EXHIBIT 1.1
Vastar Resources, Inc.
Debt Securities
--------------------------
Underwriting Agreement
________, 1999
[Name and address of Underwriter(s)]
Ladies and Gentlemen:
From time to time Vastar Resources, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), proposes to enter into one or more Pricing Agreements (each a
"Pricing Agreement") in the form of Annex I hereto, with such additions and
deletions as the parties thereto may determine, and, subject to the terms and
conditions stated herein and therein, to issue and sell to the firms named in
Schedule I to the applicable Pricing Agreement (such firms constituting the
"Underwriters" with respect to such Pricing Agreement and the securities
specified therein) certain of its debt securities (the "Securities") specified
in Schedule II to such Pricing Agreement (with respect to such Pricing
Agreement, the "Designated Securities").
The terms and rights of any particular issuance of Designated Securities
shall be as specified in the Pricing Agreement relating thereto and in or
pursuant to the indenture (the "Indenture") identified in such Pricing
Agreement.
1. Particular sales of Designated Securities may be made from time to time
to the Underwriters of such Securities, for whom the firms designated as
representatives of the Underwriters of such Securities in the Pricing Agreement
relating thereto will act as representatives (the "Representatives"). The term
"Representatives" also refers to a single firm acting as sole representative of
the Underwriters and to an Underwriter or Underwriters who act without any firm
being designated as its or their representatives. This Underwriting Agreement
shall not be construed as an obligation of the Company to sell any of the
Securities or as an obligation of any of the Underwriters to purchase the
Securities. The obligation of the Company to issue and sell any of the
Securities and the obligation of any of the Underwriters to purchase any of the
Securities shall be evidenced by the Pricing Agreement with respect to the
Designated Securities specified therein. Each Pricing Agreement shall specify
the aggregate principal amount of such Designated Securities, the initial public
offering price of such Designated Securities, the purchase price to the
Underwriters of such Designated Securities, the names of the Underwriters of
such Designated Securities, the names of the Representatives of such
Underwriters and the principal amount of such Designated Securities to be
purchased by each Underwriter and shall set forth the date, time and manner of
delivery of such Designated Securities and payment therefor. The Pricing
Agreement shall also specify (to the extent not set forth in the Indenture and
the registration statement and prospectus with respect thereto) the terms of
such Designated Securities. A Pricing Agreement shall be in the form of an
executed writing (which may be in counterparts), and may be evidenced by an
exchange of telegraphic communications or any other rapid transmission device
designed to produce a written record of communications
-1-
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) The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "Commission") a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-
67159) (the "Initial Registration Statement") pursuant to the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"); the Initial Registration Statement and
any post-effective amendment thereto, each in the form heretofore delivered
or to be delivered to the Representatives and, excluding exhibits to the
Initial 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; other than a registration statement, if any,
increasing the size of the offering (the "Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement"), which was filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(b)
under the Act and became effective on filing, no other document with
respect to the Initial Registration Statement or document incorporated by
reference therein has heretofore been filed or transmitted for filing with
the Commission (other than prospectuses filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under
the Act, each in the form heretofore delivered to the Representatives); and
no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Initial Registration
Statement, any post-effective amendment thereto or the Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement, if any, has been issued and no proceeding for that
purpose has been initiated or threatened by the Commission (any preliminary
prospectus and any preliminary prospectus supplement included in the
Initial Registration Statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to
Rule 424(a) under the Act are hereinafter collectively called a
"Preliminary Prospectus"; each of the various parts of the Initial
Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment thereto and the Rule
462(b) Registration Statement, if any, including all exhibits thereto and
the documents incorporated by reference in the prospectus contained in the
Initial Registration Statement at the time such part of the Initial
Registration Statement became effective but excluding Form T-1, each as
amended at the time such part of the Initial Registration Statement became
effective or such part of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any,
became or becomes effective, are hereinafter collectively called the
"Registration Statement"; the prospectus relating to the Securities, in the
form in which it has most recently been filed, or transmitted for filing,
with the Commission on or prior to the date of this Agreement, being
hereinafter called the "Prospectus"; any reference herein to any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and
include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12
of Form S-3 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 Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after
the effective date of the Initial Registration Statement that is
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement; and any reference
to the Prospectus as amended or supplemented shall be deemed to refer to
the Prospectus as amended or supplemented in relation to the applicable
Designated Securities in the form 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, 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
-2-
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) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries (as used in this
Agreement, "Subsidiaries" shall mean only those corporations, partnerships
or other entities that are wholly owned, directly or indirectly, by the
Company) has sustained since the date of the latest audited financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus any
material loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood
or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor
dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as
set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus; and, since the respective
dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus, there has not been any change in the capital stock of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries (other than issuances of common stock
upon exercise of options that (i) are issued pursuant to the Company's
stock option plans described in the Prospectus and (ii) were outstanding on
the date of the latest balance sheet included or incorporated by reference
in the Prospectus), and there has been no material change in the working
capital and no increase in the long-term debt of the Company and its
Subsidiaries taken as a whole or any material adverse change, or, to the
best knowledge of any executive officer of the Company, any development
that would result in a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting
the general affairs, management, consolidated 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 has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with
power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct
its business as described in the Prospectus, and has been duly qualified as
a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good
standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or
leases properties, or conducts any business, so as to require such
qualification, or is subject to no material liability or disability by
reason of the failure to be so qualified in any such jurisdiction; and each
Subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
existing as a corporation and is in good standing under the laws of its
jurisdiction of incorporation;
(f) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the
Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company
have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-
assessable and conform to the description of the capital stock contained in
the Prospectus; and all of the issued shares of capital stock of each
subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and
-3-
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;
(g) 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, such
Designated Securities will have been duly executed, authenticated, issued
and delivered and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of
the Company entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture, which will
be substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement; the Indenture has been duly authorized and duly qualified under
the Trust Indenture Act and, at the Time of Delivery (as defined in Section
4 hereof) for such Designated Securities, the Indenture will constitute a
valid and legally binding instrument, enforceable in accordance with its
terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium,
reorganization, fraudulent conveyance and other laws of general
applicability relating to or affecting creditors' rights and to general
equity principles (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a
proceeding at law or in equity); and the Indenture conforms, and the
Designated Securities will conform, to the descriptions thereof contained
in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented with respect to such
Designated Securities;
(h) The issue and sale of the Securities and the compliance by the
Company with all of the provisions of the Securities, the Indenture, this
Agreement and any Pricing Agreement, and the consummation of the
transactions herein and therein contemplated will not conflict with or
result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or
constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan
agreement or other material 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 action result
in any violation of the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or
By-laws of the Company or any statute or any order, rule or regulation of
any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective 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 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;
(i) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of
its Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws or in default in the
performance or observance of any obligation, covenant or condition
contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease
or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or
any of its properties may be bound, which default would have a material
adverse affect on the current or future consolidated financial position,
stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its
Subsidiaries;
(j) The statements set forth in the Prospects under the caption
"Description of Debt Securities," insofar as they purport to constitute a
summary of the terms of the Securities, and under the caption "Plan of
Distribution," insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the
laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate, complete and fair;
(k) 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 which, if determined adversely to
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, would individually or in the
aggregate have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial
position, stockholder's equity or results of operations of the Company and
its Subsidiaries; and, to
-4-
the best of the Company's knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or
contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others;
(l) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor any of their
joint ventures or affiliates (as defined in the rules and regulations of
the Commission under the Act) does business with the government of Cuba or
with any person or affiliate located in Cuba within the meaning of Section
517.075, Florida Statutes;
(m) PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who have certified certain financial
statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, are independent public
accountants as required by the Act and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder; and
(n) Xxxxx Xxxxx Company Petroleum Engineers, whose report is included
in the Prospectus, are independent engineers within the meaning of 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.
4. Designated Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter pursuant to
the Pricing Agreement relating thereto, in the form specified in such Pricing
Agreement, and in such authorized denominations and registered in such names as
the Representatives may request upon at least forty-eight hours' prior notice to
the Company, shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company to the
Representatives for the account of such Underwriter, against payment by such
Underwriter or on its behalf of the purchase price therefor by certified or
official bank check or checks payable to the order of the Company or by wire
transfer to the account specified by the Company to the Representatives at least
forty-eight hours in advance, in any case in the funds specified in such Pricing
Agreement and in the manner and at the place and time and date specified in such
Pricing Agreement or at such other place and time and date as the
Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing, such time and date
being herein called the "Time of Delivery" for such Securities.
5. The Company agrees with each of the Underwriters of any Designated
Securities:
(a) To prepare the Prospectus as amended or supplemented in relation to
the applicable Designated Securities in a form approved by the
Representatives and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under
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
-5-
sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any
proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for
the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement or Prospectus
or for additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any
such stop order or of any such order preventing or suspending the use of
any prospectus relating to the Securities or suspending any such
qualification, to promptly use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of
such order;
(b) Promptly from time to time to take such action as the
Representatives may reasonably request to qualify such Securities for
offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the
Representatives may request and to comply with such laws so as to permit
the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as
long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of such Securities,
provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to
qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of
process in any jurisdiction;
(c) 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 in connection with the offering or sale of the
Securities and if at such time any event shall have occurred as a result of
which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus is delivered,
not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary during
such same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus or to file under the
Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in
order to comply with the Act, the Exchange Act or the Trust Indenture Act,
to notify the Representatives and upon their request to file such document
and to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to any
dealer in securities as many copies as the Representatives may from time to
time reasonably request of an amended Prospectus or a supplement to the
Prospectus which will correct such statement or omission or effect such
compliance;
(d) To make generally available to its securityholders as soon as
practicable, but in any event not later than eighteen months after the
effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c)
under the Act), an earnings statement of the Company and its Subsidiaries
(which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Act and the
rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (including, at the
option of the Company, Rule 158);
(e) During the period beginning from the date of the Pricing Agreement
for such Designated Securities and continuing to and including the later of
(i) the termination of trading restrictions for such Designated Securities,
as notified to the Company by the Representatives, and (ii) the Time of
Delivery for such Designated Securities, not to offer, sell, contract to
sell or otherwise dispose of any debt securities of the Company which
mature more than one year after such Time of Delivery and which are
substantially similar to such Designated Securities (except for bank
financings or refinancings under the Company's bank credit facility),
without the prior written consent of the Representatives; and
(f) If the Company elects to rely on Rule 462(b), the Company shall
file the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in
compliance with Rule 462(b) by 10:00 p.m., Washington, D.C. time, on the
date of this Agreement, and the Company shall at the time of filing either
pay to the Commission the filing fee for the Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement or give irrevocable instructions for the payment of such fee
pursuant to Rule 111(b) under the Act.
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
-6-
supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the
Underwriters and dealers; (ii) the cost of printing or producing any Agreement
among Underwriters, this Agreement, any Pricing Agreement, any Indenture, any
Blue Sky and Legal Investment Memoranda, closing documents (including any
compilations thereof) and any other documents in connection with the offering,
purchase, sale and delivery of the Securities; (iii) all expenses in connection
with the qualification of the Securities for offering and sale under state
securities laws as provided in Section 5(b) hereof, including the fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such
qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky and Legal Investment Surveys,
provided that such fees of counsel shall not exceed $7,500; (iv) any fees
charged by securities rating services for rating the Securities; (v) any filing
fees incident to any required review by the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. of the terms of the sale of the Securities; (vi) the cost of
preparing the Securities; (vii) the fees and expenses of any Trustee and any
agent of any Trustee and the fees and disbursements of counsel for any Trustee
in connection with any Indenture and the Securities; and (viii) all other costs
and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are
not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section. It is understood,
however, that, except as provided in this Section, and Sections 8 and 11 hereof,
the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the
fees of their counsel, transfer taxes on resale of any of the Securities by
them, and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.
7. The obligations of the Underwriters of any Designated Securities under
the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Securities shall be subject,
in the discretion of the Representatives, to the condition that all
representations and warranties and other statements of the Company in or
incorporated by reference in the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated
Securities are, at and as of the Time of Delivery for such Designated
Securities, true and correct, the condition that the Company shall have
performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the
following additional conditions:
(a) The Prospectus as amended or supplemented in relation to the
applicable Designated Securities shall have been filed with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 424(b) within the applicable time period prescribed for
such filing by the rules and regulations under the Act and in accordance
with Section 5(a) hereof; if the Company has elected to rely on Rule
462(b), the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have become effective
by 10:00 p.m., Washington, D.C. time on the date of this Agreement; no stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any
part thereof shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose
shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and all requests
for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been
complied with to the Representatives' reasonable satisfaction;
(b) Xxxxx & Xxxxx, L.L.P., 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 matters
covered in paragraphs (i), (vi), (vii), (viii), (xi), (xii) and (xiii) of
subsection (c) below as well as such other related matters as the
Representatives may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have
received such papers and information as they may reasonably request to
enable them to pass upon such matters;
(c) Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx, General Counsel of the Company, shall have
furnished to the Representatives his 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 the State
of Delaware, 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;
-7-
(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 is doing business or is
otherwise required to qualify or is subject to no material liability or
disability by reason of failure to be so qualified in any such
jurisdiction;
(iv) Each Subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated
and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the
laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation; and 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;
(v) To the best of such counsel's knowledge and other than as
set forth in the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental
proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is
a party or of which any property of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries is the subject which would in the aggregate have a
material adverse effect on the consolidated financial position or
operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; and,
to the best of such counsel's knowledge, no such proceedings are
threatened by governmental authorities or by others;
(vi) This Agreement and the Pricing Agreement with respect to the
Designated Securities have been duly authorized, executed and delivered
by the Company;
(vii) The Designated Securities have been duly authorized,
executed, issued and delivered by the Company and, assuming due
authentication and delivery by the Trustee, constitute valid and
legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance
with their terms and entitled to the benefits provided by the
Indenture, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency,
moratorium, reorganization, fraudulent conveyance and other laws of
general applicability relating to or affecting creditors' rights and to
general equity principles; and the Designated Securities and the
Indenture conform to the descriptions thereof in the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented;
(viii) The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company and, assuming due authorization, execution and
delivery by the Trustee, constitutes a valid and legally binding
instrument, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, as to
enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganization,
fraudulent conveyance and other laws of general applicability relating
to or affecting creditors' rights and to general equity principles; and
the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act;
(ix) The issue and sale of the Designated Securities and the
compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of the Designated
Securities, the Indenture, this Agreement and the Pricing Agreement
with respect to the Designated Securities and the consummation of the
transactions herein and therein contemplated will not result in a
breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute
a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement
or other material agreement or instrument known to such counsel to
which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the
property or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is
subject, nor will such actions result in any violation of the
provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the
Company or any statute or any order, rule or regulation known to such
counsel of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction
over the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their properties;
(x) 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 Designated
-8-
Securities or the consummation by the Company of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement or such Pricing Agreement or the
Indenture, except such as have been obtained under the Act and the
Trust Indenture Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations,
orders, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state
securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and
distribution of the Designated Securities by the Underwriters;
(xi) The statements set forth in the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented under the captions "Description of Debt Securities" and
"Description of Notes," insofar as they purport to constitute a summary
of the terms of the Securities, and under the caption "Plan of
Distribution," insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of
the laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate, complete and
fair;
(xii) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented (other than the financial statements and
related schedules and financial data derived from accounting records
included therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion),
when they 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 light of the
circumstances in which they were made when such documents were so
filed, not misleading; and
(xiii) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented and any further amendments and supplements thereto made by
the Company prior to the Time of Delivery for the Designated Securities
(other than the financial statements and related schedules and
financial data derived from accounting records included therein, as to
which such counsel need express no opinion) appear on their face to
comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the
Act and the Trust Indenture Act and the rules and regulations
thereunder; although such counsel does not assume any responsibility
for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained
in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, except for those
referred to in the opinion in subsection (xi) of this Section 7(c),
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 the financial
statements and related schedules and financial data derived from
accounting records included therein, as to which such counsel need
express no opinion) contained an untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or that, as of
its date, the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or any further
amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company prior to the Time
of Delivery (other than the financial statements and related schedules
and financial data derived from accounting records included therein, as
to which such counsel need express no opinion) contained an untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact
necessary to make the statements therein, in 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 the
financial statements and related schedules and financial data derived
from accounting records included therein, as to which such counsel need
express no opinion) contains an untrue statement of a material fact or
omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances in which they were made, not
misleading;
-9-
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 to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement or required to be incorporated by reference into the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented or required to be described in
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as amended or supplemented
which are not filed or incorporated by reference or described as
required;
In giving the opinion set forth in this subsection (c), such
counsel may state that he expresses no opinion as to the laws of any
jurisdiction outside the United States; and such counsel may rely (A) as to
matters including the application of laws of any jurisdiction other than
the United States, the State of Texas and the General Corporation law of
Delaware, and as to any other matter to which you consent (which consent
shall not be unreasonably withheld), to the extent specified in such
opinion, upon the opinion of other counsel whom he believes to be reliable
(provided that such counsel shall so state in his opinion), and (B) as to
matters of fact on certificates of officers and representatives of the
Company and of public officials; and such counsel will not be required to
verify independently the accuracy or completeness of information or
documents forwarded to him with respect to the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus (or any such further amendment or supplement thereto); any
such opinions of other counsel referred to in clause (A) shall specifically
state that such opinions may be relied upon by the Underwriters and their
counsel.
(d) On the date of the Pricing Agreement for such Designated Securities
at a time prior to the execution of the Pricing Agreement with respect to
such Designated Securities and at the Time of Delivery for such Designated
Securities, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP shall have furnished to the
Representatives a letter, dated the effective date of the Registration
Statement or the date of the most recent report filed with the Commission
containing financial statements and incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement, if the date of such report is later than such
effective date, and a letter dated such Time of Delivery, respectively, to
the effect set forth in Annex II hereto, and with respect to such letter
dated such Time of Delivery, as to such other matters as the
Representatives may reasonably request and in form and substance
satisfactory to the Representatives;
(e) (i) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall have
sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements
included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented prior to the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the
Designated Securities any loss or interference with its business from fire,
explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or
from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree,
otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented prior to the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the
Designated Securities, and (ii) since the respective dates as of which
information is given in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented prior to
the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the Designated Securities
there shall not have been any change in the capital stock (other than
issuances of common stock upon exercise of options that (x) are issued
pursuant to the Company's stock option plans described in the Prospectus
and (y) were outstanding on the date of the latest balance sheet included
or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus), working capital or long-
term debt of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any change, or any
development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the general
affairs, management, financial position, stockholders' equity or results of
operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, otherwise than as set forth
or contemplated in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented prior to the
date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the Designated Securities, the
effect of which, in any such case described in Clause (i) or (ii), is in
the judgment of the Representatives so material and adverse as to make it
impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the
delivery of the Designated Securities on the terms and in the manner
contemplated in the Prospectus as first amended or supplemented relating to
the Designated Securities;
(f) On or after the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the
Designated Securities (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating
accorded the Company's debt securities by any "nationally
-10-
recognized statistical rating organization," as that term is defined by the
Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act, and (ii) no such
organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance
or review, with possible negative implications, its rating of any of the
Company's debt securities;
(g) On or after the date of the Pricing Agreement relating to the
Designated Securities there shall not have occurred any of the following:
(i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally
on the New York Stock Exchange or on the Nasdaq Stock Market; (ii) a
suspension or material limitation in trading in the Company's securities on
the New York Stock Exchange; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial
banking activities in New York declared by either Federal or New York State
authorities; (iv) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the
United States or the declaration by the United States of a national
emergency or war, if the effect of any such event specified in this Clause
(iv) in the judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or
inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the
Designated Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the
Prospectus as first amended or supplemented relating to the Designated
Securities; or (v) the occurrence of any material adverse change in the
existing financial, political or economic conditions in the United States
or elsewhere which, in the judgment of the Representatives, would
materially and adversely affect the financial markets or the market for the
Designated Securities and other debt securities; and
(h) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the
Representatives at the Time of Delivery for the Designated Securities a
certificate or certificates of officers of the Company satisfactory to the
Representatives as to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of
the Company herein at and as of such Time of Delivery, as to the
performance by the Company of all of its obligations hereunder to be
performed at or prior to such Time of Delivery, as to the matters set forth
in subsections (a) and (e) of this Section and as to such other matters as
the Representatives may reasonably request.
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 as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the
Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss,
claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in any Preliminary
Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus supplement, the Registration Statement,
the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and any other prospectus relating to
the Securities, or any such amendment or supplement thereto 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 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,
-11-
the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and any other prospectus relating
to the Securities, or any such amendment or supplement thereto in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by
such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein; and
will reimburse the Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or defending any
such action or claim as such expenses are incurred.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a)
or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified
party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the
indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in
writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the
indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may
have to any indemnified party otherwise than under such subsection. In case
any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall
notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying
party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it
shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified,
to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such
indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the
indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and, after notice
from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to
assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to
such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses of
other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by
such indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than
reasonable out-of-pocket costs of investigation relating thereto. No
indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the
indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to
the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action
or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought
hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential
party to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or
judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party
from all liability arising out of such action or claim and (ii) does not
include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a
failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party. Notwithstanding
any provision hereof to the contrary, with respect to any action or claim,
no indemnifying party shall be responsible for the fees and expenses of
more than one counsel (plus any local counsel) to the indemnified parties
in circumstances in which the indemnified parties do not have potentially
conflicting defenses available.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is
unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
subsection (a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each
indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such
indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the
one hand and the Underwriters of the Designated Securities on the other
from the offering of the Designated Securities to which such loss, claim,
damage or liability (or action in respect thereof) relates. If, however,
the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not
permitted by applicable law or if the indemnified party failed to give the
notice required under subsection (c) above, then each indemnifying party
shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party
in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative
benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the
Underwriters of the Designated Securities on the other in connection with
the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages
or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other
relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the
Company on the one hand and such Underwriters on the other shall be deemed
to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from such offering
(before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total
underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriters. The
relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things,
whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to
information supplied by the Company on the one hand or such Underwriters on
the other and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to
information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or
omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just
and equitable if contribution pursuant to this subsection (d) were
determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as
one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which
does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in
this
-12-
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, but shall not be required, 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 periods, the Representatives notify
the Company that they have so arranged for the purchase of such Designated
Securities, or the Company notifies the Representatives that it has so arranged
for the purchase of such Designated Securities, the Representatives or the
Company shall have the right to postpone the Time of Delivery for such
Designated Securities for a period of not more than seven days, in order to
effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, or in any other
documents or arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any
amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which
in the opinion of the Representatives may thereby be made necessary. The term
"Underwriter" as used in this Agreement shall include any person substituted
under this Section with like effect as if such person had originally been a
party to the Pricing Agreement with respect to such Designated Securities.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the
Designated Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the
Representatives and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the
aggregate principal amount of such Designated Securities which remains
unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount
of the Designated Securities, then the Company shall have the right to
require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the principal amount of
Designated Securities which such Underwriter agreed to purchase under the
Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Securities and, in addition,
to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase its pro rata share
(based on the principal amount of Designated Securities which such
Underwriter agreed to purchase under such Pricing Agreement) of the
Designated Securities of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for
which such arrangements have not been made; but nothing herein shall
relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the
Designated Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the
Representatives and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the
aggregate principal amount of Designated Securities which remains
unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of the
Designated Securities, as referred to in subsection (b) above, or if the
Company shall not exercise the right
-13-
described in subsection (b) above to require non-defaulting Underwriters to
purchase Designated Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters,
then the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated Securities shall
thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of any non-defaulting
Underwriter or the Company, except for the expenses to be borne by the
Company and the Underwriters as provided in Section 6 hereof and the
indemnity and contribution agreements in Section 8 hereof; but nothing
herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its
default.
10. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and
other statements of the Company and the several Underwriters, as set forth in
this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this
Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any
investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf
of any Underwriter or any controlling person of any Underwriter, or the Company,
or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, and shall
survive delivery of and payment for the Securities.
11. If any Pricing Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 9
hereof, the Company shall not then be under any liability to any Underwriter
with respect to the Designated Securities covered by such Pricing Agreement
except as provided in Sections 6 and 8 hereof; but, if for any other reason
Designated Securities are not delivered by or on behalf of the Company as
provided herein, the Company 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 Sections 6 and 8 hereof.
12. In all dealings hereunder, the Representatives of the Underwriters of
Designated Securities shall act on behalf of each of such Underwriters, and the
parties hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any statement, request,
notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or given by such
Representatives jointly or by such of the Representatives, if any, as may be
designated for such purpose in the Pricing Agreement.
All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in
writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or
facsimile transmission to the address of the Representatives as set forth in the
Pricing Agreement; and if to the Company shall be delivered or sent by mail,
telex or facsimile transmission to the address of the Company set forth in the
Registration Statement: Attention: Corporate 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 Sections 8 and 10 hereof, the officers and directors of the Company
and each person who controls the Company or any Underwriter, and their
respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no
other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this
Agreement or any such Pricing Agreement. No purchaser of any of the Securities
from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of
such purchase.
14. Time shall be of the essence of each Pricing Agreement. As used herein,
"business day" shall mean any day when the Commission's office in Washington,
D.C. is open for business.
15. THIS AGREEMENT AND EACH PRICING AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND
CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
-14-
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.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and
return to us five counterparts hereof.
Very truly yours,
Vastar Resources, Inc.
By:
-------------------------------------
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
President and Chief Executive Officer
Accepted as of the date hereof:
[Name of Underwriter(s)]
By:
------------------------------------
-15-
ANNEX I
Pricing Agreement
[Name and address of Underwriter(s)]
, 1999
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Vastar Resources, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), proposes,
subject to the terms and conditions stated herein and in the Underwriting
Agreement, dated March 26, 1999 (the "Underwriting Agreement"), between the
Company on the one hand and [Name of Underwriter(s)] on the other hand, to issue
and sell to the Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the "Underwriters") the
Securities specified in Schedule II hereto (the "Designated Securities"). Each
of the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement is incorporated herein by
reference in its entirety, and shall be deemed to be a part of this Agreement to
the same extent as if such provisions had been set forth in full herein; and
each of the representations and warranties set forth therein shall be deemed to
have been made at and as of the date of this Pricing Agreement, except that each
representation and warranty which refers to the Prospectus in Section 2 of the
Underwriting Agreement shall be deemed to be a representation or warranty as of
the date of the Underwriting Agreement in relation to the Prospectus (as therein
defined), and also a representation and warranty as of the date of this Pricing
Agreement in relation to the Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating to
the Designated Securities which are the subject of this Pricing Agreement. Each
reference to the Representatives herein and in the provisions of the
Underwriting Agreement so incorporated by reference shall be deemed to refer to
you. Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Underwriting
Agreement are used herein as therein defined. The Representatives designated to
act on behalf of the Representatives and on behalf of each of the Underwriters
of the Designated Securities pursuant to Section 12 of the Underwriting
Agreement and the address of the Representatives referred to in such Section 12
are set forth at the end of Schedule II hereto.
An amendment to the Registration Statement, or a supplement to the
Prospectus, as the case may be, relating to the Designated Securities, in the
form heretofore delivered to you is now proposed to be filed with the
Commission.
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the
Underwriting Agreement incorporated herein by reference, the Company agrees to
issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees,
severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the time and place
and at the purchase price to the Underwriters set forth in Schedule II hereto,
the principal amount of Designated Securities set forth opposite the name of
such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and
return to us five counterparts hereof, and upon acceptance hereof by you, on
behalf of each of the Underwriters, this letter and such acceptance hereof,
including the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement incorporated herein by
reference, shall constitute a binding agreement between each of the Underwriters
and the Company. It is understood that your acceptance of this letter on behalf
of each of the Underwriters is or will be pursuant to the authority set forth in
a form of Agreement among
-1-
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,
Vastar Resources, Inc.
By:
------------------------------
Name:
----------------------------
Title:
---------------------------
Accepted as of the date hereof:
[Name of Underwriter(s)]
By:
----------------------------------
On behalf of each of the Underwriters
-2-
SCHEDULE I
Principal
Amount of
Designated
Securities
to be
Underwriter Purchased
[Name of Underwriter(s)] $
Total $
-3-
SCHEDULE II
TITLE OF DESIGNATED SECURITIES:
[ %] [Floating Rate] [Zero Coupon] [Notes]
[Debentures] due
AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT:
[$]
PRICE TO PUBLIC:
% of the principal amount of the Designated Securities, plus accrued
interest[, if any,] from to [and accrued amortization[, if
any,] from to ]
PURCHASE PRICE BY UNDERWRITERS:
% of the principal amount of the Designated Securities, plus accrued
interest from to [and accrued amortization[, if any,]
from to ]
FORM OF DESIGNATED SECURITIES:
[Definitive form to be made available for checking and packaging at least
twenty-four hours prior to the Time of Delivery at the office of [The
Depository Trust Company or its designated custodian] [the
Representatives]]
[Book-entry only form represented by one or more global securities
deposited with The Depository Trust Company ("DTC") or its designated
custodian, to be made available for checking by the Representatives at
least twenty-four hours prior to the Time of Delivery at the office of
DTC.]
SPECIFIED FUNDS FOR PAYMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE:
[[New York] Clearing House (next day)] [Immediately available] funds
TIME OF DELIVERY:
a.m. (New York City time), , 19
INDENTURE:
Indenture dated , 19 , between the Company and , as Trustee
MATURITY:
INTEREST RATE:
[ %] [Zero Coupon] [See Floating Rate Provisions]
INTEREST PAYMENT DATES:
[months and dates, commencing ....................., 19..]
REDEMPTION PROVISIONS:
[No provisions for redemption]
[The Designated Securities may be redeemed, otherwise than through the
sinking fund, in whole or in part at the option of the Company, in the
amount of [$ ] or an integral multiple thereof,
[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
---- -----
-4-
and thereafter at 100% of their principal amount, together in each case with
accrued interest to the redemption date.]
[on any interest payment date falling on or after , , at
the election of the Company, at a redemption price equal to the principal
amount thereof, plus accrued interest to the date of redemption.]]
[Other possible redemption provisions, such as mandatory redemption upon
occurrence of certain events or redemption for changes in tax law]
[Restriction on refunding]
SINKING FUND PROVISIONS:
[No sinking fund provisions]
[The Designated Securities are entitled to the benefit of a sinking fund to
retire [$ ] principal amount of Designated Securities on
in each of the years through at 100% of 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 Designated Securities are extendable debt securities, insert--
EXTENDABLE PROVISIONS:
Designated Securities are repayable on , [insert date
and years], at the option of the holder, at their principal amount with
accrued interest. The initial annual interest rate will be %, and
thereafter the annual interest rate will be adjusted on ,
and to a rate not less than % of the effective annual
interest rate on U.S. Treasury obligations with -year maturities as
of the [insert date 15 days prior to maturity date] prior to such [insert
maturity date].]
[If Designated Securities are floating rate debt securities, insert--
FLOATING RATE PROVISIONS:
Initial annual interest rate will be % through [and
thereafter will be adjusted [monthly] [on each , ,
and ] [to an annual rate of % above the average rate for
-year [month][securities][certificates of deposit] issued by and
[insert names of banks].] [and the annual interest rate [thereafter] [from
through ] will be the interest yield equivalent of the weekly
average per annum market discount rate for -month Treasury
bills plus % of Interest Differential (the excess, if any, of (i)
the then current weekly average per annum secondary market yield for
-month certificates of deposit over (ii) the then current interest yield
equivalent of the weekly average per annum market discount rate for
-month Treasury bills); [from and thereafter the rate will be the then
current interest yield equivalent plus % of Interest Differential].]
DEFEASANCE PROVISIONS:
[As described in the Prospectus.]
CLOSING LOCATION FOR DELIVERY OF DESIGNATED SECURITIES:
ADDITIONAL CLOSING CONDITIONS:
Paragraph 7(g) of the Underwriting Agreement should be modified in the
event that the Securities are denominated in, indexed to, or principal or
interest are paid in, a currency other than the U.S. dollar, more
-5-
than one currency or in a composite currency. The country or countries
issuing such currency should be added to the banking moratorium and
hostilities clauses and the following additional clause should be added to
the paragraph (the entire paragraph should be restated, as amended):
"; ( ) the imposition of the proposal of exchange controls by any
governmental authority in [insert the country or countries issuing such
currency, currencies or composite currency]."
NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF REPRESENTATIVES:
Designated Representatives:
Address for Notices, etc.:
[OTHER TERMS]*:
--------------------
* A description of particular tax, accounting or other unusual features (such as
the addition of event risk provisions) of the Designated Securities should be
set forth, or referenced to an attached and accompanying description, if
necessary, to ensure agreement as to the terms of the Designated Securities to
be purchased and sold. Such a description might appropriately be in the form
in which such features will be described in the Prospectus Supplement for the
offering.
-6-
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 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 unaudited consolidated
interim financial statements, selected financial data, pro forma financial
information 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 representative or representatives of the Underwriters (the
"Representatives") such term to include an Underwriter or Underwriters who
act without any firm being designated as its or their representatives;
(iii) They have made a review in accordance with standards established
by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants of the unaudited
condensed consolidated statements of income, consolidated balance sheets
and consolidated statements of cash flows included in the Prospectus and/or
included in the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q incorporated by
reference into the Prospectus as indicated in their reports thereon copies
of which have been furnished to the Representatives; and on the basis of
specified procedures including inquiries of officials of the Company who
have responsibility for financial and accounting matters regarding whether
the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements referred to in
paragraph (vi)(A)(i) below comply as to form in all material respects with
the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act and
the related published rules and regulations, nothing came to their
attention that caused them to believe that the unaudited condensed
consolidated financial statements do not comply as to form in all material
respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the
Exchange Act and the related published rules and regulations;
(iv) The unaudited selected financial information with respect to the
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 financial statements
for five such fiscal years which were included or incorporated by reference
in the Company's Annual Reports on Form 10-K for such fiscal years;
(v) They have compared the information in the Prospectus under
selected captions with the disclosure requirements of Regulation S-K and on
the basis of limited procedures specified in such letter nothing came to
their attention as a result of the foregoing procedures that caused them to
believe that this information does not conform in all material respects
with the disclosure requirements of Items 301, 302, 402 and 503(d),
respectively, of Regulation S-K;
(vi) On the basis of limited procedures, not constituting an
examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards,
consisting of a reading of the unaudited financial statements and other
information referred to below, a reading of the latest available interim
financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries, inspection of the
minute books of the Company and its Subsidiaries since the date of the
latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference
in the Prospectus, inquiries of officials
-1-
of the Company and its Subsidiaries responsible for financial and
accounting matters and such other inquiries and procedures as may be
specified in such letter, nothing came to their attention that caused them
to believe that:
(A) (i) the unaudited interim consolidated statements of income,
consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows
included in the Prospectus and/or included or incorporated by reference
in the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus do not comply as to form in all material
respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Exchange
Act and the related published rules and regulations, or (ii) any
material modifications should be made to the unaudited interim
statements of income, consolidated balance sheets and consolidated
statements of cash flows included in the Prospectus or included in the
Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q incorporated by reference in
the Prospectus for them to be in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles;
(B) any other unaudited income statement data and balance sheet
items included in the Prospectus do not agree with the corresponding
items in the unaudited interim 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 combined financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus;
(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 Prospectus;
(D) any unaudited pro forma consolidated condensed financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus do
not comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
accounting requirements of the Act and the published rules and
regulations thereunder or the pro forma adjustments have not been
properly applied to the historical amounts in the compilation of those
statements;
(E) as of a specified date not more than five days prior to the
date of such letter, there have been any changes in the consolidated
capital stock (other than issuances of capital stock upon exercise of
options and stock appreciation rights, upon earn-outs of performance
shares and upon conversions of convertible securities, in each case
which were outstanding on the date of the latest balance sheet included
or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus) or any increase in the
consolidated long-term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries, or any
decreases in consolidated net current assets or consolidated
stockholders' equity or other items specified by the Representatives,
or any increases in any items specified by the Representatives, in each
case as compared with amounts shown in the latest balance sheet
included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, except in each
case for changes, increases or decreases which the Prospectus discloses
have occurred or may occur or which are described in such letter; and
(F) for the period from the date of the latest financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus to
the specified date referred to in Clause (E) there were any decreases
in consolidated sales or other operating 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
-2-
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
(vii) In addition to the examination referred to in their report(s)
included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus and the limited
procedures, inspection of minute books, inquiries and other procedures
referred to in paragraphs (iii) and (vi) above, they have carried out
certain specified procedures, not constituting an examination in accordance
with generally accepted auditing standards, with respect to certain
amounts, percentages and financial information specified by the
Representatives which are derived from the general accounting records of
the Company and its subsidiaries, which appear in the Prospectus (excluding
documents incorporated by reference), or in Part II of, or in exhibits and
schedules to, the Registration Statement specified by the Representatives
or in documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus specified by
the Representatives, and have compared certain of such amounts, percentages
and financial information with the accounting records of the Company and
its Subsidiaries and have found them to be in agreement.
All references in this Annex II to the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer
to the Prospectus (including the documents incorporated by reference therein) as
defined in the Underwriting Agreement as of the date of the letter delivered on
the date of the Pricing Agreement for purposes of such letter and to the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented (including the documents incorporated by
reference therein) in relation to the applicable Designated Securities for
purposes of the letter delivered at the Time of Delivery for such Designated
Securities.
-3-