal controls, there have been no significant changes in
internal controls or in other factors that could significantly affect internal
controls, including any corrective actions with regard to significant
deficiencies and material weaknesses; the principal executive officers
(or
their equivalents) and principal financial officers (or their equivalents)
of
the Company have made all certifications required by the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act
of
2002 (the “Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”) and any related rules and regulations
promulgated by the Commission, and the statements contained in each such
certifications are complete and correct.
(gg) No
Stabilization. The Company has not taken, directly or
indirectly, any action designed to or which has constituted or which might
reasonably be expected to cause or result, under the Exchange Act or otherwise,
in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company
to
facilitate the sale or resale of the Senior Notes.
10
(hh) Compliance
with Environmental
Laws. The Company and its subsidiaries are (i) in compliance
with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and
regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the
environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or
contaminants (“Environmental Laws”), (ii) have received and are in compliance
with all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable
Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses, and (iii) have
not received notice of any actual or potential liability for the investigation
or remediation of any disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances
or
wastes, pollutants or contaminants, except where such non-compliance with
Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other
approvals, or liability would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a
material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects,
earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken
as a
whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of
business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Registration Statement,
Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement
thereto). Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, Time of
Sale Information and Final Prospectus, the Company has not been named as a
“potentially responsible party” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, except in such instances
which would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse
effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business
or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a
whole.
(ii) Periodic
Review of the Effect of
Environmental Laws. In the ordinary course of its business,
the Company periodically reviews the effect of Environmental Laws on the
business, operations and properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, in
the
course of which it identifies and evaluates associated costs and liabilities
(including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required
for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws,
or
any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities
and any potential liabilities to third parties). On the basis of such
review, the Company has reasonably concluded that such associated costs and
liabilities would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse
effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business
or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether
or
not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as
set
forth in or contemplated in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information
and Final Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).
(jj) Compliance
with
ERISA. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has fulfilled
its obligations, if any, under the minimum funding standards of Xxxxxxx 000
xx
xxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended
(“ERISA”), and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder with
respect to each “plan” (as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA and such
regulations and published interpretations) in which employees of the Company
and
its subsidiaries are eligible to participate, and each such plan is in
compliance in all material respects with the presently applicable provisions
of
ERISA and
such
regulations and published interpretations. The Company and its
subsidiaries have not incurred any unpaid liability to the Pension Benefit
Guaranty Corporation (other than for the payment of premiums in the ordinary
course) or to any such plan under Title IV of ERISA.
11
(kk) No
Material Adverse
Effect. Subsequent to the respective dates as of which
information has been given in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale
Information and Final Prospectus, there has not been (i) any material adverse
change, or any development which, in the Company’s reasonable judgment, is
likely to cause a material adverse change, in the business, properties, or
assets described or referred to in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale
Information and Final Prospectus, or the results of operations, condition
(financial or otherwise), business or operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries taken as a whole, (ii) any transaction which is material to the
Company or its subsidiaries, except transactions in the ordinary course of
business or disclosed in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information
and Final Prospectus, (iii) any obligation, direct or contingent, which is
material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, incurred by
the
Company or its subsidiaries, except obligations incurred in the ordinary course
of business or disclosed in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information
and Final Prospectus, (iv) any change in the capital stock or outstanding
indebtedness of the Company or its subsidiaries other than short-term debt
of
the kind contemplated by the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information,
and Final Prospectus or (v) any dividend or distribution of any kind declared,
paid or made on the capital stock of the Company, other than dividends on the
Company’s preferred stock in accordance with the terms thereof and return of
capital payments on the common stock of the Company that have been declared
or
paid in order to maintain the Company’s equity at a level consistent with that
allowed by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. Neither the
Company nor its subsidiaries has any material contingent obligation which is
not
disclosed in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information, and Final
Prospectus.
(ll) Sarbanes
Oxley
Compliance. The
Company and the Company’s directors and officers are each in compliance in all
material respects with all applicable effective provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx
Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission.
Any
certificate
signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Representatives or
counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Senior
Notes
shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company, as to matters
covered thereby, to each Underwriter.
2. Purchase
and Sale. Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance
upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company agrees
to
sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not
jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the purchase price set forth in
Schedule I hereto the principal amount of the Senior Notes set forth opposite
such Underwriter’s name in Schedule II hereto.
3. Delivery
and Payment. Delivery of and payment for the Senior Notes
shall be made on the date and at the time specified in Schedule I hereto or
at such time on such later date not more than three Business Days after the
foregoing date as the Representatives shall designate, which date and time
may
be postponed by agreement between the Representatives and the
Company or as
provided in Section 10 hereof (such date and time of delivery and payment for
the Senior Notes being herein called the “Closing Date”). Delivery of
the Senior Notes shall be made to the Representatives for the respective
accounts of the several Underwriters against payment by the several Underwriters
through the Representatives of the purchase price thereof to or upon the order
of the Company by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to an account
12
specified
by the
Company. Delivery of the Senior Notes shall be made through the
facilities of The Depository Trust Company.
4. Offering
by Underwriters. It is understood that the several
Underwriters propose to offer the Senior Notes for sale to the public as set
forth in the Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus.
5. Agreements. The
Company agrees with the several Underwriters as follows:
(a) Filings
with the Commission; Issuer
Free Writing Prospectuses. Prior to the termination of the
offering of the Senior Notes, the Company will not (i) file any amendment of
the
Registration Statement or supplement (including the Final Prospectus or any
Preliminary Prospectus) to the Base Prospectus or any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement or (ii) use, authorize, approve, refer to or file any
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, unless in each such case, the Company has
furnished you a copy for your review prior to such filing, use, authorization,
approval, or reference thereto, and the Company will not file any such proposed
amendment or supplement or use, authorize, approve, refer to or file any Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus to which you reasonably object. Subject to
the foregoing sentence, the Company will cause the Final Prospectus, properly
completed, and any supplement thereto to be filed with the Commission pursuant
to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) within the time period
prescribed and will provide evidence satisfactory to the Representatives of
such
timely filing. The Company will promptly advise the Representatives
(1) when the Final Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, shall have been
filed
with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) or when any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement shall have been filed with the Commission, (2) when,
prior to termination of the offering of the Senior Notes, any amendment to
the
Registration Statement shall have been filed or become effective, (3) of
any request by the Commission or its staff for any amendment of the Registration
Statement, or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or for any supplement
to the Final Prospectus or for any additional information, (4) of the
issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of
the
Registration Statement or the institution or threatening of any proceeding
for
that purpose, or (5) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with
respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Senior Notes for sale
in
any jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for that
purpose. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent the
issuance of any such stop order or the suspension of any such qualification
and,
if issued, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.
(b) Time
of Sale
Information. If at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any
event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Time of
Sale
Information as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement
of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to
make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, not misleading or
(ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Information
to
comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof
and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (a) above, file with the
Commission (to the extent required) and furnish to the Underwriters and to
such
dealers as the Representatives may designate, such amendments or supplements
to
the Time of Sale Information as may be necessary so that the statements in
the
Time of Sale Information as so amended or supplemented
13
will
not, in the
light of the circumstances, be misleading or so that the Time of Sale
Information will comply with law.
(c) Subsequent
Amendments and
Supplements to Registration Statement and Final
Prospectus. If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the
Senior Notes is required to be delivered under the Act (the “Prospectus Delivery
Period”), any event occurs as a result of which the Final Prospectus as then
supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit
to
state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light
of
the circumstances under which they were made not misleading, or if it shall
be
necessary to amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Final Prospectus
to comply with the Act or the Exchange Act or the respective rules thereunder,
the Company promptly will (1) notify the Representatives of such event, (2)
prepare and file with the Commission, subject to the first sentence of
paragraph (a) of this Section 5, an amendment or supplement which will
correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance and (3) supply
any supplemented Final Prospectus to you in such quantities as you may
reasonably request.
(d) Earnings
Statement. As soon as practicable, the Company will make
generally available to its security holders and to the Representatives an
earnings statement or statements of the Company and its subsidiaries which
will
satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and
Rule 158.
(e) Delivery
of
Copies. The Company will furnish to the Representatives and
counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, copies of the Registration
Statement (including exhibits thereto) and to each other Underwriter a copy
of
the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and, during the Prospectus
Delivery Period, as many copies of each Preliminary Prospectus and the Final
Prospectus and any supplement thereto as the Representatives may reasonably
request. The Company will pay the reasonable expenses of printing or
other production of all documents relating to the offering.
(f) State
Securities Law
Compliance. The Company will arrange, if necessary, for the
qualification of the Senior Notes for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions
as the Representatives may designate and will maintain such qualifications
in
effect so long as required for the distribution of the Senior Notes; provided, however, that in no
event shall the Company be obligated to qualify to do business in any
jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or to take any action that would
subject it to service of process in suits, other than those arising out of
the
offering or sale of the Senior Notes, in any jurisdiction where it is not now
so
subject.
(g) Clear
Market. Until the Business Day set forth on Schedule I hereto,
the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives,
offer, sell or contract to sell, or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any
transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result
in
the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective
economic
disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise) by the Company or any affiliate
of the Company or any person in privity with the Company or any affiliate of
the
Company) directly or indirectly, or announce the offering of, any debt
securities issued or guaranteed by the Company (other than the Senior Notes,
commercial paper or other short-term debt).
14
(h) Delivery
of Collateral
Bonds. The Company will issue and deliver the Collateral Bonds
to the Senior Trustee as security for the Senior Notes in the manner described
in the Final Prospectus.
(i) Use
of
Proceeds. The Company will apply the proceeds from the sale of
the Senior Notes in the manner set forth under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in
the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final
Prospectus.
(j) Retention
of Free Writing
Prospectuses. The Company will, pursuant to reasonable
procedures developed in good faith, retain copies of each Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus that is not filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule
433.
6. Certain
Agreements of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter hereby
represents and agrees that:
(a)
It has not and will not use, authorize use of, refer to, or participate in
the
planning for use of, any “free writing prospectus”, as defined in Rule 405
(which term includes use of any written information furnished to the Commission
by the Company and not incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement
and any press release issued by the Company) other than (i) a free writing
prospectus that, solely as a result of use by such Underwriter, would not
trigger an obligation to file such free writing prospectus with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 433, (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Annex
A
or prepared pursuant to Section 1(f) or Section 5(a) above (including any
electronic road show), or (iii) any free writing prospectus prepared by such
Underwriter and approved by the Company in advance in writing (each such free
writing prospectus referred to in clauses (i) or (iii), an “Underwriter Free
Writing Prospectus”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Underwriters
may use a term sheet substantially in the form of Annex B hereto without the
consent of the Company.
(b)
It is not subject to any pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Act with
respect to the offering (and will promptly notify the Company if any such
proceeding against it is initiated during the Prospectus Delivery
Period).
7. Conditions
to the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the
Underwriters to purchase the Senior Notes shall be subject to the accuracy
of
the representations and warranties on the part of the Company contained herein
as of the Time of Sale, the date hereof, and the Closing Date, to the accuracy
of the statements of the Company made in any certificates pursuant to the
provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its obligations
hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) Each
Preliminary
Prospectus, Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Final Prospectus and any
required supplement thereto, if any, shall have been filed in the manner
and within
the time period required by Rule 424(b) or Rule 433; and no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been
issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or
threatened.
15
(b) The
Company shall
have requested and caused Xxxxx & Lardner LLP, counsel for the Company, to
have furnished to the Representatives their opinion, dated the Closing Date
and
addressed to the Representatives, to the effect that:
(i) The
Company has
been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation under the laws
of the State of Wisconsin, with full corporate power and authority to own or
lease, as the case may be, and to operate its properties and conduct its
business as described in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information
and Final Prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign
corporation and is in good standing under the laws of Michigan; the Company
is a
“public utility company,” as such term was formerly defined under the Public
Utility Holding Company Act.
(ii) All
of the
Company’s issued and outstanding shares of common stock are owned of record by
Integrys; the Company’s authorized preferred stock is as set forth in the
Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus; to the
knowledge of such counsel, except as set forth in the Registration Statement,
Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus, no options, warrants or other
rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue, or rights to
convert any obligations into or exchange any securities for, shares of capital
stock of or ownership interests in the Company are outstanding.
(iii) To
the knowledge of
such counsel, there is no pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding
by or
before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator
involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries or its or their property,
of a
character required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement which is not
adequately disclosed in the Time of Sale Information and the Final Prospectus,
and there is no franchise, contract or other document of a character required
to
be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and
Final Prospectus, or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement,
which is not described or filed as required.
(iv) The
Registration
Statement has become effective under the Act; any required filing of any
Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Final
Prospectus, and any supplements thereto, pursuant to Rule 424(b) or Rule
433 has been made in the manner and within the time period required by
Rule 424(b) or Rule 433; to the knowledge of such counsel, no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued,
no
proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or threatened, and the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus
(other than the financial statements and other financial information contained
therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) comply as to form
in
all
material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act, the Exchange
Act
and the Trust Indenture Act and the respective rules thereunder.
(v) This
Agreement has
been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
16
(vi) The
Senior
Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and
constitutes a valid and binding instrument enforceable against the Company
in
accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement of remedies, to the
Bankruptcy Exceptions; the Senior Indenture has been duly qualified under the
Trust Indenture Act; the Senior Indenture conforms in all material respects
to
the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale
Information and Final Prospectus.
(vii) The
Senior Notes
have been duly authorized and executed by the Company, and when authenticated
by
the Senior Trustee in accordance with the provisions of the Senior Indenture
and
delivered and paid for by the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, will
constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company entitled to
the
benefits and security provided by the Senior Indenture and enforceable against
the Company in accordance with their terms, subject, as to enforcement of
remedies, to the Bankruptcy Exceptions; the Senior Notes conform in all material
respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement,
Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus.
(viii) The
Mortgage
Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and
constitutes a valid and binding instrument, enforceable against the Company
in
accordance with its terms, except as the same may be limited by the laws of
the
States of Wisconsin and Michigan affecting the remedies for the enforcement
of
the security provided for therein (which laws do not in such counsel’s opinion
make such remedies inadequate for the realization of the benefits of such
security) and by the Bankruptcy Exceptions; the Mortgage Indenture conforms
in
all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration
Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus.
(ix) The
Collateral
Bonds have been duly authorized and executed by the Company and, when
authenticated by the Mortgage Trustee in accordance with the provisions of
the
Mortgage Indenture, and issued, pledged and delivered to the Senior Trustee
pursuant to the Senior Indenture as security for the Senior Notes, will
constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, secured by
the
lien of, and entitled to the benefits provided by, the Mortgage Indenture,
equally and ratably with all other bonds of the Company duly issued and
outstanding under the Mortgage Indenture, and will be enforceable against the
Company in accordance with their terms, except as the same may be limited by
the
laws of the States of Wisconsin and Michigan affecting the remedies for the
enforcement of the security provided for therein (which laws do not in such
counsel’s opinion make such remedies inadequate for the realization of the
benefits of such security) and by the Bankruptcy Exceptions; the Collateral
Bonds conform
in all
material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration
Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus.
(x) The
Company has
good and marketable title to the real and fixed properties described in the
Mortgage Indenture (other than properties disposed of and released thereunder
and lands described as held only under flowage rights)
17
free
and clear of
all liens, charges and encumbrances against the same prior to or on a parity
with the lien of the Mortgage Indenture, except for and subject only to
permissible encumbrances as defined in the Mortgage Indenture and to such
exceptions, defects and qualifications as in such counsel’s opinion do not
materially affect the security for the Collateral Bonds or the Company’s title
to or its right to use such properties in the conduct of its business; the
Mortgage Indenture constitutes a valid and direct first lien upon all real
and
fixed property and governmental licenses and permits owned by the Company
(including its interests as tenant-in-common), except property specifically
excepted from the Mortgage Indenture by the terms thereof, subject to no liens
or encumbrances prior to or on a parity with the lien of the Mortgage Indenture,
except permissible encumbrances as defined in the Mortgage Indenture; and the
description in the Mortgage Indenture of said property is adequate to constitute
the Mortgage Indenture a lien thereon. No examination of title covering
rights-of-way for transmission and distribution lines has been made inasmuch
as
the Company has been advised that the expense incident to the obtaining of
abstracts or certificates of title and of examinations in respect thereto would
be in excess of the cost of reacquiring by condemnation or purchase, possession
and use of such parts of such rights-of-way as might be held under defective
titles, and accordingly, such opinion does not cover such
rights-of-way. Such counsel has relied on certificates of officers of
the Company to the effect that certain parcels described in the Mortgage
Indenture are rights-of-way and that certain parcels are not required as an
integral part of the Company’s properties or are not indispensable to its
operations. All real property hereafter acquired by the Company and located
in
counties in which the Mortgage Indenture shall be of record will, upon
acquisition, become subject to the lien of the Mortgage Indenture, subject,
however, to permissible encumbrances and liens (as defined in the Mortgage
Indenture), any liens existing or placed thereon at acquisition and any liens
which might intervene prior to the filing or recording of the instrument
containing a sufficient legal description confirming of record that such
property is subject to the lien of the Mortgage Indenture, except as the
existence or validity of the lien of the Mortgage Indenture may be affected
by
the application of Sections 547 and/or 552 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code or by
analogous provisions of applicable state insolvency laws.
(xi) The
Mortgage
Indenture has been duly recorded or filed for record in each county in the
States of Wisconsin and Michigan where any real properties described in such
instrument are located and in all other places required by law in order to
perfect the lien upon the property described in the Mortgage
Indenture.
(xii) The
Company has
statutory authority, franchises, and consents free from burdensome restrictions
and adequate for the conduct of the business in which it is engaged as described
in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus,
except to the extent that the absence of such statutory authority or the failure
to obtain such franchises or consents would not, singly or in the aggregate,
(A)
affect the security for the Collateral Bonds, or (B) have a material adverse
effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings,
18
business
or
properties of the Company, whether or not arising from transactions in the
ordinary course of business, except as set forth or contemplated in the
Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final
Prospectus.
(xiii) The
issuance and
delivery by the Company of the Collateral Bonds to the Senior Trustee constitute
a sale by the Company of the Collateral Bonds to the Senior Trustee as of the
Closing Date or, if not a sale, the grant by the Company to the Senior Trustee
of a perfected security interest in the Collateral Bonds for the benefit of
the
holders of the Senior Notes.
(xiv) The
Company is not
and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Senior Notes and the
application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement,
Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus, will not be an “investment
company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended.
(xv) The
Public Service
Commission of Wisconsin has duly authorized the issuance and sale by the Company
of the Senior Notes and the issuance and pledge of the Collateral Bonds on
the
terms set forth in the Final Prospectus and this Agreement, and such
authorization is, to the knowledge of such counsel, in force and effect and
sufficient for the issuance and sale of the Senior Notes to the Underwriters
and
the issuance and pledge of the Collateral Bonds to the Senior
Trustee. No consent, approval, authorization, filing with or order of
any court or other governmental agency or body is required in connection with
the transactions contemplated herein, except such as have been obtained under
the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and such as may be required under the blue
sky laws of any jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution
of
the Senior Notes by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated herein and
in
the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final
Prospectus.
(xvi) The
execution and
delivery of this Agreement, the Senior Indenture or the Supplemental Indenture
to the Mortgage Indenture, the issuance and sale of the Senior Notes, the
issuance and pledge of the Collateral Bonds, the consummation of any other
of
the transactions herein contemplated or the fulfillment of the terms hereof
will
not conflict with, result in a breach or violation or imposition of any lien,
charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company (or constitute
an event which with notice, lapse of time, or both would result in any breach,
violation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property
or
assets of the Company) pursuant to (i) the Restated Articles of
Incorporation or By-laws of the Company, each as amended to
date,
(ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust,
note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition,
covenant or instrument (other than the lien of the Mortgage Indenture) known
to
such counsel to which the Company is a party or bound or to which its property
is subject, (iii) any statute, law, rule, or regulation applicable to the
Company, or (iv) any judgment, order or decree known to such counsel and
applicable to the Company of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency,
governmental
19
body,
arbitrator or
other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its
properties.
(xvii) To
the knowledge of
such counsel, no holders of securities of the Company have rights to the
registration of such securities under the Registration Statement.
In
giving such
opinion, such counsel shall additionally state that they have no reason to
believe that on the Effective Date or the date hereof the Registration Statement
(including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A, 430B or 430C
to be part of the Registration Statement at the Effective Date) contained any
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading or that the Time of Sale Information, at the Time of Sale (which
counsel may assume to be the date hereof) included any untrue statement of
a
material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading or that the Final Prospectus or any amendment or supplement
thereof, as of its date and the Closing Date, included or includes any untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact
necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading (in each case, other than the
financial statements and other financial information contained therein, as
to
which such counsel need express no opinion). In rendering such
opinion, such counsel (A) may rely as to matters involving the application
of
laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Wisconsin or the Federal laws
of the United States, to the extent they deem proper and specified in such
opinion, upon the opinion of other counsel of good standing whom they believe
to
be reliable and who are satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, (B) may
assume, as to matters of New York law relating to this Agreement, that New
York
law does not differ from Wisconsin law in any material respect and (C) may
rely,
as to matters of fact, to the extent they deem proper, on certificates of
responsible officers of the Company and public officials. References
to the Final Prospectus in this paragraph (b) include any supplements
thereto at the Closing Date.
(c) The
Representatives
shall have received from Xxxxxx Xxxxxx LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, such
opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the
Representatives, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Senior Notes,
the
issuance and pledge of the Collateral Bonds, the Senior Indenture, the Mortgage
Indenture, the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the
Final Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) and other related
matters as the Representatives may reasonably require and the Company shall
have
furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of
enabling them to pass upon such matters.
(d) The
Company shall
have furnished to the Representatives a certificate of the Company, signed
by
the Chairman of the Board or the President and the principal financial or
accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that
the signers of such certificate have carefully examined the Registration
Statement, Time of Sale Information, Final Prospectus, any supplements to the
Final Prospectus and this Agreement and that:
20
(i) the
representations
and warranties of the Company in this Agreement that are qualified by
materiality are true in all respects, as so qualified, on and as of the Closing
Date with the same effect as if made on the Closing Date and the representations
and warranties that are not qualified by materiality are true and correct in
all
material respects on and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as if
made
on the Closing Date and the Company has complied with all the agreements and
satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or
prior to the Closing Date;
(ii) no
stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued
and
no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to the Company’s
knowledge, threatened; and
(iii) since
the date of
the most recent financial statements included or incorporated by reference
in
the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto), there has been
no
material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects,
earnings, business or properties of the Company, whether or not arising from
transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or
contemplated in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final
Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).
(e) Concurrently
with
the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Underwriters shall have
received from Deloitte & Touche LLP a letter, dated as of the date hereof,
in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, to the effect
that:
(i)
Deloitte & Touche LLP is an independent registered public accounting firm
with respect to the Company and its consolidated subsidiary within the meaning
the Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder and the applicable
rules and regulations of the Public Company Accounting Oversight
Board;
(ii)
in their opinion, the audited consolidated financial statements and financial
statement schedule(s) of the Company and its consolidated subsidiary
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectus
and Final Prospectus and included in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on
Form 10-K (the “Form 10-K”) comply as to form in all material respects with the
applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act;
(iii)
on the basis of (A) the performance of procedures specified by the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) for a review of interim
financial
information as described in Statement on Auditing Standards No. 100, Interim
Financial Information, on the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets
and statements of capitalization, the unaudited condensed consolidated
statements of income, and the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of
cash flows, of the Company and its consolidated subsidiary included in the
Company’s quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission under Section
13 of the Exchange Act (the “Form 10-Q’s”) subsequent to the
21
Form
10-K, (B) a
reading of the latest available unaudited financial statements of the Company
and its consolidated subsidiary, (C) a reading of the latest minutes of meetings
of the board of directors of the Company and its consolidated subsidiary as
set
forth in the minute books for the current year, and (D) inquiries of the
officers of the Company who have responsibility for financial and accounting
matters (it being understood that the foregoing procedures do not constitute
an
audit made in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting
Oversight Board (United States) and would not necessarily reveal matters of
significance with respect to the comments made in such letter, and accordingly
that Deloitte & Touche LLP makes no representation as to the sufficiency of
such procedures for the purposes of the several Underwriters), nothing has
come
to their attention which caused them to believe that (1) any material
modifications should be made to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial
statements of the Company included in the Form 10-Q’s for them to be in
conformity with generally accepted accounting procedures; (2) the unaudited
condensed consolidated financial statements of the Company included in the
Form
10-Q’s do not comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
accounting requirements of the Exchange Act, as they apply to Form 10-Q, or
(3)
at the date of the latest available consolidated financial statements and at
a
specified date not more than three business days prior to the date of such
letter, there was any change in the common stock or increase in the long-term
debt of the Company or any decrease in consolidated current assets or common
stock equity of the Company, in each case as compared with the amounts shown
in
the most recent unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet of the Company
incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, Preliminary
Prospectus and Final Prospectus or, during the period from the date of such
balance sheet to a specified date not more than three business days prior to
the
date of such letter, based upon inquiries of the appropriate officers of the
Company, there were any decreases, as compared with the corresponding period
in
the preceding year, in consolidated total operating revenues or earnings on
common stock, except in each case as set forth in or contemplated by the
Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectus and Final Prospectus or except
for such exceptions enumerated in such letter as shall have been agreed to
by
the Underwriters and the Company; and
(iv)
in addition to the audit referred to in their report appearing in the Form
10-K
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectus
and Final Prospectus and the limited procedures referred to in clause (C) above,
they have carried out certain other specified procedures, not constituting
an
audit, with respect to certain amounts, percentages, and financial information
which are included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement,
Preliminary Prospectus and Final Prospectus and which are specified by the
Underwriters, and have found such amounts, percentages, and financial
information to be in agreement with the relevant accounting, financial and
other
records of the Company and its consolidated subsidiary identified in such
letter.
22
(f) On
the Closing
Date, the Underwriters shall have received from Deloitte & Touche LLP a
letter, dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that they reaffirm the
statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to Section 7(e), except that
the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business
days
prior to the Closing Date.
(g) Subsequent
to the
Time of Sale or, if earlier, the dates as of which information is given in
the
Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus (exclusive
of any supplement thereto), there shall not have been (i) any material change
or
decrease of the kind specified in Section 7(e)(iii) (except to the extent,
if
any, stated in the letter delivered by Deloitte & Touche LLP on the date
hereof pursuant to Section 7(e)) or (ii) any change, or any development
involving a prospective change, in or affecting the condition (financial or
otherwise), earnings, business or properties of the Company and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in
the
ordinary course of business, except in each case as set forth in or contemplated
in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus
(exclusive of any supplement thereto), the effect of which, in any case referred
to in clause (i) or (ii) above, is so material and adverse as to make it
impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the
Senior Notes as contemplated by the Registration Statement (exclusive of any
amendment thereof), Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus (exclusive
of
any supplement thereto).
(h) Subsequent
to the
Time of Sale, there shall not have been any decrease in the rating of any of
the
Company’s debt securities (including the Senior Notes) by any “nationally
recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes of
Rule 436(g)) or any notice given of any intended or potential decrease in
any such rating or any review or possible change in any such rating that does
not indicate an improvement in such rating.
(i) Prior
to the
Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such
further information, certificates and documents as the Representatives may
reasonably request.
If
any of the
conditions specified in this Section 7 shall not have been fulfilled in all
material respects when and as provided in this Agreement, or if any of the
opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall
not be in all material respects reasonably satisfactory in form and substance
to
the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, this Agreement and all
obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be canceled at, or at any time
prior to, the Closing Date by the Representatives. Notice of such
cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or by telephone or
facsimile confirmed in writing.
The
documents
required to be delivered by this Section 7 shall be delivered at the office
of
Xxxxx & Lardner LLP, counsel for the Company, at 000 Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx 00000, on the Closing Date, or at such other place as
may
be agreed upon by the Company and the Underwriters.
8. Reimbursement
of Underwriters’ Expenses. If the sale of the Senior Notes
provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the obligations
of the Underwriters set forth in Section 7 hereof is not satisfied, because
of
any termination pursuant to
23
Section
11 hereof
or because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company
to
perform any agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof other than
by
reason of a default by any of the Underwriters, the Company will reimburse
the
Underwriters severally through the Representatives on demand for all
out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel)
that shall have been incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase
and sale of the Senior Notes.
9. Indemnity
and Contribution.
(a)
The Company agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless each Underwriter,
its
partners, directors and officers, and any person who controls any Underwriter
within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act,
and the successors and assigns of all the foregoing persons from and against
any
loss, damage, expense, liability or claim (including the reasonable cost of
investigation) which, jointly or severally, any such Underwriter or person
may
incur under the Act, the Exchange Act, the common law or otherwise, insofar
as
such loss, damage, expense, liability or claim arises out of or is based upon
any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained
in
the Registration Statement (or in the Registration Statement as amended by
any
post-effective amendment thereof by the Company), the Base Prospectus, any
Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Time of Sale
Information or the Final Prospectus, or arises out of or is based upon any
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated
in
such Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus,
any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Time of Sale Information or the Final
Prospectus or necessary to make the statements made therein not misleading,
except insofar as any such loss, damage, expense, liability or claim arises
out
of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in and in conformity with information furnished in
writing by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives to the
Company expressly for use with reference to such Underwriter in such
Registration Statement, Base Prospectus, Preliminary Prospectus, Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus, Time of Sale Information or Final Prospectus or arises
out
of or is based upon any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact
in
connection with such information required to be stated in such Registration
Statement, Base Prospectus, Preliminary Prospectus, Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus, Time of Sale Information or Final Prospectus or necessary to make
such information not misleading.
If
any action, suit
or proceeding (together, a “Proceeding”) is brought against an Underwriter or
any such person in respect of which indemnity may be sought against the Company
pursuant to the foregoing paragraph, such Underwriter or such person shall
promptly notify the Company in writing of the institution of such Proceeding
and
the Company shall assume the defense of such Proceeding, including the
employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory
to
such indemnified party and payment of all fees and expenses, provided, however,
that the failure to so notify the Company (i) shall not relieve the Company
from
any liability which the Company may have to any Underwriter or any such person
under this paragraph (a) unless and to the extent the Company did not otherwise
learn of such Proceeding and such failure results in the forfeiture by the
Company of substantial rights and defenses and (ii) will not, in any event,
relieve the Company from any obligations to any indemnified party other than
the
indemnification obligation provided in this paragraph (a). Such
Underwriter or controlling person shall have the right to employ its or their
own counsel in any such case, but the fees and
24
expenses
of such
counsel shall be at the expense of such Underwriter or such controlling person
unless the employment of such counsel shall have been authorized in writing
by
the Company in connection with the defense of such Proceeding or the Company
shall not have, within a reasonable period of time in light of the
circumstances, employed counsel to have charge of the defense of such Proceeding
or such indemnified party or parties shall have reasonably concluded that there
may be defenses available to it or them which are different from, additional
to
or in competition with those available to the Company (in which case the Company
shall not have the right to direct the defense of such Proceeding on behalf
of
the indemnified party or parties), in any of which events such fees and expenses
shall be borne by the Company and paid as incurred (it being understood,
however, that the Company shall not be liable for the expenses of more than
one
separate counsel (in addition to any local counsel) in any one Proceeding or
series of related Proceedings in the same jurisdiction representing the
indemnified parties who are parties to such Proceeding). The Company
shall not be liable for any settlement of any such claim or Proceeding effected
without its written consent, but if settled with the written consent of the
Company, the Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any Underwriter
and
any such person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such
settlement. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an
indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the
indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second
sentence of this paragraph, then the indemnifying party agrees that it shall
be
liable for any settlement of any Proceeding effected without its written consent
if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 60 business days after receipt
by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying
party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such
request prior to the date of such settlement and (iii) such indemnified party
shall have given the indemnifying party at least 30 days' prior notice of its
intention to settle. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior
written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending
or threatened Proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could
have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such
indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release
of
such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter
of such Proceeding and does not include an admission of fault, culpability
or a
failure to act, by or on behalf of such indemnified party.
(b)
Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the
Company, its directors and officers and any person who controls the Company
within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act,
and the successors and assigns of all the foregoing persons from and against
any
loss, damage, expense, liability or claim (including the reasonable cost of
investigation) which, jointly or severally, the Company or any such person
may
incur under the Act, the Exchange Act, the common law or otherwise, insofar
as
such loss, damage, expense, liability or claim arises out of or is based upon
any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in
and
in conformity with information furnished in writing by or on behalf of such
Underwriter through the Representatives to the Company expressly for use with
reference to such Underwriter in the Registration Statement (or in the
Registration Statement as amended by any post-effective amendment thereof by
the
Company), the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus, any Time of Sale Information or the Final Prospectus, or
arises out of or is based upon any omission or alleged omission to state a
material fact in connection with such information required to be stated in
such
Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus,
25
any
Preliminary
Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Time of Sale Information
or
the Final Prospectus, or necessary to make such information not
misleading.
If
any Proceeding
is brought against the Company or any such person in respect of which indemnity
may be sought against any Underwriter pursuant to the foregoing paragraph,
the
Company or such person shall promptly notify such Underwriter in writing of
the
institution of such Proceeding and such Underwriter shall assume the defense
of
such Proceeding, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory
to
such indemnified party and payment of all fees and expenses; provided, however,
that the failure to so notify such Underwriter (i) shall not relieve such
Underwriter from any liability which such Underwriter may have to the Company
or
any such person under this paragraph (b) unless and to the extent the
Underwriter did not otherwise learn of such Proceeding and such failure results
in the forfeiture by such Underwriter of substantial rights and defenses and
(ii) will not, in any event, relieve such Underwriter from any obligations
to
any indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation provided in
this
paragraph (b). The Company or such person shall have the right to
employ its own counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of such
counsel shall be at the expense of the Company or such person unless the
employment of such counsel shall have been authorized in writing by such
Underwriter in connection with the defense of such Proceeding or such
Underwriter shall not have, within a reasonable period of time in light of
the
circumstances, employed counsel to have charge of the defense of such Proceeding
or 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 or in conflict with those available to such Underwriter (in which case such
Underwriter shall not have the right to direct the defense of such Proceeding
on
behalf of the indemnified party or parties, but such Underwriter may employ
counsel and participate in the defense thereof but the fees and expenses of
such
counsel shall be at the expense of such Underwriter), in any of which events
such fees and expenses shall be borne by such Underwriter and paid as incurred
(it being understood, however, that such Underwriter shall not be liable for
the
expenses of more than one separate counsel in addition to any local counsel
in
any one Proceeding or series of related Proceedings in the same jurisdiction
representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such
Proceeding). Anything in this paragraph to the contrary
notwithstanding, no Underwriter shall be liable for any settlement of any such
Proceeding effected without the written consent of such Underwriter, but if
settled with the written consent of such Underwriter, such Underwriter agrees
to
indemnify and hold harmless the Company and any such person from and against
any
loss or liability by reason of such settlement. Notwithstanding the
foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested
an
indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses
of
counsel as contemplated by the second sentence of this paragraph, then the
indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any
Proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is
entered into more than 60 business days after receipt
by such
indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party
shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request
prior to the date of such settlement and (iii) such indemnified party shall
have
given the indemnifying party at least 30 days' prior notice of its intention
to
settle. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written
consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or
threatened Proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could
have
been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified
party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such
indemnified party from all liability on claims that are
26
the
subject matter
of such Proceeding.
(c)
If the indemnification provided for in this Section 9 is unavailable to an
indemnified party under subsections (a) and (b) of this Section 9 in respect
of
any losses, damages, expenses, liabilities or claims referred to therein, then
each applicable indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified
party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party
as a result of such losses, damages, expenses, liabilities or claims (i) in
such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the
Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering
of the Senior Notes or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above
is
not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect
not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the
relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the
other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such
losses, damages, expenses, liabilities or claims, as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on
the
one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same
respective proportion as the total proceeds from the offering (net of
underwriting discounts and commissions but before deducting expenses) received
by the Company and the underwriting discounts and commissions received by the
Underwriters. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the
Underwriters on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other
things, whether the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact or omission or alleged omission relates to information supplied by the
Company or by the Underwriters and the parties' relative intent, knowledge,
access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement
or
omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses,
claims, damages and liabilities referred to in this subsection shall be deemed
to include any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such
party
in connection with investigating, preparing to defend or defending any
Proceeding.
(d)
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 that does not take account of
the
equitable considerations referred to in subsection (c) above. Notwithstanding
the provisions of this Section 9, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute
any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Senior
Notes underwritten by such Underwriter and distributed to the public were
offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damage which such Underwriter
has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be
entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation. The
Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 9 are several
in proportion to their respective underwriting commitments and not
joint.
(e)
The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 9 and the
covenants, warranties and representations of the Company contained in this
Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation
made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, its partners, directors and officers
or
any person (including each partner, officer or director of such person) who
controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section
20 of the Exchange Act, or by or on behalf of the Company, its
27
directors
and
officers or any person who controls the Company within the meaning of Section
15
of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and shall survive any termination
of this Agreement or the issuance and delivery of the Senior Notes. The Company
and each Underwriter agree promptly to notify each other of the commencement
of
any Proceeding against it and, in the case of the Company, against any of the
Company’s officers or directors, in connection with the issuance and sale of the
Senior Notes or in connection with the Registration Statement, the Base
Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus,
any
Time of Sale Information or the Final Prospectus, whether or not indemnification
is sought in connection with such Proceeding.
10. Default
by an Underwriter.
(a) If
any one or more
Underwriters shall fail to purchase and pay for any of the Senior Notes agreed
to be purchased by such Underwriter or Underwriters hereunder and such failure
to purchase shall constitute a default in the performance of its or their
obligations under this Agreement, subject to Sections 7 and 11, the remaining
Underwriters shall be obligated severally to take up and pay for (in such
respective proportions as the Representatives may designate with the consent
of
each Underwriter so designated or, in the event no such designation is made,
in
such respective proportions that the principal amount of Senior Notes set forth
opposite their names in Schedule II hereto bears to the aggregate principal
amount of Senior Notes set forth opposite the names of all the remaining
Underwriters) the Senior Notes which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters
agreed but failed to purchase; provided, however, that in
the event that the aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes which the
defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase shall
exceed 10% of the aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes set forth in
Schedule II hereto, the remaining Underwriters shall have the right to purchase
all, but shall not be under any obligation to purchase any, of the Senior Notes,
and if such nondefaulting Underwriters (together with substituted Underwriters
selected by the Representatives with the approval of the Company or selected
by
the Company with the approval of the Representatives) do not purchase all the
Senior Notes, this Agreement will terminate without liability to any
nondefaulting Underwriter or the Company. In the event of a default
by any Underwriter as set forth in this Section 10, the Closing Date shall
be
postponed for such period, not exceeding five Business Days, as the
Representatives shall determine in order that the required changes in the
Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus or in any other documents or
arrangements may be effected. Nothing contained in this Agreement
shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the
Company and any nondefaulting Underwriter for damages occasioned by its default
hereunder.
(b) The
term
“Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall refer to and include any
Underwriter substituted under this Section 10 with the like effect as if such
substituted Underwriter had originally been named in
Schedule II.
11. Termination.
(a) This
Agreement
shall be subject to termination in the absolute discretion of the
Representatives, by notice given to the Company prior to delivery of and payment
for the Senior Notes, if at any time prior to such time (i) there has been
any
material adverse and unfavorable change, financial or otherwise (other than
as
disclosed in the
28
Registration
Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus (exclusive of any
supplement thereto)), in the operations, business condition or prospects of
the
Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, which would, in the
Representatives’ judgment or in the judgment of a group of Underwriters who have
agreed to purchase in the aggregate at least 50% of the Senior Notes, make
it
impracticable to market the Senior Notes, (ii) there shall have occurred any
downgrading, or any notice shall have been given of (A) any intended or
potential downgrading or (B) any review or possible change that does not
indicate an improvement, in the rating accorded any securities of or guaranteed
by the Company by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,”
as that term is defined in Rule 436(g)(2), (iii) trading in Integrys’s
common stock shall have been suspended by the Commission or the New York Stock
Exchange or trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange
shall
have been suspended or limited or minimum prices shall have been established
on
such Exchange, (iv) a banking moratorium shall have been declared either by
Federal, New York State or Wisconsin authorities or a material disruption in
clearance or settlement systems in the United States securities markets shall
have occurred, (v) there shall have occurred a material adverse change in the
financial markets the effect of which is to make it impracticable to proceed
with the offering or the delivery of the Senior Notes as contemplated by the
Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement
thereto), or (vi) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of
hostilities, declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war,
act of terrorism or other national or international calamity or crisis the
effect of which on financial markets is such as to make it, in the sole judgment
of the Representatives or the judgment of a group of Underwriters who have
agreed to purchase in the aggregate at least 50% of the Senior Notes impractical
or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Senior Notes
as
contemplated by the Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus (exclusive
of
any supplement thereto).
(b) If
the
Representatives or any group of Underwriters elects to terminate this Agreement
as provided in this Section 11, the Company and each other Underwriter shall
be
notified promptly by means set forth in Section 14.
12. No
Fiduciary Relationship. The Company hereby acknowledges that
the Underwriters are acting solely as underwriters in connection with the
purchase and sale of the Senior Notes. The Company further
acknowledges that the Underwriters are acting pursuant to a contractual
relationship created solely by this Agreement entered into on an arm’s length
basis and in no event do the parties intend that the Underwriters act or be
responsible as a fiduciary to the Company or its management, stockholders or
creditors or any other person in connection with any activity that the
Underwriters may undertake or have undertaken in furtherance of the purchase
and sale
of the Senior Notes, either before or after the date hereof. The
Underwriters hereby expressly disclaim any fiduciary or similar obligations
to
the Company, either in connection with the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement or any matters leading up to such transactions, and the Company hereby
confirms its understanding and agreement to that effect. The Company
and the Underwriters agree that they are each responsible for making their
own
independent judgments with respect to any such transactions. The
Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law,
any
claims that the Company may have against the Underwriters with respect to any
breach or alleged breach of any fiduciary or similar duty to the Company in
connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any matters
leading up to such transactions.
29
13. Representations
and Indemnities to Survive. The respective agreements,
representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Company
or
its officers and of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this
Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation
made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or any of the officers,
directors or controlling persons referred to in Section 9 hereof, and will
survive delivery of and payment for the Senior Notes. The provisions
of Sections 8 and 9 hereof shall survive the termination or cancellation of
this
Agreement.
14. Notices. All
communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt,
and,
if sent to the Representatives, will be mailed or delivered to each of the
Representatives at the addresses or facsimile numbers listed on Schedule I
and,
if faxed, confirmed to the address indicated; or, if sent to the Company, will
be mailed or delivered to Wisconsin Public Service Corporation, 000 Xxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxx, X.X. Xxx 00000, Xxxxx Xxx, Xxxxxxxxx, 00000, Attention: Xxxxxxx X.
Xxxxxxx, Wisconsin Public Service Corporation (fax no.: (000) 000-0000) and,
if
faxed, confirmed to the address indicated above.
15. Successors. This
Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto
and their respective successors and the officers and directors and controlling
persons referred to in Section 9 hereof, and no other person will have any
right
or obligation hereunder.
16. Applicable
Law. This Agreement and any claim, counterclaim or dispute of
any kind or nature whatsoever arising out of or in any way relating to this
Agreement (“Claim”), directly or indirectly, shall be governed by and construed
in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to
contracts made and to be performed within the State of
New York.
17. Counterparts. This
Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall
constitute an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the
same agreement.
18. Headings. The
section headings used herein are for convenience only and shall not affect
the
construction hereof.
19. Definitions. The
terms which follow, when used in this Agreement, shall have the meanings
indicated.
“Act”
shall
mean the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended and the rules and regulations of the Commission
promulgated thereunder.
“Agreement”
shall
mean this
Underwriting Agreement.
“Base
Prospectus” shall mean
the prospectus referred to in paragraph 1(a) above contained in the Registration
Statement at the Effective Date, including any documents incorporated by
reference therein, as provided in the third paragraph of this
Agreement.
30
“Business
Day” shall mean any
day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which
banking institutions or trust companies are authorized or obligated by law
to
close in New York City or Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
“Commission”
shall
mean the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Effective
Date” shall mean (i)
each date and time that the Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment
or amendments thereto and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement became or
become effective, and (ii) date on which information omitted from a Base
Prospectus included in the Registration Statement in reliance on Rule 430B
is
first deemed to be part of and included in the Registration Statement pursuant
to Rule 430B(f).
“Exchange
Act” shall mean the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations
of
the Commission promulgated thereunder.
“Final
Prospectus” shall mean a
prospectus consisting of the prospectus supplement relating to the Senior Notes
that is first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) after the execution of this
Agreement and the Base Prospectus, including any documents incorporated by
reference in such prospectus, as provided in the third paragraph of this
Agreement.
“Preliminary
Prospectus” shall
mean any prospectus consisting of a preliminary prospectus supplement to the
Base Prospectus which describes the Senior Notes and the offering thereof and
the Base Prospectus, including any documents incorporated by reference therein
as provided in the third paragraph of this Agreement, that is used prior to
filing of the Final Prospectus.
“Registration
Statement” shall
mean the registration statement referred to in paragraph 1(a) above,
including exhibits and financial statements, as amended at the Time of Sale
and,
in the event any post-effective amendment thereto or any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement becomes effective after the Time of Sale but prior to
the
Closing Date, shall also mean such registration statement as so amended or
such
Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, as the case may be, and shall include
any documents incorporated by reference therein, as provided in the third
paragraph of this Agreement.
“Rule 134”,
“Rule 158”,
“Rule 405”,
“Rule 415”,
“Rule 424”,
“Rule 430A”,
“Rule 430B”,
“Rule 430C”,
“Rule
433”, “Rule 436” and “Rule 462”
refer
to such
rules under the Act.
“Rule 462(b)
Registration
Statement” shall mean a registration statement and any amendments thereto
filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) relating to the offering covered by the
registration statement referred to in Section 1(a) hereof.
“Trust
Indenture Act” shall
mean the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations
of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
[Signature
Page Follows]
31
If
the foregoing is
in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return
to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this letter and your acceptance
shall represent a binding agreement among the Company and the several
Underwriters.
Very
truly
yours,
WISCONSIN
PUBLIC SERVICE
CORPORATION
By: /s/
Xxxxxxx X.
Xxxxxxx
Name:
Xxxxxxx X.
Xxxxxxx
Title:
Treasurer
The
foregoing
Agreement is
hereby
confirmed
and accepted
as
of the date
specified in
Schedule I
hereto.
UBS
SECURITIES LLC
By: /s/
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
Name:
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Title:
Managing Director
By:
/s/
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxx
Name:
Xxxx
X.
Xxxxxxxxxx
Title:
Associate Director
For
itself and the
other
several
Underwriters
named
in Schedule
II to
the
foregoing
Agreement.
Schedule
I
Underwriting
Agreement dated December 1, 2008
Registration
Statement File No.:
|
333-151119
|
Representatives: Banc
of America Securities, LLC
as
Joint Book-Running
Manager
Xxx
Xxxxxx Xxxx
XX0-000-00-00
Xxx
Xxxx, Xxx
Xxxx 00000
Attention:
High Grade Transaction
Management/Legal
Fax
No.: 000-000-0000
Citigroup
Global Markets Inc.
As
Joint Book-Running
Manager
000
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx, Xxx
Xxxx 00000
Attention:
General Counsel
Fax
No.: 000-000-0000
X.X.
Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
A
Joint Book-Running
Manager
000
Xxxx
Xxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx, Xxx
Xxxx 00000
Attention: High
Grade Syndicate Desk-8th Floor
Fax
No.: 000-000-0000
|
UBS
Securities LLC
|
|
as
Joint Book-Running Manager
|
000
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Fixed
Income Syndicate Department
Fax
No.: 000-000-0000
Title,
Purchase
Price and Description of Senior Notes:
Title:
|
Senior
Notes,
6.375% Series Due December 1, 2015
|
Principal
amount: $125,000,000
Purchase
price
(include
accrued
interest
or
amortization,
if
any),
net
of
underwriting
commission:
$124,218,750
Sinking
fund
provisions: None
Redemption
provisions:
|
The
Senior
Notes will be redeemable at the option of the Company, in whole at
any
time or in part from time to time, at a price equal to the greater
of (i)
100% of their principal amount or (ii) the sum of the present values
of
the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest thereon
(exclusive of interest accrued to the date of redemption) discounted
to
the date of redemption on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360-day
year
consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate as defined
in the
Prospectus Supplement and Supplemental Indenture to the Senior Indenture
for the Senior Notes plus 50 basis points, plus in each case accrued
interest to the date of redemption.
|
Other
provisions:
|
None
other
than those set forth in the Senior Indenture and substantially in
the form
set forth in the Supplemental Indenture to the Senior Indenture
incorporated by reference as Exhibit 4.3 to the Company’s Registration
Statement on Form S-3 (Reg. No. 333-151119).
|
Closing
Date,
Time and Location:
|
December
5,
2008 at 9:00 a.m. at the offices of Xxxxx & Lardner LLP, Milwaukee,
Wisconsin
|
Date
referred to in
Section 5(g) after which the Company may offer or sell debt securities issued
or
guaranteed by the Company without the consent of the
Representatives: December 5, 2008.
Modification
of
items to be covered by the letter from Deloitte & Touche LLP delivered
pursuant to Section 7(e) on the date hereof: None
Schedule
II
Principal Amount of
Underwriters
Senior Notes to
be Purchased
Banc
of America
Securities
LLC
$ 31,250,000
Citigroup
Global
Markets
Inc.
31,250,000
X.X.
Xxxxxx
Securities
Inc.
31,250,000
UBS
Securities
LLC
31,250,000
Total:
$125,000,000
ANNEX
A
Time
of Sale
Information
Final
Term Sheet
relating to the Senior Notes, in the form attached as Annex B.
ANNEX
B
Form
of Term
Sheet
[Wisconsin
Public
Service Corporation logo]
$125,000,000
6.375% Senior Notes Due December 1, 2015
Final
Terms and Conditions
Issuer:
|
|
Issue
Format:
|
SEC
Registered
|
Ratings:
|
Aa3/A+
(Stable/Negative)
|
Note
Type:
|
Fallaway
First Mortgage Bonds
|
Total
Principal Amount:
|
$125,000,000
|
Pricing
Date:
|
December
1,
2008
|
Settlement
Date:
|
December
5,
2008 (T+4)
|
Maturity
Date:
|
December
1,
2015
|
Interest
Payment Dates:
|
Each
June 1
and December 1, commencing on June 1, 2009
|
Reference
Benchmark:
|
UST
4.500%
due November 15, 2015
|
Benchmark
Price:
|
115-30
|
Benchmark
Yield:
|
2.030%
|
Re-offer
Spread:
|
434.5
bps
|
Re-offer
Yield:
|
6.375%
|
Coupon:
|
6.375%
|
Re-offer
/
Issue Price:
|
100.000%
|
Make-Whole
Call:
|
T+50bps
|
Minimum
Denominations:
|
$1,000
x
$1,000
|
Use
of
Proceeds:
|
Pay
costs of
construction or acquisition of utility capital assets; retire short-term
indebtedness for construction, acquisition and other corporate utility
purposes; or other general corporate utility purposes
|
CUSIP:
|
976843
BG6
|
Joint
Bookrunners:
|
Banc
of
America Securities LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., X.X. Xxxxxx
Securities Inc., and UBS Securities LLC
|
The
issuer has
filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the SEC for the
offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you
should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents
the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer
and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting
XXXXX on the SEC’s Website at xxx.xxx.xxx. Alternatively,
the issuer, any underwriter or dealer participating in the offering will arrange
to send you the prospectus if you request it by calling Banc of America
Securities LLC at 1-800-294-1322; Citigroup Global Markets Inc. at
0-000-000-0000; X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc. at 0-000-000-0000; or UBS Securities
LLC at 0-000-000-0000, ext. 561-3884; or through your usual contact at Banc
of
America Securities LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., X.X. Xxxxxx Securities
Inc., or UBS Securities LLC.