WISCONSIN POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY (a Wisconsin corporation) 6.375% DEBENTURES DUE 2037 PURCHASE AGREEMENT Dated: August 8, 2007
EXHIBIT 1.1
WISCONSIN POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY
(a Wisconsin corporation)
6.375% DEBENTURES DUE 2037
Dated: August 8, 2007
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page | ||||
SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties |
3 | |||
(a) Representations and Warranties by the Company |
3 | |||
(i) Registration Statement, Prospectus and Disclosure at Time of Sale |
3 | |||
(ii) Incorporated Documents |
5 | |||
(iii) Independent Accountants |
5 | |||
(iv) Financial Statements |
5 | |||
(v) No Material Adverse Change in Business |
6 | |||
(vi) Good Standing of the Company |
6 | |||
(vii) Good Standing of Subsidiaries |
6 | |||
(viii) Capitalization |
7 | |||
(ix) Authorization of Agreement |
7 | |||
(x) Authorization of the Indenture |
7 | |||
(xi) Authorization of the Securities |
8 | |||
(xii) Description of the Securities and the Indenture |
8 | |||
(xiii) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts |
8 | |||
(xiv) Absence of Labor Dispute |
9 | |||
(xv) Absence of Proceedings |
9 | |||
(xvi) Accuracy of Exhibits |
9 | |||
(xvii) Absence of Further Requirements |
9 | |||
(xviii) Possession of Licenses and Permits |
10 | |||
(xix) Title to Property |
10 | |||
(xx) Investment Company Act |
11 | |||
(xxi) Environmental Laws |
11 |
i
Page | ||||
(xxii) Accounting Controls and Disclosure Controls |
11 | |||
(b) Officer’s Certificates |
12 | |||
SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing |
12 | |||
(a) The Securities |
12 | |||
(b) Payment |
12 | |||
(c) Denominations; Registration |
13 | |||
SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company |
13 | |||
(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests |
13 | |||
(b) Filing of Amendments |
13 | |||
(c) Delivery of Registration Statements |
14 | |||
(d) Delivery of Prospectuses |
14 | |||
(e) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws |
14 | |||
(f) Blue Sky Qualifications |
15 | |||
(g) Rule 158 |
15 | |||
(h) Use of Proceeds |
15 | |||
(i) Restriction on Sale of Securities |
15 | |||
(j) Reporting Requirements |
15 | |||
(k) 2005 Act Filings |
16 | |||
(l) Rating of Securities |
16 | |||
(m) DTC |
16 | |||
(n) Compliance with Regulatory Approvals |
16 | |||
(o) Issuer Free Writing Prospectus |
16 | |||
(p) Final Term Sheet |
16 | |||
SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses |
17 | |||
(a) Expenses |
17 |
ii
Page | ||||
(b) Termination of Agreement |
17 | |||
SECTION 5. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations |
17 | |||
(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement |
17 | |||
(b) Opinion of Counsel for Company |
18 | |||
(c) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters |
18 | |||
(d) Officers’ Certificate |
18 | |||
(e) Accountant’s Comfort Letter |
18 | |||
(f) Bring-down Comfort Letter |
19 | |||
(g) Maintenance of Rating |
19 | |||
(h) Additional Documents |
19 | |||
(i) Termination of Agreement |
19 | |||
(j) Certificate of Chief Financial Officer |
20 | |||
SECTION 6. Indemnification |
20 | |||
(a) Indemnification of Underwriters |
20 | |||
(b) Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers |
21 | |||
(c) Actions against Parties; Notification |
21 | |||
(d) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse |
22 | |||
SECTION 7. Contribution |
22 | |||
SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery |
23 | |||
SECTION 9. Termination of Agreement |
23 | |||
(a) Termination; General |
23 | |||
(b) Liabilities |
24 | |||
SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters |
24 | |||
SECTION 11. Notices |
25 | |||
SECTION 12. Parties |
25 |
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Page | ||||
SECTION 13.
No Fiduciary Duty |
26 | |||
SECTION 14. Governing Law and Time |
26 | |||
SECTION 15. Effect of Headings |
26 | |||
SECTION 16. Counterparts |
26 |
SCHEDULES
Schedule A — List of Underwriters’ Purchase Amounts
Schedule B – Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses contained in the General Disclosure Package
Schedule C — Pricing Information
Schedule D – Final Term Sheet
Schedule B – Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses contained in the General Disclosure Package
Schedule C — Pricing Information
Schedule D – Final Term Sheet
EXHIBITS
Exhibit A — Form of Opinion of Company’s Counsel
iv
WISCONSIN POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY
(a Wisconsin corporation)
(a Wisconsin corporation)
6.375% DEBENTURES DUE 2037
August 8, 0000
Xxxx xx Xxxxxxx Securities LLC
Hearst Tower
000 Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx 00000
Hearst Tower
000 Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx 00000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Co.
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx
Incorporated
0 Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx
Incorporated
0 Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Wisconsin Power and Light Company, a Wisconsin corporation (the “Company”), confirms its
agreement with Banc of America Securities LLC (“Banc of America”), Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Co., Xxxxxxx
Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated (“Xxxxxxx Xxxxx”), and each of the other underwriters
named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the “Underwriters”, which term shall also include any
underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10 hereof), for whom Banc of America and
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx are acting as representatives (in such capacity, the “Representatives”), 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 on Schedule A of $300,000,000 aggregate
principal amount of the Company’s 6.375% Debentures due 2037 (the “Securities”). The Securities
will be issued pursuant to an indenture dated as of June 20, 1997 (the “Base Indenture”) between
the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as successor in interest to Firstar Trust Company,
as trustee (the “Trustee”). The term “Indenture,” as used herein, includes the Base Indenture and
the Officer’s Certificate (as defined in the Base Indenture) to be executed in connection with the
offering of the Securities, establishing the form and terms of the Securities pursuant to Section
2.01 of the Base Indenture. The Securities are to be issued in book-entry form and will be
registered in the name of Cede & Co. as nominee of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) pursuant to
the blanket letter agreement, dated July 1, 2004 (the “DTC Agreement”), between the Company and
DTC.
1
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”) a
registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-143831), including a base prospectus (the “Base
Prospectus”), for the registration of the Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the “1933 Act”) and the offering thereof from time to time in accordance with Rule 415 of the
rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1933 Act (the “1933 Act Regulations”), which
registration statement has been declared effective by the Commission. Promptly after execution and
delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a prospectus supplement in accordance
with the provisions of Rule 430B (“Rule 430B”) of the 1933 Act Regulations and paragraph (b) of
Rule 424(b) (“Rule 424(b)”) of the 1933 Act Regulations. Any information included in such
prospectus supplement that was omitted from the Registration Statement at the time it first became
effective but that is deemed to be a part of and included in such registration statement pursuant
to Rule 430B is referred to as “Rule 430B Information.” Such registration statement, at any given
time, including the amendments thereto to such time, the exhibits and schedules thereto, at such
time, is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement;” and the Registration Statement at the
time it originally became effective is herein called the “Original Registration Statement.” Any
Registration Statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) is herein referred to as the “Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement” and after any such filing references to the “Registration Statement” shall
also be deemed to include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. The final prospectus supplement,
together with the Base Prospectus, in the form first furnished to the Representatives by the
Company for use in connection with the offering of the Securities, is referred to herein as the
“Prospectus.” A “preliminary prospectus” shall be deemed to refer to any preliminary prospectus
supplement, together with the Base Prospectus, used in connection with the offering of the
Securities that omitted the Rule 430B Information. For the purposes of this Agreement, all
references to the “Registration Statement,” the “Prospectus” or any preliminary prospectus shall
also be deemed to include all documents incorporated therein by reference 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. For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the
Registration Statement, Prospectus or preliminary prospectus or to any amendment or supplement to
any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include any 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 are “contained,” “included” or “stated” (or other references of like import) in the
Registration Statement, Prospectus or preliminary prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include
all such financial statements and schedules and other information which are incorporated by
reference in or otherwise deemed by 1933 Act Regulations to be a part of or included in, as of such
applicable date, the Registration Statement, Prospectus or preliminary prospectus, as the case may
be; and all references in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, amendments or supplements
to the Registration Statement, Prospectus or preliminary prospectus shall be deemed to include the
filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”),
which is incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed by 1933 Act
2
Regulations to be a part of or included in, as of such applicable date, the Registration
Statement, Prospectus or preliminary 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, as of 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) Registration Statement, Prospectus and Disclosure at Time of Sale. The
Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act. Each of the
Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has become effective under
the 1933 Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or
any Rule 462(b) 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.
At the respective times the Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement became effective (including without limitation any effective dates of any
amendments thereto and 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, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any amendments and supplements thereto
complied or will comply, as the case may be, in all material respects with the requirements
of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended
(the “1939 Act”) and the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1939 Act (the
“1939 Act Regulations”), and did not or will not, as the case may be, contain an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and the Indenture complied and
will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1939 Act. Neither the
Prospectus nor any amendments or supplements thereto, at the time the Prospectus or any such
amendment or 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. The representations and warranties in this subsection
shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement or Prospectus
made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company in writing
by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration
Statement (or any amendment thereto) or Prospectus (or any amendment thereto).
Each preliminary prospectus and the prospectus filed as part of the Registration
Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule
424 under the 1933 Act, complied when so filed in all material respects with the
3
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 (as defined below), neither (x) the Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus(es) (as defined below) listed on Schedule B and the Statutory Prospectus (as
defined below), all considered together (collectively, the “General Disclosure Package”),
nor (y) any individual Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the
General Disclosure Package, will include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
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.
As used in this subsection and elsewhere in this Agreement:
“Applicable Time” means 3:45 pm (Eastern time) on the date of this Agreement.
“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
supplement deemed to be a part thereof.
“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 or (ii) 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) or is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule
433(d)(8)(i) relating to road shows.
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 the next
sentence, 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
4
or modified. 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 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, not misleading, the Company has notified or will notify promptly the
Representatives so that any use of such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus may cease until it is
amended or supplemented. The foregoing two sentences do not apply to statements in or
omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives
expressly for use therein.
(ii) Incorporated Documents.
(1) The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, at the time
they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied or will comply, as
the case may be, in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and
the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “1934 Act Regulations”),
as applicable, and, when read together with the other information in the
Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, did not or will
not, as the case may be, 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.
(2) The description of regulatory matters to which the Company is subject, as
disclosed in the Company’s filings with the Commission under the 1934 Act and the
1934 Act Regulations and as incorporated by reference into the Registration
Statement, is true and correct in all material respects, except to the extent such
description in any specific filing has been superseded, updated or supplemented by
such description in a subsequent filing under the 1934 Act or the 1934 Act
Regulations made prior to the date hereof or by such description in the Statutory
Prospectus and the Prospectus.
(iii) Independent Accountants. The accountants who certified the financial
statements and supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement, the Statutory
Prospectus and the Prospectus are independent registered public accountants with respect to
the Company and its subsidiaries as required by the 1933 Act and by the rules of the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board.
(iv) Financial Statements. The financial statements included in the
Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, together with the
related schedules 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 income, changes in common equity and cash
flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods specified; said
financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The
supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement, if any,
5
present fairly in all
material respects in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein.
The selected financial data and the summary financial information included in the Statutory
Prospectus and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the information shown
therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial
statements included in the Registration Statement.
(v) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Since the respective dates as of
which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein, (A) there has been no material adverse
change in the condition, financial or otherwise, earnings or business affairs of the Company
and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary
course of business nor has there been any developments involving a prospective material
adverse change of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or
not arising in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”), (B) there have
been no transactions entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other than
those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with respect to the Company and
its subsidiaries, and (C) except for regular dividends on the common stock, par value $5.00
per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”), the 4.40% Preferred Stock, $100.00 par value
per share, of the Company, the 4.50% Preferred Stock, $100.00 par value per share, of the
Company, the 4.76% Preferred Stock, par value $100.00 per share, of the Company, the 4.80%
Preferred Stock, par value $100.00 per share, of the Company, the 4.96% Preferred Stock, par
value $100.00 per share, of the Company, the 6.20% Preferred Stock, par value $100.00 per shares, of the Company and the 6.50% Preferred Stock, par value $25.00 per share, of the
Company (collectively, the “Preferred Stock”) in amounts per share that are consistent with
past practice, or the terms of the Preferred Stock, there has been no dividend or
distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital
stock.
(vi) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly organized and is
validly existing as a corporation under the laws of the State of Wisconsin 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; 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 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.
(vii) 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 “Subsidiary” and, collectively, the
“Subsidiaries”) has been duly organized and is validly existing as a limited liability
company 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 to transact
business and is in good standing in each foreign 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
6
would not result
in a Material Adverse Effect; except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement,
all of the outstanding equity interests of each such Subsidiary has been duly authorized and
validly issued and is owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear
of any security interest, mortgage, pledge or lien that reasonably would be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Effect; none of the outstanding equity interests of any
Subsidiary was issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any other holder
of equity interests of such Subsidiary that reasonably would be expected to result in a
Material Adverse Effect. The only Subsidiaries of the Company are the Subsidiaries listed
on Exhibit 21 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2006.
(viii) Capitalization. The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of
the Company as of the date hereof is 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 this Agreement, pursuant to existing reservations,
agreements or employee benefit plans, or pursuant to the exercise of convertible securities
or options outstanding on the date hereof or pursuant to any dividend reinvestment plan).
All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly
authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and 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. As of the date hereof, except
for 29,957 shares of the Company’s 4.40% Preferred Stock, 99,970 shares of the Company’s
4.50% Preferred Stock, 29,957 shares of the Company’s 4.76% Preferred Stock, 74,912 shares
of the Company’s 4.80% Preferred Stock, 64,979 shares of the Company’s 4.96% Preferred
Stock, 150,000 shares of the Company’s 6.20% Preferred Stock, and 599,460 shares of the
Company’s 6.50% Preferred Stock, all of the issued and outstanding shares of the capital
stock of the Company are owned by Alliant Energy Corporation, a Wisconsin corporation (the
“Parent”), free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims. Immediately prior
to the Closing Time, except for 29,957 shares of the Company’s 4.40% Preferred Stock, 99,970
shares of the Company’s 4.50% Preferred Stock, 29,957 shares of the Company’s 4.76%
Preferred Stock, 74,912 shares of the Company’s 4.80% Preferred Stock, 64,979 shares of the
Company’s 4.96% Preferred Stock, 150,000 shares of the Company’s 6.20% Preferred Stock, and
599,460 shares of the Company’s 6.50% Preferred Stock, all of the issued and outstanding
shares of capital stock of the Company will be owned directly by Parent, free and clear of
all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims. The Parent is a “holding company” as defined
under the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 2005 (the “2005 Act”). The Company is a
“subsidiary company” and a “holding company” within the Alliant Energy Corporation “holding
company system,” each as defined under the 2005 Act.
(ix) Authorization of Agreement. The Company has all requisite corporate power
and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to perform its obligations
hereunder. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(x) Authorization of the Indenture. The Indenture has been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by the Company and duly qualified under the 1939 Act and
7
constitutes
a valid and binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance
with its terms, except (A) as enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency
(including without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization,
moratorium or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and (B)
as enforcement thereof is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether
enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
(xi) 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 for 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 similar laws 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.
(xii) Description of the Securities and the Indenture. The statements relating
to the Securities and the Indenture contained in the Prospectus and the General Disclosure
Package conform, respectively, in all material respects to the terms of the Securities and
the Indenture.
(xiii) 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 it 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
violations or defaults that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; and the
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities, 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 under the Indenture and the
Securities 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 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 (A) the charter or by-laws of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries (except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults, events or
liens, charges or encumbrances that would not result in a
8
Material Adverse Effect) or (B)
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, except for any such violations with respect to this clause (B) as would not,
individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. 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.
(xiv) Absence of Labor Disputes. No labor dispute with the employees of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent,
and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees
of any of its or any of its subsidiaries’ respective principal suppliers, manufacturers,
customers or contractors, which, in either case, may reasonably be expected to result in a
Material Adverse Effect.
(xv) Absence of Proceedings. Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus, 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 or affecting the Company
or any of its subsidiaries which might reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Effect, or which might reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect (A)
the properties or assets of the Company and its subsidiaries or (B) the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the performance by the Company of its
obligations hereunder. The aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to
which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any of their respective
property or assets is the subject which are not described in the General Disclosure Package
and the Prospectus, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, could
not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. 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.
(xvi) Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or documents which are
required to be described in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package, 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 except that this Agreement and an opinion of Xxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP with
respect to the validity of the Securities will be filed as exhibits to a Current Report on
Form 8-K which shall be filed with the Commission in accordance with the 1934 Act and the
1934 Act Regulations prior to the filing of the Prospectus.
(xvii) 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
9
Company
of its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the
Securities hereunder, the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or
for the due execution, delivery and performance of the Indenture by the Company, except (A)
such as have been already obtained, (B) such as may be required under the 1933 Act or the
1933 Act Regulations or state securities laws, and (C) such as may be required by the 2005
Act, solely with respect to filings required to be made with the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission pursuant to activities previously authorized by the Securities and Exchange
Commission and grandfathered under the 2005 Act by 18 C.F.R. s. 366.6(b) subsequent to the
Closing Time (such 2005 Act filings to be made by the Company), and (D) such as may be
required to be filed with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (the “PSCW”), solely
with respect to filings required to be made with the PSCW subsequent to the Closing Time
(such PSCW filings to be made by the Company).
(xviii) Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries
possess such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively,
“Governmental Licenses”) issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign
regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by them except
where the failure to possess any such Governmental Licenses would not have a Material
Adverse Effect; the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and
conditions of all such Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to possess or
comply would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; all of the
Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except where the invalidity of
such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force
and effect would not have a Material Adverse Effect; and neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or
modification of any such Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the
subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in a Material Adverse
Effect. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company has received a final order of the PSCW,
dated July 20, 2007, authorizing the issuance of the Securities and such issuance is in
compliance with the terms and conditions of such orders and approval. Such orders and
approval are in full force and effect and have not been amended, supplemented or otherwise
modified. No proceeding to review, suspend, limit, modify, restrict or revoke any such
order or approval has been instituted.
(xix) Title to Property. The Company and its subsidiaries have good and
marketable title to all real property owned by the Company and its subsidiaries and good
title to all other properties owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages,
pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except
such as (A) are described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (B) do
not, singly or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of such property and do not
interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or any
of its subsidiaries; and all of the leases and subleases material to the business of the
Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company or
any of its subsidiaries holds properties described in the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries has any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by
anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any of the
10
leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company
or any of its subsidiaries to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises
under any such lease or sublease, except where such would not have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(xx) Investment Company Act. The Company is not, and upon the issuance and
sale of the Securities as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds
therefrom as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not be, an
“investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” as such terms are
defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).
(xxi) Environmental Laws. Except as described in the General Disclosure
Package and except as would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse
Effect, (A) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any federal,
state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of
common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial
or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of
human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water,
groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation,
laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants,
contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum
products (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing,
distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous
Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (B) the Company and its subsidiaries have
all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws
and are each in compliance with their requirements, (C) there are no pending or, to the
knowledge of the Company, threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits,
demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation
or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of its
subsidiaries and (D) there are no events or circumstances that might reasonably be expected
to form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding
by any private party or
governmental body or agency, against or affecting the Company or any of its
subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws.
(xxii) Accounting Controls and Disclosure Controls. The Company together with its
consolidated subsidiaries maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to
provide reasonable assurances that (1) transactions are executed in accordance with
management’s general or specific authorization; (2) transactions are recorded as necessary
to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain
accountability for assets; (3) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with
management’s general or specific authorization; and (4) the recorded accountability for
assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action
is taken with respect to any differences. Except as described in the General Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year,
there has been (I) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial
reporting (whether or not remediated) and (II) no change in the Company’s internal control
11
over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially
affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
The Company together with its consolidated subsidiaries employs disclosure controls and
procedures 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 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.
(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) | The 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 the Company at 0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, 00000, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company, at 10:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the fifth 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 its account, to accept
delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Securities that it has
agreed to purchase. Banc of America, individually and not as a representative of the Underwriters,
may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for all or a portion of the
Securities to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received
12
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 (in integral multiples of $1,000) as the Representatives may request in writing at least two full business days before the Closing Time and registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of DTC. The certificates for the Securities will be made available for examination and packaging by the Representatives in New York, New York not later than noon (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. The Company, subject to Section 3(b), will notify the Representatives immediately and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement 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 with respect to the Registration Statement, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the 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. |
(b) | Filing of Amendments. The Company will give the Representatives notice of its intention to file or prepare any amendment, supplement or revision to the Registration Statement (including any filing under Rule 462(b)), preliminary prospectus or Prospectus if such amendment, supplement or revision relates 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 will furnish the Representatives with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing or use, as the |
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case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object. |
(c) | Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company has furnished or will deliver to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, copies (one of which shall be manually signed) 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) and copies (one of which shall be manually signed) 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 or will deliver to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of the final 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 or the 1934 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 and 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 reasonable 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 Registration Statement or 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 reasonable opinion of such counsel, at any such time to amend the 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 or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement or the Prospectus comply |
14
with such requirements, and the Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request. |
(f) | Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use its best 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 so long as required for the sale of the Securities; 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 to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject. In each jurisdiction in which the Securities have been so qualified, the Company will file such statements and reports as may be required by the laws of such jurisdiction to continue such qualification in effect for such period. |
(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 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 specified in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under “Use of Proceeds.” |
(i) | Restriction on Sale of Securities. During a period of 15 days from the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, (i) directly or indirectly, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of any debt securities of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for debt securities of the Company or file any registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of debt securities of the Company, whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of debt securities of the Company or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to the Securities to be sold hereunder. |
(j) | Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when the Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act or the 1934 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. |
15
(k) | 2005 Act Filings. The Company shall timely file all notifications, forms and reports that may be required under the 2005 Act so as to permit the completion of the distribution and sale of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Prospectus. |
(l) | Rating of Securities. The Company shall take all reasonable action necessary to enable Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of McGraw Hill, Inc. (“S&P”), and Xxxxx’x Investors Service Inc. (“Moody’s”) to provide their respective credit ratings of the Securities. |
(m) | DTC. The Company will cooperate with the Representatives and use its best efforts to permit the Securities to be eligible for clearance and settlement through the facilities of DTC. |
(n) | Compliance with Regulatory Approvals. The Company will comply with the terms and conditions of the final order of the PSCW, as such order is amended from time to time until superseded, and shall timely file all notifications, forms and reports that may be required in connection therewith so as to permit the completion of the distribution and sale of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Prospectus. |
(o) | Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. 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. 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 Rule 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. |
(p) | Final Term Sheet. The Company will prepare a final term sheet containing only a description of the Securities, in a form attached hereto as Schedule D and approved by the Representatives, and will file such term sheet pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act within the time required by such rule (such term sheet, the “Final Term Sheet”). The Final Term Sheet is an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus for purposes of this Agreement. |
16
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 any schedules or exhibits and any document incorporated therein by reference) and of each amendment or supplement thereto, (ii) the reproduction and delivery to the Underwriters of this Agreement, the Indenture, any Agreement among Underwriters 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, including any transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters and any charges of DTC in connection therewith, (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 (provided that counsel fees in connection therewith do not exceed $5,000), (vi) the printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, (vii) 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 (viii) 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 (provided that such out-of-pocket expenses, fees and disbursements do not exceed $200,000). |
SECTION 5. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the several
Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy in all material respects of the representations
and warranties of the Company contained in Section 1 hereof or in certificates of any officer of
the Company or any subsidiary of the Company delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the
performance in all material respects by the Company of its covenants and other obligations
hereunder, and to the following further conditions:
(a) | Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b) 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 accordance with Rule 424(b) without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8). |
17
(b) | Opinion of Counsel for Company. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of the Closing Time, of Xxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP, counsel for the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters, to the effect set forth in Exhibit A hereto. In rendering such opinions, such counsel may rely as to matters of fact (but not as to legal conclusions), to the extent they deem proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and of public officials. |
(c) | Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of the Closing Time, of Xxxxxx, Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters. 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 Representatives. In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely as to matters of fact (but not as to legal conclusions), to the extent they deem proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and of public officials. |
(d) | 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 General Disclosure Package, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, 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, nor shall there have been any developments involving a prospective material adverse change of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Representatives shall have received a certificate of the President or a Vice President of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated as of the Closing Time, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse change or any developments involving a prospective material adverse change, (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 in all material respects with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Time, (iv) the Company is not in default in the performance of any of the covenants to be performed by it under the Indenture, and (v) 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 the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated by the Commission. |
(e) | Accountant’s Comfort Letter. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received from Deloitte & Touche LLP a letter dated such date, |
18
in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters, 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, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. |
(f) | Bring-down Comfort Letter. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have received from Deloitte & Touche LLP a letter, dated as of the Closing Time, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (e) 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. |
(g) | Maintenance of Rating. At the Closing Time, the Securities shall be rated at least “A2” by Xxxxx’x and “A-” by S&P, and the Company shall have delivered to the Representatives a letter dated the Closing Time, from each such rating agency, or other evidence satisfactory to the Representatives, confirming that the Securities have such ratings; and 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 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. |
(h) | Additional Documents. At the Closing Time, counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions (including but not limited to those referenced above) 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 reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters. |
(i) | 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 Representatives 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, 8 and 14 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect. |
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(j) | Certificate of Chief Financial Officer. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received from the Chief Financial Officer a certificate, dated as of such date, relating to specified financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives. |
SECTION 6. Indemnification.
(a) | Indemnification of Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and employees 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), 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 included in any preliminary prospectus, 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;
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), or any preliminary prospectus, Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto).
20
(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) 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) or any preliminary prospectus, 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) 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. In addition, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to, to the extent that it wishes, jointly with any other similarly notified indemnifying party, to assume the defense of any claim or action brought against an indemnified party with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. After notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the defense of such claim or action, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to the indemnified party under this Section 6 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation; provided, however, that the Representatives shall have the right to employ one counsel (in addition to local counsel) to represent them and those other Underwriters and their respective officers, employees and controlling persons who may be subject to liability arising out of any claim in respect of which indemnity may be sought by the Underwriters against the Company under this Section 6 if, in the reasonable judgment of the Representatives, either (i) there is an actual or potential conflict between the position of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand or (ii) there may be defenses available to it or them that are different from or additional to those available to the Company (in any of which events the Company shall not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the Representatives with respect to such different |
21
defenses), in any of which events such reasonable fees and expenses shall be borne by the Company. 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 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. |
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 such cover.
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
22
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.
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 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 Delivery. 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 any investigation made by or on behalf of any
Underwriter or controlling person, or by or on behalf of the Company, and shall survive delivery of
and payment for the Securities to the Underwriters.
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 the Closing Time (i) if there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information |
23
is given in the General Disclosure Package, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, 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, or any developments involving a prospective material adverse change 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 after the date hereof and prior to the Closing Time 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 reasonable judgment of the Representatives, impracticable to market the Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company or the Parent 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 the Nasdaq Global 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 National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or any other governmental authority, or (iv) 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 provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8 and 14 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect. |
SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters. If one or more of the
Underwriters shall fail at the Closing Time to purchase the Securities which it or they are
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 aggregate principal amount of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the aggregate principal amount of Securities to be purchased on such date, 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 |
24
(b) | if the aggregate principal amount of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the aggregate principal amount of Securities to be purchased on such date, 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 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 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 at:
Banc of America Securities LLC
00 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx
XX0-000-00-00
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: High Grade Transaction Management/Legal
00 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx
XX0-000-00-00
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: High Grade Transaction Management/Legal
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated
0 Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxx Xxxxxxx, Managing Director
0 Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxx Xxxxxxx, Managing Director
and notices to the Company shall be directed to it at 0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx,
00000, attention of Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, Vice President and Treasurer, or her successor.
SECTION 12. 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.
25
SECTION 13. No Fiduciary Duty. The Company hereby acknowledges that the Underwriters
will be acting pursuant to a contractual relationship on an arm’s length basis and in no event do
the parties intend that the Underwriters act or be responsible as a fiduciary to the Company, its
management, stockholders, creditors or any other person. The Company and the Underwriters each
hereby expressly disclaim any fiduciary relationship and agree they are each responsible for making
their own independent judgments with respect to any transactions entered into between them.
SECTION 14. GOVERNING LAW AND TIME. THIS AGREEMENT AND ALL DISPUTES, CONTROVERSIES OR
CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR A BREACH HEREOF SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND
CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH
HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.
SECTION 15. Effect of Headings. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table
of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
SECTION 16. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts
and, if executed in more than one counterpart, the executed counterparts shall constitute a single
instrument.
26
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and
return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts,
will become a binding agreement between the Underwriters and the Company in accordance with its
terms.
Very truly yours, WISCONSIN POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY |
||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx | |||
Title: | Vice President and Treasurer | |||
CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED, | ||||
as of the date first above written: | ||||
BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC | ||||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx
|
XXXXXXX XXXXX & CO.
XXXXXXX LYNCH, PIERCE, XXXXXX & XXXXX INCORPORATED
XXXXXXX LYNCH, PIERCE, XXXXXX & XXXXX INCORPORATED
By:
|
XXXXXXX LYNCH, PIERCE, XXXXXX & XXXXX INCORPORATED | |||
By:
|
/s/ W. Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx | |||
For themselves and as Representatives of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.
27
SCHEDULE A
Principal | ||||
amount of | ||||
Name of Underwriter | Securities | |||
Banc of America Securities LLC |
$ | 97,500,000 | ||
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated |
$ | 97,500,000 | ||
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. |
$ | 52,500,000 | ||
KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc. |
$ | 52,500,000 | ||
Total |
$ | 300,000,000 | ||
SCHEDULE B
ISSUER FREE WRITING PROSPECTUSES
Final Term Sheet, dated as of August 8, 2007
SCHEDULE C
WISCONSIN POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY
(a Wisconsin corporation)
(a Wisconsin corporation)
6.375% DEBENTURES DUE 2037
1. The initial public offering price of the Securities shall be 99.431% of the principal
amount thereof, plus accrued interest, if any, from the date of issuance.
2. The purchase price to be paid by the Underwriters for the Securities shall be 98.556% of
the principal amount thereof.
3. The interest rate on the Securities shall be 6.375% per annum.
4. The debentures will be redeemable as a whole or in part, at the Company’s option at any
time or from time to time, at a redemption price equal to the greater of (i) 100% of the principal
amount of such debentures and (ii) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled
payments of principal and interest thereon (exclusive of interest accrued to the date of
redemption) discounted to the redemption date on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360-day year
consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate plus 25 basis points, plus in each case
accrued interest to the date of redemption.
“Comparable Treasury Issue” means the United States Treasury security or securities selected
by an Independent Investment Banker as having an actual or interpolated maturity comparable to the
remaining term of the debentures to be redeemed that would be utilized, at the time of selection
and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt
securities of a comparable maturity to the remaining term of such debentures.
“Independent Investment Banker” means one of the Reference Treasury Dealers appointed by the
Trustee after consultation with us.
“Comparable Treasury Price” means, with respect to any redemption date, (A) the average of the
Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such redemption date, after excluding the highest and
lowest such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (B) if the Trustee obtains fewer than four
such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such quotations.
“Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer
and any redemption date, the average, as determined by the Trustee, of the bid and asked prices for
the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount)
quoted in writing to the Trustee by the Reference Treasury Dealers at 3:30 p.m. New York time on
the third business day preceding such redemption date.
“Reference Treasury Dealer” means each of Banc of America Securities LLC, Xxxxxxx Lynch,
Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. or their affiliates which are
primary U.S. Government securities dealers, and one additional primary U.S. Government securities
dealer located in The City of New York (a “Primary Treasury Dealer”)
selected by us, and their respective successors; provided, however, that if any of the
foregoing or their affiliates shall cease to be Primary Treasury Dealer, the Company shall
substitute therefor another Primary Treasury Dealer.
“Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any redemption date, the rate per annum equal to the
semiannual equivalent yield to maturity or interpolated (on a day count basis) of the Comparable
Treasury Issue, assuming a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of
its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such redemption date.
SCHEDULE D
WISCONSIN POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY
Final Term Sheet
Dated August 8, 2007
Final Term Sheet
Dated August 8, 2007
Issuer:
|
Wisconsin Power and Light Company | |
Size:
|
$300,000,000 | |
Security Type:
|
Debentures | |
Maturity Date:
|
August 15, 2037 | |
Coupon:
|
6.375% | |
Price to Public
|
99.431% | |
Yield to Maturity:
|
6.418% | |
Benchmark Treasury:
|
4.50% due February 15, 2036 | |
Benchmark Treasury Yield:
|
5.043% | |
Spread to Benchmark Treasury:
|
137.50 bps | |
Optional Redemption — Reinvestment
Rate:
|
25 bps | |
Trade Date:
|
August 8, 2007 | |
Settlement Date:
|
August 15, 2007 (T+5) | |
CUSIP:
|
976826 BE6 | |
Underwriters:
|
Joint Book-running Managers | |
Banc of America Securities LLC | ||
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated |
||
Co-Managers | ||
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. | ||
KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc. |
The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the SEC for the
offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in
that registration statement and other documents that the issuer has filed with the SEC for more
complete information about the issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by
visiting XXXXX on the SEC Web site at xxx.xxx.xxx. Alternatively, you may request a copy of these
documents from Banc of America Securities LLC by calling 1-800-294-1322 or emailing
xx.xxxxxxxxxx_xxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx or from Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx
Incorporated by calling 0-000-000-0000.
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF OPINION OF XXXXX & LARDNER
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 5(b)
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 5(b)
The Company is validly existing as a corporation under the laws of the State of Wisconsin.
The Company 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 the Purchase Agreement.
The Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good
standing in each domestic 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.
The shares of issued and outstanding common stock of the Company have been duly authorized and
validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; and, to the best of our knowledge, none of
the outstanding shares of common stock of the Company were issued in violation of preemptive or
other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.
WPL Transco LLC is the only “significant subsidiary” of the Company (as such term is defined
in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X). WPL Transco LLC is validly existing as a limited liability
company under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has limited liability company
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
limited liability company 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.
The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to execute and deliver the
Purchase Agreement and to perform its obligations thereunder. The Purchase Agreement has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and (assuming
the due authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the Trustee) constitutes a valid and
binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms,
except (A) as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without
limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar laws
affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (B) 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 (C) as enforcement of certain
provisions thereof (specifically, provisions prohibiting waivers or modifications by conduct of the
parties or requiring waivers and modifications to be in writing, obligations to pay attorneys’ fees
and other costs and expenses that are not reasonable, and rights to indemnification against the
consequences of a party’s own misconduct or to the extent deemed to be against public policy) may
be limited under the laws of the State of Wisconsin, but the inclusion of such provisions does not
affect the validity of the Indenture, and the Indenture contains legally adequate provisions for
the realization of the principal legal rights and benefits offered thereby.
The Securities are in the form contemplated by the Indenture, have been duly authorized by the
Company and, when executed by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee in the manner provided
in the Indenture (assuming due authorization, execution and delivery of the Indenture by the
Trustee), and issued and delivered against payment of the purchase price therefor will constitute
valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with
their terms, except (A) as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency
(including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization,
moratorium or similar laws affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (B) 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 (C) as enforcement of certain provisions thereof
(specifically, provisions prohibiting waivers or modifications by conduct of the parties or
requiring waivers and modifications to be in writing, obligations to pay attorneys’ fees and other
costs and expenses that are not reasonable, and rights to indemnification against the consequences
of a party’s own misconduct or to the extent deemed to be against public policy) may be limited
under the laws of the State of Wisconsin, but the inclusion of such provisions does not affect the
validity of the Securities, and the Securities contain legally adequate provisions for the
realization of the principal legal rights and benefits offered thereby, and will be entitled to the
benefits of the Indenture.
The Indenture has been duly qualified under the 1939 Act.
The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, has been
declared effective under the 1933 Act; any required filing of any preliminary prospectus and the
Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) has been made in the manner and within the time period required
by Rule 424(b); any required filing of any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus pursuant to Rule 433 has
been made in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 433; and, to the best of our
knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule
462(b) 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.
The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, the Prospectus,
excluding the documents incorporated by reference therein, and each amendment or supplement to the
Registration Statement and Prospectus, as of their respective effective or issue dates (other than
the financial statements, statistical data and supporting schedules included therein or omitted
therefrom, 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.
2
The documents incorporated by reference in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus
(other than the financial statements and supporting schedules included therein or omitted
therefrom, as to which we need express no opinion), when they were filed with the Commission
complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules
and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
The Securities and the Indenture conform as to legal matters in all material respects to the
descriptions thereof contained in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
To the best of our knowledge, other than as set forth in the General Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus, there is not pending or threatened any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or
investigation, to which the Company or any subsidiary thereof is a party, or to which the property
of the Company or any subsidiary thereof is subject, before or brought by any court or governmental
agency or body, which might reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which
might reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the properties or assets thereof or
the consummation of the transactions contemplated in the Purchase Agreement or the performance by
the Company of its obligations thereunder.
The information in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus under “Description of the
Debentures” 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 or legal proceedings, or legal
conclusions, has been reviewed by us and is correct in all material respects.
All descriptions in the Registration Statement and the General Disclosure Package of
franchises, contracts, indentures, mortgages, loan agreements, notes, leases or other instruments
to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries are a party, to the extent that they describe legal
matters, are accurate in all material respects; and to the best of our knowledge, there are no such
documents required to be described or referred to in the Registration Statement or the General
Disclosure Package or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement other than those
described or referred to therein or filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits thereto.
To the best of our knowledge, the Company is not in violation of its charter or by-laws and no
default by the Company exists in the due performance or observance of any material obligation,
agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, loan agreement,
note, lease or other agreement or instrument that is described or referred to in the Registration
Statement, the General Disclosure Package or Prospectus or filed or incorporated by reference as an
exhibit to the Registration Statement.
No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration,
qualification or decree of, any U.S., Wisconsin or New York court or governmental authority or
agency (other than such as have already been obtained and such as may be required under the
applicable securities laws of the various jurisdictions in which the Securities will be offered or
sold and the 2005 Act (solely with respect to filings required to be made with the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission pursuant to activities previously authorized by the Securities and Exchange
Commission and grandfathered under the 2005 Act by 18 C.F.R s. 366.6(b) subsequent to the Closing
Time) and the PSCW (solely with respect to filings required to be made with the PSCW subsequent to
the Closing Time), as to which we need express no opinion)
3
is necessary or required in connection with the due authorization, execution and delivery of
the Purchase Agreement or the Indenture by the Company or for the offering, issuance, sale or
delivery of the Securities.
The execution, delivery and performance of the Purchase Agreement, the DTC Agreement, the
Indenture and the Securities and the consummation of the transactions contemplated in the Purchase
Agreement 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 under the caption “Use Of Proceeds”) and compliance by the Company with its obligations
under the Purchase Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities do not and will not, whether with or
without the giving of notice or lapse of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or
default or Repayment Event (as defined in Section 1(a)(xiii) of the Purchase Agreement) under or
result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets
of the Company pursuant to those agreements set forth on Schedule A hereto (except for such
conflicts, breaches or defaults or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not have a Material
Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or
by-laws, or similar organizational documents, of the Company, or any applicable law, statute, rule,
regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree, known to us, of any U.S., Wisconsin or New York
government, government instrumentality or court, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its
properties, assets or operations.
The Company is not an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment
company,” as such terms are defined in the 1940 Act.
Nothing has come to our attention that would lead us to believe that the Registration
Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto (except for financial statements and schedules and
other financial or statistical data included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted
therefrom, as to which we need make no statement), at each time such 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 or that the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (except for financial
statements and schedules and other financial or statistical data included or incorporated by
reference therein or omitted therefrom, as to which we need make no statement), as of the date of
the Prospectus, as of the date of any such amended or supplemented prospectus 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 the 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 (except for financial statements and
schedules and other financial or statistical data included or incorporated by reference therein or
omitted therefrom, as to which we need express 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.
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In rendering this opinion, we relied as to matters of fact (but not as to legal conclusions), to
the extent we deemed proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and public
officials.
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SCHEDULE A TO THE FORM OF OPINION OF XXXXX & XXXXXXX
1. | Second Amended and Restated Five Year Credit Agreement, dated Nov. 7, 2006, among WPL and the Banks set forth therein |
2. | Indenture, dated as of June 20, 1997, between WPL and U.S. Bank, as Trustee, relating to debt securities |
3. | Officers’ Certificate, dated as of June 25, 1997, creating WPL’s 7% debentures due June 15, 2007 |
4. | Officers’ Certificate, dated as of Oct. 27, 1998, creating WPL’s 5.7% debentures due Oct. 15, 2008 |
5. | Officers’ Certificate, dated as of March 1, 2000, creating WPL’s 7-5/8% debentures due March 1, 2010 |
6. | Officers’ Certificate, dated as of July 28, 2004, creating WPL’s 6.25% debentures due July 31, 2034 |
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