SUPERVALU INC. (a Delaware corporation) [___]% Senior Notes due 2016 UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
EXHIBIT 1.1
(a Delaware corporation)
[___]% Senior Notes due 2016
Dated: April [ ], 2009
(a Delaware corporation)
$500,000,000
[___]% Senior Notes due 2016
[___]% Senior Notes due 2016
April [ ], 2009
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC
Banc of America Securities LLC
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
RBS Securities Inc.
Banc of America Securities LLC
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
RBS Securities Inc.
as Representatives of the several Underwriters
c/o Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC
Eleven Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000-0000
Eleven Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000-0000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
SUPERVALU INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), confirms its agreement with Credit
Suisse Securities (USA) LLC (“Credit Suisse”), Banc of America Securities LLC (“Banc of America”),
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“Citi”) and RBS Securities Inc. (“RBS”) (each, a “Representative”
and together, the “Representatives”), as representatives of the several underwriters named in
Schedule A hereto (collectively, the “Underwriters,” which term shall also include any underwriter
substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10 hereof) with respect to the issue and sale by the
Company and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the respective
principal amounts set forth in said Schedule A of $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the
Company’s [___]% Senior Notes due 2016 (the “Securities”). The Securities are to be issued
pursuant to an indenture dated as of July 1, 1987, as supplemented by the First Supplemental
Indenture dated as of August 1, 1990, the Second Supplemental Indenture dated as of October 1,
1992, the Third Supplemental Indenture dated as of September 1, 1995, the Fourth Supplemental
Indenture dated as of August 4, 1999 and the Fifth Supplemental Indenture dated as of September 17,
1999 (as so supplemented, the “Indenture”) between the
Company and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas,
formerly known as Bankers Trust Company, as trustee (the “Trustee”). Certain terms of the
Securities will be established pursuant to a Board Resolution (as defined in the Indenture) adopted
by the Company pursuant to Section 301 of the Indenture and set forth in an Officers’ Certificate
(as defined in the Indenture).
The Company understands that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the
Securities as soon as the Representatives deem advisable after this Agreement has been executed and
delivered.
The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) an
automatic shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-[___]), including the related
preliminary prospectus, which registration statement became effective upon filing under Rule 462(e)
of the rules and regulations of the Commission (the “1933 Act Regulations”) under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). Such registration statement covers the registration of
the Securities under the
1933 Act. Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare
and file a prospectus in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430B (“Rule 430B”) of the 1933 Act
Regulations and paragraph (b) of Rule 424 (“Rule 424(b)”) of the 1933 Act Regulations. Any
information included in such prospectus that was omitted from such registration statement at the
time it became effective but that is deemed to be part of and included in such registration
statement pursuant to Rule 430B is referred to as “Rule 430B Information.” Each prospectus used in
connection with the offering of the Securities that omitted Rule 430B Information is herein called
a “preliminary prospectus.” Such registration statement, at any given time, including the
amendments thereto to such time, the exhibits and any schedules thereto at such time, the documents
incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act at such time
and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof or included therein by 1933 Act
Regulations, is herein called the “Registration Statement.” The Registration Statement at the time
it originally became effective is herein called the “Original Registration Statement.” The final
prospectus in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering
of the Securities, including the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of
Form S-3 under the 1933 Act at the time of the execution of this Agreement and any preliminary
prospectuses that form a part thereof, is herein called the “Prospectus.” For purposes of this
Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus
or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed
with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system
(“XXXXX”).
All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information
which is “contained,” “included” or “stated” in the Registration Statement, any preliminary
prospectus or the Prospectus (or other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and
include all such financial statements and schedules and other information which is incorporated by
reference in or otherwise deemed by 1933 Act Regulations to be a part of or included in the
Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be; and all
references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any
preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include the filing of any
document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “1934 Act”) which is incorporated by
reference in or otherwise deemed by 1933 Act Regulations to be a part of or included in the
Registration Statement, such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be.
SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties.
(a) Representations and Warranties by the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each
Underwriter as of the date hereof, the Applicable Time referred to in Section 1(a)(i) hereof and as
of the Closing Time referred to in Section 2(b) hereof, and agrees with each Underwriter, as
follows:
(i) Status as a Well-Known Seasoned Issuer. (A) At the time of filing the
Original Registration Statement, (B) at the time of the most recent amendment thereto for
the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the 1933 Act (whether such amendment was
by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
the 1934 Act or form of prospectus), (C) at the time the Company or any person acting on its
behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c) of the 1933 Act
Regulations) made any offer relating to the Securities in reliance on the exemption of Rule
163 of the 1933 Act Regulations and (D) at the date hereof, the Company was and is a
“well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule
405”), including not having been and not being an “ineligible issuer” as defined in Rule
405. The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement,” as defined
in Rule 405, and the Securities, since their registration on the Registration Statement,
have been and remain eligible for registration by the Company on a Rule 405 “automatic shelf
registration statement.” The Company has not received from the Commission
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any notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations objecting to the use
of the automatic shelf registration statement form.
At the time of filing the Original Registration Statement, at the earliest time
thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within
the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations) of the Securities and at the date
hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405.
(ii) Registration Statement, Prospectus and Disclosure at Time of Sale. The
Original Registration Statement became effective upon filing under Rule 462(e) of the 1933
Act Regulations (“Rule 462(e)”) on April [ ], 2009. No stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act and no
proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the
Company, are contemplated by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission
for additional information has been complied with.
Any offer that is a written communication relating to the Securities made prior to the
filing of the Original Registration Statement by the Company or any person acting on its
behalf (within the meaning, for this paragraph only, of Rule 163(c) of the 1933 Act
Regulations) has been filed with the Commission in accordance with the exemption provided by
Rule 163 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 163”) and otherwise complied with the
requirements of Rule 163, including without limitation the legending requirement, to qualify
such offer for the exemption from Section 5(c) of the 1933 Act provided by Rule 163.
At the time the Original Registration Statement became effective, at each deemed
effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) of the 1933 Act
Regulations and at the Closing Time, the Registration Statement complied and will comply in
all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and
the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “1939 Act”) and the rules and regulations of the
Commission under the 1939 Act (the “1939 Act Regulations”), and did not and will not contain
an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
Neither the Prospectus nor any amendments or supplements thereto, at the time the
Prospectus or any supplement was issued and at the Closing Time, included or will include an
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will omit to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading.
Each preliminary prospectus (including the prospectus or prospectuses filed as part of
the Original Registration Statement or any amendment thereto) complied when so filed in all
material respects with the 1933 Act Regulations and each preliminary prospectus and the
Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this offering was
identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission
pursuant to XXXXX, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
As of the Applicable Time, neither (x) the Issuer General Use Free Writing
Prospectus(es) (as defined below) issued at or prior to the Applicable Time (as defined
below), the Statutory Prospectus (as defined below) and the Final
Term Sheet (as defined below), all considered
together (collectively, the “General Disclosure Package”), nor (y) any individual Issuer
Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure
Package, included any
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untrue statement of a material fact or omitted 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.
As of the time of the filing of the Final Term Sheet, the General Disclosure Package,
when considered together with the Final Term Sheet (as defined in Section 3(b)), will not
include any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted 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.
As used in this subsection and elsewhere in this Agreement:
“Applicable
Time” means [___] p.m. (Eastern time) on April [ ], 2009 or such other
time as agreed by the Company and the Representatives.
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined
in Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), relating to the Securities that (i) is
required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) is a “road show that is a
written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to
be filed with the Commission or (iii) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i)
because it contains a description of the Securities or of the offering that does not reflect
the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission
or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to
Rule 433(g).
“Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors, as evidenced by its
being specified in Schedule B hereto.
“Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.
“Statutory Prospectus” as of any time means the prospectus relating to the Securities
that is included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to that time, including any
document incorporated by reference therein and any preliminary or other prospectus deemed to
be a part thereof.
Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times
through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Securities or until any earlier
date that the issuer notified or notifies the Representatives as described in Section 3(e),
did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will
conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus,
including any document incorporated by reference therein and any preliminary or other
prospectus deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified.
The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to (i) that part
of the Registration Statement which constitutes the Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1 of
the Trustee under the 1939 Act (the “Form T-1”) or (ii) statements in or omissions from the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus made in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any
Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein.
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(iii) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, at the time they
were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material
respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder (the “1934 Act Regulations”), and, when read together with the other
information in the Prospectus, (a) at the time the Original Registration Statement became
effective, (b) at the earlier of time the Prospectus was first used and the date and time of
the first contract of sale of Securities in this offering and (c) at the Closing Time, did
not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading.
(iv) Independent Accountants. KPMG LLP, who certified the financial statements
and supporting schedule of the Company included in the Registration Statement, are
independent public accountants with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the
meaning of the 1933 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “1933 Act
Regulations”) and is a registered public accounting firm within the meaning of the
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002.
(v) Financial Statements. The financial statements included in the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with the
related schedule and notes, present fairly in all material respects the financial position
of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the statement of
earnings, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated
subsidiaries for the periods specified in conformity with United States generally accepted
accounting principles (“GAAP”); said financial statements have been prepared in conformity
with GAAP applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The supporting
schedules, if any, present fairly in accordance with GAAP the information required to be
stated therein. The selected financial data and the summary financial information included
in the Prospectus present fairly, in conformity with GAAP, the information shown therein and
have been compiled on a basis consistent in all material respects with that of the audited
financial statements included in the Registration Statement.
(vi) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Since the respective dates as of
which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or
the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein, (A) there has been no material adverse
change or, to the knowledge of the Company, any development involving a prospective material
adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings or business
affairs of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not
arising in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”) and (B) except for
quarterly dividends on the common stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the Company (the
“Common Stock”) and the 4.50% preferred stock of the Company, in amounts per share that are
consistent with past practice, there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind
declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock.
(vii) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly organized and is
validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware,
and has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to
conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and
to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture and the
Securities; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business
and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required,
whether by reason of the ownership or leasing
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of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be
in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(viii) Good Standing of Subsidiaries. Each “significant subsidiary” of the
Company (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X) (each a “Significant
Subsidiary” and collectively, the “Significant Subsidiaries”) has been duly organized and is
validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
incorporation, has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties
and to conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in
good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by
reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the
failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse
Effect; except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, all of the issued and
outstanding capital stock of each Significant Subsidiary has been duly authorized and
validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by the Company, directly or
through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien,
encumbrance, claim or equity, except for such security interests, mortgages, pledges, liens,
encumbrances or claims arising under the credit agreement, dated June 1, 2006, among the
Company and the lenders named therein, and except in each case where the Company purports to
own less than all of such stock or where the breach of this representation would not result
in a Material Adverse Effect; none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the
Company’s Significant Subsidiaries was issued in violation of preemptive or similar rights
of any securityholder of such Significant Subsidiaries.
(ix) Capitalization. The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of
the Company is as set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus in the
column entitled “Actual” under the caption “Capitalization” (except for subsequent
issuances, if any, pursuant to reservations, agreements, employee benefit plans referred to
in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise of
convertible securities or options referred to in the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus). The shares of issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company have been
duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; none of the
outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company was issued in violation of the preemptive
or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.
(x) Corporate Power. The Company has full right, power and authority to
execute and deliver this Agreement, the Securities and the Indenture and to perform its
obligations hereunder and thereunder; and all action required to be taken for the due and
proper authorization, execution and delivery of each of this Agreement, the Securities and
the Indenture and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby has been duly
and validly taken.
(xi) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by the Company.
(xii) Authorization of the Indenture. The Indenture has been duly qualified
under the 1939 Act, and has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and
constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in
accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy,
insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers),
reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting enforcement of
creditors’ rights
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generally and except as enforcement thereof is subject to general principles of equity
(regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
(xiii) Authorization of the Securities. The Securities have been duly
authorized and, at the Closing Time, will have been duly executed by the Company and, when
authenticated, issued and delivered in the manner provided for in the Indenture and
delivered against payment of the purchase price therefor as provided in this Agreement, will
constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in
accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy,
insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers),
reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting enforcement of
creditors’ rights generally and except as enforcement thereof is subject to general
principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in
equity or at law), and will be in the form contemplated by, and entitled to the benefits of,
the Indenture.
(xiv) Description of Securities and Indenture. The Securities and the
Indenture will conform in all material respects to the respective statements relating
thereto contained in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and will be in
substantially the respective forms filed or incorporated by reference, as the case may be,
as exhibits to the Registration Statement.
(xv) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries is in violation of its charter or by-laws or in default in the performance or
observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract,
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement
or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which or any
of them may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is subject (collectively, “Agreements and Instruments”) except for such
defaults that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; and the execution, delivery and
performance of this Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated herein and in the Registration Statement and any other agreement
or instrument entered into or issued or to be entered into or issued by the Company in
connection with the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or in the Registration
Statement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and in the
Registration Statement (including the issuance and sale of the Securities and the use of the
proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in the General Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) and compliance by the Company with its
obligations hereunder and thereunder, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate
action and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of
time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or a Repayment Event (as
defined below) 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 its subsidiaries pursuant
to, the Agreements and Instruments except for such conflicts, breaches or defaults or
Repayment Events or liens, charges or encumbrances that, singly or in the aggregate, would
not result in a Material Adverse Effect, nor will such action result in any violation of the
provisions of the charter or by-laws of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any
applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any
government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction
over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their assets, properties or
operations. As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any event or condition which gives
the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on
such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or
a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
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(xvi) Absence of Proceedings. Except as disclosed in the Registration
Statement, there is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought
by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending, or, to the
knowledge of the Company, threatened, against the Company or any of its subsidiaries which
is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement (other than as disclosed therein),
or which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which would
reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the properties or assets of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder or thereunder.
(xvii) Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or documents which are
required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the documents
incorporated by reference therein or to be filed as exhibits thereto which have not been so
described and filed as required.
(xviii) Absence of Manipulation. Neither the Company nor any Affiliate has
taken, nor will the Company or any Affiliate take, directly or indirectly, any action which
is designed to or which has constituted or which would be 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 Securities.
(xix) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or authorization,
approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or
governmental authority or agency is necessary or required for the performance by the Company
of its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the
Securities hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
or for the due execution, delivery or performance of the Indenture by the Company, except
(A) such as have been already obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act or the 1933
Act Regulations or state securities laws and except for the qualification of the Indenture
under the 1939 Act, and the Rules and Regulations thereunder (the “1939 Act Regulations”).
(xx) Accounting Controls and Disclosure Controls. The Company and each of its
subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide
reasonable assurances that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s
general or specific authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit
preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability
for assets; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general
or specific authorization; and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with
the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to
any differences. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain effective internal control over
financial reporting, as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the 1934 Act Regulations, and except
as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since the end of the
Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (1) no material weakness in the
Company’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15
under the 1934 Act Regulations) (whether or not remediated) and (2) no change in the
Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is
reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial
reporting. The Company and each of its subsidiaries employ disclosure controls and
procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the 1934 Act Regulations) that are
designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports
that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported,
within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, and is
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accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal
executive officer or officers and principal financial officer or officers, as appropriate,
to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure.
(xxi) Compliance with the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act. There is and has been no failure
on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their
capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any provision of the
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith
(the “Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”), including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906
related to certifications.
(xxii) Investment Company Act. The Company is not required, and after giving
effect to the issuance and sale of the Securities and the application of the net proceeds
therefrom as described in the Prospectus will not be required, to register as an “investment
company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).
(xxiii) Pending Proceedings and Examinations. The Registration Statement is
not the subject of a pending proceeding or examination under Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the
1933 Act, and the Company is not the subject of a pending proceeding under Section 8A of the
1933 Act in connection with the offering of the Securities.
(b) Officer’s Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries delivered to the Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a
representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.
SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.
(a) Securities. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained
and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each
Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to
purchase from the Company, at the price set forth in Schedule C, the aggregate principal amount of
Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter, plus any additional
principal amount of Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to
the provisions of Section 10 hereof.
(b) Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, the Securities
shall be made at the offices of Shearman & Sterling LLP, 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx
00000 or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company, at
9:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the third (fourth if the pricing occurs after 4:30 p.m. (Eastern time)
on any given day) business day after the date hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the
provisions of Section 10) or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as
shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company (such time and date of payment and
delivery being herein called the “Closing Time”).
Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank
account designated by the Company, against delivery to the Representatives for the respective
accounts of the Underwriters of certificates for the Securities to be purchased by them. It is
understood that each Underwriter has authorized the Representatives, for their own accounts and for
the accounts of the several Underwriters, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of
the purchase price for, the Securities which it has agreed to purchase. Credit Suisse,
individually and not as representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to)
make payment of the purchase price for the Securities to
9
be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing Time, but
such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.
(c) Denominations; Registration. Certificates for the Securities shall be in such denominations
($1,000 or integral multiples thereof) and registered in such names as the Representatives may
request in writing at least one full business day before the Closing Time. The certificates
representing the Securities shall be made available for examination and packaging by the
Representatives in The City of New York not later than 10:00 a.m. (Eastern time) on the last
business day prior to the Closing Time.
SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:
(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests; Payment of Filing Fees. The
Company, subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the requirements of Rule 430B and will notify
the Representatives immediately, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective
amendment to the Registration Statement or new registration statement relating to the Securities
shall become effective, or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus shall have
been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the
Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or the filing of a new registration
statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or any document incorporated by
reference therein or otherwise deemed to be a part thereof or for additional information, (iv) of
the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or such new registration statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of
any preliminary prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for
offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for
any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(e) of the 1933 Act concerning the
Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A
of the 1933 Act in connection with the offering of the Securities. The Company will effect the
filings required under Rule 424(b), in the manner and within the time period required by Rule
424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and will take such steps as it deems necessary to
ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was
received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such
prospectus. The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop
order and, if any stop order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible
moment. The Company shall pay the required Commission filing fees relating to the Securities
within the time required by Rule 456(b)(1) (i) of the 1933 Act Regulations without regard to the
proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) of the 1933 Act
Regulations (including, if applicable, by updating the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in
accordance with Rule 456(b)(1)(ii) either in a post-effective amendment to the Registration
Statement or on the cover page of a prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)).
(b) Filing of Amendments and Exchange Act Documents; Preparation of Final Term Sheet. The Company
will give the Representatives notice of its intention to file or prepare any amendment to the
Registration Statement or new registration statement relating to the Securities or any amendment,
supplement or revision to either any preliminary prospectus (including any prospectus included in
the Original Registration Statement or amendment thereto at the time it became effective) or to the
Prospectus, whether pursuant to the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or otherwise, and the Company will
furnish the Representatives with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to
such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to
which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall object. The Company has given the
Representatives notice of any filings made pursuant to the 1934 Act or 1934 Act Regulations within
48 hours prior to the Applicable Time; the Company will give the Representatives notice of its
intention to make any such
10
filing from the Applicable Time to the Closing Time and will furnish the Representatives with
copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing and will not
file or use any such document to which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall
object. The Company will prepare a final term sheet (the “Final Term Sheet”) reflecting the final
terms of the Securities as set forth in Schedule C hereto, in form and substance satisfactory to
the Representatives, and shall file such Final Term Sheet as an “issuer free writing prospectus”
pursuant to Rule 433 prior to the close of business two business days after the date hereof;
provided that the Company shall furnish the Representatives with copies of any such Final Term
Sheet a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing and will not use or file any such
document to which the Representatives or counsel to the Underwriters shall object.
(c) Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company has furnished or will deliver to the
Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Original
Registration Statement and of each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or
incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by
reference therein or otherwise deemed to be a part thereof) and signed copies of all consents and
certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Representatives, without charge, a conformed
copy of the Original Registration Statement and of each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for
each of the Underwriters. The copies of the Original Registration Statement and each amendment
thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies
thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to XXXXX, except to the extent permitted by Regulation
S-T.
(d) Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to each Underwriter, without charge, as
many copies of each preliminary prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the
Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933 Act. The
Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when the Prospectus is
required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or
supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or
supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically
transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to XXXXX, except to the extent
permitted by Regulation S-T.
(e) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the 1933 Act and the
1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations and the 1939 Act and the 1939 Act
Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in
this Agreement and in the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus is required by the 1933 Act
to be delivered in connection with sales of the Securities, any event shall occur or condition
shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or
for the Company, to amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Prospectus in order
that the Prospectus will not include any untrue statements of a material fact or omit to state a
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the
circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser, or if it shall be necessary, in
the opinion of such counsel, at any such time to amend the Registration Statement or to file a new
registration statement or amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the
requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company will promptly prepare and
file with the Commission, subject to Section 3(b), such amendment, supplement or new registration
statement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to comply with such
requirements, the Company will use its best efforts to have such amendment or new registration
statement declared effective as soon as practicable (if it is not an automatic shelf registration
statement with respect to the Securities) and the Company will furnish to the Underwriters such
number of copies of such amendment, supplement or new registration statement as the Underwriters
may reasonably request. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus conflicted or
11
would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement (or any other
registration statement relating to the Securities) or the Statutory Prospectus or any preliminary
prospectus or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would
omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances prevailing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly
notify the Representatives and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.
(f) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use its reasonable efforts, in cooperation with the
Underwriters, to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws
of such states and other jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and to maintain such
qualifications in effect for a period of not less than one year from the date hereof; provided,
however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process
or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it
is not so qualified or so subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any
jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject. The Company will also supply the Underwriters
with such information as is necessary for the determination of the legality of the Securities for
investment under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Underwriters may request.
(g) Rule 158. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary
in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings
statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Underwriters the benefits contemplated by, the
last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.
(h) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the
Securities in the manner indicated in the Prospectus under “Use of Proceeds.”
(i) Restriction on Sale of Securities. Between the date of this Agreement and the Closing Date,
the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, directly or
indirectly, issue, sell, offer or contract to sell, grant any option for the sale of, or otherwise
transfer or dispose of, any debt securities of the Company that mature more than one year after the
date of the Prospectus and which are substantially similar to the Securities.
(j) Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when the Prospectus is required to be
delivered under the 1933 Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission
pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act
Regulations.
(k) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company represents and agrees that, unless it obtains
the prior consent of the Representatives, and each Underwriter represents and agrees that, unless
it obtains the prior consent of the Company and the Representatives, it has not made and will not
make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an “issuer free writing
prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing
prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405, required to be filed with the Commission; provided,
however, that prior to the preparation of the Final Term Sheet in accordance with Section
3(b), the Underwriters are authorized to use the information with respect to the final terms of the
Securities in communications conveying information relating to the offering to investors. Any such
free writing prospectus consented to by the Company and the Representatives is hereinafter referred
to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company represents that it has treated or agrees
that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus,”
as defined in Rule 433, and has complied and will comply with the requirements of
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Rule 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the
Commission where required, legending and record keeping.
SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses.
(a) Expenses. The Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations
under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration
Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and of each amendment
thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of this Agreement, any
Agreement among Underwriters, the Indenture and such other documents as may be required in
connection with the offering, purchase, sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities, (iii) the
preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates for the Securities to the Underwriters, (iv)
the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors, (v) the
qualification of the Securities under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section
3(f) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the
Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey
and any supplement thereto, (vi) the printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each
preliminary prospectus, any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus and of the Prospectus and any
amendments or supplements thereto and any costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the
foregoing by the Underwriters to investors, (vii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the
Underwriters of copies of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (viii) the fees and
expenses of the Trustee, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Trustee in
connection with the Indenture and the Securities, and (ix) any fees payable in connection with the
rating of the Securities.
(b) Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives in
accordance with the provisions of Section 5 or Section 9(a)(i) hereof, the Company shall reimburse
the Underwriters for all of their out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters.
SECTION 5. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the several Underwriters
hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company
contained in Section 1 hereof or in certificates of any officer of the Company or its subsidiaries
delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and
other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:
(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Filing of Prospectus; Payment of Filing Fee. The
Registration Statement has become effective and at the Closing Time no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued under the 1933 Act or
proceedings therefor initiated or threatened by the Commission, and any request on the part of the
Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction
of counsel to the Underwriters. A prospectus containing the Rule 430B Information shall have been
filed with the Commission in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) without
reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) (or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have
been filed and become effective in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430B). The Company
shall have paid the required Commission filing fees relating to the Securities within the time
period required by Rule 456(1)(i) of the 1933 Act Regulations without regard to the proviso therein
and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) of the 1933 Act Regulations and, if
applicable, shall have updated the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in accordance with Rule
456(b)(1)(ii) either in a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or on the cover
page of a prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b).
(b) Opinion of Outside Counsel for the Company. At the Closing Time, the Underwriters shall have
received the favorable opinion, dated as of the Closing Time, of Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP,
13
counsel for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters,
to the effect set forth in Exhibit A hereto. Except as otherwise mutually agreed upon by the
parties, in giving such opinion such counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of
jurisdictions other than the law of the State of New York, the federal law of the United States and
the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, upon the opinions of counsel satisfactory to
the Underwriters. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual
matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of the officers of the
Company and its subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.
(c) Opinion of In-House Counsel for the Company. At the Closing Time, the Underwriters shall have
received the favorable opinion, dated as of the Closing Time, of Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Vice President,
Corporate Secretary and Chief Securities Counsel of the Company, in form and substance satisfactory
to counsel for the Underwriters, to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto. In giving such
opinion such counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than
the law of the State of Minnesota, the federal laws of the United States and the General
Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, upon opinions of counsel satisfactory to the
Underwriters. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters,
they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates and representations of the
officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.
(d) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. At the Closing Time, the Underwriters shall have
received the favorable opinion, dated as of the Closing Time, of Shearman & Sterling LLP, counsel
for the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters.
(e) Officers’ Certificate. At the Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date hereof
or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus or the General
Disclosure Package, any Material Adverse Effect, and the Representatives shall have received a
certificate of the President or a Vice President of the Company and of the Chief Financial Officer,
chief accounting officer or Senior Vice President, Finance, of the Company, dated as of the Closing
Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the
representations and warranties in Section 1(a) hereof are true and correct with the same force and
effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied with
all of the agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or
prior to the Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending
or, to their knowledge, contemplated by the Commission.
(f) Accountants’ Comfort Letter. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the
Representatives shall have received from KPMG LLP, independent accountants for the Company, a
letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, containing
statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to
underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained
in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(g) Bring-down Comfort Letter. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received from
KPMG LLP, independent accountants for the Company, a letter, dated as of the Closing Time, in each
case in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect that they reaffirm
the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (f) of this Section, except that
the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the
Closing Time.
(h) Maintenance of Rating. Since the date of this Agreement, there shall not have occurred a
downgrading in the rating assigned to the Securities or any of the Company’s other securities or
the
14
Company’s financial strength or claims paying ability by any “nationally recognized
statistical rating agency,” as that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule
436(g)(2) under the 1933 Act, and no such securities rating agency shall have publicly announced
that it has under surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its rating of the
Securities or any of the Company’s other securities.
(i) Additional Documents. At the Closing Time, counsel for the Underwriters shall have been
furnished with such documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose of
enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in
order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of
any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection
with the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form
and substance in the reasonable judgment of the Underwriters and counsel for the Underwriters.
(j) Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been
fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement may be terminated by the
Underwriters by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to the Closing Time, and such
termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in
Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7 and 8 shall survive any such termination and remain in
full force and effect.
SECTION 6. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification of Underwriters. (1) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each
Underwriter, its affiliates, as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) under the 1933 Act (each, an
“Affiliate”), its selling agents and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the
meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:
(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as
incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430B
Information, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of
any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any
preliminary prospectus, the General Disclosure Package, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any
amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as
incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any
investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or
of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such
alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 6(d) below) any such
settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company; and
(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and
disbursements of counsel chosen by the Representatives), reasonably incurred in
investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or
proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim
whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue
statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii)
above;
15
provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss,
liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission
or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for
use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430B Information
or any preliminary prospectus, the General Disclosure Package, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any
amendment or supplement thereto).
(2) Insofar as this indemnity agreement may permit indemnification for liabilities under the 1933
Act of any person who is a partner of an Underwriter or who controls an underwriter within the
meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act and who, at the date of this
Agreement, is a director or officer of the Company or controls the Company within the meaning of
Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, such indemnity agreement is subject to
the undertaking of the Company in the Registration Statement under Item 15 thereof.
(b) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers. Each Underwriter severally agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the
Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of
Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any and all loss, liability,
claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a)(1) of this
Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue
statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including
the Rule 430B Information or any preliminary prospectus, the General Disclosure Package, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the
Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for
use therein.
(c) Actions Against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly
as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect
of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall
not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially
prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it
may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties indemnified
pursuant to Section 6(a)(i) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the
Representatives, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b) above, counsel to
the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company. An indemnifying party may participate at
its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided, however, that counsel
to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be
counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees
and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own
counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or
related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or
circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified
parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any
litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or
threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be
sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual
or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an
unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation,
investigation, proceeding 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) Settlement Without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time an indemnified party shall
have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of
16
counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the
nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement
is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid
request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at
least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall
not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of
such settlement. Notwithstanding the immediately preceding sentence, if at any time an indemnified
party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and
expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of the nature
contemplated by Section 7(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if such indemnifying party
(x) reimburses such indemnified party in accordance with such request to the extent that the
indemnifying party in its judgment considers such request to be reasonable and (y) provides written
notice to the indemnified party stating the reason it deems the unpaid balance unreasonable, in
each case no later than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request
from the indemnified party.
SECTION 7. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any
reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any
losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party
shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses
incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to
reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the
other hand from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation
provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to
reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault
of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the
statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, 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 hand in connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be
deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the
Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the
total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth on the cover of
the Prospectus bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Securities as set forth
on the cover of the Prospectus.
The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall
be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to
information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent,
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution
pursuant to this Section 7 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 Section 7. The aggregate amount
of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred
to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation,
or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or
any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission.
17
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to
contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities
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 any 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
0000 Xxx) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation.
For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the
meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act and each Underwriter’s
Affiliates and selling agents shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and
each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement,
and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act
or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company. The
Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in
proportion to the principal amount of Securities set forth opposite their respective names in
Schedule A hereto and not joint.
SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive. All representations,
warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company
or any of its subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and
effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its
Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors or
any person controlling the Company, and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Securities.
SECTION 9. Termination of Agreement.
(a) Termination; General. The Representatives may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the
Company, at any time at or prior to Closing Time (i) if there has been, since the time of execution
of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus
(exclusive of any supplement thereto) or the General Disclosure Package, any material adverse
change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business
prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising
in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in
the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of
hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development
involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic
conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the
Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to market the Securities or to enforce contracts for
the sale of the Securities, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended
or materially limited by the Commission or the New York Stock Exchange, or if trading generally on
the American Stock Exchange or the New York Stock Exchange or in the Nasdaq National Market has
been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or
maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by such system or by
order of the Commission, the FINRA or any other governmental authority, or a material disruption
has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement, or (iv) a material disruption has
occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States,
or (v) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal or New York authorities.
(b) Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall
be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and
18
provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7 and 8 shall survive such termination and remain in full
force and effect.
SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters. If any Underwriter shall fail at the
Closing Time to purchase the Securities which it is obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the
“Defaulted Securities”), the Representatives shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to
make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to
purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed
upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representatives shall not have completed
such arrangements within such 24-hour period, then:
(a) if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the aggregate
principal amount of the Securities to be purchased hereunder, each of the non-defaulting
Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount
thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to
the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or
(b) if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the aggregate principal amount
of the Securities to be purchased hereunder, this Agreement shall terminate without
liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.
No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from
liability in respect of its default.
In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Agreement,
either the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Time for a
period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term
“Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10.
SECTION 11. Tax Disclosure. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, immediately
upon commencement of discussions with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby, the Company
(and each employee, representative or other agent of the Company) may disclose to any and all
persons, without limitation of any kind, the tax treatment and tax structure of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement and all materials of any kind (including opinions or other tax
analyses) that are provided to the Company relating to such tax treatment and tax structure. For
purposes of the foregoing, the term “tax treatment” is the purported or claimed federal income tax
treatment of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the term “tax structure” includes any fact
that may be relevant to understanding the purported or claimed federal income tax treatment of the
transactions contemplated hereby.
SECTION 12. Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall
be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of
telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to the Representatives, c/o
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Eleven Madison Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010-3629, Attention:
LCD-IBD, with a copy to Shearman & Sterling LLP, 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000,
attention of Xxxxxx Xxxxx III, Esq.; and notices to the Company shall be directed to it at 00000
Xxxxxx Xxxx Xxxx, Xxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx 00000, attention of Senior Vice President, Finance with a copy
to the Corporate Secretary at the same address, with an additional copy to Xxxxxx & Whitney LLP,
Suite 1500, 00 Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx 00000, attention of Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx Esq.
19
SECTION 13. No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (a)
the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of
the public offering price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an
arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several
Underwriters, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering contemplated hereby and the
process leading to such transaction each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal
and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, or its shareholders, creditors, employees or any
other party, (c) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume 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 such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company
on other matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Company with respect to the offering
contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the
Underwriters and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that
involve interests that differ from those of each of the Company, and (e) the Underwriters have not
provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering contemplated
hereby and the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the
extent it deemed appropriate.
SECTION 14. Integration. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings
(whether written or oral) between the Company and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to
the subject matter hereof.
SECTION 15. Parties. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the
Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in
this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other
than the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors and the controlling persons
and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal
representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this
Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions
hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters and the Company
and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their
heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No
purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of
such purchase.
SECTION 16. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH
THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
SECTION 17. TIME. TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH
HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.
SECTION 18. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one
and the same Agreement.
SECTION 19. Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall
not affect the construction hereof.
20
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 among the Underwriters and the Company in accordance with its
terms.
Very truly yours, SUPERVALU INC. |
||||
By | ||||
Name: | ||||
Title: |
CONFIRMED
AND ACCEPTED,
as of the date first above written:
as of the date first above written:
CREDIT SUISSE SECURITIES (USA) LLC |
||||
By | ||||
Name: | ||||
Title: | ||||
BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC |
||||
By | ||||
Name: | ||||
Title: | ||||
CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC. |
||||
By | ||||
Name: | ||||
Title: | ||||
RBS SECURITIES INC. |
||||
By | ||||
Name: | ||||
Title: | ||||
For themselves and as Representatives of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.
SCHEDULE A
Principal | ||||
Amount of | ||||
Securities | ||||
Name of
Underwriter |
||||
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC |
$ | |||
Banc of America Securities LLC |
$ | |||
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. |
$ | |||
RBS Securities Inc. |
$ | |||
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc. |
$ | |||
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated. |
$ | |||
UBS Securities LLC |
$ | |||
U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. |
$ | |||
The Xxxxxxxx Capital Group, L.P. |
$ | |||
Total |
$ | 500,000,000 | ||
Sch A-1
SCHEDULE B
Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectuses
Final Term Sheet
Sch B-1
SCHEDULE C
Sch C-1
Exhibit A
FORM OF OPINION OF COMPANY’S COUNSEL
XXXXXX & XXXXXXX LLP,
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 5(b)
XXXXXX & XXXXXXX LLP,
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 5(b)
(a) The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the
Company.
(b) The
Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the
Company, and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the
Company in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement of the indemnification and contribution
provisions contained therein may be limited by the effect of applicable public policy and except as
enforcement of the Indenture may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without
limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or other similar
laws relating to or affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, or by general principles
of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
(c) No consent, approval, authorization or order of any court or governmental agency or body
is required for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement or
the Indenture, except such as may be required under the securities and blue sky laws, rules and
regulations of any jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities
by the Underwriters and such other approvals as have been obtained.
(d) The form and general terms of the Securities have been duly and validly authorized and
established in conformity with the provisions of the Indenture by all necessary corporate action by
the Company, and when such Securities have been duly executed, authenticated and delivered against
payment therefor in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture
and the Underwriting Agreement, will
constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company
in accordance with their terms and the terms of the Indenture, except as the enforcement thereof
may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to
fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting
enforcement of creditor’s rights generally, or by general principles of equity (regardless of
whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), and the holders of the
Securities will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.
(e) The Indenture has been duly qualified under the 1939 Act.
(f) The Securities and the Indenture conform in all material respects to the descriptions
thereof contained in the Prospectus.
(g) The Registration Statement has been become effective under the 1933 Act; any required
filing of each prospectus relating to the Securities (including the Prospectus) pursuant to Rule
424(b) has been made in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without
reference to Rule 424(b)(8)); any required filing of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus known to
us pursuant to Rule 433 has been made in the manner and within the time period required by Rule
433(d). To the best of our knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act and no proceedings for that purpose have
been instituted or are pending or threatened by the Commission.
A-1
(h) The Registration Statement, including without limitation the Rule 430B Information, the
Prospectus, excluding the documents incorporated by reference therein, and each amendment or
supplement to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, excluding the documents incorporated
by reference therein, as of their respective effective or issue dates (including without limitation
each deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2)), other
than the financial statements and supporting schedule and other financial data included therein or
omitted therefrom, and the Form T-1, as to which we need express no opinion, complied as to form in
all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.
(i) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus (except for the financial
statements and supporting schedule and other financial data therein, as to which we express no
opinion), as of the dates they were filed with the Commission, complied as to form in all material
respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations and the 1934
Act Regulations.
(j) The information in the Prospectus under “Description of the Notes,” “Description of Other
Indebtedness” and “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” and in the Registration
Statement under Item 15, to the extent that it constitutes matters of law, summaries of legal
matters, the Company’s charter and bylaws or legal proceedings, or legal conclusions, has been
reviewed by us and fairly presents and summarizes, in all material respects, the matters referred
to therein.
(k) No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration,
qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or agency, domestic or foreign
(other than under the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations, which have been obtained, or as may be
required under the securities or blue sky laws of the various states and except for the
qualification of the Indenture under the 1939 Act, as to which we need express no opinion) is
necessary or required in connection with the due authorization, execution and delivery of the
Underwriting Agreement or the due execution, delivery or performance of the Securities by the
Company or for the offering, issuance or sale of the Securities.
(l) Neither the issue and sale of the Securities, the compliance by the Company with all the
provisions of the Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities and the consummation of
the transactions therein contemplated nor the fulfillment of the terms thereof will conflict with,
result in a breach of, or constitute a default under the charter or bylaws of the Company or the
terms of any indenture or other agreement or instrument filed with the Commission and to which the
Company or any of the Company’s Significant Subsidiaries is a party or is bound, or any order,
decree, judgment or regulation (other than any federal or state securities or blue sky laws, rules
or regulations) known to us to be applicable to the Company or any of the Company’s Significant
Subsidiaries of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body or arbitrator
having jurisdiction over the Company or any of the Company’s Significant Subsidiaries.
Nothing has come to our attention that would lead us to believe that the Original Registration
Statement or any amendment thereto (except for financial statements and schedules and other
financial data included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom and the Form T-1,
as to which we need make no statement), at the time such Original Registration Statement or any
such amendment became effective, 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; that the Registration Statement, including the Rule 430B Information (except for
financial statements and schedules and other financial data included or incorporated by reference
therein or omitted therefrom and the Form T-1, as to which we need make no statement), at each
deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2), 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 the Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto (except for financial
A-2
statements and schedules and other financial data included or incorporated by reference
therein or omitted therefrom and the Form T-1, as to which we need make no statement), at the time
the Prospectus was issued, at the time any such amended or supplemented prospectus was issued or at
the Closing Time, contained or contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits
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. In addition, nothing has come to our
attention that would lead us to believe that the General Disclosure Package, other than the
financial statements and schedules and other financial data included or incorporated by reference
therein or omitted therefrom, as to which we need make no statement, as of the Applicable Time,
contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary
in order to make the statements therein, in the light of circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading. With respect to statements contained in the General Disclosure Package, any
statement contained in any of the constituent documents shall be deemed to be modified or
superseded to the extent that any information contained in subsequent constituent documents
modifies or replaces such statement.
The opinions expressed above are limited to the laws of the States of Minnesota and New York,
the Delaware General Corporation Law and the federal laws of the United States and we express no
opinion as to the laws of any other jurisdiction.
The foregoing opinions are being furnished to you solely for your benefit and may not be
relied upon by, nor may copies be delivered to, any other person without our prior written consent.
A-3
Exhibit B
FORM OF OPINION OF
THE VICE PRESIDENT, CORPORATE SECRETARY AND CHIEF SECURITIES COUNSEL OF THE COMPANY,
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(c)
THE VICE PRESIDENT, CORPORATE SECRETARY AND CHIEF SECURITIES COUNSEL OF THE COMPANY,
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 5(c)
(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good
standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.
(ii) The Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in
good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of
the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to
qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(iii) The Company has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties
and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and, with respect to the Company only,
to enter into and perform its obligations under the Underwriting Agreement.
(iv) To the best of my knowledge, based upon procedures used in the ordinary course of the
Company’s business (which I have no reason to believe are not an adequate basis for the following
statement), and in all cases except as would not result in a Material Adverse Effect, (a) each
Significant Subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has corporate
power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as
described in the Prospectus and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and
is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason
of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, (b) all of the issued and
outstanding capital stock of each Significant Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly
issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by the Company, directly or through
subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim
or equity, except for such security interests, mortgages, pledges, liens, encumbrances or claims
arising under that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of June 1, 2006, by and among the Company,
The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC, Bank of America, Citibank, Rabobank International, Cobank, ACB,
U.S. Bank National Association, and various financial institutions and other persons from time to
time parties thereto, and except in each case where the Company purports to own less than all of
such stock, and (c) none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of any such Significant
Subsidiary was issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of
such Significant Subsidiary.
(v) To the best of my knowledge, there is not pending or threatened any action, suit,
proceeding, inquiry or investigation, to which the Company or any Significant Subsidiary of the
Company is a party, or to which the property of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary is
subject, before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, which
would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which would reasonably be
expected to materially and adversely affect the property or assets of the Company and its
subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in the
Underwriting Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations thereunder.
Nothing has come to my attention that would lead me to believe that the Original Registration
Statement or any amendment thereto (except for financial statements and schedules and other
financial data included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom and the Form T-1,
as to which I need make no statement), at the time such Original Registration Statement or any such
amendment
B-1
became effective, 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; that the Registration Statement, including the Rule 430B Information (except for
financial statements and schedules and other financial data included or incorporated by reference
therein or omitted therefrom and the Form T-1, as to which I need make no statement), at each
deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2), 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 the Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto (except for financial statements and schedules and other financial
data included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom and the Form T-1, as to
which I need make no statement), at the time the Prospectus was issued, at the time any such
amended or supplemented prospectus was issued or at the Closing Time, included or includes an
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits 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. In addition, nothing has come to my attention that would lead me to believe that the
General Disclosure Package, other than the financial statements and schedules and other financial
data included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom, as to which I need make no
statement, as of the Applicable Time, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted
to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. With respect to statements contained in
the General Disclosure Package, any statement contained in any of the constituent documents shall
be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent that any information contained in subsequent
constituent documents modifies or replaces such statement.
The opinions expressed above are limited to the laws of the State of Minnesota, the Delaware
General Corporation Law and the federal laws of the United States and I express no opinion as to
the laws of any other jurisdiction.
The foregoing opinions are being furnished to you solely for your benefit and may not be
relied upon by, nor may copies be delivered to, any other person without my prior written consent.
B-2