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May 30, 2002 |
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Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
Banc of America Securities LLC
Fleet Securities, Inc.
c/o Morgan Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
0000 Xxxxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Dear Sirs and Mesdames:
Conectiv, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),
proposes to issue and sell to the several purchasers named in Schedule I hereto (the "Initial Purchasers")
$250,000,000 principal amount of its 5.30% Notes due 2005 (the "Securities") to be issued pursuant to the provisions
of an Indenture dated as of May 17, 1999, as supplemented by a Supplemental Indenture No. 1 dated as of June 1, 2002
(the "Indenture") between the Company and Wachovia Trust Company, National Association (formerly First Union
Trust Company, National Association), as Trustee (the "Trustee").
The Securities will be offered without being
registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), to qualified institutional
buyers in compliance with the exemption from registration provided by Rule 144A under the Securities Act, in offshore
transactions in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act ("Regulation S") and to institutional
accredited investors (as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) under the Securities Act) that deliver a
letter in the form annexed to the Final Memorandum (as defined below).
The Initial Purchasers and their direct and indirect
transferees will be entitled to the benefits of a Registration Rights Agreement, to be dated June 4, 2002, between
the Company and the Initial Purchasers (the "Registration Rights Agreement"). In connection with the sale
of the Securities, the Company has prepared a preliminary offering memorandum (the "Preliminary Memorandum")
and will prepare a final offering memorandum (the "Final Memorandum" and, with the Preliminary Memorandum,
each a "Memorandum") including or incorporating by reference a description of the terms of the Securities,
the terms of the offering and a description of the Company. As used herein, the term "Memorandum" shall include in
each case the documents incorporated by reference therein. The terms "supplement", "amendment" and
"amend" as used herein with respect to a Memorandum shall include all documents deemed to be incorporated
by reference in the Preliminary Memorandum or Final Memorandum that are filed subsequent to the date of such
Memorandum with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") pursuant to the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). |
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1.
Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, you that: |
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(a) (i) Each document, if any, filed or to be filed pursuant to the Exchange Act and incorporated by reference in either Memorandum complied or will comply when so filed in all material respects with the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and (ii) the Preliminary Memorandum does not contain and the Final Memorandum, in the form used by the Initial Purchasers to confirm sales and on the Closing Date (as defined in Section 4), will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions in either Memorandum based upon information relating to any Initial Purchaser furnished to the Company in writing by such Initial Purchaser through you expressly for use therein.
(b) The Company has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in each Memorandum and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(c) Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly organized, is validly existing as a corporation, limited liability company, limited partnership or business trust in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has the organizational power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in each Memorandum and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; all of the issued shares of capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company (to the extent owned by the Company directly or through subsidiaries) have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims.
(d) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(e) The Securities have been duly authorized and, when executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Initial Purchasers in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and general principles of equity, whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture pursuant to which such Securities are to be issued.
(f) Each of the Indenture and the Registration Rights Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by, and is a valid and binding agreement of, the Company, and, when authorized, executed and delivered by the appropriate parties, shall be enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and general principles of equity and except that any rights to indemnity or contribution thereunder may be limited by federal or state securities laws and public policy considerations.
(g) The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement, the Indenture, the Registration Rights Agreement and the Securities will not contravene any provision of applicable law or the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Company or any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of its subsidiaries that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary.
(h) No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture, the Registration Rights Agreement or the Securities, except such as may be required by the federal and state securities laws or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities, and except for the order of the Commission issued on March 22, 2002 in Release No. 35-27507, File No. 70-9095, which order remains in full force and effect as issued and is not subject to review or appeal.
(i) There has not occurred any material adverse change, or any development or event which would be reasonably likely to have a material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Final Memorandum.
(j) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or to the Company's knowledge threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject other than (i) proceedings accurately described in all material respects in each Memorandum or (ii) proceedings that would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or on the power or ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture, the Registration Rights Agreement or the Securities or to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Final Memorandum.
(k) The Company and its subsidiaries (i) are in compliance in all material respects with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants ("Environmental Laws"), (ii) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) are in compliance in all material respects with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(l) To the Company's knowledge, there are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties) which would, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(m) The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Final Memorandum, will not be an "investment company" as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(n) Neither the Company nor any affiliate (as defined in Rule 501(b) of Regulation D under the Securities Act, an "Affiliate") of the Company has directly, or through any agent, (i) sold, offered for sale, solicited offers to buy or otherwise negotiated in respect of, any security (as defined in the Securities Act) which is or will be integrated with the sale of the Securities in a manner that would require the registration under the Securities Act of the Securities or (ii) engaged in any form of general solicitation or general advertising in connection with the offering of the Securities, (as those terms are used in Regulation D under the Securities Act) or in any manner involving a public offering within the meaning of Section 4(2) of the Securities Act.
(o) None of the Company, its Affiliates or any person acting on its or their behalf has engaged or will engage in any directed selling efforts (within the meaning of Regulation S) with respect to the Securities and the Company and its Affiliates and any person acting on its or their behalf have complied and will comply with the offering restrictions requirement of Regulation S.
(p) It is not necessary in connection with the offer, sale and delivery of the Securities to the Initial Purchasers in the manner contemplated by this Agreement to register the Securities under the Securities Act assuming the accuracy of the representations, warranties and agreements of the Initial Purchasers set forth in Section 7 hereof, or to qualify the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.
(q) The Securities satisfy the requirements set forth in Rule 144A(d)(3) under the Securities Act.
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2. Agreements to Sell and Purchase. The Company hereby agrees to sell to the several Initial Purchasers, and each Initial Purchaser, upon the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the conditions hereinafter stated, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective principal amount of Securities set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite its name at a purchase price of 99.473% of the principal amount thereof (the "Purchase Price") plus accrued interest, if any, to the Closing Date.
The Company hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated on behalf of the Initial Purchasers, it will not, during the period beginning on the date hereof and continuing to and including the Closing Date, offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of any debt securities of the Company or warrants to purchase debt securities of the Company substantially similar to the Securities (other than the sale of the Securities under this Agreement).
3. Terms of Offering. You have advised the Company that the Initial Purchasers will make an offering of the Securities purchased by the Initial Purchasers hereunder on the terms to be set forth in the Final Memorandum, as soon as practicable after this Agreement is entered into as in your judgment is advisable.
4. Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Securities shall be made to the Company in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Securities for the respective accounts of the several Initial Purchasers at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on June 4, 2002, or at such other time or such other date as shall be agreed upon by the Initial Purchasers and the Company. The time and date of such payment are hereinafter referred to as the "Closing Date."
Certificates for the Securities shall be in definitive form or global form, as specified by you, and registered in such names and in such denominations as you shall request in writing not later than one full business day prior to the Closing Date. The certificates evidencing the Securities shall be delivered to you on the Closing Date for the respective accounts of the several Initial Purchasers, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the transfer of the Securities to the Initial Purchasers duly paid, against payment of the Purchase Price therefor plus accrued interest, if any, to the date of payment and
delivery.
5. Conditions to the Initial Purchasers' Obligations. The several obligations of the Initial Purchasers to purchase and pay for the Securities on the Closing Date are subject to the following conditions:
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(a) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date:
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(i) there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended downgrading in the rating accorded the Company or any of the Company's debt securities or any intended negative change in the rating outlook for the Company by any "nationally recognized statistical rating organization," as such term is defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act; and
(ii) there shall not have occurred any change or development in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Final Memorandum (exclusive of any amendments or supplements thereto subsequent to the date of this Agreement) that, in your reasonable judgment, is material and adverse and that makes it, in your reasonable judgment, impracticable to market the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Final Memorandum.
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(b) The Initial Purchasers shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, to the effect set forth in Section 5(a)(i) and to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date and that the Company has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date.
The officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon the best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened.
(c) The Initial Purchasers shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Xxxxx X. Xxxxx, Esq., General Counsel of the Company, dated the Closing Date, as to the matters referred to in Exhibit A.
(d) The Initial Purchasers shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Blank Rome Xxxxxxx & XxXxxxxx LLP, special counsel to the Company, dated the Closing Date, as to the matters referred to in Exhibit A.
(e) The Initial Purchasers shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Xxxxxx Xxxx & Priest LLP, counsel for the Initial Purchasers, dated the Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Initial Purchasers.
(f) The Initial Purchasers shall have received on the Closing Date a letter, dated the Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Initial Purchasers, from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent public accountants, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in or incorporated by reference into the Final Memorandum; provided that the letter shall use a "cut-off date" not earlier than the date hereof.
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6. Covenants of the Company. In further consideration of the agreements of the Initial Purchasers contained in this Agreement, the Company covenants with each Initial Purchaser as follows:
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(a) To furnish to you in New York City, without charge, prior to 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and during the period mentioned in Section 6(c), as many copies of the Final Memorandum, any documents incorporated by reference therein and any supplements and amendments thereto as you may reasonably request.
(b) Before amending or supplementing either Memorandum, to furnish to you a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement and not to use any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably object.
(c) If, during such period after the date hereof and prior to the date on which all of the Securities shall have been sold by the Initial Purchasers, any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Final Memorandum in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Final Memorandum is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Initial Purchasers, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Final Memorandum to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare and furnish, at its own expense, to the Initial Purchasers, either amendments or supplements to the Final Memorandum so that the statements in the Final Memorandum as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Final Memorandum is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Final Memorandum, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.
(d) To endeavor to qualify the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as you shall reasonably request.
(e) Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, to pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company's counsel and the Company's accountants in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities and all other fees or expenses in connection with the preparation of each Memorandum and all amendments and supplements thereto, including all printing costs associated therewith, and the delivering of copies thereof to the Initial Purchasers, in the quantities herein above specified, (ii) all costs and expenses related to the transfer and delivery of the Securities to the Initial Purchasers, including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon, (iii) the cost of printing or producing any Blue Sky or legal investment memorandum in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities under state securities laws and all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Securities for offer and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 6(d) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Initial Purchasers in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky or legal investment memorandum, (iv) any fees charged by rating agencies for the rating of the Securities, (v) all document production charges and out-of-pocket expenses of counsel to the Initial Purchasers (but not including their fees for professional services) in connection with the preparation of this Agreement, (vi) the costs and charges of the Trustee and any transfer agent, registrar or depositary, (vii) the cost of the preparation, issuance and delivery of the Securities, (viii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any "road show" undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Securities, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show, and (ix) all other costs and expenses (upon approval of the Company) incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section. It is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section, Section 8, and the last paragraph of Section 10, the Initial Purchasers will pay all of their costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of their counsel, transfer taxes payable on resale of any of the Securities by them and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.
(f) Neither the Company nor any Affiliate will sell, offer for sale or solicit offers to buy or otherwise negotiate in respect of any security (as defined in the Securities Act) which could be integrated with the sale of the Securities in a manner which would require the registration under the Securities Act of the Securities.
(g) Not to solicit any offer to buy or offer or sell the Securities by means of any form of general solicitation or general advertising (as those terms are used in Regulation D under the Securities Act) or in any manner involving a public offering within the meaning of Section 4(2) of the Securities Act.
(h) While any of the Securities remain "restricted securities" within the meaning of the Securities Act, to make available, upon request, to any seller of such Securities the information specified in Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act, unless the Company is then subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
(i) None of the Company, its Affiliates or any person acting on its or their behalf (other than the Initial Purchasers) will engage in any directed selling efforts (as that term is defined in Regulation S) with respect to the Securities, and the Company and its Affiliates and each person acting on its or their behalf (other than the Initial Purchasers) will comply with the offering restrictions requirement of Regulation S.
(j) During the period of two years after the Closing Date, the Company will not, and will not permit any of its affiliates (as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act) to resell any of the Securities which constitute "restricted securities" under Rule 144A that have been reacquired by any of them.
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7. Offering of Securities; Restrictions on Transfer. (a) Each Initial Purchaser, severally and not jointly, represents and warrants that such Initial Purchaser is a qualified institutional buyer as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act (a "QIB"). Each Initial Purchaser, severally and not jointly, agrees with the Company that (i) it will not solicit offers for, or offer or sell, such Securities by any form of general solicitation or general advertising (as those terms are used in Regulation D under the Securities Act) or in any manner involving a public offering within the meaning of Section 4(2) of the Securities Act and (ii) it will solicit offers for such Securities only from, and will offer such Securities only to, persons that it reasonably believes to be (A) in the case of offers inside the United States, (1) QIBs or (2) other institutional accredited investors (as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) under the Securities Act ("institutional accredited investors") that, prior to their purchase of the Securities, deliver to such Initial Purchaser a letter containing the representations and agreements set forth in Appendix A to the Memorandum and (B) in the case of offers outside the United States, to persons other than U.S. persons ("foreign purchasers," which term shall include dealers or other professional fiduciaries in the United States acting on a discretionary basis for foreign beneficial owners (other than an estate or trust)) in reliance upon Regulation S under the Securities Act that, in each case, in purchasing such Securities are deemed to have represented and agreed as provided in the Final Memorandum under the caption "Transfer Restrictions".
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(b) Each Initial Purchaser, severally and not jointly, represents, warrants, and agrees with respect to offers and sales outside the United States that:
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(i) such Initial Purchaser understands that no action has been or will be taken in any jurisdiction by the Company that would permit a public offering of the Securities, or possession or distribution of either Memorandum or any other offering or publicity material relating to the Securities, in any country or jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required;
(ii) such Initial Purchaser will comply with all applicable laws and regulations in each jurisdiction in which it acquires, offers, sells or delivers Securities or has in its possession or distributes either Memorandum or any such other material, in all cases at its own expense;
(iii) the Securities have not been registered under the Securities Act and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons except in accordance with Rule 144A or Regulation S under the Securities Act or pursuant to another exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act;
(iv) such Initial Purchaser has offered the Securities and will offer and sell the Securities (A) as part of their distribution at any time and (B) otherwise until 40 days after the later of the commencement of the offering and the Closing Date, only in accordance with Rule 903 of Regulation S or as otherwise permitted in Section 7(a); accordingly, neither such Initial Purchaser, its Affiliates nor any persons acting on its or their behalf have engaged or will engage in any directed selling efforts (within the meaning of Regulation S) with respect to the Securities, and any such Initial Purchaser, its Affiliates and any such persons have complied and will comply with the offering restrictions requirement of Regulation S;
(v) such Initial Purchaser has (A) not offered or sold and, prior to the date six months after the Closing Date, will not offer or sell any Securities to persons in the United Kingdom except to persons whose ordinary activities involve them in acquiring, holding, managing or disposing of investments (as principal or agent) for the purposes of their businesses or otherwise in circumstances which have not resulted and will not result in an offer to the public in the United Kingdom within the meaning of the Public Offers of Securities Regulations 1995; (B) complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the Financial Services Xxx 0000 with respect to anything done by it in relation to the Securities in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom, and (C) only issued or passed on and will only issue or pass on in the United Kingdom any document received by it in connection with the issue of the Securities to a person who is of a kind described in Article 11(3) of the Financial Services Xxx 0000 (Investment Advertisements) (Exemptions) Order 1996 or is a person to whom such document may otherwise lawfully be issued or passed on;
(vi) such Initial Purchaser agrees that, at or prior to confirmation of sales of the Securities, it will have sent to each distributor, dealer or person receiving a selling concession, fee or other remuneration that purchases Securities from it during the restricted period a confirmation or notice to substantially the following effect:
"The Securities covered hereby have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act") and may not be offered and sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons (i) as part of their distribution at any time or (ii) otherwise until 40 days after the later of the commencement of the offering and the closing date, except in either case in accordance with Regulation S (or Rule 144A if available) under the Securities Act. Terms used above have the meaning given to them by Regulation S."
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Terms used in this Section 7(b) have the meanings given to them by Regulation S.
8. Indemnity and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Initial Purchaser and each person, if any, who controls any Initial Purchaser within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in either Memorandum (as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto), or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are caused by any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission based upon information relating to any Initial Purchaser furnished to the Company in writing by such Initial Purchaser through you expressly for use therein; provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity agreement with respect to any Preliminary Memorandum shall not inure to the benefit of any Initial Purchaser from whom the person asserting any such losses, claims, damages or liabilities purchased Securities, or any person controlling such Initial Purchaser, if a copy of the Memorandum (as then amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendment or supplements thereto) was not sent or given by or on behalf of such Initial Purchaser to such person, if required by law so to have been delivered, at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of the Securities to such person, and if the Memorandum (as so amended or supplemented) would have cured the defect giving rise to such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, unless such failure is the result of noncompliance by the Company with Section 8(a) hereof.
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(b) Each Initial Purchaser agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to such Initial Purchaser, but only with reference to information relating to such Initial Purchaser furnished to the Company in writing by such Initial Purchaser through you expressly for use in either Memorandum or any amendments or supplements thereto.
(c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 8(a) or 8(b), such person (the "indemnified party") shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the "indemnifying party") in writing and the indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of any indemnified party in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all such indemnified parties and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. Such firm shall be designated in writing by Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(a), and by the Company, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(b). The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding
(d) To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 8(a) or 8(b) is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Initial Purchasers on the other hand from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 8(d)(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 8(d)(i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Initial Purchasers on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Initial Purchasers on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Securities shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Securities (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the total discounts and commissions received by the Initial Purchasers, in each case as set forth in the Final Memorandum, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Securities. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Initial Purchasers on the other hand 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 or by the Initial Purchasers and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Initial Purchasers' respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 8 are several in proportion to the respective principal amount of Securities they have purchased hereunder, and not joint.
(e) The Company and the Initial Purchasers agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Initial Purchasers were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 8(d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in Section 8(d) shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, 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, no Initial Purchaser shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities purchased by it were resold to investors exceeds the amount of any damages that such Initial Purchaser 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 Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The remedies provided for in this Section 8 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.
(f) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 8 and the representations, warranties and other statements of the Company contained in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Initial Purchaser or any person controlling any Initial Purchaser or by or on behalf of the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Securities. |
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9. Termination. This Agreement shall be subject to termination by notice given by you to the Company, if (a) after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on or by, as the case may be, any of the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange or the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., (ii) trading of any securities of the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market, (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities in New York shall have been declared by either Federal or New York State authorities or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, any declaration of war by Congress or any other substantial national or international calamity or crisis, or any change in financial markets that, in your reasonable judgment, is material and adverse and (b) in the case of any of the events specified in clauses 9(a)(i) through 9(a)(iv), the occurrence of such event, singly or together with any other such event, makes it, in your reasonable judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offer, sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Final Memorandum.
10. Effectiveness; Defaulting Initial Purchasers. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.
If, on the Closing Date, any one or more of the Initial Purchasers shall fail or refuse to purchase Securities that it or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate principal amount of Securities which such defaulting Initial Purchaser or Initial Purchasers agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate principal amount of Securities to be purchased on such date, the other Initial Purchasers shall be obligated severally in the proportions that the principal amount of Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule I bears to the aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Initial Purchasers, or in such other proportions as you may specify, to purchase the Securities which such defaulting Initial Purchaser or Initial Purchasers agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the principal amount of Securities that any Initial Purchaser has agreed to purchase pursuant to this Agreement be increased pursuant to this Section 10 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such principal amount of Securities without the written consent of such Initial Purchaser. If, on the Closing Date any Initial Purchaser or Initial Purchasers shall fail or refuse to purchase Securities which it or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date and the aggregate principal amount of Securities with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate principal amount of Securities to be purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to you and the Company for the purchase of such Securities are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Initial Purchaser or of the Company. In any such case either you or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in the Final Memorandum or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Initial Purchaser from liability in respect of any default of such Initial Purchaser under this Agreement.
If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Initial Purchasers, or any of them, because of any failure or refusal on the part of the Company to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for any reason the Company shall be unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Initial Purchasers or such Initial Purchasers as have so terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves, severally, for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the fees and disbursements of their counsel) reasonably incurred by such Initial Purchasers in connection with this Agreement or the offering contemplated hereunder.
11. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.
12. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York.
13. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and, if sent to the Initial Purchasers will be mailed, delivered or transmitted by electronic means, and confirmed, to the Initial Purchasers c/o Morgan Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated, 0000 Xxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention: Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or transmitted by electronic means, and confirmed, to Conectiv, 000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000, Attention: Assistant Treasurer.
14. Parties in Interest. This Agreement shall inure solely to the benefit of the Company and the Initial Purchasers and, to the extent provided in Section 8 hereof, to any person who controls any Initial Purchaser, to the officers and directors of the Company, and to any person who controls the Company, and their respective successors. No other person, partnership, association or corporation shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. The term "successor" shall not include any assignee of an Initial Purchaser (other than one who shall acquire all or substantially all of such Initial Purchaser's business and properties), nor shall
it include any purchaser of Securities from any Initial Purchaser merely because of such purchase.
15. Headings. The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of this Agreement.
16. Initial Purchaser's Counsel. The Company and the Initial Purchasers acknowledge that Xxxxxx Xxxx & Priest LLP (a) has acted or will act as counsel to the Initial Purchasers in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and (b) has acted, and will continue to act, as counsel to the Company and certain of its affiliated companies in connection with certain federal income tax matters that are not related to this Agreement or the transaction s contemplated hereby, and the Company and the Initial Purchasers consent to such dual representation.
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Accepted as of the date hereof
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
Acting on behalf of itself
and the several Initial Purchasers
named in Schedule I hereto.
By: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
Name: Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
Title: Executive Director
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Very truly yours,
Conectiv
By: /s/ X.X. Xxxxx
Name: X.X. Xxxxx
Title: Vice President and Treasurer |
