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Exhibit 1.1
The Kroger Co.
Debt Securities
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Underwriting Agreement
To the Representatives of the February 4, 2000
several Underwriters named in the
respective Pricing Agreements
hereinafter described.
Dear Sirs:
From time to time The Kroger Co., an Ohio corporation (the "Company"),
and the Guarantors on Schedule I and on the signature pages hereto, propose 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 Underwriters who act without any firm being designated
as their representative. 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 to 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),
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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 in respect of the Securities has
been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission"); such 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 therein, to the Representatives
for each of the other Underwriters, have been declared effective by the
Commission in such form; 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; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of such
registration statement has been issued and no proceeding for that
purpose has been initiated or threatened by the Commission (any
preliminary prospectus included in such registration statement or filed
with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) of the rules and
regulations of the Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Act"), being hereinafter called a "Preliminary
Prospectus"; the various parts of such registration statement,
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, being hereinafter 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
Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to and include any
annual report of the Company filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d)
of the Exchange Act after the effective date of the 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 in which it is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b)
under the Act in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof, including any
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,
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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 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;
(d) The Company and its subsidiaries have not sustained since
the date of the latest audited financial statements included or
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus any material loss or
interference with their businesses, taken as a whole, 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 material change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the
Company and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis 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) The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable
title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title
to all personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of
all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as are described in the
Prospectus or such as do not materially affect the value of such
property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to
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be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries; and any
real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its
subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable
leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere
with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and
buildings by the Company and its subsidiaries;
(f) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State
of Ohio, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its
properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus, and
has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of
business and is in good standing under the laws of each other
jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties, or conducts any
business, so as to require such qualification, or is subject to no
material liability or disability by reason of the failure to be
qualified in any such jurisdiction; and each subsidiary of the Company
has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in
good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation;
(g) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth
in the Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the
Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully
paid and non-assessable; and all of the issued shares of capital stock
of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized
and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and (except for
directors' qualifying shares) are owned directly or indirectly by the
Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims;
(h) The Securities have been duly authorized, and, when
Designated Securities are issued and delivered pursuant to this
Agreement and the Pricing Agreement with respect to such Designated
Securities against payment of the consideration specified in the
Pricing Agreement, such Designated Securities will have been duly
executed, authenticated, issued and delivered and will constitute valid
and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in
accordance with their 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 will be entitled to the benefits provided by the
Indenture under which they are to be issued 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, in all material respects, to the descriptions thereof
contained in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented with respect to
such Designated Securities;
(i) 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 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 to which
the Company or any of
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its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, nor will such action
result in any violation of the provisions of the Articles of
Incorporation, as amended, or the Regulations of the Company or any
statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental
agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its
subsidiaries or any of their properties; and no consent, approval,
authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such
court or governmental agency or body is required for the issue and sale
of the Securities or the consummation by the Company of the other
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 securities or Blue Sky
laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities
by the Underwriters;
(j) Other than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus,
there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the
Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any property
of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject with respect
to which there is a reasonable likelihood of a determination which
would individually or in the aggregate have a material adverse effect
on the consolidated financial position, stockholders' equity or results
of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries; and, to the best of
the Company's knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or
contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others;
(k) None of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement,
any Pricing Agreement or the Indenture (including, without limitation,
the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities) will violate
or result in a violation of Section 7 of the Exchange Act, or any
regulation promulgated thereunder, including, without limitation,
Regulations G, T, U and X of the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System;
(l) The Company is not subject to regulation under the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended;
(m) The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of
Securities for the purpose set forth in the Prospectus under the
caption "Use of Proceeds"; and
(n) PricewaterhouseCoopers L.L.P. and Deloitte & Touche LLP,
respectively, who have audited certain financial statements of the
Company and its subsidiaries and Xxxx Xxxxx, Inc. and its subsidiaries
(collectively, the "Companies"), respectively, are independent public
accountants as required by the Act and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder.
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.
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4. Designated Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter pursuant
to the Pricing Agreement relating thereto, in definitive form to the extent
practicable, 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 by certified or
official bank check or checks, payable to the order of the Company in the funds
specified in such Pricing Agreement, all 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 and 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 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; 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 of 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 use promptly its best efforts to obtain its
withdrawal;
(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 in
the United States 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
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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) To furnish the Underwriters with copies of the Prospectus
as amended or supplemented 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 prior to the expiration of nine
months after the time of issue of the Prospectus in connection with the
offering or sale of any Designated 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; and in case any Underwriter is
required to deliver a prospectus in connection with sales of any
Designated Securities at any time nine months or more after the time of
issue of the Prospectus as amended or supplemented with respect to such
Designated Securities, upon the request of the Representatives but at
the expense of such Underwriter, to prepare and deliver to such
Underwriter as many copies as it may request of a further amended or
supplemented Prospectus for such Designated Securities complying with
Section 10(a)(3) of the Act;
(d) To make generally available to its security holders as
soon as practicable, but in any event not later than eighteen months
after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in
Rule 158(c) ), an earning 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 earlier 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
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printing or producing any Agreement among Underwriters, this Agreement, any
Pricing Agreement, any Indenture, any Blue Sky and Legal Investment Memoranda
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 reasonable 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 securing 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; (viii) the fees and disbursements of counsel for the
Underwriters to the extent they exceed such amount as may be specified in the
Pricing Agreements; and (ix) all other costs and expenses incident to the
performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically
provided for in this Section. It is understood, however, that, except as
provided in this Section, Section 8 and Section 11 hereof, the Underwriters will
pay all of their own costs and expenses, including, but not limited to, the fees
and disbursements of their counsel up to such amount as may be specified in the
Pricing Agreements, 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; 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 opinion or opinions, dated the Time of Delivery
for such Designated Securities, with respect to the incorporation of
the Company, the validity of the Indenture, the Designated Securities,
the Registration Statement, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented
and 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;
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(c) Xxxx Xxxxxxx, Senior Vice President, Secretary and General
Counsel of the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives his
written opinion, dated the Time of Delivery for such Designated
Securities, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives,
to the effect that:
(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is
validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the
laws of Ohio, with corporate power and authority to own its
properties and conduct its business as described in the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented;
(ii) The Company has an authorized capitalization as
set forth in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, 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) The Company has been duly qualified as a
foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in
good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in
which it owns or leases properties, or conducts any business,
so as to require such qualification, or is subject to no
material liability or disability by reason of the failure to
be so qualified in any such jurisdiction (such counsel being
entitled to rely in respect of the opinion in this clause upon
opinions of local counsel and in respect of matters of fact
upon certificates of officers of the Company, provided that
such counsel shall state that he believes that both the
Underwriters and he are justified in relying upon such
opinions and certificates);
(iv) Each subsidiary of the Company, with respect to
which the Company owns, directly or indirectly, an equity
interest of more than 50% (each a "subsidiary"), has been duly
incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good
standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation;
and all of the issued shares of capital stock of each such
subsidiary have been duly and validly authorized and issued,
are fully paid and non-assessable, and (except for directors'
qualifying shares) are owned directly or indirectly by the
Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities
or claims, other than as described in the Prospectus (such
counsel being entitled to rely in respect of the opinion in
this clause upon opinions of local counsel and in respect of
matters of fact upon certificates of officers of the Company,
provided that such counsel shall state that he believes that
both the Underwriters and he are justified in relying upon
such opinions and certificates);
(v) The Company and its subsidiaries have good and
marketable title in fee simple to all real property owned by
them, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances
and defects except such as are described in the Prospectus or
such as do not materially affect the value of such property
and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made
of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries; and any
real property and buildings held under lease by the Company
and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting
and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not
material and do not interfere with the use made and proposed
to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and
its subsidiaries (in giving the opinion in this clause, such
counsel may state that no examination of record titles for the
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purpose of such opinion has been made, and that he is relying
upon a general review of the titles of the Company and its
subsidiaries, upon opinions of local counsel and abstracts,
reports and policies of title companies rendered or issued at
or subsequent to the time of acquisition of such property by
the Company or its subsidiaries, upon opinions of counsel to
the lessors of such property and, in respect of matters of
fact, upon certificates of officers of the Company or its
subsidiaries, provided that such counsel shall state that he
believes that both the Underwriters and he are justified in
relying upon such opinions, abstracts, reports, policies and
certificates);
(vi) To the best of such counsel's knowledge and
other than as set forth in the Prospectus, there are no legal
or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or
any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any property of
the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject with
respect to which there is a reasonable likelihood of
determinations which would individually or in the aggregate
have a material adverse effect on the 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;
(vii) This Agreement and the Pricing Agreement with
respect to the Designated Securities have been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;
(viii) The Designated Securities have been duly
authorized, executed, authenticated, issued and delivered, and
the Designated Securities (assuming that (i) the Trustee has
all requisite power and authority to perform its obligations
under the Indenture and has made all necessary filings and
received all necessary consents, (ii) the Indenture has been
duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Trustee and
(iii) the Trustee's certificates of authentication have been
manually executed by an authorized officer of the Trustee)
constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company,
enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms
and are entitled to the benefits of the Indenture, except that
(a) such enforcement may be subject to bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium, or other laws now or hereafter in
effect affecting creditors' rights generally, and (b) the
enforceability thereof is subject to the general principles of
equity (whether such enforceability is considered in a
proceeding in equity or at law); provided, however, that such
counsel need express no opinion as to the application or
effect of any applicable fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent
transfer, fraudulent obligation or preferential transfer laws
or any laws governing the distribution of assets of the
Company to its stockholders; and the terms of the Designated
Securities and the Indenture conform in all material respects
to the descriptions thereof in the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented;
(ix) The Indenture (i) has been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by the Company and (ii) (assuming that
(a) the Trustee has all requisite power and authority to
perform its obligations under the Indenture and has made all
necessary filings and received all necessary consents, and (b)
the Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered
by the Trustee) constitutes a valid and binding instrument of
the Company, enforceable in
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accordance with its terms, except (a) that such enforcement
may be subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
moratorium, or other laws now or hereafter in effect affecting
creditors' rights generally, and (b) that the enforceability
thereof is subject to general principles of equity (whether
such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or
at law); provided, however, that such counsel need express no
opinion as to the application or effect of any applicable
fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer, fraudulent
obligation or preferential transfer laws or any laws governing
the distribution of assets of the Company to its stockholders;
and the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust
Indenture Act;
(x) The issuance 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, to the best of such counsel's
knowledge, will not conflict with or result in a breach 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 to which the Company or any of
its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of
its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or
assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject,
nor will such actions result in any violation of the
provisions of the Articles of Incorporation, as amended, or
the Regulations of the Company or any statute of the United
States of America or of Ohio or any other statute known to
such counsel or any order, rule or regulation of any court or
governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the
Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties;
provided, however, that such counsel need express no opinion
as to the application or effect of any applicable fraudulent
conveyance, fraudulent transfer, fraudulent obligation or
preferential transfer laws or any laws governing the
distribution of assets of the Company to its stockholders;
(xi) To the best of such counsel's knowledge, no
consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or
qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency
or body is required for the issuance and sale of the
Designated Securities or the consummation of the other
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or such Pricing
Agreement or the Indenture, except such as have been obtained
under the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and such consents,
approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as
may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in
connection with the purchase and distribution of the
Designated Securities by the Underwriters and as may be
required due to the Underwriters' or the Trustees' legal or
regulatory status;
(xii) The Company is not subject to regulation under
the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended;
(xiii) The documents incorporated by reference in the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented (other than (a) the
financial statements, notes and schedules thereto included or
incorporated by reference therein and (b) other financial and
statistical information included or incorporated by reference
therein, as to all of which such counsel need express no
opinion), when they
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became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the
case may 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, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made when such documents were so filed,
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 (a) the
financial statements, notes and schedules thereto included or
incorporated by reference therein, (b) other financial and
statistical information included or incorporated by reference
therein or (c) the Forms T-1 filed as exhibits to the
Registration Statement, as to all of 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; such counsel has no
reason 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 (a)
the financial statements, notes and schedules thereto included
or incorporated by reference therein, (b) other financial and
statistical information included or incorporated by reference
therein or (c) the Forms T-1 filed as exhibits to the
Registration Statement, as to all of 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 (a) the financial statements, notes and schedules
thereto included or incorporated by reference therein, (b)
other financial and statistical information included or
incorporated by reference therein or (c) the Forms T-1 filed
as exhibits to the Registration Statement, as to all of which
such counsel need express no opinion) contained an untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material
fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances in which they were made, 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 (a) the financial statements,
notes and schedules thereto included or incorporated by
reference therein, (b) other financial and statistical
information included or incorporated by reference therein or
(c) the Forms T-1 filed as exhibits to the Registration
Statement, as to all of which such counsel need express no
opinion) contains an untrue statement of a material fact or
omits to state a material fact necessary to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances in which
they were made, not misleading; and such counsel does not know
of any amendment to the Registration Statement required to be
filed or any contracts or other documents of a character
required
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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;
(d) On the date of the Pricing Agreement for such Designated
Securities and at the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities,
the independent accountants of the Company 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 letters, dated the respective dates of
delivery of such letters, to the effect set forth in Annex II hereto,
in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives;
(e) [Intentionally Omitted]
(f) (i) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall
have sustained since the date of the latest audited financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented 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 or supplemented, and (ii) since the respective
dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented there shall not have been any change in the capital stock
or long-term debt of the Companies 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 Companies, otherwise than as set forth or
contemplated in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, 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 amended or supplemented;
(g) 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 Companies' debt securities by any "nationally
recognized statistical rating organization," as that term is defined by
the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g) (2) under the Act and (ii)
no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under
surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its rating
of any of the Companies' debt securities;
(h) 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; (ii) a general
moratorium on commercial banking activities in New York declared by
either Federal or New York State authorities; or (iii) the outbreak or
escalation of hostilities involving the United States or the
declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, if the
effect of any such event specified in this Clause (iii) in the judgment
of the Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed
with the public offering or the delivery of the Designated
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Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by the
Prospectus as amended and supplemented;
(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 (f) of
this Section and as to such other matters as the Representatives may
reasonably request; and
(j) On the date of the Pricing Agreement for such Designated
Securities and at the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities,
the independent accountants of Xxxx Xxxxx, Inc. who have certified the
financial statements of Xxxx Xxxxx, Inc. and its subsidiaries included
or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall have
furnished to the Representatives letters, dated the respective dates of
delivery of such letters, to the effect set forth in Annex III hereto,
in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives.
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
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; 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 the Representatives 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
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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.
(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.
(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, in each case as set forth in the
table on the cover page of the Prospectus as amended or supplemented to relate
to a particular offering of Designated Securities. 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
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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 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
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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 Section 6 and Section 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 will reimburse the Underwriters through the
Representatives for all out-of-pocket expenses approved in writing by the
Representatives, including fees and disbursements of counsel, reasonably
incurred by the Underwriters in making preparations for the purchase, sale and
delivery of such Designated Securities, but the Company shall then be under no
further liability to any Underwriter with respect to such Designated Securities
except as provided in Section 6 and Section 8 hereof.
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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 its address set
forth in its Underwriters' Questionnaire, or telex constituting such
Questionnaire, 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 Section 8 and Section 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.
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Very Truly Yours,
Attest: THE KROGER CO.
Each of the Guarantors Listed on Schedule I
hereto, as Guarantor of the Designated
Securities
By:
-----------------------------
Assistant Secretary/Secretary Name: Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President and Treasurer
Attest: RJD ASSURANCE, INC.,
as Guarantor of the Designated Securities
VINE COURT ASSURANCE INCORPORATED,
as Guarantor of the Designated Securities
By:
----------------------------- ----------------------------------------
Assistant Treasurer Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxx
Title: Vice President
RICHIE'S INC., as Guarantor of the
Designated Securities
By:
----------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President and Secretary
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ROCKET NEWCO, INC.,
as Guarantor of the Designated Securities
HENPIL, INC.,
as Guarantor of the Designated Securities
WYDIV, INC.,
as Guarantor of the Designated Securities
By:
----------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx XxXxxxxx
Title: Vice President and Secretary
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SCHEDULE I
Guarantors
Name of Guarantor State of Organization
----------------- ---------------------
Alpha Beta Company California
Bay Area Warehouse Stores, Inc. California
Xxxx Markets, Inc. California
Cala Co. Delaware
Cala Foods, Inc. California
CB&S Advertising Agency, Inc. Oregon
City Market, Inc. Colorado
Compare, Inc. Delaware
Xxxxxxxx Stores, Inc. California
Xxxxxx Companies, Inc. Kansas
Xxxxxx Real Estate Co., Inc. Kansas
Distribution Trucking Company Oregon
Drugs Distributors, Inc. Indiana
FM Holding Corporation Delaware
FM Retail Services, Inc. Washington
FM, Inc. Utah
Food 4 Less GM, Inc. California
Food 4 Less Holdings, Inc. Delaware
Food 4 Less Merchandising, Inc. California
Food 4 Less of California, Inc. California
Food 4 Less of Southern California, Inc. Delaware
Xxxx Xxxxx, Inc. Delaware
Xxxx Xxxxx Jewelers, Inc. Delaware
Xxxx Xxxxx of Alaska, Inc. Alaska
Xxxx Xxxxx of California, Inc. California
Xxxx Xxxxx Stores, Inc. Delaware
Grand Central, Inc. Utah
Xxxxxx Markets, Inc. California
Xxxxxx Realty, Inc. California
Inter-American Foods, Inc. Ohio
Xxxxxxx Ice Cream Co., Inc. Kansas
JH Properties, Inc. Washington
Junior Food Stores of West Florida, Inc. Florida
J.V. Distributing, Inc. Michigan
KRGP Inc. Ohio
KRLP Inc. Ohio
Kroger Dedicated Logistics Co. Ohio
Kroger Limited Partnership I Ohio (limited partnership)
Kroger Limited Partnership II Ohio (limited partnership)
Kroger Texas L.P. Ohio (limited partnership)
KU Acquisition Corporation Washington
Kwik Shop, Inc. Kansas
Merksamer Jewelers, Inc. California
Mini Mart, Inc. Wyoming
Peyton's-Southeastern, Inc. Tennessee
QFC Sub, Inc. Washington
Quality Food Centers, Inc. Washington
Quality Food Holdings, Inc. Delaware
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Name of Guarantor State of Organization
----------------- ---------------------
Quality Food, Inc. Delaware
Quik Stop Markets, Inc. California
Ralphs Grocery Company Delaware
Roundup Co. Washington
Saint Xxxxxxxx Holding Company Delaware
Second Story, Inc. Washington
Xxxxx'x Beverage of Wyoming, Inc. Wyoming
Xxxxx'x Food & Drug Centers, Inc. Delaware
Smitty's Equipment Leasing, Inc. Delaware
Smitty's Super Valu, Inc. Delaware
Smitty's Supermarkets, Inc. Delaware
The Kroger Co. of Michigan Michigan
THGP Co., Inc. Pennsylvania
THLP Co., Inc. Pennsylvania
Topvalco, Inc. Ohio
Treasure Valley Land Company, L.C. Idaho
Turkey Hill, L.P. Pennsylvania (limited
partnership)
Xxxxx Aircraft, Inc. Kansas
Western Property Investment Group, Inc. California
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ANNEX I
Pricing Agreement
[NAMES OF CO-REPRESENTATIVE(S),]
As Representatives of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto,
...................., 19..
Dear Sirs:
The Kroger Co., an Ohio corporation (the "Company"), proposes, subject
to the terms and conditions stated herein and in the Underwriting Agreement,
dated .................... (the "Underwriting Agreement"), 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 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
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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,
Attest: THE KROGER CO.
By:
Name:
----------------------------- Title:
Assistant Secretary/Secretary
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Accepted as of the date hereof:
[NAME(S) OF CO-REPRESENTATIVE(S)]
On behalf of each of the Underwriters
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SCHEDULE I
PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT OF
DESIGNATED
SECURITIES
TO BE
UNDERWRITER PURCHASED
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Name(s) of Co-Representative(s) $
[Names of other Underwriters]
------------------
Total $
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SCHEDULE II
TITLE OF DESIGNATED SECURITIES:
[ %] [Floating Rate] [Zero Coupon] [Notes]
[Debentures] due
AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT:
[$]
PRICE TO PUBLIC:
% of the principal amount of the Designated Securities, plus
accrued interest from to [and accrued amortization,
if any, from to ]
PURCHASE PRICE BY UNDERWRITERS:
% of the principal amount of the Designated Securities, plus
accrued interest from to [and accrued amortization,
if any, from to ]
SPECIFIED FUNDS FOR PAYMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE:
[New York] Clearing House funds
INDENTURE:
Indenture dated , 19 , between the Company and ,
as Trustee
MATURITY:
INTEREST RATE:
[ %] [Zero Coupon] [See Floating Rate Provisions]
INTEREST PAYMENT DATES:
[months and dates]
REDEMPTION PROVISIONS:
[No provisions for redemption]
[The Designated Securities may be redeemed, otherwise than through the
sinking fund, in whole or in part at the option of the Company, in the
amount of [$] or an integral multiple thereof, [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 in 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]
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SINKING FUND PROVISIONS:
[No sinking fund provisions]
[The Designated Securities are entitled to the benefit of a sinking fund
to retire [$] principal amount of Designated Securities on in
each of the years through at 100% of their principal amount
plus accrued interest] [,together with [cumulative] [noncumulative]
redemptions at the option of the Company to retire an additional [$]
principal amount of Designated Securities in the years through
at 100% of their principal amount plus accrued interest].
[If Securities are extendable debt Securities, insert--
EXTENDABLE PROVISIONS:
Securities are repayable on , [insert date and
years], at the option of the holder, at their principal amount with
accrued interest. Initial annual interest rate will be %, and
thereafter 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 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) then current weekly average per annum secondary market
yield for -month certificates of deposit over (ii) 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:
TIME OF DELIVERY:
CLOSING LOCATION:
NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF REPRESENTATIVES:
Designated Representatives:
Address for Notices, etc.:
[OTHER TERMS]:
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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, prospective financial statements 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,
prospective financial statements 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 furnished to the representatives of the Underwriters (the
"Representatives");
(iii) 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;
(iv) On the basis of limited procedures, not constituting an
audit 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) the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income,
consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows
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 as it applies to Form
10-Q and the related published rules and regulations thereunder or
are not in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles
applied on a basis substantially consistent with the basis for the
audited consolidated statements of income, consolidated balance
sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows included or
incorporated by
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reference in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most
recent fiscal year;
(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, and sales of
capital stock to employee benefit plans of the Company) or any
increase in the consolidated long-term debt of the Company and its
subsidiaries, or any decreases in consolidated net current assets or
net assets 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
increases or decreases which the Prospectus discloses have occurred
or may occur or which are described in such letter; and
(v) 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 (iv) 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
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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.
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ANNEX III
Pursuant to Section 7 (k) 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 Xxxx Xxxxx, Inc. 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, prospective financial statements 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,
prospective financial statements and/or condensed financial statements
derived from audited financial statements of Xxxx Xxxxx, Inc. for the
periods specified in such letter, as indicated in their reports thereon,
copies of which have been furnished to the representatives of the
Underwriters (the "Representatives");
(iii) On the basis of limited procedures, not constituting an
audit 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 Xxxx Xxxxx, Inc. and its subsidiaries, inspection of the
minute books of Xxxx Xxxxx, Inc. and its subsidiaries since the date of
the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus, inquiries of officials of Xxxx Xxxxx, Inc.
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) the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income,
consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows
included or incorporated by reference in Xxxx Xxxxx, Inc.'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 as it applies
to Form 10-Q and the related published rules and regulations
thereunder or are not in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles applied on a basis substantially consistent
with the basis for the audited consolidated statements of income,
consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows
included or incorporated by reference in Xxxx Xxxxx, Inc.'s Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year;
(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
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reference in Xxxx Xxxxx, Inc.'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 Xxxx
Xxxxx, Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal
year; and
(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.
(iv) 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 paragraph (iii) 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 Xxxx Xxxxx, Inc.
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 Xxxx Xxxxx, Inc.
and its subsidiaries and have found them to be in agreement.
All references in this Annex III 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.
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