Wisconsin Public Service Corporation Senior Notes, 5.65% Series Due November 1, 2017 Underwriting Agreement
Exhibit
1
EXECUTION
COPY
Senior
Notes, 5.65% Series Due November 1, 2017
November
13,
2007
UBS
Securities
LLC
Wachovia
Capital
Markets, LLC
as
Representatives of the
several
Underwriters listed
on
Schedule II hereto
c/o
UBS Securities
LLC
000
Xxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Ladies
and
Gentlemen:
Wisconsin
Public
Service Corporation, a corporation organized under the laws of Wisconsin (the
“Company”), proposes to sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule II
hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you (the “Representatives”) are acting as
representatives, the principal amount of its senior debt securities identified
in Schedule I hereto (the “Senior Notes”), to be issued under an Indenture
dated as of December 1, 1998, between the Company and U.S. Bank National
Association (as successor to Firstar Bank Milwaukee, N.A.), as trustee (the
“Senior Trustee”), as amended and supplemented to the date hereof (the “Original
Senior Indenture”) and to be further supplemented by the Seventh Supplemental
Indenture dated as of November 1, 2007, creating the series in which the Senior
Notes are to be issued (the “Supplemental Indenture to the Senior
Indenture”). The term “Senior Indenture,” as used herein, means the
Original Senior Indenture as supplemented by the Supplemental Indenture to
the
Senior Indenture. To the extent there are no additional Underwriters listed
on
Schedule II other than you, the term Representatives as used herein shall
mean you, as Underwriters.
Until
the Release
Date (as defined in the Senior Indenture), the Senior Notes will be secured
as
to payment of principal and interest by the Company’s First Mortgage Bonds,
Collateral Series G (the “Collateral Bonds”), issued under and ratably secured
by the First Mortgage and Deed of Trust dated January 1, 1941 between the
Company and U.S. Bank National Association (the successor to First Wisconsin
Trust Company), as Trustee (the “Mortgage Trustee”), as amended and supplemented
to the date hereof (as so amended and supplemented, the “Original Mortgage
Indenture”) and to be further supplemented by the Thirty-Ninth Supplemental
Indenture thereto creating the Collateral Bonds (the “Supplemental Indenture to
the Mortgage Indenture”). The term “Mortgage Indenture,” as used
herein, means the Original Mortgage Indenture, as supplemented by the
Supplemental Indenture to the
Mortgage
Indenture. The Collateral Bonds will be issued, pledged and delivered
to the Senior Trustee by the Company concurrently with the issue and delivery
of
the Senior Notes.
Any
reference
herein to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary
Prospectus or the Final Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include
the
documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of
Form S-3 which were filed under the Exchange Act on or before, in the case
of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale (as defined below), or, in
the
case of the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus,
the applicable issue date, and any reference herein to the terms “amend”,
“amendment” or “supplement” shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing
of any document under the Exchange Act after the Time of Sale, with respect
to
the Registration Statement, or the issue date of the Base Prospectus, any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus, as the case may be, that is
deemed to be incorporated therein by reference. All references in
this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information
which
is “contained,” “included,” “set forth” or “stated” in the Registration
Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Final
Prospectus (and all other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean
and
include all such financial statements and schedules and other information that
are or are deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement,
the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, or the Final Prospectus, as
the
case may be. Certain terms used herein are defined in Section 19
hereof.
1. Representations
and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants
to, and agrees with, each Underwriter as set forth below in this
Section 1.
(a) Filing
Status;
Filing and Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Company
meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Act and has prepared
and filed with the Commission a registration statement on Form S-3 (the file
number of which is set forth in Schedule I hereto), including a related
base prospectus, for registration under the Act of the offering and sale of
the
Senior Notes, from time to time, in accordance with Rule 415. The
Company has filed with the Commission such amendments thereto, if any, as may
have been required prior to the date hereof. Such registration
statement, if and as amended, has been declared effective by the
Commission. The Company is not and was not an “ineligible issuer,” as
defined under Rule 405, at the relevant times specified in the Act in connection
with the offering of the Senior Notes. The Registration Statement
meets the requirements set forth in Rule 415(a)(1)(x).
(b) Time
of Sale
Information. At or prior to the time when sales of the Senior
Notes were first made (the “Time of Sale”), the Company prepared a Preliminary
Prospectus, dated November 13, 2007, and each “free-writing prospectus” (as
defined pursuant to Rule 405), if any, listed on Annex A hereto. Such
Preliminary Prospectus and the free-writing prospectuses, if any, included
on
Annex A, are collectively referred to in this Agreement as the “Time of Sale
Information.”
(c) Final
Prospectus. Except to the extent the Representatives shall agree
in writing to a modification, the Final Prospectus shall be in all substantive
respects in the form furnished to you prior to the execution and delivery of
this Agreement or, to the extent not completed as of such time, shall contain
only such specific additional information and other
2
changes
(beyond
that contained in the Base Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information) as
the
Company has advised you, prior to such time, will be included or made
therein.
(d) Preliminary
Prospectus. No order preventing or suspending the use of any
Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary
Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all material respects
with the Act and did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or
omit
to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order
to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they
were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no
representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made
in
reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter
furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the
Representatives expressly for use in any Preliminary Prospectus. The
Preliminary Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection
with
the offering of the Senior Notes was identical to the electronically transmitted
copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to XXXXX, except to the extent
permitted by Regulation S-T under the Act.
(e) Time
of Sale
Information. The Time of Sale Information, at the Time of Sale, did not,
and at the Closing Date will not, contain any untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and
warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon
and
in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the
Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly
for
use in such Time of Sale Information. No statement of material fact
included in the Final Prospectus has been omitted from the Time of Sale
Information, and no statement of material fact included in the Time of Sale
Information that is required to be included in the Final Prospectus has been
omitted therefrom.
(f) IssuerFree
Writing Prospectus. The Company (including its agents and
representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has
not
prepared, made, used, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare,
make, use, authorize, approve or refer to any “written communication” (as
defined in Rule 405) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an
offer to buy the Securities (each such communication by the Company or its
agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clauses
(i), (ii) and (iii) below) an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”) other than (i)
any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a)
of
the Act or Rule 134, (ii) the Preliminary Prospectus included in the Time of
Sale Information, (iii) the Final Prospectus, (iv) the documents listed on
Annex
A hereto as constituting the Time of Sale Information, and (v) any electronic
road show or other written communications, in each case approved in writing
in
advance by the Representatives. Each such Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus complied in all material respects with the Act, has been or will
be
(within the time period specified in Rule 433) filed in accordance with the
Act
(to the extent required thereby) and, when taken together with the Preliminary
Prospectus filed prior to the first use of such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus,
did not, and at the Closing Date will not, contain any untrue statement of
a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not
3
misleading;
provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with
respect to any statements or omissions made in each such Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to
any
Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through
the
Representatives expressly for use in any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus.
(g) Registration
Statement and Final Prospectus. The Company has not received,
and has no notice of, any order preventing or suspending the effectiveness
of
the Registration Statement or instituting proceedings for that
purpose. On the Effective Date, the Registration Statement complied,
and when the Final Prospectus is first filed in accordance with Rule 424(b)
and on the Closing Date (as defined below), the Final Prospectus (and any
supplement thereto) will comply, in all material respects with the applicable
requirements of the Act, the Exchange Act and the Trust Indenture Act and the
respective rules thereunder. On the Effective Date, at the Time of
Sale and on the Closing Date, the Registration Statement did not contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not
misleading. On the Effective Date and on the Closing Date the Senior
Indenture did or will comply in all material respects with the applicable
requirements of the Trust Indenture Act and the rules thereunder; and on the
date thereof and on the Closing Date, the Final Prospectus (together with any
supplement thereto) will not include any untrue statement of a material fact
or
omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein,
in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or
warranties as to (i) that part of the Registration Statement which shall
constitute the Statement of Eligibility and Qualification (Form T-1) under
the
Trust Indenture Act of the Trustee or (ii) the information contained in or
omitted from the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus (or any
supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through
the Representatives specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement
or
the Final Prospectus (or any supplement thereto).
(h) Incorporated
Documents. The documents incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information, and the Final Prospectus
when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may
be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange
Act,
and none of such documents contained any 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, in the light of the circumstances under which
they
were made, not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated
by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and
the
Final Prospectus, when such documents become effective or are filed with the
Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the
requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and will not contain
any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein,
in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
(i) Incorporation
and Good Standing. The Company has been duly incorporated and is
validly existing as a corporation under the laws of the State of Wisconsin
with
power and authority (corporate and other) to own or lease, as the case may
be,
and to
4
operate
its
properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement,
the Time of Sale Information and the Final Prospectus; the Company has not
filed
Articles of Dissolution with the Department of Financial Institutions of the
State of Wisconsin, and no grounds exist for the Department of Financial
Institutions of the State of Wisconsin to dissolve such corporation
administratively pursuant to the provisions of the Wisconsin Business
Corporation Law; the Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign
corporation and is in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction which
requires such qualification; the Company is a “public utility company,” as such
term was previously defined in the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935,
as amended. The copies of the Company’s articles of incorporation and
by-laws incorporated by reference as exhibits to the Company’s most recent
Annual Report on Form 10-K are complete and correct as of the date
hereof.
(j) Subsidiaries. The
Company has no subsidiaries which, either individually or considered in the
aggregate as a single subsidiary, constitute a “significant subsidiary” as
defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X.
(k) Ownership
of
Common Stock; Capitalization. All of the Company’s issued and
outstanding shares of common stock are owned, beneficially and of record, by
Integrys Energy Group, Inc., a Wisconsin corporation (“Integrys”); the Company’s
authorized preferred stock is as set forth in the Registration Statement, Time
of Sale Information, and Final Prospectus; except as set forth in the
Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus, no
options, warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations
to issue, or rights to convert any obligations into or exchange any securities
for, shares of capital stock or ownership interests of the Company are
outstanding.
(l) Material
Contracts. There is no franchise, contract or other document of
a character required to be described in the Registration Statement, Time of
Sale
Information and Final Prospectus, or to be filed as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement, which is not described or filed as
required.
(m) Underwriting
Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company and constitutes a valid and binding obligation of
the
Company enforceable in accordance with its terms.
(n) Senior
Indenture. The Original Senior Indenture has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Company; the Supplemental Indenture
to
the Senior Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company and, on the Closing
Date, will have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming
due authorization, execution and delivery by the Senior Trustee, the Senior
Indenture will be a valid and binding instrument enforceable against the Company
in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement of remedies, to
applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium, or other laws
affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and to general
principles of equity, including, without limitation, concepts of materiality,
reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, regardless of whether considered
in
a proceeding in equity or at law (the “Bankruptcy Exceptions”); the Senior
Indenture conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained
in the Final Prospectus.
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(o) Senior
Notes. The Senior Notes have been duly authorized by the
Company; on the Closing Date, the Senior Notes will have been duly executed
by
the Company, and when authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the
Senior Indenture and delivered and paid for by the Underwriters pursuant to
this
Agreement, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company
entitled to the benefits and security provided by the Senior Indenture and
enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject, as
to
enforcement of remedies, to the Bankruptcy Exceptions; the Senior Notes conform
in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the
Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final
Prospectus.
(p) Mortgage
Indenture. The Original Mortgage Indenture has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Company; the Supplemental Indenture
to
the Mortgage Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company and, on the
Closing Date, will have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and,
assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the Mortgage Trustee,
the
Mortgage Indenture will constitute a valid and binding instrument, enforceable
against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as the same may be
limited by the laws of the States of Wisconsin and Michigan affecting the
remedies for the enforcement of the security provided for therein (which laws
do
not make such remedies inadequate for the realization of the benefits of such
security) and by the Bankruptcy Exceptions; the Mortgage Indenture conforms
in
all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration
Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus.
(q) Collateral
Bonds. The Collateral Bonds have been duly authorized by the
Company and, when duly executed and authenticated in accordance with the
provisions of the Mortgage Indenture and delivered to the Senior Trustee in
the
manner provided therein, will have been duly authorized, executed, authenticated
and issued and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the
Company, secured by the lien of, and entitled to the benefits provided by,
the
Mortgage Indenture, equally and ratably with all other bonds of the Company
duly
issued and outstanding under the Mortgage Indenture, and will be enforceable
against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as the same may
be
limited by the laws of the States of Wisconsin and Michigan affecting the
remedies for the enforcement of the security provided for therein (which laws
do
not make such remedies inadequate for the realization of the benefits of such
security) and by the Bankruptcy Exceptions; the Collateral Bonds conform in
all
material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration
Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus.
(r) Ownership
of
Properties. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries owns or
leases all such properties as are necessary to the conduct of its operations
as
presently conducted. The properties of the Company described under
Item 2 of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K are owned in
fee simple either individually or jointly, as indicated in such annual report,
or are held under valid leases, in each case subject only to the lien of the
Mortgage Indenture and minor imperfections of titles and encumbrances, if any,
which are not substantial in amount, do not materially detract from the value
or
marketability of the properties subject thereto, and do not materially impair
the Company’s operations.
(s) Investment
Company Act. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the
offering and sale of the Senior Notes and the application of the proceeds
thereof as
6
described
in the
Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus, will
not
be an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended.
(t) Regulatory
Approvals. The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin has duly
authorized the issuance and sale by the Company of the Senior Notes and the
issuance and pledge of the Collateral Bonds on the terms set forth in the
Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information, Final Prospectus and this
Agreement, and such authorization is in force and effect and sufficient for
the
issuance and sale of the Senior Notes to the Underwriters and the issuance
and
pledge of the Collateral Bonds to the Senior Trustee. No other
consent, approval, authorization, filing with or order of any court or other
governmental agency or body is required in connection with the transactions
contemplated herein, except such as have been obtained under the Act and the
Trust Indenture Act and such as may be required under the blue sky laws of
any
jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Senior
Notes by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated herein and in the
Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final
Prospectus.
(u) No
Conflicts. The execution and delivery of this Agreement, the
Senior Indenture or the Supplemental Indenture to the Mortgage Indenture, the
issue and sale of the Senior Notes, the issue and pledge of the Collateral
Bonds, the consummation of any other of the transactions herein contemplated
or
the fulfillment of the terms hereof will not conflict with, or result in a
breach or violation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any
property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries (or constitute
an
event which with notice, lapse of time, or both would result in any breach,
violation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property
or
assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries) pursuant to (i) the
charter or by-laws of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (ii) the
terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note
agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant
or
instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or bound
or to which its or their property is subject (other than the lien of the
Mortgage Indenture), or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment,
order or decree applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any
court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator
or
other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries
or any of its or their properties.
(v) Absence
of
Registration Rights. No holders of securities of the Company
have rights to the registration of such securities under the Registration
Statement.
(w) Financial
Statements. The consolidated historical financial statements and
schedules of the Company and its consolidated subsidiary included in the
Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus present
fairly the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the
Company and its subsidiary as of the dates and for the periods indicated, comply
as to form with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and have
been
prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied
on
a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except as otherwise noted
therein). The selected financial data set forth under the caption
“Summary Financial Information” in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale
Information and Final Prospectus fairly present, on the basis stated in the
Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus, the
information included therein.
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(x) Legal
Proceedings. No action, suit or proceeding by or before any
court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving
the
Company or any of its subsidiaries or its or their property is pending or,
to
the knowledge of the Company, threatened that (i) could reasonably be
expected to have a material adverse effect on the performance of this Agreement
or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby or
(ii) could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the
condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties
of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising
from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in
or
contemplated in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final
Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).
(y) No
Violation or
Default. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in
violation or default (nor has any event occurred which, with notice, lapse
of
time, or both would result in a violation or default) of (i) any provision
of its charter or bylaws, (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease,
mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement,
obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which it is a party or bound
or
to which its property is subject, except for such violations or defaults which
would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect
on
the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or
properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or
not
arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, or (iii) any
statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any court,
regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other
authority having jurisdiction over the Company or such subsidiary or any of
its
properties, as applicable.
(z) Independent
Accountants. Deloitte & Touche LLP, who have certified
certain financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiary
and
delivered their report with respect to the audited consolidated financial
statements and schedules incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus, is an
independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and
its subsidiary within the meaning of the Act and the applicable published rules
and regulations thereunder and under the applicable rules and regulations of
the
Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. The Company has complied
and will comply with the Act and all applicable regulations under the Act and
the Exchange Act with respect to the inclusion of the audit report of Deloitte
& Touche LLP in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and the
incorporation by reference of such Annual Report on Form 10-K in the
Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Final
Prospectus.
(aa) Taxes. The
Company has filed all foreign, federal, state and local tax returns that are
required to be filed or has requested extensions thereof (except in any case
in
which the failure so to file would not have a material adverse effect on the
condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties
of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising
from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in
or
contemplated in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final
Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto) and has
paid all taxes required to be paid by it and any other assessment, fine or
penalty levied against it, to the extent that any of the foregoing is due and
payable, except for any such assessment, fine or penalty that is currently
being
contested in good faith or as would not have a material adverse effect on the
condition (financial
8
or
otherwise),
prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries,
taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary
course of business (except as set forth in or contemplated in the Registration
Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus (exclusive of any
supplement thereto)).
(bb) No
Labor
Disputes. No labor problem or dispute with the employees of the
Company exists or is threatened or imminent, and the Company is not aware of
any
existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its principal
suppliers, contractors or customers, that could have a material adverse effect
on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or
properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or
not
arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set
forth in or contemplated in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information
and Final Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).
(cc) Insurance. The
Company and each of its subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized
financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts
as
are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged; all
policies of insurance and fidelity or surety bonds insuring the Company or
any
of its subsidiaries or their respective businesses, assets, employees, officers
and directors are in full force and effect; the Company and its subsidiaries
are
in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material
respects; and there are no claims by the Company or any of its subsidiaries
under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying
liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause, except for such
claims which, if successfully denied, would not have a material adverse effect
on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or
properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or
not
arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business; neither the
Company nor any such subsidiary has been refused any insurance coverage sought
or applied for; and neither the Company nor any subsidiary has any reason to
believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as
and
when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers
as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not have
a
material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects,
earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken
as a
whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of
business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Registration Statement,
Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement
thereto).
(dd) Licenses
and
Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries possess all licenses,
certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by the appropriate
federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their
respective businesses, and neither the Company nor any subsidiary has received
any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any
such
certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if
the
subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a material
adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings,
business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole,
whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business,
except as set forth in or contemplated in the Registration Statement, Time
of
Sale Information and Final Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement
thereto).
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(ee) Disclosure
Controls. The Company has established and maintains “disclosure
controls and procedures” (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15 and 15d-15
under the Exchange Act) that (i) are designed to ensure that material
information relating to the Company, including its consolidated subsidiaries,
is
made known to the Company’s Principal Executive Officer and its Chief Financial
Officer (or persons performing similar functions) by others within these
entities, particularly during the periods in which the filings made by the
Company with the Commission which it may make under Sections 13(a), 13(c),
14 or
15(d) of the Exchange Act are being prepared, (ii) have been evaluated for
effectiveness as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing of the Company’s
most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission, and (iii)
are effective to perform the functions for which they were
established.
(ff) Accounting
Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain systems of
“internal control over financial reporting” (as such term is defined in Rule
13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements
of
the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their
respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons
performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the
reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements
for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles, including but not limited to, internal accounting controls
sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are
executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations,
(ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of
financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles
and to maintain accountability for assets, (iii) access to assets is
permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific
authorization, and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared
with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is
taken
with respect to any differences. The Company’s independent auditors
and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been
advised of: (i) all significant deficiencies, if any, in the design or operation
of internal controls which could adversely affect the Company’s ability to
record, process, summarize and report financial data; and (ii) all fraud, if
any, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who
have a role in the Company’s internal controls; all material weaknesses, if any,
in internal controls have been identified to the Company’s independent auditors;
since the date of the most recent evaluation of such disclosure controls and
procedures and internal controls, there have been no significant changes in
internal controls or in other factors that could significantly affect internal
controls, including any corrective actions with regard to significant
deficiencies and material weaknesses; the principal executive officers (or
their
equivalents) and principal financial officers (or their equivalents) of the
Company have made all certifications required by the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of
2002
(the “Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”) and any related rules and regulations promulgated by
the Commission, and the statements contained in each such certifications are
complete and correct.
(gg) No
Stabilization. The Company has not taken, directly or
indirectly, any action designed to or which has constituted or which might
reasonably be expected to cause or result, under the Exchange Act or otherwise,
in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company
to
facilitate the sale or resale of the Senior Notes.
10
(hh) Compliance
with
Environmental Laws. The Company and its subsidiaries are (i) in
compliance 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 and are in compliance
with all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable
Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses, and (iii) have
not received notice of any actual or potential liability for the investigation
or remediation of any disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances
or
wastes, pollutants or contaminants, except where such non-compliance with
Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other
approvals, or liability would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a
material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects,
earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken
as a
whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of
business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Registration Statement,
Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement
thereto). Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, Time of
Sale Information and Final Prospectus, the Company has not been named as a
“potentially responsible party” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, except in such instances
which would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse
effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business
or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a
whole.
(ii) Periodic
Review
of the Effect of Environmental Laws. In the ordinary course of
its business, the Company periodically reviews the effect of Environmental
Laws
on the business, operations and properties of the Company and its subsidiaries,
in the course of which it identifies and evaluates associated costs and
liabilities (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). On the basis of such review, the Company has reasonably
concluded that such associated costs and liabilities would not, singly or in
the
aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or
otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and
its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in
the
ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the
Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus (exclusive
of any supplement thereto).
(jj) Compliance
with
ERISA. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has fulfilled
its obligations, if any, under the minimum funding standards of Xxxxxxx 000
xx
xxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended
(“ERISA”), and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder with
respect to each “plan” (as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA and such
regulations and published interpretations) in which employees of the Company
and
its subsidiaries are eligible to participate, and each such plan is in
compliance in all material respects with the presently applicable provisions
of
ERISA and such regulations and published interpretations. The Company
and its subsidiaries have not incurred any unpaid liability to the Pension
Benefit Guaranty Corporation (other than for the payment of premiums in the
ordinary course) or to any such plan under Title IV of ERISA.
(ff) No
Material Adverse Effect. Subsequent to the respective dates as
11
of
which
information has been given in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale
Information and Final Prospectus, there has not been (i) any material adverse
change, or any development which, in the Company’s reasonable judgment, is
likely to cause a material adverse change, in the business, properties, or
assets described or referred to in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale
Information and Final Prospectus, or the results of operations, condition
(financial or otherwise), business or operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries taken as a whole, (ii) any transaction which is material to the
Company or its subsidiaries, except transactions in the ordinary course of
business or disclosed in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information
and Final Prospectus, (iii) any obligation, direct or contingent, which is
material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, incurred by
the
Company or its subsidiaries, except obligations incurred in the ordinary course
of business or disclosed in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information
and Final Prospectus, (iv) any change in the capital stock or outstanding
indebtedness of the Company or its subsidiaries other than short-term debt
of
the kind contemplated by the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information,
and Final Prospectus or (v) any dividend or distribution of any kind declared,
paid or made on the capital stock of the Company, other than dividends on the
Company’s preferred stock in accordance with the terms thereof and return of
capital payments on the common stock of the Company that have been declared
or
paid in order to maintain the Company’s equity at a level consistent with that
allowed by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. Neither the
Company nor its subsidiaries has any material contingent obligation which is
not
disclosed in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information, and Final
Prospectus.
(kk) Sarbanes
Oxley Compliance. The Company and the Company’s directors and
officers are each in compliance in all material respects with all applicable
effective provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act and the rules and regulations
of
the Commission.
Any
certificate
signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Representatives or
counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Senior
Notes
shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company, as to matters
covered thereby, to each Underwriter.
2. Purchase
and Sale. Subject to the terms and conditions and
in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the
Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees,
severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the purchase price
set forth in Schedule I hereto the principal amount of the Senior Notes set
forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule II hereto.
3. Delivery
and Payment. Delivery of and payment for the Senior
Notes shall be made on the date and at the time specified in Schedule I
hereto or at such time on such later date not more than three Business Days
after the foregoing date as the Representatives shall designate, which date
and
time may be postponed by agreement between the Representatives and the Company
or as provided in Section 10 hereof (such date and time of delivery and payment
for the Senior Notes being herein called the “Closing
Date”). Delivery of the Senior Notes shall be made to the
Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters against
payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives of the purchase
price thereof to or upon the order of the Company by wire transfer payable
in
same-day funds to an account
12
specified
by the
Company. Delivery of the Senior Notes shall be made through the
facilities of The Depository Trust Company.
4. Offering
by Underwriters. It is understood that the several
Underwriters propose to offer the Senior Notes for sale to the public as set
forth in the Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus.
5. Agreements. The
Company agrees with the several Underwriters as follows:
(a) Filings
with
the Commission; Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Prior to the
termination of the offering of the Senior Notes, the Company will not (i) file
any amendment of the Registration Statement or supplement (including the Final
Prospectus or any Preliminary Prospectus) to the Base Prospectus or any
Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or (ii) use, authorize, approve, refer
to or file any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, unless in each such case, the
Company has furnished you a copy for your review prior to such filing, use,
authorization, approval, or reference thereto, and the Company will not file
any
such proposed amendment or supplement or use, authorize, approve, refer to
or
file any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to which you reasonably
object. Subject to the foregoing sentence, the Company will cause the
Final Prospectus, properly completed, and any supplement thereto to be filed
with the Commission pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b)
within the time period prescribed and will provide evidence satisfactory to
the
Representatives of such timely filing. The Company will promptly
advise the Representatives (1) when the Final Prospectus, and any supplement
thereto, shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b)
or when any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have been filed with
the Commission, (2) when, prior to termination of the offering of the
Senior Notes, any amendment to the Registration Statement shall have been filed
or become effective, (3) of any request by the Commission or its staff for
any amendment of the Registration Statement, or any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement, or for any supplement to the Final Prospectus or for
any
additional information, (4) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the
institution or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose, or (5) of the
receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of
the
qualification of the Senior Notes for sale in any jurisdiction or the
institution or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose. The
Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop
order
or the suspension of any such qualification and, if issued, to obtain as soon
as
possible the withdrawal thereof.
(b) Time
of Sale
Information. If at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any
event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Time of
Sale
Information as then amended or supplemented would include any 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, not misleading or
(ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Information to
comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof
and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (a) above, file with the
Commission (to the extent required) and furnish to the Underwriters and to
such
dealers as the Representatives may designate, such amendments or supplements
to
the Time of Sale Information as may be necessary so that the statements in
the
Time of Sale Information as so amended or supplemented
13
will
not, in the
light of the circumstances, be misleading or so that the Time of Sale
Information will comply with law.
(c) Subsequent
Amendments and Supplements to Registration Statement and Final
Prospectus. If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the
Senior Notes is required to be delivered under the Act (the “Prospectus Delivery
Period”), any event occurs as a result of which the Final Prospectus as then
supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit
to
state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light
of
the circumstances under which they were made not misleading, or if it shall
be
necessary to amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Final Prospectus
to comply with the Act or the Exchange Act or the respective rules thereunder,
the Company promptly will (1) notify the Representatives of such event, (2)
prepare and file with the Commission, subject to the first sentence of
paragraph (a) of this Section 5, an amendment or supplement which will
correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance and (3) supply
any supplemented Final Prospectus to you in such quantities as you may
reasonably request.
(d) Earnings
Statement. As soon as practicable, the Company will make
generally available to its security holders and to the Representatives an
earnings statement or statements of the Company and its subsidiaries which
will
satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and
Rule 158.
(e) Delivery
of
Copies. The Company will furnish to the Representatives and
counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, copies of the Registration
Statement (including exhibits thereto) and to each other Underwriter a copy
of
the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and, during the Prospectus
Delivery Period, as many copies of each Preliminary Prospectus and the Final
Prospectus and any supplement thereto as the Representatives may reasonably
request. The Company will pay the reasonable expenses of printing or
other production of all documents relating to the offering.
(f) State
Securities Law Compliance. The Company will arrange, if
necessary, for the qualification of the Senior Notes for sale under the laws
of
such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and will maintain such
qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Senior
Notes; provided, however, that in no event shall the Company be
obligated to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not now
so
qualified or to take any action that would subject it to service of process
in
suits, other than those arising out of the offering or sale of the Senior Notes,
in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject.
(g) Clear
Market. Until the Business Day set forth on Schedule I hereto,
the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives,
offer, sell or contract to sell, or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any
transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result
in
the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition
due to cash settlement or otherwise) by the Company or any affiliate of the
Company or any person in privity with the Company or any affiliate of the
Company) directly or indirectly, or announce the offering of, any debt
securities issued or guaranteed by the Company (other than the Senior Notes,
commercial paper or other short-term debt).
14
(h) Delivery
of
Collateral Bonds. The Company will issue and deliver the
Collateral Bonds to the Senior Trustee as security for the Senior Notes in
the
manner described in the Final Prospectus.
(i) Use
of
Proceeds. The Company will apply the proceeds from the sale of
the Senior Notes in the manner set forth under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in
the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final
Prospectus.
(j) Retention
of
Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company will, pursuant to
reasonable procedures developed in good faith, retain copies of each Issuer
Free
Writing Prospectus that is not filed with the Commission in accordance with
Rule
433.
6. Certain
Agreements of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter hereby
represents and agrees that:
(a) It
has not and will not use, authorize use of, refer to, or participate in the
planning for use of, any “free writing prospectus”, as defined in Rule 405
(which term includes use of any written information furnished to the Commission
by the Company and not incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement
and any press release issued by the Company) other than (i) a free writing
prospectus that, solely as a result of use by such Underwriter, would not
trigger an obligation to file such free writing prospectus with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 433, (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Annex
A
or prepared pursuant to Section 1(f) or Section 5(a) above (including any
electronic road show), or (iii) any free writing prospectus prepared by such
Underwriter and approved by the Company in advance in writing (each such free
writing prospectus referred to in clauses (i) or (iii), an “Underwriter Free
Writing Prospectus”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Underwriters
may use a term sheet substantially in the form of Annex B hereto without the
consent of the Company.
(b) It
is not subject to any pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Act with
respect to the offering (and will promptly notify the Company if any such
proceeding against it is initiated during the Prospectus Delivery
Period).
7. Conditions
to the Obligations of the Underwriters. The
obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Senior Notes shall be subject
to
the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company
contained herein as of the Time of Sale, the date hereof, and the Closing Date,
to the accuracy of the statements of the Company made in any certificates
pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its
obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) Each
Preliminary
Prospectus, Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Final Prospectus and any
required supplement thereto, if any, shall have been filed in the manner and
within the time period required by Rule 424(b) or Rule 433; and no stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have
been
issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or
threatened.
15
(b) The
Company shall
have requested and caused Xxxxx & Lardner LLP, counsel for the Company, to
have furnished to the Representatives their opinion, dated the Closing Date
and
addressed to the Representatives, to the effect that:
(i) The
Company has
been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation under the laws
of the State of Wisconsin, with full corporate power and authority to own or
lease, as the case may be, and to operate its properties and conduct its
business as described in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information
and Final Prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign
corporation and is in good standing under the laws of Michigan; the Company
is a
“public utility company,” as such term was formerly defined under the Public
Utility Holding Company Act.
(ii) All
of the
Company’s issued and outstanding shares of common stock are owned of record by
Integrys; the Company’s authorized preferred stock is as set forth in the
Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus; to the
knowledge of such counsel, except as set forth in the Registration Statement,
Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus, no options, warrants or other
rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue, or rights to
convert any obligations into or exchange any securities for, shares of capital
stock of or ownership interests in the Company are outstanding.
(iii) To
the knowledge of
such counsel, there is no pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding
by or
before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator
involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries or its or their property,
of a
character required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement which is not
adequately disclosed in the Time of Sale Information and the Final Prospectus,
and there is no franchise, contract or other document of a character required
to
be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and
Final Prospectus, or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement,
which is not described or filed as required.
(iv) The
Registration
Statement has become effective under the Act; any required filing of any
Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Final
Prospectus, and any supplements thereto, pursuant to Rule 424(b) or Rule
433 has been made in the manner and within the time period required by
Rule 424(b) or Rule 433; to the knowledge of such counsel, no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued,
no
proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or threatened, and the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus
(other than the financial statements and other financial information contained
therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) comply as to form
in
all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act, the Exchange
Act and the Trust Indenture Act and the respective rules
thereunder.
(v) This
Agreement has
been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
16
(vi) The
Senior
Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and
constitutes a valid and binding instrument enforceable against the Company
in
accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement of remedies, to the
Bankruptcy Exceptions; the Senior Indenture has been duly qualified under the
Trust Indenture Act; the Senior Indenture conforms in all material respects
to
the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale
Information and Final Prospectus.
(vii) The
Senior Notes
have been duly authorized and executed by the Company, and when authenticated
by
the Senior Trustee in accordance with the provisions of the Senior Indenture
and
delivered and paid for by the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, will
constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company entitled to
the
benefits and security provided by the Senior Indenture and enforceable against
the Company in accordance with their terms, subject, as to enforcement of
remedies, to the Bankruptcy Exceptions; the Senior Notes conform in all material
respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement,
Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus.
(viii) The
Mortgage
Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and
constitutes a valid and binding instrument, enforceable against the Company
in
accordance with its terms, except as the same may be limited by the laws of
the
States of Wisconsin and Michigan affecting the remedies for the enforcement
of
the security provided for therein (which laws do not in such counsel’s opinion
make such remedies inadequate for the realization of the benefits of such
security) and by the Bankruptcy Exceptions; the Mortgage Indenture conforms
in
all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration
Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus.
(ix) The
Collateral
Bonds have been duly authorized and executed by the Company and, when
authenticated by the Mortgage Trustee in accordance with the provisions of
the
Mortgage Indenture, and issued, pledged and delivered to the Senior Trustee
pursuant to the Senior Indenture as security for the Senior Notes, will
constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, secured by
the
lien of, and entitled to the benefits provided by, the Mortgage Indenture,
equally and ratably with all other bonds of the Company duly issued and
outstanding under the Mortgage Indenture, and will be enforceable against the
Company in accordance with their terms, except as the same may be limited by
the
laws of the States of Wisconsin and Michigan affecting the remedies for the
enforcement of the security provided for therein (which laws do not in such
counsel’s opinion make such remedies inadequate for the realization of the
benefits of such security) and by the Bankruptcy Exceptions; the Collateral
Bonds conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained
in
the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final
Prospectus.
(x) The
Company has
good and marketable title to the real and fixed properties described in the
Mortgage Indenture (other than properties disposed of and released thereunder
and lands described as held only under flowage rights)
17
free
and clear of
all liens, charges and encumbrances against the same prior to or on a parity
with the lien of the Mortgage Indenture, except for and subject only to
permissible encumbrances as defined in the Mortgage Indenture and to such
exceptions, defects and qualifications as in such counsel’s opinion do not
materially affect the security for the Collateral Bonds or the Company’s title
to or its right to use such properties in the conduct of its business; the
Mortgage Indenture constitutes a valid and direct first lien upon all real
and
fixed property and governmental licenses and permits owned by the Company
(including its interests as tenant-in-common), except property specifically
excepted from the Mortgage Indenture by the terms thereof, subject to no liens
or encumbrances prior to or on a parity with the lien of the Mortgage Indenture,
except permissible encumbrances as defined in the Mortgage Indenture; and the
description in the Mortgage Indenture of said property is adequate to constitute
the Mortgage Indenture a lien thereon. No examination of title covering
rights-of-way for transmission and distribution lines has been made inasmuch
as
the Company has been advised that the expense incident to the obtaining of
abstracts or certificates of title and of examinations in respect thereto would
be in excess of the cost of reacquiring by condemnation or purchase, possession
and use of such parts of such rights-of-way as might be held under defective
titles, and accordingly, such opinion does not cover such
rights-of-way. Such counsel has relied on certificates of officers of
the Company to the effect that certain parcels described in the Mortgage
Indenture are rights-of-way and that certain parcels are not required as an
integral part of the Company’s properties or are not indispensable to its
operations. All real property hereafter acquired by the Company and located
in
counties in which the Mortgage Indenture shall be of record will, upon
acquisition, become subject to the lien of the Mortgage Indenture, subject,
however, to permissible encumbrances and liens (as defined in the Mortgage
Indenture), any liens existing or placed thereon at acquisition and any liens
which might intervene prior to the filing or recording of the instrument
containing a sufficient legal description confirming of record that such
property is subject to the lien of the Mortgage Indenture, except as the
existence or validity of the lien of the Mortgage Indenture may be affected
by
the application of Sections 547 and/or 552 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code or by
analogous provisions of applicable state insolvency laws.
(xi) The
Mortgage
Indenture has been duly recorded or filed for record in each county in the
States of Wisconsin and Michigan where any real properties described in such
instrument are located and in all other places required by law in order to
perfect the lien upon the property described in the Mortgage
Indenture.
(xii) The
Company has
statutory authority, franchises, and consents free from burdensome restrictions
and adequate for the conduct of the business in which it is engaged as described
in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus,
except to the extent that the absence of such statutory authority or the failure
to obtain such franchises or consents would not, singly or in the aggregate,
(A)
affect the security for the Collateral Bonds, or (B) have a material adverse
effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings,
18
business
or
properties of the Company, whether or not arising from transactions in the
ordinary course of business, except as set forth or contemplated in the
Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final
Prospectus.
(xiii) The
issuance and
delivery by the Company of the Collateral Bonds to the Senior Trustee constitute
a sale by the Company of the Collateral Bonds to the Senior Trustee as of the
Closing Date or, if not a sale, the grant by the Company to the Senior Trustee
of a perfected security interest in the Collateral Bonds for the benefit of
the
holders of the Senior Notes.
(xiv) The
Company is not
and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Senior Notes and the
application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement,
Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus, will not be an “investment
company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended.
(xv) The
Public Service
Commission of Wisconsin has duly authorized the issuance and sale by the Company
of the Senior Notes and the issuance and pledge of the Collateral Bonds on
the
terms set forth in the Final Prospectus and this Agreement, and such
authorization is, to the knowledge of such counsel, in force and effect and
sufficient for the issuance and sale of the Senior Notes to the Underwriters
and
the issuance and pledge of the Collateral Bonds to the Senior
Trustee. No consent, approval, authorization, filing with or order of
any court or other governmental agency or body is required in connection with
the transactions contemplated herein, except such as have been obtained under
the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and such as may be required under the blue
sky laws of any jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution
of
the Senior Notes by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated herein and
in
the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final
Prospectus.
(xvi) The
execution and
delivery of this Agreement, the Senior Indenture or the Supplemental Indenture
to the Mortgage Indenture, the issuance and sale of the Senior Notes, the
issuance and pledge of the Collateral Bonds, the consummation of any other
of
the transactions herein contemplated or the fulfillment of the terms hereof
will
not conflict with, result in a breach or violation or imposition of any lien,
charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company (or constitute
an event which with notice, lapse of time, or both would result in any breach,
violation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property
or
assets of the Company) pursuant to (i) the Restated Articles of
Incorporation or By-laws of the Company, each as amended to date, (ii) the
terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note
agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant
or
instrument (other than the lien of the Mortgage Indenture) known to such counsel
to which the Company is a party or bound or to which its property is subject,
(iii) any statute, law, rule, or regulation applicable to the Company, or (iv)
any judgment, order or decree known to such counsel and applicable to the
Company of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental
19
body,
arbitrator or
other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its
properties.
(xvii) To
the knowledge of
such counsel, no holders of securities of the Company have rights to the
registration of such securities under the Registration Statement.
In
giving such
opinion, such counsel shall additionally state that they have no reason to
believe that on the Effective Date or the date hereof the Registration Statement
(including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A, 430B or 430C
to be part of the Registration Statement at the Effective Date) contained any
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading or that the Time of Sale Information, at the Time of Sale (which
counsel may assume to be the date hereof) included any untrue statement of
a
material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading or that the Final Prospectus or any amendment or supplement
thereof, as of its date and the Closing Date, included or includes any untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact
necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading (in each case, other than the
financial statements and other financial information contained therein, as
to
which such counsel need express no opinion). In rendering such
opinion, such counsel (A) may rely as to matters involving the application
of
laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Wisconsin or the Federal laws
of the United States, to the extent they deem proper and specified in such
opinion, upon the opinion of other counsel of good standing whom they believe
to
be reliable and who are satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, (B) may
assume, as to matters of New York law relating to this Agreement, that New
York
law does not differ from Wisconsin law in any material respect and (C) may
rely,
as to matters of fact, to the extent they deem proper, on certificates of
responsible officers of the Company and public officials. References
to the Final Prospectus in this paragraph (b) include any supplements
thereto at the Closing Date.
(c) The
Representatives
shall have received from Xxxxxx Xxxxxx LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, such
opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the
Representatives, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Senior Notes,
the
issuance and pledge of the Collateral Bonds, the Senior Indenture, the Mortgage
Indenture, the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the
Final Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) and other related
matters as the Representatives may reasonably require and the Company shall
have
furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of
enabling them to pass upon such matters.
(d) The
Company shall
have furnished to the Representatives a certificate of the Company, signed
by
the Chairman of the Board or the President and the principal financial or
accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that
the signers of such certificate have carefully examined the Registration
Statement, Time of Sale Information, Final Prospectus, any supplements to the
Final Prospectus and this Agreement and that:
20
(i) the
representations
and warranties of the Company in this Agreement that are qualified by
materiality are true in all respects, as so qualified, on and as of the Closing
Date with the same effect as if made on the Closing Date and the representations
and warranties that are not qualified by materiality are true and correct in
all
material respects on and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as if
made
on the Closing Date and the Company has complied with all the agreements and
satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or
prior to the Closing Date;
(ii) no
stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued
and
no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to the Company’s
knowledge, threatened; and
(iii) since
the date of
the most recent financial statements included or incorporated by reference
in
the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto), there has been
no
material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects,
earnings, business or properties of the Company, whether or not arising from
transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or
contemplated in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final
Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).
(e) Concurrently
with
the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Underwriters shall have
received from Deloitte & Touche LLP a letter, dated as of the date hereof,
in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, to the effect
that:
(i) Deloitte
& Touche LLP is an independent registered public accounting firm with
respect to the Company and its subsidiary within the meaning the Act and the
applicable rules and regulations thereunder and the applicable rules and
regulations of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board;
(ii) in
their opinion, the audited consolidated financial statements and financial
statement schedule(s) of the Company and its subsidiary incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectus and Final
Prospectus and included in Integrys’s and the Company’s most recent Annual
Report on Form 10-K (the “Form 10-K”) comply as to form in all material respects
with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the Exchange
Act;
(iii) on
the basis of (A) the performance of procedures specified by the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board (United States) for a review of interim financial
information as described in Statement on Auditing Standards No. 100, Interim
Financial Information, on the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets
and statements of capitalization, the unaudited condensed consolidated
statements of income, and the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of
cash flows, of the Company and its subsidiary included in the Company’s
quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission under
21
Section
13 of the
Exchange Act (the “Form 10-Q’s”) subsequent to the Form 10-K, (B) a reading of
the latest available unaudited financial statements of the Company and its
subsidiary, (C) a reading of the latest minutes of meetings of the board of
directors of the Company and its subsidiary as set forth in the minute books
for
the current year, and (D) inquiries of the officers of the Company who have
responsibility for financial and accounting matters (it being understood that
the foregoing procedures do not constitute an audit made in accordance with
the
standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States)
and
would not necessarily reveal matters of significance with respect to the
comments made in such letter, and accordingly that Deloitte & Touche LLP
makes no representation as to the sufficiency of such procedures for the
purposes of the several Underwriters), nothing has come to their attention
which
caused them to believe that (1) any material modifications should be made to
the
unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of the Company included
in
the Form 10-Q’s for them to be in conformity with generally accepted accounting
procedures; (2) the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of
the
Company included in the Form 10-Q’s do not comply as to form in all material
respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Exchange Act, as
they apply to Form 10-Q, or (3) at the date of the latest available consolidated
financial statements and at a specified date not more than three business days
prior to the date of such letter, there was any change in the common stock
or
increase in the long-term debt of the Company or any decrease in consolidated
current assets or common stock equity of the Company, in each case as compared
with the amounts shown in the most recent unaudited condensed consolidated
balance sheet of the Company incorporated by reference into the Registration
Statement, Preliminary Prospectus and Final Prospectus or, during the period
from the date of such balance sheet to a specified date not more than three
business days prior to the date of such letter, based upon inquiries of the
appropriate officers of the Company, there were any decreases, as compared
with
the corresponding period in the preceding year, in consolidated total operating
revenues, net income or earnings on common stock, except in each case as set
forth in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectus
and Final Prospectus or except for such exceptions enumerated in such letter
as
shall have been agreed to by the Underwriters and the Company; and
(iv) in
addition to the audit referred to in their report appearing in the Form 10-K
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectus
and Final Prospectus and the limited procedures referred to in clause (C) above,
they have carried out certain other specified procedures, not constituting
an
audit, with respect to certain amounts, percentages, and financial information
which are included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement,
Preliminary Prospectus and Final Prospectus and which are specified by the
Underwriters, and have found such amounts, percentages, and financial
information to be in agreement with the relevant accounting, financial and
other
records of the Company and its subsidiary identified in such
letter.
22
(f) On
the Closing
Date, the Underwriters shall have received from Deloitte & Touche LLP a
letter, dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that they reaffirm the
statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to Section 7(e), except that
the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business
days
prior to the Closing Date.
(g) Subsequent
to the
Time of Sale or, if earlier, the dates as of which information is given in
the
Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus (exclusive
of any supplement thereto), there shall not have been (i) any material change
or
decrease of the kind specified in Section 7(e)(iii) (except to the extent,
if
any, stated in the letter delivered by Deloitte & Touche LLP on the date
hereof pursuant to Section 7(e)) or (ii) any change, or any development
involving a prospective change, in or affecting the condition (financial or
otherwise), earnings, business or properties of the Company and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in
the
ordinary course of business, except in each case as set forth in or contemplated
in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus
(exclusive of any supplement thereto), the effect of which, in any case referred
to in clause (i) or (ii) above, is so material and adverse as to make it
impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the
Senior Notes as contemplated by the Registration Statement (exclusive of any
amendment thereof), Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus (exclusive
of
any supplement thereto).
(h) Subsequent
to the
Time of Sale, there shall not have been any decrease in the rating of any of
the
Company’s debt securities (including the Senior Notes) by any “nationally
recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes of
Rule 436(g)) or any notice given of any intended or potential decrease in
any such rating or any review or possible change in any such rating that does
not indicate an improvement in such rating.
(i) Prior
to the
Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such
further information, certificates and documents as the Representatives may
reasonably request.
If
any of the
conditions specified in this Section 7 shall not have been fulfilled in all
material respects when and as provided in this Agreement, or if any of the
opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall
not be in all material respects reasonably satisfactory in form and substance
to
the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, this Agreement and all
obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be canceled at, or at any time
prior to, the Closing Date by the Representatives. Notice of such
cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or by telephone or
facsimile confirmed in writing.
The
documents
required to be delivered by this Section 7 shall be delivered at the office
of
Xxxxx & Lardner LLP, counsel for the Company, at 000 Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx 00000, on the Closing Date, or at such other place as
may
be agreed upon by the Company and the Underwriters.
8. Reimbursement
of Underwriters’ Expenses. If the sale of the
Senior Notes provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to
the
obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 7 hereof is not satisfied,
because of any termination pursuant to
23
Section
11 hereof
or because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company
to
perform any agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof other than
by
reason of a default by any of the Underwriters, the Company will reimburse
the
Underwriters severally through the Representatives on demand for all
out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel)
that shall have been incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase
and sale of the Senior Notes.
9. Indemnity
and Contribution. (a) The
Company agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless each Underwriter, its
partners, directors and officers, and any person who controls any Underwriter
within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act,
and the successors and assigns of all the foregoing persons from and against
any
loss, damage, expense, liability or claim (including the reasonable cost of
investigation) which, jointly or severally, any such Underwriter or person
may
incur under the Act, the Exchange Act, the common law or otherwise, insofar
as
such loss, damage, expense, liability or claim arises out of or is based upon
any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained
in
the Registration Statement (or in the Registration Statement as amended by
any
post-effective amendment thereof by the Company), the Base Prospectus, any
Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Time of Sale
Information or the Final Prospectus, or arises out of or is based upon any
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated
in
such Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus,
any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Time of Sale Information or the Final
Prospectus or necessary to make the statements made therein not misleading,
except insofar as any such loss, damage, expense, liability or claim arises
out
of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in and in conformity with information furnished in
writing by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives to the
Company expressly for use with reference to such Underwriter in such
Registration Statement, Base Prospectus, Preliminary Prospectus, Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus, Time of Sale Information or Final Prospectus or arises
out
of or is based upon any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact
in
connection with such information required to be stated in such Registration
Statement, Base Prospectus, Preliminary Prospectus, Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus, Time of Sale Information or Final Prospectus or necessary to make
such information not misleading.
If
any action, suit or proceeding (together, a
“Proceeding”) is brought against an Underwriter or any such person in respect of
which indemnity may be sought against the Company pursuant to the foregoing
paragraph, such Underwriter or such person shall promptly notify the Company
in
writing of the institution of such Proceeding and the Company shall assume
the
defense of such Proceeding, including the employment of counsel reasonably
satisfactory to such indemnified party and payment of all fees and expenses,
provided, however, that the failure to so notify the Company (i) shall not
relieve the Company from any liability which the Company may have to any
Underwriter or any such person under this paragraph (a) unless and to the extent
the Company did not otherwise learn of such Proceeding and such failure results
in the forfeiture by the Company of substantial rights and defenses and (ii)
will not, in any event, relieve the Company from any obligations to any
indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation provided in this
paragraph (a). Such Underwriter or controlling person shall have the
right to employ its or their own counsel in any such case, but the fees and
expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Underwriter or such
controlling person unless the employment of such counsel shall have been
authorized in writing by the Company in
24
connection
with the
defense of such Proceeding or the Company shall not have, within a reasonable
period of time in light of the circumstances, employed counsel to have charge
of
the defense of such Proceeding or such indemnified party or parties shall have
reasonably concluded that there may be defenses available to it or them which
are different from, additional to or in competition with those available to
the
Company (in which case the Company shall not have the right to direct the
defense of such Proceeding on behalf of the indemnified party or parties),
in
any of which events such fees and expenses shall be borne by the Company and
paid as incurred (it being understood, however, that the Company shall not
be
liable for the expenses of more than one separate counsel (in addition to any
local counsel) in any one Proceeding or series of related Proceedings in the
same jurisdiction representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such
Proceeding). The Company shall not be liable for any settlement of
any such claim or Proceeding effected without its written consent, but if
settled with the written consent of the Company, the Company agrees to indemnify
and hold harmless any Underwriter and any such person from and against any
loss
or liability by reason of such settlement. Notwithstanding the
foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested
an
indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses
of
counsel as contemplated by the second sentence of this paragraph, then the
indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any
Proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is
entered into more than 60 business days after receipt by such indemnifying
party
of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have
reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the
date of such settlement and (iii) such indemnified party shall have given the
indemnifying party at least 30 days' prior notice of its intention to
settle. 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 and does not include an admission of fault, culpability or
a
failure to act, by or on behalf of such indemnified party.
25
(b) Each
Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Company,
its directors and officers and any person who controls the Company within the
meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and the
successors and assigns of all the foregoing persons from and against any loss,
damage, expense, liability or claim (including the reasonable cost of
investigation) which, jointly or severally, the Company or any such person
may
incur under the Act, the Exchange Act, the common law or otherwise, insofar
as
such loss, damage, expense, liability or claim arises out of or is based upon
any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained
in
and in conformity with information furnished in writing by or on behalf of
such
Underwriter through the Representatives to the Company expressly for use with
reference to such Underwriter in the Registration Statement (or in the
Registration Statement as amended by any post-effective amendment thereof by
the
Company), the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus, any Time of Sale Information or the Final Prospectus, or
arises out of or is based upon any omission or alleged omission to state a
material fact in connection with such information required to be stated in
such
Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, any
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Time of Sale Information or the Final
Prospectus, or necessary to make such information not misleading.
If
any Proceeding
is brought against the Company or any such person in respect of which indemnity
may be sought against any Underwriter pursuant to the foregoing paragraph,
the
Company or such person shall promptly notify such Underwriter in writing of
the
institution of such Proceeding and such Underwriter shall assume the defense
of
such Proceeding, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory
to
such indemnified party and payment of all fees and expenses; provided, however,
that the failure to so notify such Underwriter (i) shall not relieve such
Underwriter from any liability which such Underwriter may have to the Company
or
any such person under this paragraph (b) unless and to the extent the
Underwriter did not otherwise learn of such Proceeding and such failure results
in the forfeiture by such Underwriter of substantial rights and defenses and
(ii) will not, in any event, relieve such Underwriter from any obligations
to
any indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation provided in
this
paragraph (b). The Company or such person shall have the right to
employ its own counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of such
counsel shall be at the expense of the Company or such person unless the
employment of such counsel shall have been authorized in writing by such
Underwriter in connection with the defense of such Proceeding or such
Underwriter shall not have, within a reasonable period of time in light of
the
circumstances, employed counsel to have charge of the defense of such Proceeding
or such indemnified party or parties shall have reasonably concluded that there
may be defenses available to it or them which are different from or additional
to or in conflict with those available to such Underwriter (in which case such
Underwriter shall not have the right to direct the defense of such Proceeding
on
behalf of the indemnified party or parties, but such Underwriter may employ
counsel and participate in the defense thereof but the fees and expenses of
such
counsel shall be at the expense of such Underwriter), in any of which events
such fees and expenses shall be borne by such Underwriter and paid as incurred
(it being understood, however, that such Underwriter shall not be liable for
the
expenses of more than one separate counsel in addition to any local counsel
in
any one Proceeding or series of related Proceedings in the same jurisdiction
representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such
Proceeding). Anything in this paragraph to the contrary
notwithstanding, no Underwriter shall be liable for any settlement of any such
Proceeding effected without the written consent of such Underwriter,
26
but
if settled with
the written consent of such Underwriter, such Underwriter agrees to indemnify
and hold harmless the Company and any such person from and against any loss
or
liability by reason of such settlement. Notwithstanding the foregoing
sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an
indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses
of
counsel as contemplated by the second sentence of this paragraph, then the
indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any
Proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is
entered into more than 60 business days after receipt by such indemnifying
party
of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have
reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the
date of such settlement and (iii) such indemnified party shall have given the
indemnifying party at least 30 days' prior notice of its intention to
settle. 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.
(c) If
the indemnification provided for in this Section 9 is unavailable to an
indemnified party under subsections (a) and (b) of this Section 9 in respect
of
any losses, damages, expenses, liabilities or claims referred to therein, then
each applicable indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified
party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party
as a result of such losses, damages, expenses, liabilities or claims (i) in
such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the
Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering
of the Senior Notes 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 of the Underwriters on the
other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such
losses, damages, expenses, liabilities or claims, 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 shall be deemed to
be
in the same respective proportion as the total proceeds from the offering (net
of underwriting discounts and commissions but before deducting expenses)
received by the Company and the underwriting discounts and commissions received
by the Underwriters. The relative fault of the Company on the one
hand and of the Underwriters on the other shall be determined by reference
to,
among other things, whether the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
of
a material fact or omission or alleged omission relates to information supplied
by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties' relative intent,
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such
statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a
result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in this
subsection shall be deemed to include any legal or other fees or expenses
reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating, preparing
to
defend or defending any Proceeding.
(d) The
Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable
if
contribution pursuant to this Section 9 were determined by pro rata allocation
(even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by
any
other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable
considerations referred to in subsection (c) above. Notwithstanding
the provisions of this Section 9, no Underwriter shall be required to
27
contribute
any
amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Senior
Notes underwritten by such Underwriter and distributed to the public were
offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damage which such Underwriter
has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of
fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act)
shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such
fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to
contribute pursuant to this Section 9 are several in proportion to their
respective underwriting commitments and not joint.
(e) The
indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 9 and the
covenants, warranties and representations of the Company contained in this
Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation
made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, its partners, directors and officers
or
any person (including each partner, officer or director of such person) who
controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section
20 of the Exchange Act, or by or on behalf of the Company, its directors and
officers or any person who controls the Company within the meaning of Section
15
of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and shall survive any termination
of this Agreement or the issuance and delivery of the Senior
Notes. The Company and each Underwriter agree promptly to notify each
other of the commencement of any Proceeding against it and, in the case of
the
Company, against any of the Company’s officers or directors, in connection with
the issuance and sale of the Senior Notes or in connection with the Registration
Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus, any Time of Sale Information or the Final Prospectus,
whether or not indemnification is sought in connection with such
Proceeding.
10. Default
by an Underwriter.
(a) If
any one or more
Underwriters shall fail to purchase and pay for any of the Senior Notes agreed
to be purchased by such Underwriter or Underwriters hereunder and such failure
to purchase shall constitute a default in the performance of its or their
obligations under this Agreement, subject to Sections 7 and 11, the remaining
Underwriters shall be obligated severally to take up and pay for (in such
respective proportions as the Representatives may designate with the consent
of
each Underwriter so designated or, in the event no such designation is made,
in
such respective proportions that the principal amount of Senior Notes set forth
opposite their names in Schedule II hereto bears to the aggregate principal
amount of Senior Notes set forth opposite the names of all the remaining
Underwriters) the Senior Notes which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters
agreed but failed to purchase; provided, however, that in the event
that the aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes which the defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase shall exceed 10%
of
the aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes set forth in Schedule II hereto,
the remaining Underwriters shall have the right to purchase all, but shall
not
be under any obligation to purchase any, of the Senior Notes, and if such
nondefaulting Underwriters (together with substituted Underwriters selected
by
the Representatives with the approval of the Company or selected by the Company
with the approval of the Representatives) do not purchase all the Senior Notes,
this Agreement will terminate without liability to any nondefaulting Underwriter
or the Company. In the event of a default by any Underwriter as set
forth in this Section 10, the Closing Date shall be postponed for such period,
not exceeding five Business Days, as the
28
Representatives
shall determine in order that the required changes in the Registration Statement
and the Final Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be
effected. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall relieve any
defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the Company and any
nondefaulting Underwriter for damages occasioned by its default
hereunder.
(b) The
term
“Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall refer to and include any
Underwriter substituted under this Section 10 with the like effect as if such
substituted Underwriter had originally been named in
Schedule II.
11. Termination.
(a) This
Agreement
shall be subject to termination in the absolute discretion of the
Representatives, by notice given to the Company prior to delivery of and payment
for the Senior Notes, if at any time prior to such time (i) there has been
any
material adverse and unfavorable change, financial or otherwise (other than
as
disclosed in the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Information and Final
Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto)), in the operations, business
condition or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole,
which would, in the Representatives’ judgment or in the judgment of a group of
Underwriters who have agreed to purchase in the aggregate at least 50% of the
Senior Notes, make it impracticable to market the Senior Notes, (ii) there
shall
have occurred any downgrading, or any notice shall have been given of (A) any
intended or potential downgrading or (B) any review or possible change that
does
not indicate an improvement, in the rating accorded any securities of or
guaranteed by the Company by any “nationally recognized statistical rating
organization,” as that term is defined in Rule 436(g)(2),
(iii) trading in Integrys’s common stock shall have been suspended by the
Commission or the New York Stock Exchange or trading in securities generally
on
the New York Stock Exchange shall have been suspended or limited or minimum
prices shall have been established on such Exchange, (iv) a banking
moratorium shall have been declared either by Federal, New York State or
Wisconsin authorities or a material disruption in clearance or settlement
systems in the United States securities markets shall have occurred, or
(v) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities,
declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, act of
terrorism or other national or international calamity or crisis the effect
of
which on financial markets is such as to make it, in the sole judgment of the
Representatives or the judgment of a group of Underwriters who have agreed
to
purchase in the aggregate at least 50% of the Senior Notes impractical or
inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Senior Notes as
contemplated by the Time of Sale Information and Final Prospectus (exclusive
of
any supplement thereto).
(b) If
the
Representatives or any group of Underwriters elects to terminate this Agreement
as provided in this Section 11, the Company and each other Underwriter shall
be
notified promptly by means set forth in Section 14.
12. No
Fiduciary Relationship. The Company hereby acknowledges
that the Underwriters are acting solely as underwriters in connection with
the
purchase and sale of the Senior Notes. The Company further
acknowledges that the Underwriters are acting pursuant to a contractual
relationship created solely by this Agreement entered into on an arm’s length
basis and in no event do the parties intend that the Underwriters act or be
responsible as a fiduciary to the Company or its management, stockholders or
creditors or any other person in connection
29
with
any activity
that the Underwriters may undertake or have undertaken in furtherance of the
purchase and sale of the Senior Notes, either before or after the date
hereof. The Underwriters hereby expressly disclaim any fiduciary or
similar obligations to the Company, either in connection with the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement or any matters leading up to such transactions,
and the Company hereby confirms its understanding and agreement to that
effect. The Company and the Underwriters agree that they are each
responsible for making their own independent judgments with respect to any
such
transactions. The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest
extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company may have against the
Underwriters with respect to any breach or alleged breach of any fiduciary
or
similar duty to the Company in connection with the transactions contemplated
by
this Agreement or any matters leading up to such transactions.
13. Representations
and Indemnities to Survive. The respective
agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of
the
Company or its officers and of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant
to
this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any
investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or any
of
the officers, directors or controlling persons referred to in Section 9 hereof,
and will survive delivery of and payment for the Senior Notes. The
provisions of Sections 8 and 9 hereof shall survive the termination or
cancellation of this Agreement.
14. Notices. All
communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt,
and,
if sent to the Representatives, will be mailed or delivered (a) to UBS
Securities LLC, 000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxx 00000,
Attention: Fixed Income Syndicate Department, or telefaxed to the Fixed Income
Syndicate Department (fax no.: 000-000-0000) and confirmed to the address
indicated above and (b) to Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC, 000 X. Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx,
0xx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: Transaction Management
Group or telefaxed to the Transaction Management Group (fax no. 000-000-0000);
or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed or delivered to Wisconsin Public
Service Corporation, 000 Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, X.X. Xxx 00000, Xxxxx Xxx,
Xxxxxxxxx, 00000, Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Wisconsin Public Service
Corporation (fax no.: (000) 000-0000) and confirmed to the address indicated
above.
15. Successors. This
Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto
and their respective successors and the officers and directors and controlling
persons referred to in Section 9 hereof, and no other person will have any
right
or obligation hereunder.
16. Applicable
Law. This Agreement and any claim, counterclaim or
dispute of any kind or nature whatsoever arising out of or in any way relating
to this Agreement (“Claim”), directly or indirectly, shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable
to contracts made and to be performed within the State of
New York.
17. Counterparts. This
Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall
constitute an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the
same agreement.
30
18. Headings. The
section headings used herein are for convenience only and shall not affect
the
construction hereof.
19. Definitions. The
terms which follow, when used in this Agreement, shall have the meanings
indicated.
“Act”
shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and the rules and regulations
of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
“Agreement”
shall mean this Underwriting Agreement.
“Base
Prospectus” shall mean the prospectus referred to in paragraph 1(a)
above contained in the Registration Statement at the Effective Date, including
any documents incorporated by reference therein, as provided in the third
paragraph of this Agreement.
“Business
Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal
holiday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies are authorized
or obligated by law to close in New York City or Milwaukee,
Wisconsin.
“Commission”
shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Effective
Date” shall mean (i) each date and time that the Registration
Statement, any post-effective amendment or amendments thereto and any
Rule 462(b) Registration Statement became or become effective, and (ii)
date on which information omitted from a Base Prospectus included in the
Registration Statement in reliance on Rule 430B is first deemed to be part
of
and included in the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule
430B(f).
“Exchange
Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and
the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
“Final
Prospectus” shall mean a prospectus consisting of the prospectus
supplement relating to the Senior Notes that is first filed pursuant to
Rule 424(b) after the execution of this Agreement and the Base Prospectus,
including any documents incorporated by reference in such prospectus, as
provided in the third paragraph of this Agreement.
“Preliminary
Prospectus” shall mean any prospectus consisting of a preliminary
prospectus supplement to the Base Prospectus which describes the Senior Notes
and the offering thereof and the Base Prospectus, including any documents
incorporated by reference therein as provided in the third paragraph of this
Agreement, that is used prior to filing of the Final Prospectus.
“Registration
Statement” shall mean the registration statement referred to in
paragraph 1(a) above, including exhibits and financial statements, as
amended at the Time of Sale and, in the event any post-effective amendment
thereto or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement becomes effective after
the Time of Sale but prior to the Closing Date, shall also mean such
registration statement as so amended or such Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement, as the case may be, and shall include any documents incorporated
by
reference therein, as provided in the third paragraph of this
Agreement.
31
“Rule 134”,
“Rule 158”, “Rule 405”,
“Rule 415”, “Rule 424”,
“Rule 430A”,
“Rule 430B”,
“Rule 430C”, “Rule 433”,
“Rule 436” and “Rule 462”
refer
to
such rules under the Act.
“Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement” shall mean a registration statement and any
amendments thereto filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) relating to the offering
covered by the registration statement referred to in Section 1(a)
hereof.
“Trust
Indenture Act” shall mean the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended,
and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated
thereunder.
[Signature
Page Follows]
32
If
the foregoing is
in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return
to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this letter and your acceptance
shall represent a binding agreement among the Company and the several
Underwriters.
Very
truly
yours,
WISCONSIN
PUBLIC SERVICE
CORPORATION
By: /s/
Xxxxxxx X.
Xxxxxxx
Name:
Xxxxxxx X.
Xxxxxxx
Title:
Treasurer
The
foregoing
Agreement is
hereby
confirmed
and accepted
as
of the date
specified in
Schedule I
hereto.
UBS
SECURITIES LLC
By: /s/
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Name:
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Title:
Executive
Director
By: /s/
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
Name:
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
Title:
Managing
Director
For
itself and the
other
several
Underwriters
named
in Schedule
II to
the
foregoing
Agreement.
WACHOVIA
CAPITAL MARKETS, LLC
By: /s/
Xxx
Xxxxxxxx
Name:
Xxx
Xxxxxxxx
Title:
Managing
Director
For
itself and the
other
several
Underwriters
named
in Schedule
II to
the
foregoing
Agreement.
Schedule
I
Underwriting
Agreement dated November 13, 2007
Registration
Statement File No.:
|
333-115405
|
Representatives: | UBS Securities LLC |
|
as
Joint Book-Running Manager
|
000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx |
Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxx 00000 |
Wachovia
Capital Markets, LLC
as
Joint Book-Running Manager
000
X.
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx 00000
|
Title,
Purchase
Price and Description of Senior Notes:
Title:
|
Senior
Notes,
5.65% Series Due November 1, 2017
|
Principal amount: | $125,000,000 |
Purchase
price (include
accrued
interest or
amortization,
if any),
net
of underwriting
commission:
|
$124,060,000 |
Sinking fund provisions: | None |
Redemption
provisions:
|
The
Senior
Notes will be redeemable at the option of the Company, in whole at
any
time or in part from time to time, at a price equal to the greater
of (i)
100% of their principal amount or (ii) the sum of the present values
of
the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest thereon
(exclusive of interest accrued to the date of redemption) discounted
to
the date of redemption on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360-day
year
consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate as defined
in the
Prospectus Supplement and Supplemental Indenture to the Senior Indenture
for the Senior Notes plus 20 basis points, plus in each case accrued
interest to the date of redemption.
|
Other
provisions:
|
None
other
than those set forth in the Senior Indenture and substantially in
the form
set forth in the Supplemental Indenture to the Senior Indenture filed
as
Exhibit 4C to the
|
Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Reg. No. 333-115405) |
Closing
Date,
Time and Location:
|
November
20,
2007 at 9:00 a.m. at the offices of Xxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP, Milwaukee,
Wisconsin
|
Date
referred to in
Section 5(g) after which the Company may offer or sell debt securities issued
or
guaranteed by the Company without the consent of the
Representatives: November 20, 2007.
Modification
of
items to be covered by the letter from Deloitte & Touche LLP delivered
pursuant to Section 7(e) on the date hereof: None
Schedule
II
Principal
Amount of
|
||||
Underwriters |
Senior
Notes to be
Purchased
|
|||
UBS Securities LLC | $ |
56,250,000
|
||
Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC |
50,000,000
|
|||
ABN AMRO Incorporated |
9,375,000
|
|||
Lazard Capital Markets LLC |
9,375,000
|
|||
Total:
|
$ |
125,000,000
|
ANNEX
A
Time
of Sale
Information
Final
Term Sheet
relating to the Senior Notes, in the form attached as Annex B.
ANNEX
B
Form
of Term
Sheet
[Wisconsin
Public Service Corporation logo]
$125,000,000
5.65% Senior Notes Due November 1, 2017
Final
Terms
and Conditions
Issuer:
|
|
Issue
Format:
|
SEC
Registered
|
Ratings:
|
Aa3/A
(Stable/Stable)
|
Note
Type:
|
Fallaway
First Mortgage Bonds
|
Total
Principal Amount:
|
$125,000,000
|
Pricing
Date:
|
November
13,
2007
|
Settlement
Date:
|
November
20,
2007
|
Maturity
Date:
|
November
1,
2017
|
Interest
Payment Dates:
|
Each
May 1
and November 1, commencing on May 1, 2008
|
Reference
Benchmark:
|
UST
4.25% due
November 15, 2017
|
Benchmark
Price:
|
99-28+
|
Benchmark
Yield:
|
4.264%
|
Re-offer
Spread:
|
+140
bps
|
Re-offer
Yield:
|
5.664%
|
Coupon:
|
5.65%
|
Re-offer
/
Issue Price:
|
99.898%
|
Make-Whole
Call:
|
T+20
bps
|
Minimum
Denominations:
|
$1,000
x
$1,000
|
Use
of
Proceeds:
|
Pay
costs of
construction or acquisition of capital assets; retire short-term
indebtedness for construction, acquisition and other public
utility
purposes; or other corporate utility purposes
|
CUSIP:
|
000000XX0
|
Joint
Bookrunners:
|
UBS
Investment Bank, Wachovia Securities
|
Co-Managers:
|
ABN
AMRO
Incorporated, Lazard Capital
Markets
|
Correction
to
Base Prospectus: Please note that there is a mistake in the
first paragraph on page 8 of the base prospectus included in the November 13,
2007 preliminary prospectus relating to this offering in the section captioned
“Description of the Senior Debt Securities—Limitation on Liens.” The
percentages in the last line of that paragraph should have been 10%, not 15%,
so
that the paragraph reads as follows:
“In
addition, the
restriction on liens described in this section will not apply to our issuance,
assumption or guarantee of Debt secured by any liens that would otherwise be
subject to that restriction up to an aggregate amount which, together with
all
of our other secured Debt (not including secured Debt permitted under any of
the
exceptions described above) and the Value of
Sale
and Lease-Back
Transactions existing at that time (other than Sale and Lease-Back Transactions
the proceeds of which have been applied to the retirement of certain
indebtedness, Sale and Lease-Back Transactions in which the property involved
would have been permitted to be subjected to any liens under any of the
foregoing exceptions and Sale and Lease-Back Transactions that are permitted
by
the first sentence of “Limitations on Sale and Lease-Back Transactions” below),
does not exceed the greater of 10% of the Net Tangible Assets or 10% of
Capitalization.”
The
issuer has
filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the SEC for the
offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you
should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents
the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer
and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting
XXXXX on the SEC’s Website at xxx.xxx.xxx. Alternatively, the
issuer, any underwriter or dealer participating in the offering will arrange
to
send you the prospectus if you request it by calling UBS Investment Bank collect
at 0-000-000-0000 or Wachovia Securities at 0-000-000-0000 or through your
usual
contact at UBS Securities LLC or Wachovia Securities.