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EXHIBIT 1
11/25/96
XXXXXXXXX RESEARCH, INC.
COMMON STOCK
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UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
NOVEMBER , 1996
Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co.,
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Company LLC
As representatives of the several Underwriters
named in Schedule I hereto,
c/o Goldman, Sachs & Co.,
00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
Xxxxxxxxx Research, Inc. a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), proposes,
subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell to the
Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the "Underwriters") an aggregate of
2,000,000 shares and, at the election of the Underwriters, up to 300,000
additional shares of Common Stock, $.01 par value ("Stock") of the Company. The
aggregate of 2,000,000 shares to be sold by the Company is herein called the
"Firm Shares" and the aggregate of 300,000 additional shares to be sold by the
Company is herein called the "Optional Shares". The Firm Shares and the Optional
Shares that the Underwriters elect to purchase pursuant to Section 2 hereof are
herein collectively called the "Shares".
1. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the
Underwriters that:
(i) A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-12761) (the
"Initial Registration Statement") in respect of the Shares has been filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"); the Initial
Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, each in
the form heretofore delivered to you, and, excluding exhibits thereto, to
you for each of the other Underwriters, have been declared effective by the
Commission in such form; other than a registration statement, if any,
increasing the size of the offering (the "Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement"), filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "Act"), which became effective upon filing, no other
document with respect to such registration statement has heretofore been
filed with the Commission; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness
of the Initial Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment thereto
or the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, has been issued and no
proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or threatened by the
Commission (any preliminary prospectus included in the Initial Registration
Statement and the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, or filed with
the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) of the rules and regulations of the
Commission under the Act is hereinafter called a "Preliminary Prospectus";
the various parts of the Initial Registration Statement and the Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement, if any, including all exhibits thereto and
including the information contained in the form of final prospectus filed
with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act in accordance
with Section 5(a) hereof and deemed by virtue of Rule 430A under the Act to
be part of the Initial Registration Statement at the time it was declared
effective, each as amended at the time such part of the Initial
Registration Statement became effective or such part of the Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement, if any, became or hereafter becomes effective, are
hereinafter collectively called the "Registration Statement";
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and such final prospectus, in the form first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)
under the Act, is hereinafter called the "Prospectus");
(ii) 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, 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 an Underwriter through
Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. expressly for use therein;
(iii) The Registration Statement conforms, and the Prospectus and any
further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of
the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and the
Registration Statement and any further amendments or supplements to the
Registration Statement do not and will not, as of the applicable effective
date 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 and the Prospectus and any further
supplements to the Prospectus do not and will not, as of the applicable
filing date, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to
any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with
information furnished in writing to the Company by an Underwriter through
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. expressly for use therein;
(iv) The Company has not sustained since the date of the latest
audited financial statements included in the Prospectus any material loss
or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other
calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or
court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth
or contemplated in the Prospectus; and, since the respective dates as of
which information is given in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, there has not been any change in the capital stock or long-term
debt of the Company or any material adverse change, or any development that
is reasonably likely to result in a material adverse change, in or
affecting the general affairs, management, financial position,
stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company, otherwise
than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus;
(v) The Company has good and marketable title in fee simple to all
real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned
by it, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects
except such as are described in the Prospectus or such as do not materially
affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made
and proposed to be made of such property by the Company; and any real
property and buildings held under lease by the Company are held by it under
valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not
material and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of
such property and buildings by the Company;
(vi) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as
a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware,
with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and
conduct its business as described in the Prospectus, and has been duly
qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is
in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns
or leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such
qualification, or is subject to no material liability or disability by
reason of the failure to be so qualified in any such jurisdiction; the
Company has no
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subsidiaries or equity interest (including a right to acquire any equity
interest) in any other entity;
(vii) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the
Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company
have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and
non-assessable and conform to the description of the Stock contained in the
Prospectus;
(viii) The unissued Shares to be issued and sold by the Company to the
Underwriters hereunder have been duly and validly authorized and, when
issued and delivered against payment therefor as provided herein, will be
duly and validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable and will conform
to the description of the Stock contained in the Prospectus;
(ix) The issue and sale of the Shares to be sold by the Company and
the compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of this Agreement
and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated will not
result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or
constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan
agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party
or by which the Company is bound or to which any of the property or assets
of the Company is subject or any statute or any order, rule or regulation
of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the
Company or any of its properties, other than breaches or defaults that,
individually or in the aggregate, would not have a material adverse effect
on the general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders'
equity or results of operations of the Company or the issue and sale of the
Shares to be sold by the Company or the compliance by the Company with all
of the provisions of this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions
herein contemplated, nor will such action result in any violation of the
provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws of the Company;
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 or the consummation by the
Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except the
registration under the Act of the Shares and such consents, approvals,
authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under
state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and
distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters;
(x) The Company is not (i) in violation of its Certificate of
Incorporation or By-laws or (ii) in default in the performance or
observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in
any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other
agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its
properties may be bound other than, in the case of clause (ii), defaults
that, individually or in the aggregate, will not have a material adverse
effect upon the business, assets, financial position, stockholder's equity
or results of operations of the Company;
(xi) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the caption
"Description of Capital Stock", insofar as they purport to constitute a
summary of the terms of the Stock, and under the caption "Underwriting",
accurately summarize in all material respects the provisions of the laws
and documents referred to therein;
(xii) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which
the Company is a party or of which any property of the Company is the
subject which, if determined adversely to the Company, would individually
or in the aggregate have a material adverse effect on the current or future
consolidated financial position, stockholders' equity or results of
operations of the Company and, to the best of the Company's knowledge, no
such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities
or threatened by others;
(xiii) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and
sale of the Shares, will not be an "investment company" subject to
registration as such under the Investment Company
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Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act") or an entity
controlled by an "investment company" as defined in the Investment Company
Act;
(xiv) Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates does business with
the government of Cuba or with any person or affiliate located in Cuba
within the meaning of Section 517.075, Florida Statutes;
(xv) To the best of the Company's knowledge, Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx LLP, who
have certified certain financial statements of the Company, are independent
public accountants as required by the Act and the rules and regulations of
the Commission thereunder; and
(xvi) The Company owns, is licensed to use or otherwise possesses
adequate rights to use, all material patents, patent rights, inventions,
trade secrets, know-how, trademarks, service marks, trade names and
copyrights described or referred to in the Prospectus as owned or used by
it or which are necessary for the conduct of its businesses as described in
the Prospectus; and the Company has not received any written or, to the
best of the Company's knowledge, oral notice of, and has no knowledge of,
any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect
to any patent, patent rights, inventions, trade secrets, know-how,
trademarks, service marks, trade names or copyrights.
2. Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, (a) the Company
agrees to sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees,
severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at a purchase price per
share of $ , the number of Firm Shares (to be adjusted by you so as
to eliminate fractional shares) determined by multiplying the aggregate number
of Shares to be sold by the Company as set forth in Schedule II hereto by a
fraction, the numerator of which is the aggregate number of Firm Shares to be
purchased by such Underwriter as set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter
in Schedule I hereto and the denominator of which is the aggregate number of
Firm Shares to be purchased by all of the Underwriters from the Company
hereunder and (b) in the event and to the extent that the Underwriters shall
exercise the election to purchase Optional Shares as provided below, the Company
agrees, to sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters
agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company at the purchase
price per share set forth in clause (a) of this Section 2, that portion of the
number of Optional Shares as to which such election shall have been exercised
(to be adjusted by you so as to eliminate fractional shares) determined by
multiplying such number of Optional Shares by a fraction the numerator of which
is the maximum number of Optional Shares which such Underwriter is entitled to
purchase as set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto
and the denominator of which is the maximum number of Optional Shares that all
of the Underwriters are entitled to purchase hereunder.
The Company hereby grants to the Underwriters the right to purchase at
their election up to 300,000 Optional Shares, at the purchase price per share
set forth in the paragraph above, for the sole purpose of covering
overallotments in the sale of the Firm Shares. Any such election to purchase
Optional Shares may be exercised only by written notice from you to the Company,
given within a period of 30 calendar days after the date of this Agreement and
setting forth the aggregate number of Optional Shares to be purchased and the
date on which such Optional Shares are to be delivered, as determined by you but
in no event earlier than the First Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 4
hereof) or, unless you and the Company otherwise agree in writing, earlier than
two or later than ten business days after the date of such notice.
3. Upon the authorization by you of the release of the Firm Shares, the
several Underwriters propose to offer the Firm Shares for sale upon the terms
and conditions set forth in the Prospectus.
4. (a) The Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter hereunder, in
definitive form, and in such authorized denominations and registered in such
names as Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. may request upon at least forty-eight hours' prior
notice to the Company shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company to
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co., for the account of such Underwriter, against
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payment by or on behalf of such Underwriter of the purchase price therefor by
wire transfer or certified or official bank check or checks, payable to the
order of the Company in federal (same day) funds. The Company will cause the
certificates representing the Shares to be made available for checking and
packaging at least twenty-four hours prior to the Time of Delivery (as defined
below) with respect thereto at the office of Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co., 00 Xxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 (the "Designated Office"). The time and date of
such delivery and payment shall be, with respect to the Firm Shares, 9:30 a.m.,
New York time, on , 1996 or such other time and date as Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxx & Co. and the Company may agree upon in writing, and, with respect to the
Optional Shares, 9:30 a.m., New York time, on the date specified by Xxxxxxx,
Sachs & Co. in the written notice given by Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. of the
Underwriters' election to purchase such Optional Shares, or such other time and
date as Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. and the Company may agree upon in writing. Such
time and date for delivery of the Firm Shares is herein called the "First Time
of Delivery", such time and date for delivery of the Optional Shares, if not the
First Time of Delivery, is herein called the "Second Time of Delivery", and each
such time and date for delivery is herein called a "Time of Delivery".
(b) The documents to be delivered at each Time of Delivery by or on behalf
of the parties hereto pursuant to Section 7 hereof, including the cross receipt
for the Shares and any additional documents requested by the Underwriters
pursuant to Section 7(j) hereof, and the check or checks specified in subsection
(a) above, will be delivered at the offices of Ropes & Xxxx, Xxx Xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxx, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000 (the "Closing Location"), and the Shares will
be delivered at the Designated Office, all at such Time of Delivery. A meeting
will be held at the Closing Location at 1:00 p.m., New York City time, on the
New York Business Day next preceding such Time of Delivery, at which meeting the
final drafts of the documents to be delivered pursuant to the preceding sentence
will be available for review by the parties hereto. For the purposes of this
Section 4, "New York Business Day" shall mean each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which banking institutions in New York
are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
5. The Company agrees with each of the Underwriters:
(a) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by you and to file such
Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act not later than the Commission's
close of business on the second business day following the execution and
delivery of this Agreement, or, if applicable, such earlier time as may be
required by Rule 430A(a)(3) under the Act; to make no further amendment or any
supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus prior to the last Time of
Delivery unless after reasonable notice thereof you shall have approved such
amendment or supplement (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld or
delayed); to advise you, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time
when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes
effective or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus has been
filed and to furnish you with copies thereof; to advise you, promptly after it
receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or
of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or
prospectus, 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 Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional
information; and, in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order
preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or prospectus or
suspending any such qualification, promptly to use its best efforts to obtain
the withdrawal of such order;
(b) Promptly from time to time to take such action as you may reasonably
request to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the securities laws of
such jurisdictions in the United States as you may request and to comply with
such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such
jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of
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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) Prior to 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the New York Business Day
next succeeding the date of this Agreement and from time to time, to furnish the
Underwriters with copies of the Prospectus in New York City in such quantities
as you may reasonably request, and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required
at any time prior to the expiration of nine months after the time of issue of
the Prospectus in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares and if at
such time any events shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as
then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made
when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason
it shall be necessary during such period to amend or supplement the Prospectus
in order to comply with the Act, to notify you and upon your request to prepare
and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to any dealer in securities
as many copies as you 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, and in case any Underwriter is required
to deliver a prospectus in connection with sales of any of the Shares at any
time nine months or more after the time of issue of the Prospectus, upon your
request but at the expense of such Underwriter, to prepare and deliver to such
Underwriter as many copies as you may request of an amended or supplemented
Prospectus complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act;
(d) To make generally available to its securityholders as soon as
practicable, but in any event not later than eighteen months after the effective
date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) under the Act), an
earnings statement of the Company and its subsidiaries (which need not be
audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Act and the rules and regulations
of the Commission thereunder (including, at the option of the Company, Rule
158);
(e) During the period beginning from the date hereof and continuing to and
including the date 180 days after the date of the Prospectus, not to offer,
sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of, except as provided hereunder,
any securities of the Company that are substantially similar to the Shares,
including but not limited to any securities that are convertible into or
exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, Stock or any such
substantially similar securities (other than pursuant to employee stock option
plans existing on the date of this Agreement), without your prior written
consent;
(f) To furnish to its stockholders within 90 days after the end of each
fiscal year an annual report (including a balance sheet and statements of
income, stockholders' equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated
subsidiaries certified by independent public accountants) and, within 45 days
after the end of each of the first three quarters of each fiscal year (beginning
with the fiscal quarter ending after the effective date of the Registration
Statement), consolidated summary financial information of the Company and its
subsidiaries for such quarter in reasonable detail;
(g) During a period of five years from the effective date of the
Registration Statement, to furnish to you copies of all reports or other
communications (financial or other) furnished to stockholders, and to deliver to
you (i) as soon as they are available, copies of any reports and financial
statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities
exchange on which any class of securities of the Company is listed; and (ii)
such additional information concerning the business and financial condition of
the Company as you may from time to time reasonably request (such financial
statements to be on a consolidated basis to the extent the accounts of the
Company and its subsidiaries are consolidated in reports furnished to its
stockholders generally or to the Commission); provided, however, that nothing
herein shall be deemed to require the Company to disclose information that in
its reasonable judgment is confidential;
(h) To use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Shares
pursuant to this Agreement in the manner specified in the Prospectus under the
caption "Use of Proceeds";
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(i) To use its best efforts to list for quotation the Shares on the
National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations National Market
System ("NASDAQ"); and
(j) To file with the Commission such reports on Form SR as may be required
by Rule 463 under the Act;
(k) If the Company elects to rely on Rule 462(b), the Company shall file a
Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with Rule
462(b) by 10:00 p.m., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement, and
the Company shall at the time of filing either pay to the Commission the filing
fee for the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or give irrevocable instructions
for the payment of such fee pursuant to Rule 111(b) under the Act; and
(l) Not to amend, modify, terminate, waive, or otherwise affect the rights
or obligations of any party under, any provision of the Tax Indemnification
Agreement (as defined in Section 7(k) below) without the prior written consent
of the Representatives.
6. The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that the
Company will pay or cause to be paid: (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, any Preliminary
Prospectus and the Prospectus and amendments and supplements thereto and the
mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers; (ii)
the cost of copying and reproducing any Agreement among Underwriters, this
Agreement, the Blue Sky Memorandum, 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 5(b) hereof, including the fees and disbursements of
counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in
connection with the Blue Sky survey; (iv) all fees and expenses in connection
with listing the Shares on NASDAQ; (v) the filing fees incident to, and the fees
and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with, securing
any required review by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. of
the terms of the sale of the Shares; (vi) the cost of preparing stock
certificates; (vii) the cost and charges of any transfer agent or registrar and
(viii) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of its
obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this
Section. It is understood, however, that, except as provided in this Section,
and Sections 8 and 11 hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs
and expenses, including the fees of their counsel, stock transfer taxes on
resale of any of the Shares by them, and any advertising expenses connected with
any offers they may make.
7. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder, as to the Shares to be
delivered at each Time of Delivery, shall be subject, in their discretion, to
the condition that all representations and warranties and other statements of
the Company herein are, at and as of such Time of Delivery, true and correct,
the condition that the Company shall have performed all of its obligations
hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following additional conditions:
(a) The Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to
Rule 424(b) within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by the
rules and regulations under the Act and in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof;
if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement shall have become effective by 10:00 p.m., Washington,
D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement, no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been
issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or
threatened by the Commission; and all requests for additional information on the
part of the Commission shall have been complied with to your reasonable
satisfaction;
(b) Xxxx and Xxxx, counsel for the Underwriters, shall have furnished to
you such opinion or opinions (a draft of each such written opinion is attached
as Annex II(a) hereto), dated such Time of Delivery, with respect to the matters
covered in paragraphs (i) (first sentence only), (ii), (iv),
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(viii) and (ix) of subsection (c) below as well as such other related matters as
you 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) Ropes & Xxxx, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to you
their written opinion (a draft of such opinion is attached as Annex II(b)
hereto), dated such Time of Delivery, in form and substance satisfactory to you,
to the effect that:
(i) The Company is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing
and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware with corporate
power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and conduct
its business as described in the Prospectus. The Company is duly qualified
to do business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction within the
United States in which it owns or leases real property or maintains an
office.
(ii) The authorized, issued and outstanding capitalization of the
Company as of [date] 1996, is as set forth under the caption
"Capitalization" in the Prospectus. All of the issued and outstanding
shares of Stock have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully
paid and nonassessable; the Shares have been duly authorized and, when
issued and delivered in accordance with this Agreement, will be validly
issued, fully paid and nonassessable and will conform in all material
respects to the description of the Stock contained in the Prospectus.
(iii) To the knowledge of such counsel, and other than as set forth in
the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to
which the Company is a party or of which any property of the Company is the
subject.
(iv) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered
by the Company.
(v) The issuance and sale by the Company of the Shares and the
performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement does not
and will not (i) violate the Certificate of Incorporation or by-laws of the
Company, (ii) breach or result in a default under any agreement, indenture
or other instrument filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement to
which the Company is a party or by which it is bound, or to which any of
its properties is subject, or (iii) violate any existing Delaware
corporate, Massachusetts or federal law, rule, administrative regulation or
any decree known to such counsel of any court or any governmental agency or
body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties, except
that such counsel need express no opinion as to state securities or "Blue
Sky" laws or as to compliance with the antifraud provisions of federal and
state securities laws.
(vi) No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or
qualification of or with any court or governmental agency or body of the
United States or The Commonwealth of Massachusetts or the Secretary of
State of the State of Delaware is required for the issuance and sale of the
Shares or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement, except the registration under the Act of the Shares.
(vii) The Company is not subject to regulation as an "investment
company" under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(viii) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the caption
"Description of Capital Stock," insofar as they purport to constitute a
summary of the terms of the Stock and under the caption "Underwriting",
insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and
documents referred to therein, accurately summarize in all material
respects the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein; and
(ix) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any further
amendments and supplements thereto made by the Company prior to such Time
of Delivery (other than the financial statements and related schedules
therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) comply as to
form in all material respects with the requirements of the Act and the
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rules and regulations thereunder; although they do not assume any
responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements
contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, except for those
referred to in the opinion in subsection (viii) of this Section 7(c),
nothing came to such counsel's attention that caused them to believe that,
as of its effective date, the Registration Statement or any further
amendment thereto made by the Company prior to such Time of Delivery (other
than the financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which
such counsel need express no opinion) contained an untrue statement of a
material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or that,
as of its date, the Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement
thereto made by the Company prior to such Time of Delivery (other than the
financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which such
counsel need express no opinion) contained an untrue statement of a
material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading or that, as of such Time of Delivery, either the
Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement thereto made by the
Company prior to such Time of Delivery (other than the financial statements
and related schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no
opinion) contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state
a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and they do
not know of any amendment to the Registration Statement required to be
filed or of any contracts or other documents of a character required to be
filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or required to be
described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which are not
filed or described as required.
(d) On the date of the Prospectus at a time prior to the execution of this
Agreement, at 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on the effective date of any
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement filed subsequent to the
date of this Agreement and also at each Time of Delivery, Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx LLP
shall have furnished to you a letter or letters, dated the respective dates of
delivery thereof, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to you, to the
effect set forth in Annex I hereto (the executed copy of the letter delivered
prior to the execution of this Agreement is attached as Annex I(d) hereto and a
draft of the form of letter to be delivered on the effective date of any
posteffective amendment to the Registration Statement and as of each Time of
Delivery is attached as Annex I(e) hereto);
(e)(i) The Company shall not have sustained since the date of the latest
audited financial statements included in the Prospectus any loss or interference
with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not
covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action,
order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus,
and (ii)since the respective dates as of which information is given in the
Prospectus there shall not have been any change in the capital stock or
long-term debt of the Company or any change, or any development that is
reasonably likely to result in a material adverse change, in or affecting the
business, assets, financial position, stockholders' equity or results of
operations of the Company, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the
Prospectus, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or
(ii), is in the judgment of the Representatives so material and adverse as to
make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the
delivery of the Shares being delivered at such Time of Delivery on the terms and
in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus;
(f) On or after the date hereof there shall not have occurred any of the
following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in securities
generally on the New York Stock Exchange or on the NASDAQ National Market; (ii)
a suspension or material limitation in trading in the Company's securities on
the NASDAQ National Market; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking
activities declared by either Federal or New York or Massachusetts State
authorities; or (iv) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the
United States or the declaration by the
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United States of a national emergency or war, if the effect of any such event
specified in this Clause (iv) in the judgment of the Representatives makes it
impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery
of the Shares being delivered at such Time of Delivery on the terms and in the
manner contemplated in the Prospectus;
(g) The Shares at the such Time of Delivery shall have been duly listed for
quotation on the NASDAQ National Market;
(h) The Company shall have obtained and delivered to the Underwriters
copies of an agreement from each person listed on Schedule III hereto to the
effect that during the period beginning from the date hereof and continuing to
and including the date 180 days after the date of the Prospectus, such person
shall not offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of, except as
provided hereunder, any Stock, or any securities of the Company that are
substantially similar to the Shares, including but not limited to any securities
that are convertible into or exchangeable for, or that represent the right to
receive, Stock or any such substantially similar securities (other than pursuant
to employee stock option plans existing on the date of this Agreement), without
your prior written consent;
(i) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to you at
such Time of Delivery certificates of officers of the Company reasonably
satisfactory to you as to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of
the Company herein at and as of such Time of Delivery, as to the performance by
the Company of all of its obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to
such Time of Delivery, and as to such other matters as you may reasonably
request, and the Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished
certificates as to the matters set forth in subsections (a) and (e) of this
Section;
(j) The Company shall have complied with the provisions of Section 5(c)
hereof with respect to the furnishing of prospectuses on the New York Business
Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement; and
(k) The Company and Xxxxxx X. Colony shall have entered into a Tax
Indemnification Agreement in a form acceptable to the Underwriters and their
counsel (the "Tax Indemnification Agreement").
8. (a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which
such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out
of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise
out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, and will reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are
incurred; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such
case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of
or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or
alleged omission made in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement
or the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter
through Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. expressly for use therein.
(b) Each Underwriter will indemnify and hold harmless the Company against
any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may become
subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any
amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission
or alleged
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omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the
extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission was made in any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any such amendment
or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co.
expressly for use therein; and will reimburse the Company for any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or
defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or
(b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party
shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying
party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the
commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall
not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party
otherwise than under such subsection. In case any such action shall be brought
against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the
commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate
therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other
indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with
counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the
consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and,
after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its
election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be
liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses of
other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such
indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable
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 8 is unavailable to
or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or
(b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions
in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall
contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result
of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof)
in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received
by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the
offering of the Shares. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately
preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law or if the indemnified
party failed to give the notice required under subsection (c) above, then each
indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such
indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such
relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and
the Underwriters 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 Underwriters
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 underwriting discounts and commissions received by the
Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the
Prospectus. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, 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 Underwriters on the other and the
parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to
correct or prevent such statement or omission.
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The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable
if contributions pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by pro rata
allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the
equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (d). The amount
paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this
subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending
any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d),
no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the
amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and
distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any
damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of
such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No
person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section
11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations in
this subsection (d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective
underwriting obligations and not joint.
(e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 8 shall be in
addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend,
upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls any
Underwriter within the meaning of the Act; and the obligations of the
Underwriters under this Section 8 shall be in addition to any liability which
the respective Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same
terms and conditions, to each officer and director of the Company (including any
person who, with his or her consent, is named in the Registration Statement as
about to become a director of the Company) and to each person, if any, who
controls the Company within the meaning of the Act.
9. (a) If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase the
Shares which it has agreed to purchase hereunder at a Time of Delivery, you may
in your discretion arrange for you or another party or other parties to purchase
such Shares on the terms contained herein. If within thirty-six hours after such
default by any Underwriter you do not arrange for the purchase of such Shares,
then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of thirty-six hours
within which to procure another party or other parties satisfactory to you to
purchase such Shares on such terms. In the event that, within the respective
prescribed periods, you notify the Company that you have so arranged for the
purchase of such Shares, or the Company notifies you that they have so arranged
for the purchase of such Shares, you or the Company shall have the right to
postpone such Time of Delivery for a period of not more than seven days, in
order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any other documents or
arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendments to the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus which in your opinion may thereby be
made necessary. The term "Underwriter" as used in this Agreement shall include
any person substituted under this Section with like effect as if such person had
originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Shares.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the
Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by you and the Company as
provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such Shares which
remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate number of all
the Shares to be purchased at such Time of Delivery, then the Company shall have
the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of
Shares which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder at such Time of
Delivery and, in addition, to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to
purchase its pro rata share (based on the number of Shares which such
Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Shares of such defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made; but
nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its
default.
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(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the
Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by you and the Company as
provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such Shares which
remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate number of all of the
Shares to be purchased at such Time of Delivery, or if the Company shall not
exercise the right described in subsection (b) above to require non-defaulting
Underwriters to purchase Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters,
then this Agreement (or, with respect to the Second Time of Delivery, the
obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and of the Company to sell the
Optional Shares) shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of any
non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company, except for the expenses to be borne
by the Company and the Underwriters as provided in Section 6 hereof and the
indemnity and contribution agreements in Section 8 hereof; but nothing herein
shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
10. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties
and other statements of the Company and the several Underwriters, as set forth
in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to
this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any
investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf
of any Underwriter or any controlling person of any Underwriter, or the Company,
or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, and shall
survive delivery of and payment for the Shares.
11. If this Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 9 hereof,
the Company shall not then be under any liability to any Underwriter except as
provided in Sections 6 and 8 hereof; but, if for any other reason any Shares are
not delivered by or on behalf of the Company as provided herein, the Company
will reimburse the Underwriters through you for all out-of-pocket expenses
approved in writing by you, including fees and disbursements of counsel,
reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in making preparations for the purchase,
sale and delivery of the Shares not so delivered, but the Company shall then be
under no further liability to any Underwriter in respect of the Shares not so
delivered except as provided in Sections 6 and 8 hereof.
12. In all dealings hereunder, you shall act on behalf of each of the
Underwriters, and the parties hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any
statement, request, notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or
given by you jointly or by Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. on behalf of you as the
representatives.
All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in
writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or
facsimile transmission to you as the representatives in care of Xxxxxxx, Sachs &
Co., 00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention: Registration
Department; 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: Secretary; provided, however, that any notice
to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 8(c) hereof shall be delivered or sent by
mail, telex or facsimile transmission to such Underwriter at its address set
forth in its Underwriters' Questionnaire or telex constituting such
Questionnaire, which address will be supplied to the Company by you on request.
Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect upon
receipt thereof.
13. This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the benefit
of, the Underwriters, the Company and, to the extent provided in Sections 8 and
10 hereof, the officers and directors of the Company and each person who
controls the Company or any Underwriter, and their respective heirs, executors,
administrators, successors and assigns, and no other person shall acquire or
have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. No purchaser of any of the
Shares from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason
merely of such purchase.
14. 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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15. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with
the laws of the State of New York.
16. This Agreement may be executed and delivered by any one or more of the
parties hereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to
be an original, but all such counterparts when so executed and delivered shall
together constitute one and the same instrument.
[Rest of Page Intentionally Left Blank]
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and
return to us seven counterparts hereof, and upon the acceptance hereof by you,
on behalf of each of the Underwriters, this letter and such acceptance hereof
shall constitute a binding agreement among each of the Underwriters and the
Company. It is understood that your acceptance of this letter on behalf of each
of the Underwriters is pursuant to the authority set forth in a form of
Agreement among Underwriters, the form of which shall be submitted to the
Company for examination, upon request, but without warranty on your part as to
the authority of the signers thereof.
Very truly yours,
XXXXXXXXX RESEARCH INC.
By:
------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
Accepted as of the date hereof:
Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co.
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Company LLC
By:
----------------------------------------------------
(Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co.)
On behalf of each of the Underwriters
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SCHEDULE I
NUMBER OF OPTIONAL SHARES
TOTAL NUMBER OF FIRM TO BE PURCHASED IF MAXIMUM
SHARES TO BE PURCHASED OPTION EXERCISED
---------------------- --------------------------
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co..........................
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Company LLC............
--------- -------
Total.............................. 2,000,000 300,000
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SCHEDULE II
NUMBER OF OPTIONAL SHARES
TOTAL NUMBER OF FIRM TO BE PURCHASED IF MAXIMUM
SHARES TO BE PURCHASED OPTION EXERCISED
---------------------- --------------------------
The Company.................................. 2,000,000 300,000
--------- -------
Total.............................. 2,000,000 300,000
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SCHEDULE III
PERSONS SUBJECT TO LOCK-UP
Xxxxxx X. Colony
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
Xxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Xxxx XxXxxxxx
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Xxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxxx Xxxxxxx
Xxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
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ANNEX I
Pursuant to Section 7(d) of the Underwriting Agreement, the accountants
shall furnish letters to the Underwriters to the effect that:
(i) They are independent certified public accountants with respect to
the Company and its subsidiaries within the meaning of the Act and the
applicable published rules and regulations thereunder;
(ii) In their opinion, the financial statements and any supplementary
financial information and schedules (and, if applicable, financial
forecasts and/or pro forma financial information) examined by them and
included in the Prospectus or the Registration Statement comply as to form
in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the
Act and the related published rules and regulations thereunder; and they
have made a review in accordance with standards established by the American
Institute of Certified Public Accountants of the unaudited consolidated
interim financial statements, selected financial data, pro forma financial
information, financial forecasts and/or condensed financial statements
derived from audited financial statements of the Company for the periods
specified in such letter, as indicated in their reports thereon, copies of
which have been separately furnished to the representatives of the
Underwriters (the "Representatives");
(iii) They have made a review in accordance with standards established
by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants of the unaudited
condensed consolidated statements of income, consolidated balance sheets
and consolidated statements of cash flows included in the Prospectus as
indicated in their reports thereon copies of which have been separately
furnished to the Representatives and on the basis of specified procedures
including inquiries of officials of the Company who have responsibility for
financial and accounting matters regarding whether the unaudited condensed
consolidated financial statements referred to in paragraph (vi)(A)(i) below
comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of the Act and the related published rules and regulations,
nothing came to their attention that caused them to believe that the
unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements do not comply as to
form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements
of the Act and the related published rules and regulations;
(iv) They have compared the information in the Prospectus under
selected captions with the disclosure requirements of Regulation S-K and on
the basis of limited procedures specified in such letter nothing came to
their attention as a result of the foregoing procedures that caused them to
believe that this information does not conform in all material respects
with the disclosure requirements of Items 301, 302, 402 and 503(d),
respectively, of Regulation S-K;
(v) On the basis of limited procedures, not constituting an
examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards,
consisting of a reading of the unaudited financial statements and other
information referred to below, a reading of the latest available interim
financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, inspection of the
minute books of the Company and its subsidiaries since the date of the
latest audited financial statements included in the Prospectus, inquiries
of officials of the Company and its subsidiaries responsible for financial
and accounting matters and such other inquiries and procedures as may be
specified in such letter, nothing came to their attention that caused them
to believe that:
(A) (i) the unaudited consolidated statements of income,
consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of cash flows
included in the Prospectus do not comply as to form in all material
respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the
related published rules and regulations, or (ii) any material
modifications should be made to the unaudited condensed consolidated
statements of income, consolidated balance sheets and consolidated
statements of cash flows included in the Prospectus for them to be in
conformity with generally accepted accounting principles;
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(B) any other unaudited income statement data and balance sheet
items included in the Prospectus do not agree with the corresponding
items in the unaudited consolidated financial statements from which such
data and items were derived, and any such unaudited data and items were
not determined on a basis substantially consistent with the basis for
the corresponding amounts in the audited consolidated financial
statements included in the Prospectus;
(C) the unaudited financial statements which were not included in
the Prospectus but from which were derived any unaudited condensed
financial statements referred to in Clause (A) and any unaudited income
statement data and balance sheet items included in the Prospectus and
referred to in Clause (B) were not determined on a basis substantially
consistent with the basis for the audited consolidated financial
statements included in the Prospectus;
(D) any unaudited pro forma consolidated condensed financial
statements included in the Prospectus do not comply as to form in all
material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act
and the published rules and regulations thereunder or the pro forma
adjustments have not been properly applied to the historical amounts in
the compilation of those statements;
(E) as of a specified date not more than five days prior to the
date of such letter, there have been any changes in the consolidated
capital stock (other than issuances of capital stock upon exercise of
options which were outstanding on the date of the latest financial
statements included in the Prospectus) or any increase in the
consolidated long-term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries, or any
decreases in consolidated net current assets or stockholders' equity or
other items specified by the Representatives, or any increases in any
items specified by the Representatives, in each case as compared with
amounts shown in the latest balance sheet included in the Prospectus,
except in each case for changes, increases or decreases which the
Prospectus discloses have occurred or may occur or which are described
in such letter; and
(F) for the period from the date of the latest financial statements
included in the Prospectus to the specified date referred to in Clause
(E) there were any decreases in consolidated net revenues or operating
profit or the total or per share amounts of consolidated net income or
other items specified by the Representatives, or any increases in any
items specified by the Representatives, in each case as compared with
the comparable period of the preceding year and with any other period of
corresponding length specified by the Representatives, except in each
case for decreases or increases which the Prospectus discloses have
occurred or may occur or which are described in such letter; and
(vi) In addition to the examination referred to in their report(s)
included in the Prospectus and the limited procedures, inspection of minute
books, inquiries and other procedures referred to in paragraphs (iii) and
(vi) above, they have carried out certain specified procedures, not
constituting an examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards, with respect to certain amounts, percentages and financial
information specified by the Representatives, which are derived from the
general accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries, which
appear in the Prospectus, or in Part II of, or in exhibits and schedules
to, the Registration Statement specified by the Representatives, and have
compared certain of such amounts, percentages and financial information
with the accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries and have
found them to be in agreement.
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