Scholastic Corporation
Debt Securities
Underwriting Agreement
-------------------------
........, 19....
[Lead Underwriter]
[Names of Representative(s),]
[c/o Lead Underwriter]
To the Representatives of the
several Underwriters named in the
respective Pricing Agreements
hereinafter described.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
From time to time Scholastic Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), proposes to enter into one or more Pricing Agreements (each a
"Pricing Agreement") in the form of Annex I hereto, with such additions and
deletions as the parties thereto may determine, and, subject to the terms and
conditions stated herein and therein, to issue and sell to the firms named in
Schedule I to the applicable Pricing Agreement (such firms constituting the
"Underwriters" with respect to such Pricing Agreement and the securities
specified therein) certain of its debt securities (the "Securities") specified
in Schedule II to such Pricing Agreement (with respect to such Pricing
Agreement, the "Designated Securities").
The terms and rights of any particular issuance of Designated Securities
shall be as specified in the Pricing Agreement relating thereto and in or
pursuant to the indenture (the "Indenture") identified in such Pricing
Agreement.
1. Particular sales of Designated Securities may be made from time to time
to the Underwriters of such Securities, for whom the firms designated as
representatives of the Underwriters of such Securities in the Pricing Agreement
relating thereto will act as representatives (the "Representatives"). The term
"Representatives" also refers to a single firm acting as sole representative of
the Underwriters and to an Underwriter or Underwriters who act without any firm
being designated as its or their representatives. This Underwriting Agreement
shall not be construed as an obligation of the Company to sell any of the
Securities or as an obligation of any of the Underwriters to purchase the
Securities. The obligation of the Company to issue and sell any of the
Securities and the obligation of any of the Underwriters to purchase any of the
Securities shall be evidenced by the Pricing Agreement with respect to the
Designated Securities specified therein. Each Pricing Agreement shall specify
the aggregate principal amount of such Designated Securities, the initial public
offering price of such Designated Securities, the purchase price to the
Underwriters of such Designated Securities, the names of the Underwriters of
such Designated
Securities, the names of the Representatives of such Underwriters and the
principal amount of such Designated Securities to be purchased by each
Underwriter and shall set forth the date, time and manner of delivery of such
Designated Securities and payment therefor. The Pricing Agreement shall also
specify (to the extent not set forth in the Indenture and the registration
statement and prospectus with respect thereto) the terms of such Designated
Securities. A Pricing Agreement shall be in the form of an executed writing
(which may be in counterparts), and may be evidenced by an exchange of
telegraphic communications or any other rapid transmission device designed to
produce a written record of communications transmitted. The obligations of the
Underwriters under this Agreement and each Pricing Agreement shall be several
and not joint.
2. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the
Underwriters that:
(a) A registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-....) (the
"Initial Registration Statement") in respect of the Securities has been
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission");
such Initial Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment
thereto, each in the form heretofore delivered or to be delivered to
the Representatives and, excluding exhibits to such registration
statement, but including all documents incorporated by reference in the
prospectus contained in the such registration statement, to the
Representatives for each of the other Underwriters, have been declared
effective by the Commission in such form; other than a registration
statement, if any, increasing the size of the offering (a "Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement"), filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), which became effective
upon filing, no other document with respect to such registration
statement or document incorporated by reference therein has heretofore
been filed or transmitted for filing with the Commission (other than
prospectuses filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the rules and regulations
of the Commission under the Act, each in the form heretofore delivered
to the Representatives); and no stop order suspending the effectiveness
of any such Initial Registration Statement, any post-effective
amendments thereto or the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any,
has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated
or threatened by the Commission (any preliminary prospectus included in
such Initial Registration Statements or filed with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Act excluding any documents or
portions of such documents which are deemed under the rules and
regulations of the Commission under the Act, not to be incorporated by
reference, is hereinafter called a "Preliminary Prospectus"; the
various parts of such Initial Registration Statement and the Rule
462(b) Registration Statement, if any, including all exhibits thereto
and the documents incorporated by reference in the prospectus contained
in the registration statement at the time such part of the registration
statement became effective but excluding Form T-1, each as amended at
the time such part of the registration statement became effective or
such part of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, became or
hereafter becomes effective, are hereinafter collectively called the
"Registration Statement"; the prospectus relating to the Securities, in
the form in which it has most recently been filed, or transmitted for
filing, with the Commission on or prior to the date of this Agreement,
being hereinafter called the "Prospectus"; any reference herein to any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to
and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to
the applicable form under the Act, as of the date of such Preliminary
Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be; any reference to any
amendment or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus
shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after the
date of such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be,
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
Act"), and incorporated by reference in such Preliminary Prospectus or
Prospectus, as the case may be; any reference to any amendment to the
Initial Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to and include
any annual report of the Company filed pursuant to Sections 13(a) or
15(d) of the Exchange Act after the effective date of the Initial
Registration Statement that is incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement; and any reference to the Prospectus as amended
or supplemented shall be deemed to refer to the Prospectus as amended
or supplemented in relation to the applicable Designated Securities in
the form first filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under
the Act in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof, including any
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documents incorporated by reference therein as of the date of such
filing);
(b) The documents incorporated by reference in the 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
Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations
of the Commission thereunder, and none of such documents contained an
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading; and any further documents so filed and
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or any further amendment or
supplement thereto, 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 the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder
and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that
this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or
omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished in writing to the Company by an Underwriter of Designated
Securities through the Representatives expressly for use in the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating to such Securities;
(c) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus conform, and any
further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus will conform, in all material respects to the requirements
of the Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "Trust
Indenture Act") and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder and do not and will not, as of the applicable effective date
as to the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto and as of
the applicable filing date as to the Prospectus and any amendment or
supplement thereto, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein, in the case of the
Registration Statement, not misleading, or, in the case of the
Prospectus, in light of the circumstances in which they were made, not
misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty
shall not apply to (i) that part of the Registration Statement which
shall constitute a Trustee's Statement of Eligibility (Form T-1) under
the Trust Indenture Act and (ii) any statements or omissions made in
reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing
to the Company by an Underwriter of Designated Securities through the
Representatives expressly for use in the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented relating to such Securities;
(d) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained
since the date of the latest audited consolidated financial statements
of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus
any material loss or interference with its business from fire,
explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by
insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action,
order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the
Prospectus; and, since the respective dates as of which information is
given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there has not
been any change in the capital stock (other than upon the exercise of
options pursuant to the Company's employee and director stock option
plans or the exercise of conversion rights pursuant to any convertible
debt instrument issued by the Company) or long-term debt of the Company
or any of its subsidiaries or any material adverse change, or any
development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or
affecting the general affairs, management, financial position,
stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries taken as a whole, otherwise than as set forth or
contemplated in the Prospectus;
(e) Each of the Company and its material subsidiaries listed on
Schedule III hereto (the "Material Subsidiaries") has been duly
incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing
under the laws of the State of Delaware, with power and authority
(corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as
described in the Prospectus;
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(f) Each of the Company and its Material Subsidiaries has an
authorized capitalization as set forth in the Prospectus, and all of
the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and
validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable;
(g) The Securities have been duly authorized, and, when Designated
Securities are issued and delivered pursuant to this Agreement, the
Indenture and the Pricing Agreement with respect to such Designated
Securities, such Designated Securities will have been duly executed,
authenticated, issued and delivered and when delivered to and paid for
by the Underwriters pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and the
Pricing Agreement, will constitute valid and legally binding
obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits provided by the
Indenture, which will be substantially in the form filed as an exhibit
to the Registration Statement; the Indenture has been duly authorized
and duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and, at the Time of
Delivery for such Designated Securities (as defined in Section 4
hereof), the Indenture will constitute a valid and legally binding
instrument, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, as to
enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and other laws
of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors' rights and
to general equity principles; and the Indenture conforms, and the
Designated Securities will conform, to the descriptions thereof
contained in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented with respect to
such Designated Securities;
(h) The issue and sale of the Securities and the compliance by the
Company with all of the provisions of the Securities, the Indenture,
this Agreement and any Pricing Agreement, and the consummation of the
transactions herein and therein contemplated will not conflict with or
result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of,
or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust,
loan agreement or other agreement or instrument (after giving effect to
any amendment or waiver of the terms thereof) to which the Company or
any of its Material Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or
any of its Material Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the
property or assets of the Company or any of its Material Subsidiaries
is subject, except for such breaches or violations that will not have a
material adverse effect on the current or future financial position,
stockholders equity or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries taken as a whole, nor will such action result in any
violation of the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or
By-laws of the Company or any statute or to the best knowledge of the
Company, after reasonable investigation, any order, rule or regulation
of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over
the Company or any of its Material Subsidiaries or any of their
properties; and to the best knowledge of the Company, after reasonable
investigation, no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration
or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or
body is required for the issue and sale of the Securities or the
consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement or any Pricing Agreement or the Indenture, except such as
have been, or will have been prior to the Time of Delivery, obtained
under the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and such consents, approvals,
authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required
under state or foreign securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with
the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters;
(i) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the captions
"Description of Debt Securities" and "Description of [Notes]
[Debentures]", insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the
terms of the Securities, and under the captions "Plan of Distribution"
and "Underwriting", insofar as they purport to describe the provisions
of the laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate, complete
and fair in all material respects;
(j) Neither the Company nor any of its Material Subsidiaries is in
(i) violation of its Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws or (ii) in
default in the performance or observance of any material obligation,
agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage,
deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument
to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be
bound, except in the case of (ii), for such breaches or violations that
will not have a material adverse effect on the current or
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future financial position, stockholders equity or results of operations
of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole;
(k) Other than as set forth in the Prospectus, there are no legal
or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its
Material Subsidiaries is a party or of which any property of the
Company or any of its Material Subsidiaries is the subject which, if
determined adversely to the Company or any of its Material
Subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a material
adverse effect on the current or future consolidated financial
position, stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company
and its Material Subsidiaries taken as a whole; and, to the best of the
Company's knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated
by governmental authorities or threatened by others;
(l) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and
sale of the Securities, will not be an "investment company" or an
entity "controlled" by an "investment company", as such terms are
defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the
"Investment Company Act") required to be registered under the
Investment Company Act;
(m) Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates does business
with the government of Cuba or with any person or affiliate located in
Cuba within the meaning of Section 517.075, Florida Statutes;
(n) Ernst & Young LLP, who have certified certain financial
statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, are independent public
accountants as required by the Act and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder; and
(o) The Company and its Material Subsidiaries own and have fully
sufficient right to use all trademarks, service marks, trade names,
copyrights and similar rights used in the business conducted or
proposed to be conducted by them as described in the Prospectus, except
such rights as are not, individually or in the aggregate, materially
important to the business conducted or proposed to be conducted by them
as described in the Prospectus, and neither the Company nor any of its
Material Subsidiaries has received any notice of infringement of or
conflict with (or knows of any such infringement of or conflict with)
asserted rights of others with respect to such trademarks, service
marks, trade names, copyrights or similar rights, other than such
infringements or conflicts that would not, individually or in the
aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the business conducted or
proposed to be conducted by the Company and its Material Subsidiaries
as described in the Prospectus.
3. Upon the execution of the Pricing Agreement applicable to any
Designated Securities and authorization by the Representatives of the release of
such Designated Securities, the several Underwriters propose to offer such
Designated Securities for sale upon the terms and conditions set forth in the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented.
4. Designated Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter pursuant to
the Pricing Agreement relating thereto, in the form specified in such Pricing
Agreement, and in such authorized denominations and registered in such names as
the Representatives may request upon at least forty-eight hours' prior notice to
the Company, shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company to the
Representatives for the account of such Underwriter, against payment by such
Underwriter or on its behalf of the purchase price therefor to the Company in
immediately available funds, all in the manner and at the place and time and
date specified in such Pricing Agreement or at such other place and time and
date as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing, such time
and date being herein called the "Time of Delivery" for such Securities.
5. The Company agrees with each of the Underwriters of any Designated
Securities:
(a) To prepare the Prospectus as amended or supplemented in
relation to the applicable Designated Securities in a form approved by
the Representatives and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b)
under
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the Act not later than the Commission's close of business on the
second business day following the execution and delivery of the Pricing
Agreement relating to the applicable Designated Securities or, if
applicable, such earlier time as may be required by Rule 424(b); to
make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration
Statement or Prospectus as amended or supplemented after the date of
the Pricing Agreement relating to such Securities and prior to the Time
of Delivery for such Securities which shall be disapproved by the
Representatives for such Securities promptly after reasonable notice
thereof; to advise the Representatives promptly of any such amendment
or supplement after such Time of Delivery and furnish the
Representatives with copies thereof; if the Company elects to rely upon
Rule 462(b), the Company shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement with the Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) by 10:00
P.M., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement, and the
Company shall at the time of filing either pay to the Commission the
filing fee for the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or give
irrevocable instructions for the payment of such fee pursuant to Rule
111(b) under the Act; to file promptly all reports and any definitive
proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company
with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of
the Exchange Act for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is
required in connection with the offering or sale of such Securities,
and during such same period to advise the Representatives, promptly
after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to the
Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any
supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus has been filed
with the Commission, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop
order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any
prospectus relating to the Securities, of the suspension of the
qualification of such Securities for offering or sale in any
jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for
any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending
or supplementing of the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for
additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any such
stop order or of any such order preventing or suspending the use of any
prospectus relating to the Securities or suspending any such
qualification, to promptly use its best efforts to obtain the
withdrawal of such order;
(b) Promptly from time to time to take such action as the
Representatives may reasonably request to qualify such Securities for
offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as
the Representatives may request and to comply with such laws so as to
permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such
jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the
distribution of such Securities, provided that in connection therewith
the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation
or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction;
(c) Prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the New York
Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and from time
to time, to furnish the Underwriters with copies of the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented in New York City in such quantities as the
Representatives may from time to time reasonably request, and, if the
delivery of a prospectus is required at any time in connection with the
offering or sale of the Securities and if at such time any event shall
have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or
supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for
any other reason it shall be necessary during such same period to amend
or supplement the Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any
document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in order to comply
with the Act, the Exchange Act or the Trust Indenture Act, to notify
the Representatives and upon their request to file such document and to
prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to any
dealer in securities as many copies as the Representatives may from
time to time reasonably request of an amended Prospectus or a
supplement to the Prospectus which will correct such statement or
omission or effect such compliance;
(d) To make generally available to its securityholders as soon as
practicable, but in any event not later
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than eighteen months after the effective date of the Registration
Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) under the Act), an earnings
statement of the Company and its subsidiaries (which need not be
audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder (including, at the option of
the Company, Rule 158); and
(e) During the period beginning from the date of the Pricing
Agreement for such Designated Securities and continuing to and
including the later of (i) the termination of trading restrictions for
such Designated Securities, as notified to the Company by the
Representatives and (ii) the Time of Delivery for such Designated
Securities, not to offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose
of any debt securities of the Company which mature more than one year
after such Time of Delivery and which are substantially similar to such
Designated Securities, without the prior written consent of the
Representatives;
6. The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that the
Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees, disbursements
and expenses of the Company's counsel and accountants in connection with the
registration of the Securities under the Act and all other expenses in
connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration
Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and amendments and
supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the
Underwriters and dealers; (ii) the cost of printing or producing any Agreement
among Underwriters, this Agreement, any Pricing Agreement, any Indenture, any
Blue Sky and Legal Investment Memoranda, closing documents (including any
compilations thereof) and any other documents in connection with the offering,
purchase, sale and delivery of the Securities; (iii) all expenses in connection
with the qualification of the Securities for offering and sale under state
securities laws as provided in Section 5(b) hereof, including the fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such
qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky and Legal Investment Surveys;
(iv) any fees charged by securities rating services for rating the Securities;
(v) any filing fees incident to, and the fees and disbursements of counsel for
the Underwriters in connection with, any required review by the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. of the terms of the sale of the
Securities; (vi) the cost of preparing the Securities; (vii) the fees and
expenses of any Trustee and any agent of any Trustee and the fees and
disbursements of counsel for any Trustee in connection with any Indenture and
the Securities; and (viii) all other costs and expenses incident to the
performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically
provided for in this Section. It is understood, however, that, except as
provided in this Section, and Sections 8 and 11 hereof, the Underwriters will
pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees of their counsel,
transfer taxes on resale of any of the Securities by them, and any advertising
expenses connected with any offers they may make.
7. The obligations of the Underwriters of any Designated Securities under
the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Securities shall be subject,
in the discretion of the Representatives, to the condition that all
representations and warranties and other statements of the Company in or
incorporated by reference in the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated
Securities are, at and as of the Time of Delivery for such Designated
Securities, true and correct, the condition that the Company shall have
performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the
following additional conditions:
(a) The Prospectus as amended or supplemented in relation to the
applicable Designated Securities shall have been filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) within the applicable time period
prescribed for such filing by the rules and regulations under the Act
and in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof; if the Company has elected
to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall
have become effective by 10:00 p.m., Washington, D.C. time, on the date
of this Agreement. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and
no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened
by the Commission; and all requests for additional information on the
part of the Commission shall have been complied with to the
Representatives' reasonable satisfaction;
(b) ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, counsel for the Underwriters, shall have
furnished to the Representatives such
7
opinion or opinions dated such Time of Delivery, with respect to the
incorporation of the Company, the validity of the Indenture, the
Securities, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and such other
related matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, and
such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they
may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters;
(c) Coudert Brothers, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished
to the Representatives, their written opinion or opinions (a draft of
each such opinion is attached as Annex II(a) hereto) dated the Time of
Delivery for such Designated Securities, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect that:
(i) Each of the Company and its material domestic
subsidiaries listed on Schedule III hereto (the "Material
Domestic Subsidiaries") has been duly incorporated and is
validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the
laws of the State of Delaware; and all of the issued shares of
capital stock of each such subsidiary have been duly and
validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and
non-assessable, and (except for directors' qualifying shares
and except as otherwise set forth in the Prospectus) are owned
directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all
liens, encumbrances, equities or claims (such counsel being
entitled to rely in respect of the opinion in this clause upon
opinions of local counsel and in respect of matters of fact
upon certificates of officers of the Company or its
subsidiaries, provided that such counsel shall state that they
believe that both the Representatives and they are justified
in relying upon such opinions and certificates to the same
extent as such counsel);
(ii) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set
forth in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented (giving
effect to the assumptions set forth therein) and all of the
issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly
and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and
non-assessable;
(iii) To the best of such counsel's knowledge and other
than as set forth in the Prospectus, there are no legal or
governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any
of its Material Domestic Subsidiaries is a party or of which
any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the
subject which, if determined adversely to the Company or any
of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate
have a material adverse effect on the current or future
consolidated financial position, stockholders' equity or
results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries;
and, to the best of such counsel's knowledge, no such
proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental
authorities or threatened by others;
(iv) This Agreement and the Pricing Agreement with respect
to the Designated Securities have been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by the Company;
(v) ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇. is the registered owner of the
trademark "Scholastic"; to the best of such counsel's
knowledge neither the Company nor any of its Material Domestic
Subsidiaries has received any notice of infringement of or
conflict with (or knows of any such infringement of or
conflict with) asserted rights of others with respect to such
trademark;
(vi) The Designated Securities have been duly authorized,
executed, authenticated, issued and delivered by the Company
and constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the
Company entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture;
and the Designated Securities and the Indenture conform to the
descriptions thereof in the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented;
(vii) The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the parties thereto and constitutes a valid and
legally binding instrument, enforceable in accordance with its
terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization and other laws of general applicability
relating
8
to or affecting creditors' rights and to general
equity principles; and the Indenture has been duly qualified
under the Trust Indenture Act;
(viii) The issue and sale of the Designated Securities and
the compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of
the Designated Securities, the Indenture, this Agreement and
the Pricing Agreement with respect to the Designated
Securities and the consummation of the transactions herein and
therein contemplated will not conflict with or result in a
breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or
constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of
trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument (after
giving effect to any amendment or waiver of the terms thereof)
known to such counsel to which the Company is a party or by
which the Company is bound or to which any of the property or
assets of the Company is subject, except for such breaches or
violations that will not have a material adverse effect on the
current or future financial position, stockholders equity or
results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries
taken as a whole, nor will such actions result in any
violation of the provisions of the Certificate of
Incorporation or By-laws of the Company or any statute or to
the best knowledge of the Company, after reasonable
investigation, any order, rule or regulation known to such
counsel of any court or governmental agency or body having
jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties;
(ix) No consent, approval, authorization, order,
registration or qualification of or with any such court or
governmental agency or body is required to be obtained or made
under the Federal laws of the United States of America, the
laws of the State of New York or the General Corporation Law
of the State of Delaware for the issue and sale of the
Designated Securities or the consummation by the Company of
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or such
Pricing Agreement or the Indenture, except such as have been
obtained under the Act or the Exchange Act, or the rules and
regulations thereunder, or the by-laws and rules of the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., and the
Trust Indenture Act and such consents, approvals,
authorizations, orders, registrations or qualifications as may
be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in
connection with the purchase and distribution of the
Designated Securities by the Underwriters;
(x) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i)
in violation of its By-laws or Certificate of Incorporation or
(ii) in default in the performance or observance of any
material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition
contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, loan
agreement, note, lease or other instrument (after giving
effect to any amendment or waiver of the terms thereof) to
which the Company or any of its Material Subsidiaries is a
party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound,
except, in the case of (ii) for such breaches or violations
that will not have a material adverse effect on the current or
future financial position, stockholders equity or results of
operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a
whole;
(xi) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the
captions "Description of Debt Securities", and Description of
[Notes] [Debentures]" insofar as they purport to constitute a
summary of the terms of the Stock[, under the caption
["Taxation"],] insofar as they purport to describe the
provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, are
accurate, complete and fair in all material respects;
(xii) The Company is not an "investment company" or an
entity "controlled" by an "investment company", as such terms
are defined in the Investment Company Act required to be
registered as such;
(xiii) The documents incorporated by reference in the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented (other than the
financial statements and related schedules therein, as to
which such counsel need express no opinion), when they became
effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may
9
be, complied as to form in all material respects with the
requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable,
and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder;
and such counsel has no reason to believe that any of such
documents, when they became effective or were so filed, as
the case may be, contained, in the case of a registration
statement which became effective under the Act, an untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, or, in the case of other
documents which were filed under the Act or the Exchange Act
with the Commission, an untrue statement of a material fact
or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to
make the statements therein, not misleading; and
(xiv)The Registration Statement and the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented and any further amendments and
supplements thereto made by the Company prior to the Time of
Delivery for the Designated Securities (other than the
financial statements and related schedules therein, as to
which such counsel need express no opinion) comply as to form
in all material respects with the requirements of the Act and
the Trust Indenture Act and the rules and regulations
thereunder; although they do not assume any responsibility for
the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements
contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus,
except for those referred to in the opinion in subsection (xi)
of this Section 7(c), and in giving its opinion required by
this Section 7(c), such counsel shall additionally state that
nothing has come to its attention to lead it to believe that,
as of its effective date, the Registration Statement or any
further amendment thereto made by the Company prior to the
Time of Delivery (other than the financial statements and
related schedules therein, as to which such counsel need
express no opinion) contained an untrue statement of a
material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading or that, as of its date, the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented or any further amendment or supplement
thereto made by the Company prior to the Time of Delivery
(other than the financial statements and related schedules
therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion)
contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading or that, as of the Time of Delivery, either the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented or any further amendment or supplement thereto
made by the Company prior to the Time of Delivery (other than
the financial statements and related schedules therein, as to
which such counsel need express no opinion) contains an untrue
statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; and
they do not know of any amendment to the Registration
Statement required to be filed or any contracts or other
documents of a character required to be filed as an exhibit to
the Registration Statement or required to be incorporated by
reference into the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or
required to be described in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented which are not filed or
incorporated by reference or described as required;
In giving its opinion required by this Section 7(c),
such counsel may state that such opinion described above is
limited to the Federal laws of the United States of America,
the laws of the States of New York and California and the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
(d) At 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Business day
preceding the date of the Pricing Agreement for such Designated
Securities and at the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities,
Ernst & Young LLP, who have certified the financial statements of the
Company and its subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in
the Registration Statement shall have furnished to the Representatives
a letter, dated the effective date of the Registration Statement or the
date of the most recent report filed with the Commission containing
financial statements and incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement, if the date of such
10
report is later than such effective date, and a letter dated such Time
of Delivery, respectively, to the effect set forth in Annex II hereto,
and with respect to such letter dated such Time of Delivery, as to
such other matters as the Representatives may reasonably request and
in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives;
(e) (i) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall have
sustained since the date of the latest audited consolidated financial
statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the
Prospectus as amended prior to the date of the Pricing Agreement
relating to the Designated Securities any loss or interference with its
business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not
covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or
governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or
contemplated in the Prospectus as amended prior to the date of the
Pricing Agreement relating to the Designated Securities, and (ii) since
the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus
as amended prior to the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the
Designated Securities there shall not have been any change in the
capital stock (other than upon the exercise of options pursuant to the
Company's employee and director stock option plans) or long-term debt
of the Company or any of its Material Subsidiaries or any change, or
any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the
general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders' equity
or results of operations of the Company and its Material Subsidiaries,
otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus as
amended prior to the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the
Designated Securities, the effect of which, in any such case described
in Clause (i) or (ii), is in the judgment of the Representatives so
material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to
proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Designated
Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the
Prospectus as first amended or supplemented relating to the Designated
Securities;
(f) On or after the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the
Designated Securities (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the
rating accorded the Company's debt securities or preferred stock by any
"nationally recognized statistical rating organization", as that term
is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the
Act, and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that
it has under surveillance or review, with possible negative
implications, its rating of any of the Company's debt securities or
preferred stock;
(g) On or after the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the
Designated Securities there shall not have occurred any of the
following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in
securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange or on NASDAQ;(ii) a
suspension or material limitation in trading in the Company's
securities on NASDAQ; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking
activities declared by either Federal or New York State authorities; or
(iv) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the United
States or the declaration by the United States of a national emergency
or war, or (v) a change in national or international political,
financial, or economic conditions or currency exchange rates or
controls if the effect of any such event specified in clauses (iv) or
(v) in the judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or
inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the
Designated Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in
the Prospectus as first amended or supplemented relating to the
Designated Securities;
(h) The Company shall have complied with the provisions of Section
5(c) hereof with respect to the furnishing of Prospectuses on the New
York Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement; and,
(i) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to
the Representatives at the Time of Delivery for the Designated
Securities a certificate or certificates of officers of the Company
satisfactory to the Representatives as to the accuracy of the
representations and warranties of the Company herein at and as of such
Time of Delivery, as to the performance by the Company of all of its
obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to such Time of
Delivery, as to the matters set forth in subsections (a) and (e) of
this Section and as to such other matters as the Representatives may
reasonably request;
11
8. (a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which
such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out
of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary
prospectus supplement, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented and any other prospectus relating to the Securities, or any
amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission
or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will
periodically reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection with investigating or
defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred; provided,
however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent
that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission
made in any Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus supplement, the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and any other
prospectus relating to the Securities, or any such amendment or supplement in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company by any Underwriter of Designated Securities through [Lead Underwriter]
expressly for use in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating to such
Securities.
(b) Each Underwriter will indemnify and hold harmless the Company against
any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may become
subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any
Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus supplement, the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and any other prospectus
relating to the Securities, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out
of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that
such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission was made in any Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus
supplement, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented and any other prospectus relating to the Securities, or any such
amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the
Representatives expressly for use therein; and will reimburse the Company for
any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection
with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are
incurred.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or
(b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party
shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying
party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the
commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall
not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party
otherwise than under such subsection. In case any such action shall be brought
against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the
commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate
therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other
indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with
counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the
consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and,
after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its
election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be
liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses of
other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such
indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable
costs of investigation. Each indemnified party will cooperate fully with respect
to all aspects of any matter to which indemnification is being sought. No
indemnifying party shall, without the written consent of the indemnified party,
effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment
with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which
indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the
indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such action or claim)
unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional
release of the
12
indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action or claim and
(ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or
a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party. An indemnifying
party shall not be required to indemnify an indemnified party for the amount
paid or payable by the indemnified party in the settlement of any claim, action,
proceeding or investigation undertaken without the prior written consent of the
indemnifying party, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is unavailable to
or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or
(b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions
in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall
contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result
of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof)
in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received
by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters of the Designated Securities
on the other from the offering of the Designated Securities to which such loss,
claim, damage or liability (or action in respect thereof) relates. If, however,
the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted
by applicable law or if the indemnified party failed to give the notice required
under subsection (c) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to
such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative
fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters of the Designated
Securities on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which
resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect
thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative
benefits received by the Company on the one hand and such Underwriters on the
other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds
from such offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to
the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriters.
The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things,
whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information
supplied by the Company on the one hand or such Underwriters on the other and
the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity
to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the
Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution
pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if
the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other
method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations
referred to above in this subsection (d). The amount paid or payable by an
indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (d) shall be
deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such
indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action
or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no Underwriter
shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the
total price at which the applicable Designated Securities underwritten by it and
distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any
damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of
such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No
person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section
11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The obligations of the Underwriters
of Designated Securities in this subsection (d) to contribute are several in
proportion to their respective underwriting obligations with respect to such
Securities and not joint.
(e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 8 shall be in
addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend,
upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls any
Underwriter within the meaning of the Act; and the obligations of the
Underwriters under this Section 8 shall be in addition to any liability which
the respective Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same
terms and conditions, to each officer and director of the Company and to each
person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act.
9. (a) If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase the
Designated Securities which it has agreed to purchase under the Pricing
Agreement relating to such Designated Securities, the Representatives may in
their
13
discretion arrange for themselves or another party or other parties to purchase
such Designated Securities on the terms contained herein. If within thirty-six
hours after such default by any Underwriter the Representatives do not arrange
for the purchase of such Designated Securities, then the Company shall be
entitled to a further period of thirty-six hours within which to procure another
party or other parties satisfactory to the Representatives to purchase such
Designated Securities on such terms. In the event that, within the respective
prescribed period, the Representatives notify the Company that they have so
arranged for the purchase of such Designated Securities, or the Company notifies
the Representatives that it has so arranged for the purchase of such Designated
Securities, the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone
the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities for a period of not more
than seven days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made
necessary in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented, or in any other documents or arrangements, and the Company agrees
to file promptly any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus which in the opinion of the Representatives may thereby be made
necessary. The term "Underwriter" as used in this Agreement shall include any
person substituted under this Section with like effect as if such person had
originally been a party to the Pricing Agreement with respect to such Designated
Securities.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the
Designated Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the
Representatives and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the
aggregate principal amount of such Designated Securities which remains
unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of
the Designated Securities, then the Company shall have the right to require each
non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the principal amount of Designated
Securities which such Underwriter agreed to purchase under the Pricing Agreement
relating to such Designated Securities and, in addition, to require each
non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase its pro rata share (based on the
principal amount of Designated Securities which such Underwriter agreed to
purchase under such Pricing Agreement) of the Designated Securities of such
defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been
made; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability
for its default.
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the
Designated Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the
Representatives and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the
aggregate principal amount of Designated Securities which remains unpurchased
exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of the Designated
Securities, as referred to in subsection (b) above, or if the Company shall not
exercise the right described in subsection (b) above to require non-defaulting
Underwriters to purchase Designated Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters, then the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Securities
shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of any non-defaulting
Underwriter or the Company, except for the expenses to be borne by the Company
and the Underwriters as provided in Section 6 hereof and the indemnity and
contribution agreements in Section 8 hereof; but nothing herein shall relieve a
defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
10. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and
other statements of the Company and the several Underwriters, as set forth in
this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this
Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any
investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf
of any Underwriter or any controlling person of any Underwriter, or the Company,
or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, and shall
survive delivery of and payment for the Securities.
11. If any Pricing Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 9
hereof, the Company shall not then be under any liability to any Underwriter
with respect to the Designated Securities covered by such Pricing Agreement
except as provided in Sections 6 and 8 hereof; but, if for any other reason
Designated Securities are not delivered by or on behalf of the Company as
provided herein, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters through the
Representatives for all out-of-pocket expenses approved in writing by the
Representatives, including fees, disbursements and expenses of counsel,
reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in making preparations for the purchase,
sale and delivery of such Designated Securities, not so delivered, but the
Company shall then be under no further liability to any Underwriter
14
with respect to such Designated Securities except as provided in Sections 6 and
8 hereof.
12. In all dealings hereunder, the Representatives of the Underwriters of
Designated Securities shall act on behalf of each of such Underwriters, and the
parties hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any statement, request,
notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or given by such
Representatives jointly or by such of the Representatives, if any, as may be
designated for such purpose in the Pricing Agreement.
All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in
writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or
facsimile transmission to the address of the Representatives as set forth in the
Pricing Agreement; and if to the Company shall be delivered or sent by mail,
telex or facsimile transmission to the address of the Company set forth in the
Registration Statement: Attention: Secretary; provided, however, that any notice
to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 8(c) hereof shall be delivered or sent by
mail, telex or facsimile transmission to such Underwriter at [address of
Representative(s)] which address will be supplied to the Company by the
Representatives upon request. Any such statements, requests, notices or
agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof.
13. This Agreement and each Pricing Agreement shall be binding upon, and
inure solely to the benefit of, the Underwriters, the Company and, to the extent
provided in Sections 8 and 10 hereof, the officers and directors of the Company
and each person who controls the Company or any Underwriter, and their
respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no
other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this
Agreement or any such Pricing Agreement. No purchaser of any of the Securities
from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of
such purchase.
14. Time shall be of the essence of each Pricing Agreement. As used
herein, "business day" shall mean any day when the Commission's office in
Washington, D.C. is open for business.
15. This Agreement and each Pricing Agreement shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
16. This Agreement and each Pricing Agreement may be executed by any one or
more of the parties hereto and thereto in any number of counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such respective counterparts
shall together constitute one and the same instrument.
15
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and
return to us one for the Company and for each of the Representatives plus one
for each counsel counterparts hereof.
Very truly yours,
Scholastic Corporation
By: .....................................
Name:
Title:
[Accepted as of the date hereof:
[Name of Lead Underwriter]
[Name(s) of Representative(s)]]
[By:].....................................................
(Name of Lead Underwriter]
[[Name(s) of Co-Representative Corporation(s)]
By: ......................................................
Name:
Title:
.....................................................
[(Name(s) of Co-Representative
Partnership(s)]
16
ANNEX I
Pricing Agreement
[Name of Lead Underwriter]
[Names of Co-Representative(s)]
As Representatives of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto,
[Name of Lead Underwriter]
, 19..
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Scholastic Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), proposes,
subject to the terms and conditions stated herein and in the Underwriting
Agreement, dated . . . . . . . . . . . ., 19 . . (the "Underwriting Agreement"),
[between the Company on the one hand and [(the Representatives named therein)]
on the other hand], to issue and sell to the Underwriters named in Schedule I
hereto (the "Underwriters") the Securities specified in Schedule II hereto (the
"Designated Securities"). Each of the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement
is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and shall be deemed to be a
part of this Agreement to the same extent as if such provisions had been set
forth in full herein; and each of the representations and warranties set forth
therein shall be deemed to have been made at and as of the date of this Pricing
Agreement, except that each representation and warranty which refers to the
Prospectus in Section 2 of the Underwriting Agreement shall be deemed to be a
representation or warranty as of the date of the Underwriting Agreement in
relation to the Prospectus (as therein defined), and also a representation and
warranty as of the date of this Pricing Agreement in relation to the Prospectus
as amended or supplemented relating to the Designated Securities which are the
subject of this Pricing Agreement. Each reference to the Representatives herein
and in the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement so incorporated by reference
shall be deemed to refer to you. Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined
in the Underwriting Agreement are used herein as therein defined. The
Representatives designated to act on behalf of the Representatives and on behalf
of each of the Underwriters of the Designated Securities pursuant to Section 12
of the Underwriting Agreement and the address of the Representatives referred to
in such Section 12 are set forth at the end of Schedule II hereto.
An amendment to the Registration Statement, or a supplement to the
Prospectus, as the case may be, relating to the Designated Securities, in the
form heretofore delivered to you is now proposed to be filed with the
Commission.
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the
Underwriting Agreement incorporated herein by reference, the Company agrees to
issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees,
severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the time and place
and at the purchase price to the Underwriters set forth in Schedule II hereto,
the principal amount of Designated Securities set forth opposite the name of
such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and
return to us ________________________________________________________
counterparts hereof, and upon acceptance hereof by you, on behalf of each of the
Underwriters, this letter and such acceptance hereof, including the provisions
of the Underwriting Agreement incorporated herein by reference, shall constitute
a binding agreement between each of the
Underwriters and the Company. It is understood that your acceptance of this
letter on behalf of each of the Underwriters is or will be pursuant to the
authority set forth in a form of Agreement among Underwriters, the form of which
shall be submitted to the Company for examination upon request, but without
warranty on the part of the Representatives as to the authority of the signers
thereof.
Very truly yours,
Scholastic Corporation
By: .....................................
Name:
Title:
Accepted as of the date hereof:
[Name of Lead Underwriter]
[Name(s) of Co-Representative(s)]
[By:]....................................................
(Name of Lead Underwriter)
[[Name(s) of Co-Representative Corporation(s)]
By:......................................................
Name:
Title:
....................................................
[(Name(s) of Co-Representative
Partnership(s))]
On behalf of each of the Underwriters
2
SCHEDULE I
Principal
Amount of
Designated
Securities
to be
Underwriter Purchased
----------- ----------
[Lead Underwriter] $
[Name(s) of Representative(s)]
[Names of other Underwriters]
Total $
3
SCHEDULE II
Title of Designated Securities:
[ %] [Floating Rate] [Zero Coupon] [Notes]
[Debentures] due ,
Aggregate principal amount:
[$]
Price to Public:
% of the principal amount of the Designated Securities, plus accrued
interest[, if any,] from to [and accrued amortization[, if any,] from
to ]
Purchase Price by Underwriters:
% of the principal amount of the Designated Securities, plus
accrued interest from to [and accrued amortization[, if any,]
from to ]
Form of Designated Securities:
[Definitive form to be made available for checking and packaging at least
twenty-four hours prior to the Time of Delivery at the office of [The
Depository Trust Company or its designated custodian] [the
Representatives]]
[Book-entry only form represented by one or more global securities
deposited with The Depository Trust Company ("DTC") or its designated
custodian, to be made available for checking by the Representatives at
least twenty-four hours prior to the Time of Delivery at the office of
DTC.]
Specified funds for payment of purchase price:
[Federal (same day)][New York] Clearing House (next day)] funds
Time of Delivery:
a.m. (New York City time), , 19
Indenture:
Indenture dated , 19 , between the Company
and , as Trustee
Maturity:
Interest Rate:
[ %] [Zero Coupon] [See Floating Rate Provisions]
Interest Payment Dates:
[months and dates, commencing ....................., 19..]
Redemption Provisions:
[No provisions for redemption]
[The Designated Securities may be redeemed, otherwise than through the
sinking fund, in whole or in part at the option of the Company, in the
amount of [$ ] or an integral multiple thereof,
4
[on or after , at the following redemption prices (expressed in
percentages of principal amount). If [redeemed on or before ,
%, and if] redeemed during the 12-month period beginning,
Redemption
Year Price
---- -----
and thereafter at 100% of their principal amount, together in each case
with accrued interest to the redemption date.]
[on any interest payment date falling on or after , , at the election of
the Company, at a redemption price equal to the principal amount thereof,
plus accrued interest to the date of redemption.]]
[Other possible redemption provisions, such as mandatory redemption upon
occurrence of certain events or redemption for changes in tax law]
[Restriction on refunding]
Sinking Fund Provisions:
[No sinking fund provisions]
[The Designated Securities are entitled to the benefit of a sinking fund
to retire [$ ] principal amount of Designated Securities on
in each of the years through at 100% of
the ir principal amount plus accrued interest[, together with
[cumulative] [noncumulative] redemptions at the option of the Company
to retire an additional [$ ] principal amount of Designated Securities
in the years through at 100% of their principal amount plus accrued
interest.]
[If Designated Securities are extendable debt securities, insert--
Extendable provisions:
Designated Securities are repayable on , [insert date and years], at the
option of the holder, at their principal amount with accrued interest.
The initial annual interest rate will be %, and thereafter the annual
interest rate will be adjusted on , and to a rate not less than % of the
effective annual interest rate on U.S. Treasury obligations with -year
maturities as of the [insert date 15 days prior to maturity date] prior
to such [insert maturity date].]
[If Designated Securities are floating rate debt securities, insert--
Floating rate provisions:
Initial annual interest rate will be % through [and
thereafter will be adjusted [monthly] [on each , ,
and ] [to an annual rate of % above the average rate
for -year [month][securities][certificates of deposit] issued
by and
[insert names of banks].] [and the annual interest rate [thereafter]
[from through ] will be the interest yield equivalent
of the weekly average per annum market discount rate for -month Treasury
bills plus % of Interest Differential (the excess, if any, of (i)
the then current weekly average per annum secondary market yield for
-month certificates of deposit over (ii) the then current interest
yield equivalent of the weekly average per annum market discount rate for
-month Treasury bills); [from and thereafter the rate will be
the then current interest yield equivalent plus % of Interest
Differential].]
Defeasance provisions:
5
Closing location for delivery of Designated Securities:
Additional Closing Conditions:
Names and addresses of Representatives:
Designated Representatives:
Address for Notices, etc.:
[Other Terms]:
6
SCHEDULE III
Material Subsidiaries
---------------------
Material Domestic Subsidiaries
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇.
Scholastic Book Fairs, Inc.
California School Book Fairs, Inc.
Scholastic Book Clubs, Inc.
Scholastic Productions, Inc.
Scholastic Trumpet Book Clubs, Inc.
Material Foreign Subsidiaries
Scholastic Australia Pty. Ltd.
Scholastic Canada Ltd.
Scholastic New Zealand Ltd.
Scholastic Ltd.
7
ANNEX II
Pursuant to Section 7(d) of the Underwriting Agreement, the accountants
shall furnish letters to the Underwriters to the effect that:
(i) They are independent certified public accountants with respect
to the Company and its subsidiaries within the meaning of the Act and
the applicable published rules and regulations thereunder;
(ii) In their opinion, the financial statements and any
supplementary financial information and schedules audited (and, if
applicable, financial forecasts and/or pro forma financial information)
examined by them and included or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus comply as to form in all
material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the
Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the related published rules
and regulations thereunder; and, if applicable, they have made a review
in accordance with standards established by the American Institute of
Certified Public Accountants of the consolidated interim financial
statements, selected financial data, pro forma financial information,
financial forecasts and/or condensed financial statements derived from
audited financial statements of the Company for the periods specified
in such letter, as indicated in their reports thereon, copies of which
have been separately furnished to the representative or representatives
of the Underwriters (the "Representatives") such term to include an
Underwriter or Underwriters who act without any firm being designated
as its or their representatives [and are attached hereto];
(iii) They have made a review in accordance with standards
established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
of the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income,
consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows
included in the Prospectus and/or included in the Company's quarterly
report on Form 10-Q incorporated by reference into the Prospectus as
indicated in their reports thereon copies of which [have been
separately furnished to the Representatives][are attached hereto]; and
on the basis of specified procedures including inquiries of officials
of the Company who have responsibility for financial and accounting
matters regarding whether the unaudited condensed consolidated
financial statements referred to in paragraph (vi)(A)(i) below comply
as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act and the related published
rules and regulations, nothing came to their attention that caused them
to believe that the unaudited condensed consolidated financial
statements do not comply as to form in all material respects with the
applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act and
the related published rules and regulations;
(iv) The unaudited selected financial information with respect to
the consolidated results of operations and financial position of the
Company for the five most recent fiscal years included in the
Prospectus and included or incorporated by reference in Item 6 of the
Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year
agrees with the corresponding amounts (after restatement where
applicable) in the audited consolidated financial statements for five
such fiscal years which were included or incorporated by reference in
the Company's Annual Reports on Form 10-K for such fiscal years;
(v) They have compared the information in the Prospectus under
selected captions with the disclosure requirements of Regulation S-K
and on the basis of limited procedures specified in such letter nothing
came to their attention as a result of the foregoing procedures that
caused them to believe that this information does not conform in all
material respects with the disclosure requirements of Items 301, 302,
402 and 503(d), respectively, of Regulation S-K;
(vi) On the basis of limited procedures, not constituting an
examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards,
consisting of a reading of the unaudited financial statements and other
information referred to below, a reading of the latest available
interim financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries,
inspection of the minute books of the Company and its subsidiaries
since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, inquiries of officials of
the Company and its subsidiaries responsible for financial and
accounting matters and such other inquiries and
procedures as may be specified in such letter, nothing came to their
attention that caused them to believe that:
(A) (i) the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of
income, consolidated balance sheets and consolidated
statements of cash flows included in the Prospectus and/or
included or incorporated by reference in the Company's
Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q incorporated by reference in
the Prospectus do not comply as to form in all material
respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the
Exchange Act and the related published rules and regulations,
or (ii) any material modifications should be made to the
unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income,
consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of
cash flows included in the Prospectus or included in the
Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus for them to be in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles;
(B) any other unaudited income statement data and balance
sheet items included in the Prospectus do not agree with the
corresponding items in the unaudited consolidated financial
statements from which such data and items were derived, and
any such unaudited data and items were not determined on a
basis substantially consistent with the basis for the
corresponding amounts in the audited consolidated financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in the
Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent
fiscal year;
(C) the unaudited financial statements which were not
included in the Prospectus but from which were derived the
unaudited condensed financial statements referred to in clause
(A) and any unaudited income statement data and balance sheet
items included in the Prospectus and referred to in Clause (B)
were not determined on a basis substantially consistent with
the basis for the audited financial statements included or
incorporated by reference in the Company's Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year;
(D) any unaudited pro forma consolidated condensed
financial statements included or incorporated by reference in
the Prospectus do not comply as to form in all material
respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the
Act and the published rules and regulations thereunder or the
pro forma adjustments have not been properly applied to the
historical amounts in the compilation of those statements;
(E) as of a specified date not more than five days prior
to the date of such letter, there have been any changes in the
consolidated capital stock (other than issuances of capital
stock upon exercise of options and stock appreciation rights,
upon earn-outs of performance shares and upon conversions of
convertible securities, in each case which were outstanding on
the date of the latest balance sheet included or incorporated
by reference in the Prospectus) or any increase in the
consolidated long-term debt of the Company and its
subsidiaries, or any decreases in consolidated net current
assets or stockholders' equity or other items specified by the
Representatives, or any increases in any items specified by
the Representatives, in each case as compared with amounts
shown in the latest balance sheet included or incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus, except in each case for changes,
increases or decreases which the Prospectus discloses have
occurred or may occur or which are described in such letter;
and
(F) for the period from the date of the latest financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in the
Prospectus to the specified date referred to in Clause (E)
there were any decreases in consolidated net revenues or
operating profit or the total or per share amounts of
consolidated net income or other items specified by the
Representatives, or any increases in any items specified by
the Representatives, in each case as compared with the
comparable period of the preceding year and with any other
period of corresponding length specified by the
Representatives, except in each case for
2
increases or decreases which the Prospectus discloses have
occurred or may occur or which are described in such letter;
and
(vii) In addition to the audit referred to in their report(s)
included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus and the limited
procedures, inspection of minute books, inquiries and other procedures
referred to in paragraphs (iii) and (vi) above, they have carried out
certain specified procedures, not constituting an audit in accordance
with generally accepted auditing standards, with respect to certain
amounts, percentages and financial information specified by the
Representatives which are derived from the general accounting records
of the Company and its subsidiaries, which appear in the Prospectus
(excluding documents incorporated by reference), or in Part II of, or
in exhibits and schedules to, the Registration Statement specified by
the Representatives or in documents incorporated by reference in the
Prospectus specified by the Representatives, and have compared certain
of such amounts, percentages and financial information with the
accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries and have found
them to be in agreement.
All references in this Annex II to the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer
to the Prospectus (including the documents incorporated by reference therein) as
defined in the Underwriting Agreement as of the date of the letter delivered on
the date of the Pricing Agreement for purposes of such letter and to the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented (including the documents incorporated by
reference therein) in relation to the applicable Designated Securities for
purposes of the letter delivered at the Time of Delivery for such Designated
Securities.
