WILMINGTON TRUST CORPORATION Common Stock ($1.00 par value) ATM EQUITY OFFERINGSM SALES AGREEMENT
Exhibit 1.1
WILMINGTON TRUST CORPORATION
Common Stock
($1.00 par value)
($1.00 par value)
ATM EQUITY OFFERINGSM SALES AGREEMENT
September 22, 2008
XXXXXXX LYNCH, PIERCE, XXXXXX & XXXXX INCORPORATED
0 Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
0 Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Wilmington Trust Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes,
subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell from time to time through
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated, as sales agent (the “Agent”), shares
(the “Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, $1.00 par value (the “Common Stock”),
having an aggregate offering price of up to $150,000,000 on the terms set forth in Section 2 of
this ATM Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement (the “Agreement”).
Section 1. Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to the Agent
that as of the date of this Agreement, any applicable Registration Statement Amendment Date (as
defined in Section 3 below), each Company Periodic Report Date (as defined in Section 3 below),
each Applicable Time (as defined in Section 1(c) below) and each Settlement Date (as defined in
Section 2 below):
(a) An “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined under Rule 405 under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), on Form S-3 (File No. 333-147694) and post-effective
amendment thereto, in respect of the Company’s debt securities and Common Stock (including the
Shares) (collectively, the “Securities”) was filed by the Company with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) not earlier than three years prior to the date
hereof; such registration statement, and any post-effective amendment thereto, became effective on
filing; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of such registration statement or any part
thereof has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or, to the knowledge
of the Company, threatened by the Commission, and no notice of objection of the Commission to the
use of such form of registration statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule
401(g)(2) under the Act has been received by the Company (the base prospectus filed as part of such
registration statement, in the form in which it has most recently been filed with the Commission on
or prior to the date of this Agreement, is hereinafter called the “Basic Prospectus”; the
various parts of such registration statement, excluding any Form T-1 but including all exhibits
thereto and any prospectus supplement relating to the Shares that is filed with the Commission and
deemed by virtue of Rule 430B to be part of such registration statement, each as amended at the
time such part of the registration statement became effective, are hereinafter collectively called
the “Registration Statement”; the prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Shares
prepared and filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act and in accordance with
Section 5(a) hereof is hereinafter called the “Prospectus Supplement”; the Basic
Prospectus, as amended and supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement, is hereinafter called the
“Prospectus”; any reference herein to the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or
the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference
therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Act; any
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reference to any amendment or supplement to the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or
the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any post-effective amendment to the
Registration Statement, any prospectus supplement relating to the Shares filed with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act and any documents filed under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and incorporated therein, in each case after the
date of the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus, as the case may be; any
reference to any amendment to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to and include
any annual report of the Company filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after
the effective date of the Registration Statement that is incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement; and any “issuer free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 433 under the
Act relating to the Shares is hereinafter called an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”);
(b) No order preventing or suspending the use of the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus
Supplement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been issued by the Commission,
and the Basic Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement, at the time of filing thereof, conformed in
all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder, and did not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided,
however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or
omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the
Company by the Agent expressly for use therein;
(c) For the purposes of this Agreement, the “Applicable Time” means, with respect to
any Shares, the time of sale of such Shares pursuant to this Agreement; the Prospectus and the
applicable Issuer Free Writing Prospectus(es) issued at or prior to such Applicable Time, taken
together (collectively, and, with respect to any Shares, together with the public offering price of
such Shares, the “Disclosure Package”) as of each Applicable Time and each Settlement Date,
will not 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 under which
they were made, not misleading; and each applicable Issuer Free Writing Prospectus will not
conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus Supplement or
the Prospectus and each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as supplemented by and taken together
with the Disclosure Package as of such Applicable Time, will not 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 under which they were made, not misleading; provided,
however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements or omissions
made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by the
Agent expressly for use therein;
(d) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus Supplement and the Prospectus,
when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, conformed in all
material respects to the applicable requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and
the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and none of such documents, when they
became effective or were filed with the Commission, contained an untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and
any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or any further
amendment or supplement thereto, when such documents become effective or are filed with the
Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the applicable
requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the
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rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and will not contain an untrue statement of
a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any
statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in
writing to the Company by the Agent expressly for use therein; except as described in the
Prospectus, no such documents were filed with the Commission since the Commission’s close of
business on the business day immediately prior to the date of this Agreement and prior to the
execution of this Agreement;
(e) The financial statements and the related notes thereto included or incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus Supplement and the Prospectus comply in all
material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable,
and present fairly the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of
the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the
periods specified; such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered
thereby, and the supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement and the Disclosure Package present fairly the information required to be stated therein;
and the other financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement and the Disclosure Package has been derived from the accounting records of the Company
and its subsidiaries and presents fairly the information shown thereby;
(f) The Registration Statement conforms, and the Prospectus and any further amendments or
supplements to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will conform, in all material
respects, to the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder
and do not and will not, as of the applicable effective date as to each part of the Registration
Statement and as of the applicable filing date as to the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement
thereto, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided,
however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or
omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the
Company by the Agent expressly for use therein;
(g) Since the date of the most recent financial statements of the Company included or
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Disclosure Package, there has not
been any change in the capital stock (other than the issuance of shares of capital stock upon the
exercise of stock options pursuant to stock option plans and the repurchase of shares of capital
stock by the Company under its share repurchase plan, in each case as disclosed in documents
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus) or long-term debt of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, set aside
for payment, paid or made by the Company on any class of capital stock (other than as disclosed in
documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package), or any material
adverse change, or any adverse development which materially affects the business, properties,
management (which shall be understood to refer to the Company’s “named executive officers” as set
forth in the Company’s Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A, filed with the Commission on February 29,
2008), financial condition, or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a
whole, except in each case as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package;
(h) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing and, to the extent such
concept is applicable thereto, in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization,
is
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duly qualified to do business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which its
ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its businesses requires such qualification, and
has all power and authority necessary to own or hold its properties and to conduct the businesses
in which it is engaged, except where the failure to be so qualified, in good standing or have such
power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on
the business, properties, management (which shall be understood to refer to the Company’s “named
executive officers” as set forth in the Company’s Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A, filed with the
Commission on February 29, 2008), financial position or results of operations of the Company and
the Company’s Significant Subsidiaries (as defined below) taken as a whole or on the performance by
the Company of its obligations under the Securities (a “Material Adverse Effect”);
(i) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Prospectus under the
heading “Capitalization” and all the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been
duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable. None of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock were issued in violation of any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal
or other similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities of the Company. Except as described
in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and except with respect to equity awards issued
under the Company’s equity incentive plans, there are no outstanding options, warrants, preemptive
rights, rights of first refusal or other rights to purchase, or equity or debt securities
convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, any capital stock of the Company;
(j) The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this
Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder; and all action required to be taken for the due
and proper authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby has been duly and validly taken;
(k) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;
(l) The Shares have been duly authorized, and, when issued and delivered pursuant to this
Agreement, such Shares will have been duly and validly issued and will be fully paid and
non-assessable; the Shares conform as to legal matters in all material respects to the descriptions
thereof contained in the Disclosure Package and Prospectus;
(m) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is party to any agreement that provides
any person with the right to require the Company or any of its subsidiaries to register any
securities for sale under the Act by reason of the filing of the Registration Statement with the
Commission or the issuance and sale of the Shares;
(n) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or
understanding with any person (other than as contemplated by this Agreement) that would give rise
to a valid claim against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or the Agent for a brokerage
commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares;
(o) The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the issuance and
sale of the Shares and compliance by the Company with the terms hereof and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or
violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the
creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the
Company or any of the Company’s significant subsidiaries listed in Schedule 1 hereto (each such
significant subsidiary a “Significant Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Significant
Subsidiaries”) pursuant to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other
agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of the Significant Subsidiaries is a
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party or by which the Company or any of the Significant Subsidiaries is bound or to which any
of the property or assets of the Company or any of the Significant Subsidiaries is subject, (ii)
result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws or similar organizational
documents of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (iii) result in the violation of any law or
statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or
regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, for any such conflict,
breach, violation or default that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material
Adverse Effect; and no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or
with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issue and sale of the
Shares, the execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement, or the consummation by the
Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such as have been obtained under
the Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be
required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the sale of the Shares by the
Agent;
(p) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the caption “Description of Common Stock”
insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Shares, and under the captions
“Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders of Common Stock” and “Plan of
Distribution,” insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents
referred to therein, are accurate and complete;
(q) Neither the Company nor any of the Significant Subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its
charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents; (ii) in default, and no event has occurred
that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance
or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of
trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of the
Significant Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of the Significant Subsidiaries
is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of the Significant
Subsidiaries is subject; or (iii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule
or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the
case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such default or violation that would not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect;
(r) Except as described in the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package, there are no legal,
governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, suits or proceedings pending to which the
Company or any of the Significant Subsidiaries is a party or to which any property of the Company
or any of the Significant Subsidiaries is the subject that, individually or in the aggregate, if
determined adversely to the Company or any of the Significant Subsidiaries, could reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; no such investigations, actions, suits or proceedings
are threatened or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened by any governmental or
regulatory authority or others; and (i) there are no current or pending legal, governmental or
regulatory actions, suits or proceedings that are required under the Act to be described in the
Prospectus or the Disclosure Package that are not so described in the Prospectus and the Disclosure
Package and (ii) there are no statutes, regulations or contracts or other documents that are
required under the Act to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus that are not so filed as exhibits to the Registration
Statement or described in the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package;
(s) (A) (i) At the time of filing the Registration Statement, (ii) at the time of the most
recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act (whether
such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Section 13 or
15(d) of the Exchange Act or form of prospectus), and (iii) at the time the Company or any person
acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c) under the
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Act) made any offer relating to the Shares in reliance on the exemption of Rule 163 under the
Act, the Company was a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Act; and
(B) at the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or another
offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Act) of
the Shares, the Company was not an “ineligible issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Act;
(t) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the
application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package, will
not be an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” within the
meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Investment Company Act”);
(u) KPMG LLP, which has certified certain financial statements of the Company and its
subsidiaries, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and
its consolidated subsidiaries within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission
and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the Act;
(v) The Company is duly registered as a bank holding company and qualified as a financial
holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956;
(w) Each of the Company’s Significant Subsidiaries has been duly organized and is validly
existing and, to the extent such concept is applicable thereto, in good standing under the laws of
their respective jurisdictions of organization, is duly qualified to do business and is in good
standing in each jurisdiction in which its respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct
of its respective businesses requires such qualification, and has all power and authority necessary
to own or hold its respective properties and to conduct the businesses in which it is engaged,
except where the failure to be so qualified, in good standing or have such power or authority would
not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and all of the issued shares
of capital stock of each such Significant Subsidiary have been duly and validly authorized and
issued, are fully paid and non-assessable, and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company,
free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims;
(x) The Company maintains systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined
in Rule 13a-15(f) of 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 asset
accountability; (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. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package, there are no
material weaknesses in the Company’s internal controls;
(y) The Company maintains an effective system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as
defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) that is designed to ensure that information required
to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is
recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the
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Commission’s rules and forms, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that such
information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow
timely decisions regarding required disclosure. The Company has carried out evaluations of the
effectiveness of their disclosure controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 of the
Exchange Act;
(z) The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed
to or that might be reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the
price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares;
(aa) To the knowledge of the Company, none of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any
director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is
currently the target of any proceeding, investigation, suit or other action arising out of any U.S.
sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the
Treasury (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the
offering of the Shares hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to
any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the
activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC;
(bb) The Company and each of its subsidiaries are in compliance with all laws administered by
the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve Board”), the
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (the “OCC”), the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation (“FDIC”) and any other federal or state bank regulatory authorities (together
with the Federal Reserve Board, the OCC and the FDIC, the “Bank Regulatory Authorities”)
with jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except for any such non-compliance
that would not individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect;
(cc) The Company and the Significant Subsidiaries possess all licenses, certificates, permits
and other authorizations issued by, and have made all declarations and filings with, the
appropriate federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities that are
necessary for the ownership or lease of their respective properties or the conduct of their
respective businesses as described in the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package, except where the
failure to possess or make the same would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material
Adverse Effect; and except as described in the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package, neither the
Company nor any of the Significant Subsidiaries has received notice of any revocation or
modification of any such license, certificate, permit or authorization;
(dd) There are no written agreements or other written statements as described under 12
U.S.C.1818(u) between any federal banking agency and the Company or any of its subsidiaries
(whether or not such federal banking agency has determined that publication would be contrary to
the public interest) and except as disclosed to the Agent, there are no material agreements,
memoranda of understanding, cease and desist orders, orders of prohibition or suspension or consent
decrees between any Bank Regulatory Authority and the Company or any of its subsidiaries;
(ee) The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all
times and in all material respects in compliance with applicable financial record-keeping and
reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended,
the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any
related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any
governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or
proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator
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involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is
pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened;
(ff) The Common Stock is an “actively-traded security” exempted from the requirements of Rule
101 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act by subsection (c)(1) of such rule; and
(gg) Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company delivered to the Agent or to counsel
for the Agent pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement shall be deemed a representation and
warranty by the Company to the Agent as to the matters covered thereby as of the date or dates
indicated in such certificate.
Section 2. Sale and Delivery of Shares.
(a) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Company agrees to issue and sell
through the Agent, as sales agent, and the Agent agrees to use its commercially reasonable efforts
to sell as sales agent for the Company, the Shares.
(b) The Shares are to be sold on a daily basis or otherwise as shall be agreed to by the
Company and the Agent on any trading day (other than a day on which the New York Stock Exchange
(the “Exchange”) is scheduled to close prior to its regular weekday closing time) (each, a
“Trading Day”) that the Company has instructed the Agent to make such sales. On any Trading
Day, the Company may instruct the Agent by telephone (confirmed promptly by telecopy or email,
which confirmation will be promptly acknowledged by the Agent) as to the maximum number of Shares
to be sold by the Agent on such day (in any event not in excess of the number available for
issuance under the Prospectus and the currently effective Registration Statement) and the minimum
price per Share at which such Shares may be sold. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the
Agent shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to sell all of the Shares so designated by the
Company.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not authorize the issuance and sale of,
and the Agent shall not be obligated to use its reasonable efforts to sell, any Shares (i) at a
price lower than the minimum price therefor authorized from time to time, or (ii) in a number in
excess of the number of Shares authorized from time to time to be issued and sold under this
Agreement, in each case, by the Company’s board of directors, or a duly authorized committee
thereof, and notified to the Agent in writing. In addition, the Company or the Agent may, upon
notice to the other party hereto by telephone (confirmed promptly by telecopy or email, which
confirmation will be promptly acknowledged by the Agent), suspend the offering of the Shares for
any reason and at any time; provided, however, that such suspension or termination
shall not affect or impair the parties’ respective obligations with respect to the Shares sold
hereunder prior to the giving of such notice.
(d) Under no circumstances shall the aggregate offering price or number, as the case may be,
of Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement exceed the aggregate offering price or number, as the
case may be, of Shares of Common Stock (i) set forth in the preamble paragraph of this Agreement,
(ii) available for issuance under the Prospectus and the then currently effective Registration
Statement or (iii) authorized from time to time to be issued and sold under this Agreement by the
Company’s board of directors, or a duly authorized committee thereof, and notified to the Agent in
writing. In addition, under no circumstances shall any Shares be sold at a price lower than the
minimum price therefor authorized from time to time by the Company’s board of directors, or a duly
authorized committee thereof, and notified to the Agent in writing.
(e) If either party believes that the exemptive provisions set forth in Rule 101(c)(1) of
Regulation M under the Exchange Act (applicable to securities with an average daily trading
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volume of $1,000,000 that are issued by an issuer whose common equity securities have a public
float value of at least $150,000,000) are not satisfied with respect to the Company or the Shares,
it shall promptly notify the other party and sales of Shares under this Agreement shall be
suspended until that or other exemptive provisions have been satisfied in the judgment of each
party.
(f) The gross sales price of any Shares sold under this Agreement shall be the market price
for shares of the Company’s Common Stock sold by the Agent under this Agreement on the Exchange at
the time of such sale. The compensation payable to the Agent for sales of Shares shall be equal to
2.0% of the gross sales price of the Shares for amounts of Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement.
The remaining proceeds, after further deduction for any transaction fees imposed by any
governmental, regulatory or self-regulatory organization in respect of such sales, shall constitute
the net proceeds to the Company for such Shares (the “Net Proceeds”). The Agent shall
notify the Company as promptly as practicable if any deduction referenced in the preceding sentence
will be required.
(g) The Agent shall provide written confirmation to the Company following the close of trading
on the Exchange each day in which Shares are sold under this Agreement setting forth the number of
Shares sold on such day, the gross sales prices of the Shares, the Net Proceeds to the Company and
the compensation payable by the Company to the Agent with respect to such sales.
(h) Settlement for sales of Shares will occur on the third business day that is also a trading
day following the trade date on which such sales are made, unless another date shall be agreed to
by the Company and the Agent (each such day, a “Settlement Date”). On each Settlement Date,
the Shares sold through the Agent for settlement on such date shall be delivered by the Company to
the Agent against payment of the Net Proceeds from the sale of such Shares. Settlement for all
Shares shall be effected by book-entry delivery of Shares to the Agent’s account at The Depository
Trust Company against payments by the Agent of the Net Proceeds from the sale of such Shares in
same day funds delivered to an account designated by the Company. If the Company shall default on
its obligation to deliver Shares on any Settlement Date, the Company shall (i) indemnify and hold
the Agent harmless against any loss, claim or damage arising from or as a result of such default by
the Company and (ii) pay the Agent any commission to which it would otherwise be entitled absent
such default. If the Agent breaches this Agreement by failing to deliver the applicable Net
Proceeds on any Settlement Date for Shares delivered by the Company, the Agent will pay the Company
interest based on the effective overnight federal funds rate until such proceeds, together with
such interest, have been fully paid.
Section 3. Covenants.
The Company agrees with the Agent:
(a) During any period when the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the
offering or sale of Shares, to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus prior to any Settlement Date which shall be disapproved by the Agent
promptly after reasonable notice thereof and to advise the Agent, promptly after it receives notice
thereof, of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes
effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus has been filed and to furnish the
Representatives with copies thereof; to file promptly all other material required to be filed by
the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act; to file promptly all reports
and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the
Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act during any period when
the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or
9
sale of Shares; during any period when the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection
with the offering or sale of Shares, to advise the Agents, promptly after it receives notice
thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or
suspending the use of the Prospectus or other prospectus in respect of the Shares, of any notice of
objection of the Commission to the use of the form of the Registration Statement or any
post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Act, of the suspension of the
qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or
threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the
amending or supplementing of the form of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or for
additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any such stop order or of any such
order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus in respect of the Shares or suspending any
such qualification, to promptly use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the withdrawal of
such order; and in the event of any such issuance of a notice of objection, promptly to take such
reasonable steps as may be necessary to permit offers and sales of the Shares by the Agent, which
may include, without limitation, amending the Registration Statement or filing a new registration
statement, at the Company’s expense (references herein to the Registration Statement shall include
any such amendment or new registration statement);
(b) Promptly from time to time to take such action as the Agent may reasonably request to
qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the
Agent may request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and
dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the sale of the
Shares, provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to qualify as a
foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction;
(c) During any period when the delivery of a prospectus is required under the Act in
connection with the offering or sale of Shares, the Company will make available to the Agent, as
soon as practicable after the execution of this Agreement, and thereafter from time to time furnish
to the Agent, copies of the most recent Prospectus in such quantities and at such locations as the
Agent may reasonably request for the purposes contemplated by the Act. During any period when the
delivery of a prospectus is required under the Act in connection with the offering or sale of
Shares, and if at such time any event shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as
then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if
for any other reason it shall be necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the
Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the
Prospectus in order to comply with the Act or the Exchange Act, to notify the Agent and upon its
request to file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to the Agent as many
written and electronic copies as the Agent may from time to time reasonably request of an amended
Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus which will correct such statement or omission or
effect such compliance;
(d) To make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable, but in any
event not later than sixteen months after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as
defined in Rule 158(c) under the Act), an earnings statement of the Company and its subsidiaries
(which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Act and the rules and regulations
of the Commission thereunder (including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158);
(e) To pay the required Commission filing fees relating to the Shares within the time required
by Rule 456(b)(1) under the Act without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance
with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) under the Act;
10
(f) To use the Net Proceeds received by it from the sale of the Shares pursuant to this
Agreement in the manner specified in the Disclosure Package;
(g) In connection with the offering and sale of the Shares, the Company will file with the New
York Stock Exchange, LLC all documents and notices, and make all certifications, required by the
New York Stock Exchange, LLC of companies that have securities that are listed on the Exchange;
(h) To not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in, or that
has constituted or might reasonably be expected to constitute, under the Exchange Act or otherwise,
the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company to facilitate the
sale or resale of the Shares;
(i) At each Applicable Time, each Settlement Date, each Registration Statement Amendment Date
(as defined below) and each Company Periodic Report Date (as defined below), the Company shall be
deemed to have affirmed each representation, warranty, covenant and other agreement contained in
this Agreement. In each Annual Report on Form 10-K or Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed by the
Company in respect of any quarter in which sales of Shares were made by the Agent under this
Agreement (each date on which any such document is filed, and any date on which an amendment to any
such document is filed, a “Company Periodic Report Date”), the Company shall set forth with
regard to such quarter the number of Shares sold through the Agent under this Agreement, the Net
Proceeds received by the Company and the compensation paid by the Company to the Agent with respect
to sales of Shares pursuant to this Agreement.
(j) Upon commencement of the offering of Shares under this Agreement and promptly after each
(i) date the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be amended or supplemented (other than
(1) by an amendment or supplement providing solely for the determination of the terms of the
Shares, (2) in connection with the filing of a prospectus supplement that contains solely the
information set forth in Section 3(i), (3) in connection with the filing of any report or other
document under Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (other than the filing of a Form 8-K
which contains financial statements (excluding earnings releases furnished under Item 2.02 of such
form)), or (4) by a prospectus supplement relating to the offering of other securities (including,
without limitation, other shares of Common Stock)) (each such date, a “Registration Statement
Amendment Date”) and (ii) Company Periodic Report Date, the Company will furnish or cause to be
furnished forthwith to the Agent a certificate dated the date of effectiveness of such amendment or
the date of filing with the Commission of such supplement or other document, as the case may be, in
a form reasonably satisfactory to the Agent to the effect that the statements contained in the
certificate referred to in Section 6(e) of this Agreement which were last furnished to the Agent
are true and correct at the time of such amendment, supplement or filing, as the case may be, as
though made at and as of such time (except that such statements shall be deemed to relate to the
Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to
such time) or, in lieu of such certificate, a certificate of the same tenor as the certificate
referred to in said Section 6(e), but modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented, or to the document incorporated by reference into
the Prospectus, to the time of delivery of such certificate. As used in this paragraph, to the
extent there shall be an Applicable Time on or following the date referred to in clause (i) or
(ii) above, promptly shall be deemed to be on or prior to the next succeeding Applicable Time;
(k) Upon commencement of the offering of Shares under this Agreement, and promptly after each
(i) Registration Statement Amendment Date and (ii) Company Periodic Report Date,
11
the Company will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Agent and to counsel to the Agent the
written opinion and letter of each Company Counsel or other counsel reasonably satisfactory to the
Agent, dated the date of effectiveness of such amendment or the date of filing with the Commission
of such supplement or other document, as the case may be, in a form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel, of the same tenor as the opinions and letters referred
to in Section 6(c) of this Agreement, but modified as necessary to relate to the Registration
Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented, or to the
document incorporated by reference into the Prospectus, to the time of delivery of such opinion and
letter or, in lieu of such opinion and letter, counsel last furnishing such letter to the Agent
shall furnish such Agent with a letter substantially to the effect that the Agent may rely on such
last opinion and letter to the same extent as though each were dated the date of such letter
authorizing reliance (except that statements in such last letter shall be deemed to relate to the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the time of delivery of
such letter authorizing reliance). As used in this paragraph, to the extent there shall be an
Applicable Time on or following the date referred to in clause (i) or (ii) above, promptly shall be
deemed to be on or prior to the next succeeding Applicable Time;
(l) Upon commencement of the offering of Shares under this Agreement, and promptly after each
(i) Registration Statement Amendment Date and (ii) Company Periodic Report Date, the Company will
cause KPMG LLP, or other independent accountants reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, to furnish
to the Agent a letter, dated the date of effectiveness of such amendment or the date of filing of
such supplement or other document with the Commission, as the case may be, in form reasonably
satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel, of the same tenor as the letter referred to in
Section 6(d) hereof, but modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement, the
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as amended and supplemented, or to the document incorporated
by reference into the Prospectus, to the date of such letter. As used in this paragraph, to the
extent there shall be an Applicable Time on or following the date referred to in clause (i) or
(ii) above, promptly shall be deemed to be on or prior to the next succeeding Applicable Time;
(m) The Company consents to the Agent trading in the Company’s Common Stock for the Agent’s
own account and for the account of its clients at the same time as sales of Shares occur pursuant
to this Agreement;
(n) If, to the knowledge of the Company, all filings required by Rule 424 in connection with
this offering shall not have been made or the representation in Section 1(a) shall not be true and
correct on the applicable Settlement Date, the Company will offer to any person who has agreed to
purchase Shares from the Company as the result of an offer to purchase solicited by the Agent the
right to refuse to purchase and pay for such Shares;
(o) The Company will cooperate timely with any reasonable due diligence review conducted by
the Agent or its counsel from time to time in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby,
including, without limitation, and upon reasonable notice providing information and making
available documents and appropriate corporate officers, during regular business hours and at the
Company’s principal offices, as the Agent may reasonably request;
(p) The Company will not, without (i) giving the Agent at least five business days’ prior
written notice specifying the nature of the proposed sale and the date of such proposed sale and
(ii) the Agent suspending activity under this program for such period of time as requested by the
Company or as deemed appropriate by the Agent in light of the proposed sale, (A) offer, pledge,
announce the intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase,
purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant for the sale of, lend
or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or
securities
12
convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for or repayable with Common Stock, or file
any registration statement under the Act with respect to any of the foregoing (other than a shelf
registration statement under Rule 415 under the Act, a registration statement on Form S-8 or
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement) or (B) enter into any swap or other
agreement or any transaction that transfers in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, any of the
economic consequence of ownership of the Common Stock, or any securities convertible into or
exchangeable or exercisable for or repayable with Common Stock, whether any such swap or
transaction described in clause (A) or (B) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or
such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (x) the
Shares to be offered and sold through the Agent pursuant to this Agreement, (y) Common Stock
issuable pursuant to the Company’s dividend reinvestment plan as it may be amended or replaced from
time to time and (z) equity incentive awards approved by the board of directors of the Company or
the compensation committee thereof or the issuance of Common Stock upon exercise thereof.
Section 4. Free Writing Prospectus.
(a) (i) The Company represents and agrees that without the prior consent of the Agent, it has
not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute a “free writing
prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 under the Act; and
(ii) the Agent represents and agrees that, without the prior consent of the Company it
has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute a free
writing prospectus required to be filed with the Commission.
(b) The Company has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Act
applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (including any free writing prospectus identified
in Section 4(a) hereof), including timely filing with the Commission or retention where required
and legending.
Section 5. Payment of Expenses.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees with the Agent that the Company will pay or cause to be
paid the following: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and
accountants in connection with the registration of the Shares under the Act and all other expenses
in connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement, the Basic
Prospectus, Prospectus Supplement, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and
amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Agents;
(ii) the cost of printing or producing this Agreement, any Blue Sky and Legal Investment Memoranda,
closing documents (including any compilations thereof) and any other documents in connection with
the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares; (iii) all expenses in connection with the
qualification of the Shares for offering and sale under state securities laws as provided in
Section 3(b) hereof, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Agent in
connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky and Legal Investment
Surveys; (iv) any filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for
the Agent in connection with, any required review by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.
of the terms of the sale of the Shares; (v) all fees and expenses in connection with listing the
Shares on the Exchange; (vi) the cost of preparing the Shares; (vii) the costs and charges of any
transfer agent or registrar or any dividend distribution agent; and (viii) all other costs and
expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise
specifically provided for in this Section. It is understood, however, that, except as provided in
this Section, and Section 7 hereof, the Agent will pay all of its own costs and
13
expenses, including the fees of its counsel, transfer taxes on resale of any of the Shares by
it, and any advertising expenses connected with any offers it may make.
(b) Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the Company prior to
October 31, 2008 in accordance with the provisions of Section 10 hereof and Shares with an
aggregate offering price of $50,000,000 or 2,000,000 Shares having not been offered and sold under
this Agreement, the Company shall reimburse the Agent for all of its reasonable out-of-pocket
expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of a single counsel for the Agent
incurred by it in connection with the offering contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 6. Conditions of Agent’s Obligation. The obligations of the Agent hereunder shall
be subject, in its discretion, to the condition that all representations and warranties and other
statements of the Company herein or in certificates of any officer of the Company delivered
pursuant to the provisions hereof are true and correct, to the condition that the Company shall
have performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following
additional conditions:
(a) The Prospectus Supplement shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule
424(b) under the Act on or prior to the date hereof and in accordance with Section 3(a) hereof, any
other material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act shall have
been filed with the Commission within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings by
Rule 433; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part
thereof shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or
threatened by the Commission and no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the form of
the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under
the Act shall have been received; no stop order suspending or preventing the use of the Prospectus
or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission;
and all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied
with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representatives;
(b) On every date specified in Section 3(j) hereof, Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, counsel
for the Agent, shall have furnished to the Agent such written opinion or opinions, dated as of such
date, with respect to such matters as the Agent may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have
received such papers and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon
such matters;
(c) On every date specified in Section 3(k) hereof, each of Xxxxx Peabody LLP and Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxx, counsels for the Company (together, “Company Counsels”), shall have furnished
to the Agent written opinion or opinions, dated as of such date, in form and substance satisfactory
to the Agent, substantially in the form of Exhibits X-0, X-0 and B hereto, respectively;
(d) At the dates specified in Section 3(l) hereof, the independent accountants of the Company
who have certified the financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries included or
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall have furnished to the Agent a letter
dated as of the date of delivery thereof and addressed to the Agent in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel, containing statements and information of the
type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the
financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in
the Registration Statement;
(e) (i) Upon commencement of the offering of Shares under this Agreement, the Company will
furnish or cause to be furnished promptly to the Agent a certificate of an officer in a form
satisfactory to the Agent stating the minimum price for the sale of such Shares pursuant to this
Agreement and the maximum number of Shares that may be issued and sold pursuant to this
14
Agreement or, alternatively, maximum gross proceeds from such sales, as authorized from time
to time by the Company’s board of directors or a duly authorized committee thereof or, in
connection with any amendment, revision or modification of such minimum price or maximum Share
number or amount, a new certificate with respect thereto and (ii) on each date specified in
Section 3(j), the Agent shall have received a certificate of executive officers of the Company, one
of whom shall be the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer, Treasurer, or Executive
Vice President in the area of capital markets and investments, dated as of the date thereof, to the
effect that (A) there has been no Material Adverse Effect since the date as of which information is
given in the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented, (B) the representations and warranties in
Section 1 hereof are true and correct as of such date, and (C) the Company has complied with all of
the agreements entered into in connection with the transaction contemplated herein and satisfied
all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied;
(f) Since the date of the latest audited financial statements then included or incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package, no Material Adverse Effect shall have
occurred; and
(g) The Company shall have complied with the provisions of Section 3(c) hereof with respect to
the timely furnishing of prospectuses.
(h) All filings with the Commission required by Rule 424 under the Act to have been filed by
each Applicable Time or related Settlement Date shall have been made within the applicable time
period prescribed for such filing by Rule 424 (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)).
(i) The Shares shall have received approval for listing on the New York Stock Exchange prior
to the first Settlement Date.
Section 7. Indemnification.
(a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless the Agent against any losses, claims, damages
or liabilities, joint or several, to which the Agent may become subject, under the Act or
otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof)
arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or the
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any
“issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act, or arise
out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse
the Agent for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Agent in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred; provided,
however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss,
claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus,
the Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to
the Company by the Agent expressly for use therein.
(b) The Agent will indemnify and hold harmless the Company against any losses, claims, damages
or liabilities to which the Company may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based
upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the
Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus, or any
amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or arise out of or
15
are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the
extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission
or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus
Supplement or the Prospectus, or any such amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company by the Agent expressly for use therein; and will reimburse the Company for any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or defending any
such action or claim as such expenses are incurred.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of notice
of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is
to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in
writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall not
relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under such
subsection except and then only to the extent such indemnifying party is materially prejudiced
thereby. In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify
the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to
participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying
party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such
indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to
the indemnifying party), and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of
its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such
indemnified party under this Section 7 for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other
expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with the
defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without
the written consent of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to
the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of
which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party
is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or
judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability arising
out of such action or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault,
culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 is unavailable to hold harmless an
indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall
contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate
to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Agent on the other
from the offering of the Shares to which such loss, claim, damage or liability (or action in
respect thereof) relates. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding
sentence is not permitted by applicable law,, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such
amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect
not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the
Agent on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the
Agent on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the
offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total commissions received
by
16
the Agent. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether
the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to
state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or the Agent
on the other and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to
correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Agent agree that it would not be
just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by pro rata
allocation (even if the Agent was treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of
allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this
subsection (d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection
(d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified
party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the
provisions of this subsection (d), the Agent shall not be required to contribute any amount in
excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares sold by it to the public were
offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which the Agent has otherwise been required
to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No
person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act)
shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation.
(e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 7 shall be in addition to any liability
which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to the
directors and officers of the Agent and to each person, if any, who controls the Agent within the
meaning of the Act and each broker dealer affiliate of the Agent; and the obligations of the Agent
under this Section 7 shall be in addition to any liability which the Agent may otherwise have and
shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each officer and director of the Company and
to each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act.
Section 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery. The respective
indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the
Agent, as set forth in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to
this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation (or any
statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf of the Agent or any controlling person of
the Agent, or the Company, or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, and
shall survive delivery of and payment for the Shares.
Section 9. No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that
(i) the Agent is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the
Company with respect to the offering of Shares contemplated hereby (including in connection with
determining the terms of such offering) and (ii) the Agent has not assumed an advisory or fiduciary
responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the
process leading thereto (irrespective of whether the Agent has advised or is currently advising the
Company on other matters) or any other obligation to the Company except the obligations expressly
set forth in this Agreement and (iii) the Company has consulted its own legal and financial
advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate. The Company agrees that it will not claim that the
Agent has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owes a fiduciary or similar duty
to the Company, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.
17
Section 10. Termination.
(a) The Company shall have the right, by giving written notice as hereinafter specified, to
terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time. Any such termination shall be without
liability of any party to any other party, except that (i) with respect to any pending sale through
the Agent for the Company, the obligations of the Company, including in respect of compensation of
the Agent, shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination; and (ii) the
provisions of Section 1, Section 5(b), Section 7 and Section 8 of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.
(b) The Agent shall have the right, by giving written notice as hereinafter specified, to
terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time. Any such termination shall be without
liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 1, Section 5(b),
Section 7 and Section 8 of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding
such termination.
(c) This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect until and unless terminated pursuant
to Section 10(a) or (b) above or otherwise by mutual agreement of the parties; provided
that any such termination by mutual agreement or pursuant to this clause (c) shall in all cases be
deemed to provide that Section 1, Section 5(b), Section 7 and Section 8 of this Agreement shall
remain in full force and effect.
(d) Any termination of this Agreement shall be effective on the date specified in such notice
of termination; provided that such termination shall not be effective until the close of
business on the date of receipt of such notice by the Agent or the Company, as the case may be. If
such termination shall occur prior to the Settlement Date for any sale of Shares, such sale shall
settle in accordance with the provisions of Section 2(h) hereof.
Section 11. Notices. All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in
writing, and if to the Agent shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission
to:
Merrill, Lynch, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated
0 Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Fax No. (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxxxxx Xxxx,
0 Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Fax No. (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxxxxx Xxxx,
and if to the Company shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to the
address of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement, Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxxx,
Esq., Vice President and Counsel. Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take
effect upon receipt thereof.
Section 12. Parties. This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the benefit
of, the Agent and the Company and, to the extent provided in Sections 7 and 8 hereof, the officers
and directors of the Company and the Agent and each person who controls the Company or the Agent,
and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no other person
shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. No purchaser of Shares
through the Agent shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase.
Section 13. Time of the Essence. Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement. As used
herein, the term “business day” shall mean any day when the Commission’s office in Washington, D.C.
is open for business.
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Section 14. Governing Law. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE
WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REFERENCE TO ITS PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAW.
Section 15. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties
hereto and thereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original,
but all such respective counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument. This
Agreement may be delivered by any party by facsimile or other electronic transmission.
Section 16. Severability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any Section, paragraph or
provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Section,
paragraph or provision hereof. If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any
reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor
changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and
return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts,
will become a binding agreement between the Agent and the Company in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours, | ||||||
Wilmington Trust Corporation | ||||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |||||
Name: | Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |||||
Title: | Executive Vice President and | |||||
Chief Financial Officer |
Accepted as of the date hereof: | ||||
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated | ||||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx | |||
Name:
|
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx | |||
Title:
|
Managing Director |
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Schedule 1
Significant Subsidiaries
Wilmington Trust Company
Wilmington Trust of Pennsylvania
Wilmington Trust FSB