1
Exhibit 1
XXXXXXX & XXXXX, INC.
COMMON SHARES
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
----------------------
January __, 1996
Xxxxxx Brothers Inc.
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
As Representatives of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule 1,
c/x Xxxxxx Brothers Inc.
Three World Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Dear Sirs:
Xxxxxxx & Xxxxx, Inc., an Ohio corporation (the "Company"), proposes to sell
1,100,000 shares (the "Firm Stock") of the Company's Common Shares, no par
value (the "Common Stock"). In addition, the Company proposes to grant to the
Underwriters named in Schedule 1 hereto (the "Underwriters") an option to
purchase up to an additional 165,000 shares of the Common Stock on the terms
and for the purposes set forth in Section 2 (the "Option Stock"). The Firm
Stock and the Option Stock, if purchased, are hereinafter collectively called
the "Stock." This is to confirm the agreement concerning the purchase of the
Stock from the Company by the Underwriters named in Schedule 1 hereto (the
"Underwriters").
1. Representations, Warranties and Agreements of the Company. The Company
represents, warrants and agrees that:
(a) A registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 33-____) [and an amendment
thereto,] with respect to the Stock has (i) been prepared by the Company in
conformity with the requirements of the United States Securities Act of 1933
(the "Securities Act") and the rules and regulations (the "Rule and
Regulations") of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") thereunder, (ii) been filed with the Commission under the
Securities Act and (iii) become effective under the Securities Act. Copies
of such registration statement [and the amendment thereto] have been
delivered by the Company to you as the representatives (the
"Representatives") of the Underwriters. As used in this Agreement,
"Effective Time" means the date and the time as of which such registration
statement, or the most recent post-effective amendment thereto, if any, was
declared effective by the Commission; "Effective Date" means the date of the
Effective Time; "Preliminary Prospectus" means each prospectus included in
such registration statement, or amendments thereof, before it became
effective under the
2
Securities Act and any prospectus filed with the Commission by the Company
with the consent of the Representatives pursuant to Rule 424(a) of the Rules
and Regulations; "Registration Statement" means such registration statement,
as amended at the Effective Time, including any documents incorporated by
reference therein at such time and all information contained in the final
prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules
and Regulations in accordance with Section 5 hereof and deemed to be a part
of the registration statement as of the Effective Time pursuant to paragraph
(b) of Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations; and "Prospectus" means such
final prospectus, as first filed with the Commission pursuant to paragraph
(1) or (4) of Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations. Reference made
herein to any Preliminary Prospectus or to the Prospectus shall be deemed to
refer to and include any documents incorporated by reference therein
pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, as of the date of
such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, and any
reference to any amendment or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus or
the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any document filed
under the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act")
after the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case
may be, and incorporated by reference in such Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus, as the case may be; and any reference to any amendment to the
Registration Statement shall be deemed to include any annual report of the
Company filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Exchange Act after the Effective Time that is incorporated by reference in
the Registration Statement]. The Commission has not issued any order
preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus.
(b) The Registration Statement conforms, and the Prospectus and any
further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus will, when they become effective or are filed with the
Commission, as the case may be, conform in all respects to the requirements
of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations 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 that no representation or warranty is made as to information
contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or the Prospectus in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter
specifically for inclusion therein.
-2-
3
(c) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, when they
were filed with the Commission conformed in all material respects to the
requirements of the Exchange Act 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, when such documents are filed with Commission will
conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act 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.
(d) The Company and each of its subsidiaries (as defined in Section 18)
have been duly incorporated and are validly existing as corporations in good
standing under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of incorporation,
are duly qualified to do business and are in good standing as foreign
corporations in each jurisdiction in which their respective ownership or
lease of property or the conduct of their respective businesses requires
such qualification, and have all corporate power and authority necessary to
own or hold their respective properties and to conduct the businesses in
which they are engaged.
(e) 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 thereof 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 issued and 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.
(f) The unissued shares of the Stock to be issued and sold by the Company
to the Underwriters hereunder have been duly and validly authorized and,
when issued and delivered against payment therefor as provided herein, will
be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non- assessable; and the Stock
will conform to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus.
(g) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
the Company.
-3-
4
(h) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the
Company and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will
not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or
provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed
of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument 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
or Code of Regulations of the Company or the comparable documents of any of
its subsidiaries 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 or assets; and except for
the registration of the Stock under the Securities Act and such consents,
approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be
required under the Exchange Act and applicable state securities laws in
connection with the purchase and distribution of the Stock by the
Underwriters, no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing or
registration with, any such court or governmental agency or body is required
for the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company
and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
(i) There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the
Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company
to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to
any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such person or to
require the Company to include such securities in the securities registered
pursuant to the Registration Statement or in any securities being registered
pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company under the
Securities Act, except _______________.
(j) Except as described in the Prospectus, the Company has not sold or
issued any shares of Common Stock during the six-month period preceding the
date of the Prospectus, including any sales pursuant to Rule 144A under, or
Regulations D or S of, the Securities Act other than shares issued pursuant
to employee benefit plans, qualified stock options plans or other employee
or director compensation plans.
(k) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries 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
-4-
5
Prospectus; and, since such date, there has not been any change in the
capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or, to the knowledge of the
Company, any of its subsidiaries or any material adverse change, or any
development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting
the general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders' equity or
results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, otherwise than as
set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus.
(l) The financial statements (including the related notes and supporting
schedules) filed as part of the Registration Statement or included or
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus present fairly the financial
condition and results of operations of the entities purported to be shown
thereby, at the dates and for the periods indicated, and have been prepared
in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a
consistent basis (except as set forth in the accompanying notes) throughout
the periods involved.
(m) Ernst & Young LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of
the Company, whose report is incorporated by reference in the Prospectus and
who have delivered the initial letter referred to in Section 7(g) hereof,
are independent public accountants as required by the Securities Act and the
Rules and Regulations.
(n) The Company and each of 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, (including in the financial statements incorporated by reference
int he Prospectus) or such as do not materially affect the value of such
property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to
be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries; and all 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.
(o) The Company and each of its subsidiaries carry, or are covered by,
insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as is adequate for the
conduct of their respective businesses and the value of their respective
properties and as is customary for companies engaged in similar businesses
in similar industries.
-5-
6
(p) The Company and each of its subsidiaries own or possess adequate
rights to use all material patents, patent applications, trademarks, service
marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service xxxx registrations,
copyrights and licenses necessary for the conduct of their respective
businesses and have no reason to believe that the conduct of their
respective businesses will conflict with, and have not received any notice
of any claim of conflict with, any such rights of others.
(q) 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 or
assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject which, if
determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, might have a
material adverse effect on the consolidated financial position,
stockholders' equity, results of operations, business or prospects 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.
(r) The conditions for use of Form S-3, as set forth in the General
Instructions thereto, have been satisfied.
(s) There are no contracts or other documents which are required to be
described in the Prospectus or filed as exhibits to the Registration
Statement by the Securities Act or by the Rules and Regulations which have
not been described in the Prospectus or filed as exhibits to the
Registration Statement or incorporated therein by reference as permitted by
the Rules and Regulations.
(t) No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the
Company on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders,
customers or suppliers of the Company on the other hand, which is required
to be described in the Prospectus which is not so described.
(u) No labor disturbance by the employees of the Company exists or, to
the knowledge of the Company, other than as described in the Prospectus, is
imminent which might be expected to have a material adverse effect on the
consolidated financial position, stockholders' equity, results of
operations, business or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries.
(v) The Company is in compliance in all material respects with all
presently applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security
Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published
interpretations thereunder ("ERISA"); no "reportable event" (as defined in
ERISA) has occurred with respect to any "pension plan" (as defined in
-6-
7
ERISA) for which the Company would have any future liability; the Company
has not incurred and does not expect to incur liability under (i) Title IV
of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any "pension
plan" or (ii) Sections 412 or 4971 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder
(the "Code"); and each "pension plan" for which the Company would have any
liability that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code
is so qualified in all material respects and nothing has occurred, whether
by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such
qualification.
(w) The Company has filed all federal, state and local income and
franchise tax returns required to be filed through the date hereof and has
paid all taxes due thereon, and no tax deficiency has been determined
adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries which has had (nor does
the Company have any knowledge of any tax deficiency which, if determined
adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, might have) a material
adverse effect on the consolidated financial position, stockholders' equity,
results of operations, business or prospects of the Company and its
subsidiaries taken as a whole.
(x) Since the date as of which information is given in the Prospectus
through the date hereof, and except as may otherwise be disclosed in the
Prospectus, the Company has not (i) issued or granted options or any
securities, (ii) incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent,
other than liabilities and obligations which were incurred in the ordinary
course of business, (iii) entered into any transaction not in the ordinary
course of business or (iv) declared or paid any dividend on its capital
stock other than its regular quarterly cash dividend on its Common Stock.
(y) The Company (i) makes and keeps accurate books and records and (ii)
maintains internal accounting controls which provide reasonable assurance
that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management's
authorization, (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit
preparation of its financial statements and to maintain accountability for
its assets, (C) access to its assets is permitted only in accordance with
management's authorization and (D) the reported accountability for its
assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals.
(z) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries (i) is in violation
of its Articles of Incorporation or Code of Regulations or comparable
documents, (ii) is in default in any material respect, and to the knowledge
of the Company, no event has occurred which, with notice or lapse of time or
both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or
-7-
8
observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any material
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or
instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of
its properties or assets is subject or (iii) is in violation in any material
respect of any law, ordinance, governmental rule, regulation or court decree
to which it or its property or assets may be subject or has failed to obtain
any material license, permit, certificate, franchise or other governmental
authorization or permit necessary to the ownership of its property or to the
conduct of its business.
(aa) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor any director,
officer, agent, employee or other person associated with or acting on behalf
of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, has, to the knowledge of the
Company, used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift,
entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; made
any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic
government official or employee from corporate funds; violated or is in
violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977; or
made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other
unlawful payment.
(ab) There has been no storage, disposal, generation, manufacture,
refinement, transportation, handling or treatment of toxic wastes, medical
wastes, hazardous wastes or hazardous substances by the Company or any of
its subsidiaries (or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of their
predecessors in interest) at, upon or from any of the property now or
previously owned or leased by the Company or its subsidiaries in violation
of any applicable law, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment, decree
or permit or which would require remedial action under any applicable law,
ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit, except for
any violation or remedial action which would not have, or could not be
reasonably likely to have, singularly or in the aggregate with all such
violations and remedial actions, a material adverse effect on the general
affairs, management, financial position, stockholders' equity or results of
operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; there has
been no material spill, discharge, leak, emission, injection, escape,
dumping or release of any kind onto such property or into the environment
surrounding such property of any toxic wastes, medical wastes, solid wastes,
hazardous wastes or hazardous substances due to or caused by the Company or
any of its subsidiaries or with respect to which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries have knowledge, except for any such spill, discharge, leak,
emission, injection, escape, dumping or release which would not have or
would not be reasonably likely to have, singularly or in the aggregate with
all such spills, discharges, leaks, emissions, injections, escapes, dumpings
and releases, a material adverse
-8-
9
effect on the general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders'
equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries; and the
terms "hazardous wastes", "toxic wastes", "hazardous substances" and
"medical wastes" shall have the meanings specified in any applicable local,
state, federal and foreign laws or regulations with respect to environmental
protection.
(ac) Neither the Company nor any subsidiary is an "investment company"
within the meaning of such term under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and
the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
2. Purchase of the Stock by the Underwriters. On the basis of the
representations and warranties contained in, and subject to the terms and
conditions of, this Agreement, the Company agrees to sell the Firm Stock to the
several Underwriters and each of the Underwriters, severally and not jointly,
agrees to purchase the number of shares of the Firm Stock set opposite that
Underwriter's name in Schedule 1 hereto. The respective purchase obligations
of the Underwriters with respect to the Firm Stock shall be rounded among the
Underwriters to avoid fractional shares, as the Representatives may determine.
In addition, the Company grants to the Underwriters an option to purchase up
to 165,000 shares of Option Stock. Such option is granted solely for the
purpose of covering over-allotments in the sale of Firm Stock and is
exercisable as provided in Section 4 hereof. Shares of Option Stock shall be
purchased severally for the account of the Underwriters in proportion to the
number of shares of Firm Stock set opposite the name of such Underwriters in
Schedule 1 hereto. The respective purchase obligations of each Underwriter
with respect to the Option Stock shall be adjusted by the Representatives so
that no Underwriter shall be obligated to purchase Option Stock other than in
100 share amounts. The price of both the Firm Stock and any Option Stock shall
be $_____ per share.
The Company shall not be obligated to deliver any of the Stock to be
delivered on the First Delivery Date or the Second Delivery Date (as
hereinafter defined), as the case may be, except upon payment for all the Stock
to be purchased on such Delivery Date as provided herein.
3. Offering of Stock by the Underwriters.
Upon authorization by the Representative of the release of the Firm Stock,
the several Underwriters propose to offer the Firm Stock for sale upon the
terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus.
4. Delivery of and Payment for the Stock. Delivery of and payment for the
Firm Stock shall be made at the office of ____________________,
________________________, ________, ________ _____, at 10:00 A.M., New York
City time, on the fourth full business day following the date of this Agreement
or at such other date or place as shall be determined by agreement between the
Representatives and the
-9-
10
Company. This date and time are sometimes referred to as the "First Delivery
Date." On the First Delivery Date, the Company shall deliver or cause to be
delivered certificates representing the Firm Stock to the Representatives for
the account of each Underwriter against payment to or upon the order of the
Company of the purchase price by certified or official bank check or checks
payable in New York Clearing House (next-day) funds. Time shall be of the
essence, and delivery at the time and place specified pursuant to this
Agreement is a further condition of the obligation of each Underwriter
hereunder. Upon delivery, the Firm Stock shall be registered in such names and
in such denominations as the Representatives shall request in writing not less
than two full business days prior to the First Delivery Date. For the purpose
of expediting the checking and packaging of the certificates for the Firm
Stock, the Company shall make the certificates representing the Firm Stock
available for inspection by the Representatives in New York, New York, not
later than 2:00 P.M., New York City time, on the business day prior to the
First Delivery Date.
At any time on or before the thirtieth day after the date of this Agreement
the option granted in Section 2 may be exercised by written notice being given
to the Company by the Representatives. Such notice shall set forth the
aggregate number of shares of Option Stock as to which the option is being
exercised, the names in which the shares of Option Stock are to be registered,
the denominations in which the shares of Option Stock are to be issued and the
date and time, as determined by the Representatives, when the shares of Option
Stock are to be delivered; provided, however, that this date and time shall not
be earlier than the First Delivery Date nor earlier than the second business
day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised nor later than
the fifth business day after the date on which the option shall have been
exercised. The date and time the shares of Option Stock are delivered are
sometimes referred to as the "Second Delivery Date" and the First Delivery Date
and the Second Delivery Date are sometimes each referred to as a "Delivery
Date").
Delivery of and payment for the Option Stock shall be made at the place
specified in the first sentence of the first paragraph of this Section 4 (or at
such other place as shall be determined by agreement between the
Representatives and the Company) at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the
Second Delivery Date. On the Second Delivery Date, the Company shall deliver
or cause to be delivered the certificates representing the Option Stock to the
Representatives for the account of each Underwriter against payment to or upon
the order of the Company of the purchase price by certified or official bank
check or checks payable in New York Clearing House (next-day) funds. Time
shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and place specified pursuant
to this Agreement is a further condition of the obligation of each Underwriter
hereunder. Upon delivery, the Option Stock shall be registered in such names
and in such denominations as the Representatives shall request in the aforesaid
written notice. For the purpose of expediting the checking and packaging of
the certificates for the Option Stock, the Company shall make the certificates
representing the Option Stock available for inspection by the Representatives
in New York, New York, not later than 2:00 P.M., New York City time, on the
business day prior to the Second Delivery Date.
-10-
11
5. Further Agreements of the Company. The Company agrees:
(a) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by the Representatives
and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act
not later than Commission's close of business on the second business day
following the execution and delivery of this Agreement or, if applicable,
such earlier time as may be required by Rule 430A(a)(3) under the Securities
Act; to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration
Statement or to the Prospectus prior to the last Delivery Date except as
permitted herein; 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 and to 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
subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of
a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of the
Stock; to advise the Representatives, promptly after it receives notice
thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order
preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus, of the suspension of the qualification of the Stock for offering
or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any
proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the
amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or
for additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any stop
order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary
Prospectus or the Prospectus or suspending any such qualification, to use
promptly its best efforts to obtain its withdrawal;
(b) To furnish promptly to each of the Representatives and to counsel for
the Underwriters a signed copy of the Registration Statement as originally
filed with the Commission, and each amendment thereto filed with the
Commission, including all consents and exhibits filed therewith;
(c) To deliver promptly to the Representatives such number of the
following documents as the Representatives shall reasonably request: (i)
conformed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed with the
Commission and each amendment thereto (in each case excluding exhibits other
than this Agreement), (ii) each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and
any amended or supplemented Prospectus and (iii) any document incorporated
by reference in the Prospectus (excluding exhibits thereto); and, if the
delivery of a prospectus is required at any time after the Effective Time in
connection with the offering or sale of the Stock or any other securities
-11-
12
relating thereto and if at such time any events 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 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
Securities Act or the Exchange 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
or supplemented Prospectus which will correct such statement or omission or
effect such compliance.
(d) To file promptly with the Commission any amendment to the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any supplement to the Prospectus
that may, in the judgment of the Company or the Representatives, be required
by the Securities Act or requested by the Commission;
(e) Prior to filing with the Commission any amendment to the Registration
Statement or supplement to the Prospectus, any document incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus or any Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424 of the
Rules and Regulations, to furnish a copy thereof to the Representatives and
counsel for the Underwriters and obtain the consent of the Representatives
to the filing;
(f) As soon as practicable after the Effective Date, to make generally
available to the Company's security holders and to deliver to the
Representatives an earnings statement of the Company and its subsidiaries
(which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Securities
Act and the Rules and Regulations (including, at the option of the Company,
Rule 158);
(g) For a period of five years following the Effective Date, to furnish
to the Representatives copies of all materials furnished by the Company to
its shareholders generally and all public reports and all reports and
financial statements furnished by the Company to the principal national
securities exchange upon which the Common Stock may be listed pursuant to
requirements of or agreements with such exchange or to the Commission
pursuant to the Exchange Act or any rule or regulation of the Commission
thereunder;
-12-
13
(h) Promptly from time to time to take such action as the Representatives
may reasonably request to qualify the Stock 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 the Stock;
(i) For a period of 180 days from the date of the Prospectus, not to,
directly or indirectly, offer for sale, sell or otherwise dispose of (or
enter into any transaction or device which is designed to, or could be
expected to, result in the disposition by any person at any time in the
future of) any shares of Common Stock (other than the Stock and shares
issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified stock option plans or
other employee compensation plans existing on the date hereof or pursuant to
currently outstanding options or director), or sell or grant options, rights
or warrants with respect to any shares of Common Stock (other than the grant
of options pursuant to option plans existing on the date hereof), without
the prior written consent of Xxxxxx Brothers Inc.; and to cause each officer
and director of the Company and M.H.M. & Co., Ltd. to furnish to the
Representatives, prior to the First Delivery Date, a letter or letters, in
form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, pursuant to
which each such person (or M.H.M. & Co., Ltd.) shall agree not to, directly
or indirectly, offer for sale, sell or otherwise dispose of (or enter into
any transaction or device which is designed to, or could be expected to,
result in the disposition by any person at any time in the future of) any
shares of Common Stock for a period of 90 days (180 days in the case of
M.H.M. & Co., Ltd.) from the date of the Prospectus, without the prior
written consent of Xxxxxx Brothers Inc.;
(j) Prior to the Effective Date, to apply for the inclusion of the Stock
on the National Market System and to use its best efforts to complete that
listing, subject only to official notice of issuance prior to the First
Delivery Date;
(k) Prior to filing with the Commission any reports on Form SR pursuant
to Rule 463 of the Rules and Regulations, to furnish a copy thereof to the
counsel for the Underwriters and receive and consider its comments thereon,
and to deliver promptly to the Representatives a signed copy of each report
on Form SR filed by it with the Commission;
(l) To apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Stock being sold by
the Company as set forth in the Prospectus; and
(m) To take such steps as shall be necessary to ensure that neither the
Company nor any subsidiary shall become an "investment company" within
-13-
14
the meaning of such term under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the
rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
6. Expenses. The Company agrees to pay (a) the costs incident to the
authorization, issuance, sale and delivery of the Stock and any taxes payable
in that connection; (b) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and
filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement and any
amendments and exhibits thereto; (c) the costs of distributing to the
Underwriters the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment
thereto and any post-effective amendments thereof (including, in each case,
exhibits), any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendment or
supplement to the Prospectus or any document incorporated by reference therein,
all as provided in this Agreement; (d) the costs of producing and distributing
this Agreement and any other related documents in connection with the offering,
purchase, sale and delivery of the stock; (e) the filing fees incident to
securing any required review by the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc. of the terms of sale of the Stock; (f) any applicable listing or other
fees; (g) the fees and expenses of qualifying the Stock under the securities
laws of the several jurisdictions as provided in Section 5(h) and of preparing,
printing and distributing a Blue Sky Memorandum (including related fees and
expenses of counsel to the Underwriters); and (h) all other costs and expenses
incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this
Agreement; provided that, except as provided in this Section 6 and in Section
11 the Underwriters shall pay their own costs and expenses, including the costs
and expenses of their counsel, any transfer taxes on the Stock which they may
sell and the expenses of advertising or prospective purchaser meetings or
presentations relating to any offering of the Stock made by the Underwriters.
7. Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations. The respective obligations of
the Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy, when made and on each
Delivery Date, of the representations and warranties of the Company contained
herein, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, and to
each of the following additional terms and conditions:
(a) The Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission in
accordance with Section 5(a); 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 any request of the Commission for inclusion of additional
information in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or otherwise
shall have been complied with.
(b) No Underwriter shall have discovered and disclosed to the Company on
or prior to such Delivery Date that the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto contains an untrue
statement of a fact which, in the opinion of Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Xxxxx, counsel
for the Underwriters, is material or omits to state a fact which, in the
-14-
15
opinion of such counsel, is material and is required to be stated therein or
is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
(c) All corporate proceedings and other legal matters incident to the
authorization, form and validity of this Agreement, the Stock, the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and all other legal matters
relating to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be
reasonably satisfactory in all material respects to counsel for the
Underwriters, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel all
documents and information that they may reasonably request to enable them to
pass upon such matters.
(d) Xxxxxxxx Xxxx and Xxxxx shall have furnished to the Representatives
their written opinion, as counsel to the Company, addressed to the
Underwriters and dated such Delivery Date, in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect that:
(i) The Company, each of its domestic subsidiaries, _______________ and
_______________ have been duly incorporated and are validly existing as
corporations in good standing under the laws of their respective
jurisdictions of incorporation, are duly qualified to do business and are
in good standing as foreign corporations in each jurisdiction in which
their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of their
respective businesses requires such qualification, other than in
jurisdictions in which the failure to so qualify would not have a
materially adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a
whole and have all corporate power and authority necessary to own or hold
their respective properties and conduct the businesses as described in the
Prospectus in which they are engaged;
(ii) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the
Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company
(including the shares of Stock being delivered on such Delivery Date) have
been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and
non-assessable and conform to the description thereof contained in the
Prospectus; and all of the issued shares of capital stock of each domestic
subsidiary of the Company, _______________ and _______________ have been
duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid, non-assessable
and (except for directors' qualifying shares) are owned directly or
indirectly by the Company, free and clear of any perfected security
interests and, to the knowledge of such counsel, any other security
interests, claims, liens and encumbrances except for those disclosed in
the Prospectus;
-15-
16
(iii) There are no preemptive or other rights to subscribe for or to
purchase, nor any restriction upon the voting or transfer of, any shares
of the Stock pursuant to the Company's Articles of Incorporation and Code
of Regulations or any agreement or other instrument known to such counsel;
(iv) To such counsel's knowledge the Company and each of 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
materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such
property by the Company and its subsidiaries; and all 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;
(v) To 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 or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the
subject which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, might have a material adverse effect on the consolidated
financial position, stockholders' equity, results of operations or
business of the Company and its subsidiaries; and, to such counsel's
knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by
governmental authorities or threatened by others;
(vi) The Registration Statement was declared effective under the
Securities Act as of the date and time specified in such opinion, the
Prospectus was filed with the Commission pursuant to the subparagraph of
Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations specified in such opinion on the
date specified therein and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of
the Registration Statement has been issued and, to the knowledge of such
counsel, no proceeding for that purpose is pending or threatened by the
Commission;
(vii) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any further
amendments or supplements thereto made by the Company prior to such
Delivery Date (other than the financial statements and related schedules
and other financial and statistical data therein, as to
-16-
17
which such counsel need express no opinion) comply as to form in all
material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the
Rules and Regulations; the documents incorporated by reference in the
Prospectus and any further amendment or supplement to any such
incorporated document made by the Company prior to such Delivery Date
(other than the financial statements and related schedules therein, as to
which such counsel need express no opinion), when they were filed with the
Commission complied as to form in all material respects with the
requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder;
(viii) To such counsel's knowledge, there are no contracts or other
documents which are required to be described in the Prospectus or filed as
exhibits to the Registration Statement by the Securities Act or by the
Rules and Regulations which have not been described or filed as exhibits
to the Registration Statement or incorporated therein by reference as
permitted by the Rules and Regulations;
(ix) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
the Company;
(x) The issue and sale of the shares of Stock being delivered on such
Delivery Date by the Company and the compliance by the Company with all of
the provisions of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby will not conflict with or result in a breach or
violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default
under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other
agreement or instrument 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 Articles of Incorporation
or Code of Regulations of the Company or the comparable documents of any
of its subsidiaries 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 or assets; and, except for the registration of the Stock under
the Securities Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations,
registrations or qualifications as may be required under the Exchange Act
and applicable state securities laws and qualification for issuance with
the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. in connection with
the purchase and distribution of the Stock by the Underwriters, no
consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing or registration
with, any
-17-
18
such court or governmental agency or body is required for the execution,
delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby; and
(xi) To such counsel's knowledge, except for _______________,
_______________ and _______________ there are no contracts, agreements or
understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the
right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the
Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company owned or to
be owned by such person or to require the Company to include such
securities in the securities registered pursuant to the Registration
Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other
registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act.
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may (i) state that their opinion
is limited to matters governed by the Federal laws of the United States of
America, the laws of the State of Ohio and the General Corporation Law of
the State of Delaware; (ii) rely (to the extent such counsel deems proper
and specifies in their opinion), as to matters involving the application of
the laws of the applicable foreign jurisdiction upon the opinion of other
counsel of good standing, provided that such other counsel is satisfactory
to counsel for the Underwriters and furnishes a copy of its opinion to the
Representatives; and (iii) in giving the opinion referred to in Section
7(d)(v), state that no examination of record titles for the purpose of such
opinion has been made, and that they are 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, and, in respect of matters of fact, upon
certificates of officers of the Company or its subsidiaries, provided that
such counsel shall state that they believe that both the Underwriters and
they are justified in relying upon such opinions, abstracts, reports,
policies and certificates. Such counsel shall also have furnished to the
Representatives a written statement, addressed to the Underwriters and dated
such Delivery Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Representatives, to the effect that (x) such counsel has acted as counsel to
the Company on a regular basis and has acted as counsel to the Company in
connection with the preparation of the Registration Statement, and (y) based
on the foregoing, no facts have come to the attention of such counsel which
lead them to believe that (I) the Registration Statement, as of the
Effective Date, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted
to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order
to make the statements therein not misleading, or that
-18-
19
the Prospectus contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading or (II) any document incorporated by reference in
the Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement to any such
incorporated document made by the Company prior to such Delivery Date, when
they were filed with the Commission contained 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 under which they were
made, not misleading.
(e) The Representative[s] shall have received from Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Xxxxx,
counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated such Delivery
Date, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Stock, the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus and other related matters as the Representatives
may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel
such documents as they reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them
to pass upon such matters.
(f) At the time of execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall
have received from Ernst & Young LLP a letter, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Representatives, addressed to the Underwriters and dated
the date hereof (i) confirming that they are independent public accountants
within the meaning of the Securities Act and are in compliance with the
applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under
Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission, (ii) stating, as of the date
hereof (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since
the respective dates as of which specified financial information is given in
the Prospectus, as of a date not more than five days prior to the date
hereof), the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the
financial information and other matters ordinarily covered by accountants'
"comfort letters" to underwriters in connection with registered public
offerings.
(g) With respect to the letter of Ernst & Young LLP referred to in the
preceding paragraph and delivered to the Representatives concurrently with
the execution of this Agreement (the "initial letter"), the Company shall
have furnished to the Representatives a letter (the "bring-down letter") of
such accountants, addressed to the Underwriters and dated such Delivery Date
(i) confirming that they are independent public accountants within the
meaning of the Securities Act and are in compliance with the applicable
requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of
Regulation S-X of the Commission, (ii) stating, as of the date of the
bring-down letter (or, with respect to matters involving changes or
developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial
information is given
-19-
20
in the Prospectus, as of a date not more than five days prior to the date of
the bring-down letter), the conclusions and findings of such firm with
respect to the financial information and other matters covered by the
initial letter and (iii) confirming in all material respects the conclusions
and findings set forth in the initial letter.
(h) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a
certificate, dated such Delivery Date, of its Chairman of the Board, its
President or a Vice President and its chief financial officer stating that:
(i) The representations, warranties and agreements of the Company in
Section 1 are true and correct as of such Delivery Date; the Company has
complied with all its agreements contained herein; and the conditions set
forth in Sections 7(a) and 7(i) have been fulfilled; and
(ii) They have carefully examined the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus and, in their opinion (A) as of the Effective Date, the
Registration Statement and Prospectus did not include any untrue statement
of a material fact and did not omit to state a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading, and (B) since the Effective Date no event has occurred which
should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus.
(i) (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 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 or (ii) since such date there shall not have been any change in
the capital stock 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,
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 Stock being delivered on such Delivery Date on the terms and
in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.
-20-
21
(j) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement there
shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) trading in securities
generally on the New York Stock Exchange or the American Stock Exchange or
in the over-the-counter market, or trading in any securities of the Company
on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market, shall have been suspended
or minimum prices shall have been established on any such exchange or such
market by the Commission, by such exchange or by any other regulatory body
or governmental authority having jurisdiction, (ii) a banking moratorium
shall have been declared by Federal or state authorities, (iii) the United
States shall have become engaged in hostilities, there shall have been an
escalation in hostilities involving the United States or there shall have
been a declaration of a national emergency or war by the United States or
(iv) there shall have occurred such a material adverse change in general
economic, political or financial conditions (or the effect of international
conditions on the financial markets in the United States shall be such) as
to make it, in the judgment of a majority in interest of the several
Underwriters, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public
offering or delivery of the Stock being delivered on such Delivery Date on
the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.
(k) The National Market System shall have approved the Stock for
inclusion, subject only to official notice of issuance.
All opinions, letters, evidence and certificates mentioned above or
elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the
provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.
8. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its
officers and employees and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter
within the meaning of the Securities Act, from and against any loss, claim,
damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in respect thereof
(including, but not limited to, any loss, claim, damage, liability or action
relating to purchases and sales of Stock), to which that Underwriter, officer,
employee or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act or
otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out
of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained (A) in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or (B) in
any blue sky application or other document prepared or executed by the Company
(or based upon any written information furnished by the Company) specifically
for the purpose of qualifying any or all of the Stock under the securities laws
of any state or other jurisdiction (any such application, document or
information being hereinafter called a "Blue Sky Application"), (ii) the
omission or alleged omission to state in any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Registration Statement or the
-21-
22
Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, or in any Blue Sky
Application any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading or (iii) any act or failure to act
or any alleged act or failure to act by any Underwriter in connection with, or
relating in any manner to, the Stock or the offering contemplated hereby, and
which is included as part of or referred to in any loss, claim, damage,
liability or action arising out of or based upon matters covered by clause (i)
or (ii) above (provided that the Company shall not be liable under this clause
(iii) to the extent that it is determined in a final judgment by a court of
competent jurisdiction that such loss, claim, damage, liability or action
resulted directly from any such acts or failures to act undertaken or omitted
to be taken by such Underwriter through its gross negligence or willful
misconduct), and shall reimburse each Underwriter and each such officer,
employee or controlling person promptly upon demand for any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred by that Underwriter, officer, employee or
controlling person in connection with investigating or defending or preparing
to defend against any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action 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, liability or
action arises out of, or is based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission made in any Preliminary Prospectus,
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any such amendment or
supplement, or in any Blue Sky Application, in reliance upon and in conformity
with written information concerning such Underwriter furnished to the Company
through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for
inclusion therein. Provided, however, that the indemnity agreement contained
in this subsection (a) with respect to any Preliminary Prospectus or amended
Preliminary Prospectus shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter (or to
the benefit of any person controlling such Underwriter) from whom the person
asserting any such loss, expense, liability or claim purchased the shares of
stock which is the subject thereof if the Prospectus corrected any such alleged
untrue statement or omission and if such Underwriter failed to send or give a
copy of the Prospectus to such person at or prior to the written confirmation
of the sale of such shares of stock to such person. The foregoing indemnity
agreement is in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have
to any Underwriter or to any officer, employee or controlling person of that
Underwriter.
(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, shall indemnify and hold
harmless the Company, its officers and employees, each of its directors, and
each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the
Securities Act, from and against any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or
several, or any action in respect thereof, to which the Company or any such
director, officer, employee or controlling person may become subject, under the
Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or
action arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact contained (A) in any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or in any amendment or
supplement thereto, or (B) in any Blue Sky Application or (ii) the omission or
alleged omission to state in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, or in
any Blue Sky Application any material fact required to be stated
-22-
23
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but in each
case only to the extent that the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity
with written information concerning such Underwriter furnished to the Company
through the Representatives by or on behalf of that Underwriter specifically
for inclusion therein, and shall reimburse the Company and any such director,
officer, employee or controlling person for any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by the Company or any such director, officer or controlling
person in connection with investigating or defending or preparing to defend
against any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are
incurred. The foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to any liability
which any Underwriter may otherwise have to the Company or any such director,
officer, employee or controlling person.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of
notice of any claim or the commencement of any action, the indemnified party
shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying
party under this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the
claim or the commencement of that action; provided, however, that the failure
to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which
it may have under this Section 8 except to the extent it has been materially
prejudiced by such failure and, provided further, that the failure to notify
the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may
have to an indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 8. If any such
claim or action shall be brought against an indemnified party, and it shall
notify the indemnifying party thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled
to participate therein and, to the extent that it wishes, jointly with any
other similarly notified indemnifying party, to assume the defense thereof with
counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. After notice from
the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the
defense of such claim or action, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to
the indemnified party under this Section 8 for any legal or other expenses
subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense
thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation; provided, however, that
the Representatives shall have the right to employ counsel to represent jointly
the Representatives and those other Underwriters and their respective officers,
employees and controlling persons who may be subject to liability arising out
of any claim in respect of which indemnity may be sought by the Underwriters
against the Company under this Section 8 if, in the reasonable judgment of the
Representatives, it is advisable for the Representatives and those
Underwriters, officers, employees and controlling persons to be jointly
represented by separate counsel, and in that event the fees and expenses of
such separate counsel shall be paid by the Company. No indemnifying party
shall (i) without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties (which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), settle or compromise or consent to
the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim,
action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution
may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or
potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise
or consent includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all
liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding, or (ii) be
liable
-23-
24
for any settlement of any such action effected without its written consent
(which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), but if settled with the
consent of the indemnifying party or if there be a final judgment of the
plaintiff in any such action, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless any indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by
reason of such settlement or judgment.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 shall for any
reason be unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party
under Section 8(a) or 8(b) in respect of any loss, claim, damage or liability,
or any action in respect thereof, referred to therein, then each indemnifying
party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, contribute to the
amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such loss,
claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, (i) in such
proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by
the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering
of the Stock or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not
permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect
not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the
relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other
with respect to the statements or omissions which resulted in such loss, claim,
damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other
relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the
Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other with respect to such
offering shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds
from the offering of the Stock purchased under this Agreement (before deducting
expenses) received by the Company, on the one hand, and the total underwriting
discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters with respect to the
shares of the Stock purchased under this Agreement, on the other hand, bear to
the total gross proceeds from the offering of the shares of the Stock under
this Agreement, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the
Prospectus. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to whether the
untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged
omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the
Company or the Underwriters, the intent of the parties and their relative
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 contributions pursuant to this Section were to be
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 into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount
paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, damage
or liability, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section
shall be deemed to include, for purposes of this Section 8(d), 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 Section 8(d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute
any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Stock
underwritten by it and distributed to the public was offered to the public
exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise paid or
become liable to pay by reason of any untrue or alleged untrue statement or
omission or alleged omission. No
-24-
25
person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section
11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person
who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters'
obligations to contribute as provided in this Section 8(d) are several in
proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.
(e) The Underwriters severally confirm and the Company acknowledges that
the statements with respect to the public offering of the Stock by the
Underwriters set forth on the cover page of, the legend concerning
over-allotments on the inside front cover page of and the concession and
reallowance figures appearing under the caption "Underwriting" in, the
Prospectus are correct and constitute the only information concerning such
Underwriters furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of the
Underwriters specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus.
9. Defaulting Underwriters.
If, on either Delivery Date, any Underwriter defaults in the performance of
its obligations under this Agreement, the remaining non- defaulting
Underwriters shall be obligated to purchase the Stock which the defaulting
Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase on such Delivery Date in the
respective proportions which the number of shares of the Firm Stock set
opposite the name of each remaining non-defaulting Underwriter in Schedule 1
hereto bears to the total number of shares of the Firm Stock set opposite the
names of all the remaining non- defaulting Underwriters in Schedule 1 hereto;
provided, however, that the remaining non-defaulting Underwriters shall not be
obligated to purchase any of the Stock on such Delivery Date if the total
number of shares of the Stock which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters
agreed but failed to purchase on such date exceeds 9.09% of the total number of
shares of the Stock to be purchased on such Delivery Date, and any remaining
non-defaulting Underwriter shall not be obligated to purchase more than 110% of
the number of shares of the Stock which it agreed to purchase on such Delivery
Date pursuant to the terms of Section 2. If the foregoing maximums are
exceeded, the remaining non-defaulting Underwriters, or those other
underwriters satisfactory to the Representatives who so agree, shall have the
right, but shall not be obligated, to purchase, in such proportion as may be
agreed upon among them, all the Stock to be purchased on such Delivery Date.
If the remaining Underwriters or other underwriters satisfactory to the
Representatives do not elect to purchase the shares which the defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase on such Delivery
Date, this Agreement (or, with respect to the Second Delivery Date, the
obligation of the Underwriters to purchase, and of the Company to sell, the
Option Stock) shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-
defaulting Underwriter or the Company, except that the Company will continue to
be liable for the payment of expenses to the extent set forth in Sections 6 and
11. As used in this Agreement, the term "Underwriter" includes, for all
purposes of this Agreement unless the context requires otherwise, any party not
listed in Schedule 1 hereto who, pursuant to this Section 9, purchases Firm
Stock which a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.
-25-
26
Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any
liability it may have to the Company for damages caused by its default. If
other underwriters are obligated or agree to purchase the Stock of a defaulting
or withdrawing Underwriter, either the Representatives or the Company may
postpone the Delivery Date for up to seven full business days in order to
effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel
for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement, the
Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement.
10. Termination. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be
terminated by the Representatives by notice given to and received by the
Company prior to delivery of and payment for the Firm Stock if, prior to that
time, any of the events described in Sections 7(i) or 7(j), shall have occurred
or if the Underwriters shall decline to purchase the Stock for any reason
permitted under this Agreement.
11. Reimbursement of Underwriters' Expenses. If (a) the Company shall
fail to tender the Stock for delivery to the Underwriters by reason of any
failure, refusal or inability on the part of the Company to perform any
agreement on its part to be performed, or because any other condition of the
Underwriters' obligations hereunder required to be fulfilled by the Company is
not fulfilled, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters for all reasonable
out-of-pocket expenses (including fees and disbursements of counsel) incurred
by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the proposed purchase
of the Stock, and upon demand the Company shall pay the full amount thereof to
the Representative(s). If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9
by reason of the default of one or more Underwriters, the Company shall not be
obligated to reimburse any defaulting Underwriter on account of those expenses.
12. Notices, etc. All statements, requests, notices and agreements
hereunder shall be in writing, and:
(a) if to the Underwriters, shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or
facsimile transmission to Xxxxxx Brothers Inc., Three World Financial
Center, New York, New York 10285, Attention: Syndicate Department (Fax:
000-000-0000), with a copy, in the case of any notice pursuant to Section
8(c), to the Director of Litigation, Office of the General Counsel, Xxxxxx
Brothers Inc., 0 Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000;
(b) 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: President (Fax: 000-000-0000);
provided, however, that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 8(c)
shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to such
Underwriter at its address set forth in its acceptance telex to the
Representatives, which address will be supplied to any other party hereto by
the Representatives upon request. Any such statements, requests,
-26-
27
notices or agreements shall take effect at the time of receipt thereof. The
Company shall be entitled to act and rely upon any request, consent, notice or
agreement given or made on behalf of the Underwriters by Xxxxxx Brothers Inc.
on behalf of the Representatives.
13. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure
to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters, the Company, and their
respective successors. This Agreement and the terms and provisions hereof are
for the sole benefit of only those persons, except that (A) the
representations, warranties, indemnities and agreements of the Company
contained in this Agreement shall also be deemed to be for the benefit of the
person or persons, if any, who control any Underwriter within the meaning of
Section 15 of the Securities Act and (B) the indemnity agreement of the
Underwriters contained in Section 7(b) of this Agreement shall be deemed to be
for the benefit of directors of the Company, officers, employees of the Company
who have signed the Registration Statement and any person controlling the
Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act. Nothing in
this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, other than
the persons referred to in this Section 13, any legal or equitable right,
remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision
contained herein.
14. Survival. The respective indemnities, representations, warranties and
agreements of the Company and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or
made by or on behalf on them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall
survive the delivery of and payment for the Stock and shall remain in full
force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any
of them or any person controlling any of them.
15. Definition of the Terms "Business Day" and "Subsidiary". For purposes
of this Agreement, (a) "business day" means any day on which the New York Stock
Exchange, Inc. is open for trading and (b) "subsidiary" has the meaning set
forth in Rule 405 of the Rules and Regulations.
16. Governing Law. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF NEW YORK.
17. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts and, if executed in more than one counterpart, the executed
counterparts shall each be deemed to be an original but all such counterparts
shall together constitute one and the same instrument.
18. Headings. The headings herein are inserted for convenience of
reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or
interpretation of, this Agreement.
-27-
28
If the foregoing correctly sets forth the agreement between the Company and
the Underwriters, please indicate your acceptance in the space provided for
that purpose below.
Very truly yours,
XXXXXXX & XXXXX, INC.
By
____________________________________
Xxxxxx X. Doral
President and Chief Executive
Officer
Accepted:
XXXXXX BROTHERS INC.
XXXXXXXX WERTHEIM & CO. INCORPORATED
For themselves and as Representatives
of the several Underwriters named
in Schedule 1 hereto
By XXXXXX BROTHERS INC.
By ______________________
Authorized Representative
-28-
29
SCHEDULE 1
Number of
Underwriters Shares
------------ ---------
Xxxxxx Brothers Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
=========
CHI3:19393.2 12.13.95 2.42
