Shares CONSECO, INC. COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE $0.01 PER SHARE UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Exhibit 1.1
Shares
CONSECO, INC.
COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE $0.01 PER SHARE
, 2009
, 2009
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
As Representative of the Several
Underwriters listed in Schedule I hereto
c/o Morgan Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
0000 Xxxxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
As Representative of the Several
Underwriters listed in Schedule I hereto
c/o Morgan Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
0000 Xxxxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Conseco, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the
several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”), an aggregate of
shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the “Firm
Shares”).
The Company also proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters not more than an
additional shares of its common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Additional
Shares”), if and to the extent that you, as Representative of the Underwriters (the
“Representative”), shall have determined to exercise, on behalf of the Underwriters, the right to
purchase such Additional Shares in accordance with Section 2 hereof. The Firm Shares and the
Additional Shares are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Shares.” The shares of common
stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sales
contemplated hereby are hereinafter referred to as the “Common Stock.”
The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a
registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-163204), including a prospectus, relating to the
Shares. The registration statement as amended at the time it became effective, including the
information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness
pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), is
hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement”; the prospectus in the form first used to
confirm sales of Shares (or in the form first made available to the Underwriters by the Company to
meet requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) is hereinafter referred
to as the “Prospectus.” If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement to register
additional shares of Common Stock pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462
Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be
deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement.
For purposes of this Agreement, “free writing prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Rule
405 under the Securities Act, “Time of Sale
Prospectus” means the preliminary prospectus together with the free writing prospectuses, if
any, each identified in Schedule II hereto, and “broadly available road show” means a “bona fide
electronic road show” as defined in Rule 433(h)(5) under the Securities Act that has been made
available without restriction to any person. As used herein, the terms “Registration Statement,”
“preliminary prospectus,” “Time of Sale Prospectus” and “Prospectus” shall include the documents,
if any, incorporated by reference therein.
1. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to and
agrees with each of the Underwriters that:
(a) The Registration Statement has become effective; no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose are
pending before or threatened by the Commission.
(b) (i) Each document, if any, filed pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the “Exchange Act”) and incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the
Prospectus complied when so filed in all material respects with the Exchange Act and the applicable
rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, (ii) the Registration Statement, when it became
effective, did not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (iii) the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus comply and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will comply in all material
respects with the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder, (iv) the Time of Sale Prospectus does not, and at the time of each sale of the Shares
in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers
and at the Closing Date (as defined in Section 4), the Time of Sale Prospectus, as then amended or
supplemented by the Company, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (v) each broadly available road show, if
any, when considered together with the Time of Sale Prospectus, does not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (vi) the
Prospectus does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading,
except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do not apply to
statements or omissions in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the broadly
available road show or the Prospectus based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished
to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein; provided that
the parties agree that the only information provided
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by Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx to the Company for inclusion in the Registration Statement, any preliminary
prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus or the Prospectus or
any amendment or supplement thereto is set forth in Section 9(b).
(c) The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” in connection with the offering pursuant to
Rules 164, 405 and 433 under the Securities Act. Any free writing prospectus that the Company is
required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with
the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules
and regulations of the Commission thereunder. Each free writing prospectus that the Company has
filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was
prepared by or on behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply in all
material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder. Except for the free writing prospectuses, if any,
identified in Schedule II hereto, and electronic road shows, if any, each furnished to you before
first use, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without your prior
consent, prepare, use or refer to, any free writing prospectus.
(d) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained since the date of the latest
audited financial statements included in the Time of Sale Prospectus any loss or interference with
its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or
from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, except to the extent that
any such loss or interference would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse
effect on the current or future business, consolidated financial position, stockholders’ equity or
results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse
Effect”), or otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus; and, since
the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Time of
Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, there has not been any material change in the capital stock or
long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any material adverse change, or any
development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the general affairs,
management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and
its subsidiaries taken as a whole, in each case otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the
Time of Sale Prospectus.
(e) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good
standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with power and authority (corporate and other) to
own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus, and has
been duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good
standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or
conducts any business so as to require such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to
be so qualified or in good standing in any such jurisdiction would
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not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and each subsidiary of
the Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing
under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation, has the corporate power and authority to own
its property and to conduct its business as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and is duly
qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of
its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the
extent that the failure to be in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a
Material Adverse Effect.
(f) The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real
property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them, in each case free
and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as are described in the Time of Sale
Prospectus or such as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect;
and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held
by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as would not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(g) The Company has full corporate power and authority to take, and has duly taken, all
necessary action (corporate and otherwise) to authorize the issuance and sale of Shares
contemplated herein.
(h) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(i) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus
and as will be set forth in the Prospectus under the caption “Description of Capital Stock”, and
all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and
issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and conform in all material respects to the description
of the capital stock contained in the Time of Sale Prospectus and as will be contained in the
Prospectus under the caption “Description of Capital Stock”; all of the issued shares of capital
stock of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully
paid and non-assessable and are owned directly by the Company, free and clear of all liens,
encumbrances, equities or claims, except for liens, encumbrances, equities or claims that exist
pursuant to the Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of October 10, 2006 among the
Company, Bank of America, N.A., as Agent, X.X. Xxxxxx Chase Bank, N.A., as Syndication Agent, and
the other parties thereto, as amended by Amendment No. 1 thereto dated as of June 12, 2007 and
Amendment No. 2 thereto dated as of March 30, 2009 (the “Credit Agreement”); and, except as
disclosed in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, no options, warrants or other rights
to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue or other rights to convert any obligations
into or exchange any securities for shares of capital stock of or ownership interests in the
Company’s subsidiaries are outstanding.
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(j) The Shares to be sold by the Company have been duly authorized and, when issued and
delivered in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable, and the issuance of such Shares will not be subject to any preemptive or similar
rights, except as provided in the Investor Rights Agreement dated as of November 13, 2009 (the
“Investor Rights Agreement”) between the Company and Xxxxxxx & Co. Inc.
(k) None of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including, without limitation,
the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares) will violate or result in a violation of
Section 7 of the Exchange Act, or any regulation promulgated thereunder, including, without
limitation, Regulations G, T, U, and X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
(l) Prior to the date hereof, neither the Company nor any of its affiliates has taken any
action which is designed to or which has constituted or which might have been expected to cause or
result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company in connection
with the offering of the Shares.
(m) The issue and sale of the Shares by the Company and the compliance by the Company with all
of the provisions of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein
and in the Time of Sale Prospectus will not (i) result in any violation of any provisions of the
certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Company; (ii) conflict with or result in a breach or
violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or
any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or
to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject; or
(iii) result in any violation of the provisions of any statute or any order, rule or regulation of
any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its
subsidiaries or any of their properties, except, with respect to clauses (ii) and (iii), for such
conflicts, breaches, violations, or defaults which would not, individually or in the aggregate,
have a Material Adverse Effect; and no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or
qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issuance
of the Shares or the consummation by the Company of the offer and sale contemplated herein, except
for such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required
under state securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale
of the Shares and for such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, registrations, or
qualifications the absence of which would not have a Material Adverse Effect or would not
materially impede the ability of the Company to consummate the offering contemplated herein or
perform its obligations under this Agreement.
(n) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its certificate or
articles of incorporation or by-laws or (ii) in default in the performance or observance of any
obligation, agreement, covenant or condition
5
contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement
or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound, except,
with respect to clause (ii), for such defaults that would not, individually or in the aggregate,
have a Material Adverse Effect.
(o) The statements set forth under the captions “Description of Capital Stock” in the Time of
Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of
the Shares, under the captions “Certain United States Federal Income and Estate Tax Considerations”
and “Underwriting” in the Time of Sale Prospectus, insofar as they purport to describe the
provisions of the federal laws of the United States and documents referred to therein, in “Part I —
Item 1 — Business of Conseco — Governmental Regulation” of the Company’s most recent annual report
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008 incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale
Prospectus, and in “Part I — Item 3 — Legal Proceedings” of the Company’s most recent annual report
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, and in “Part II — Item 1 — Legal Proceedings” of
the quarterly reports on Form 10-Q for the periods ended March 31, 2009, June 30, 2009 and
September 30, 2009 incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, are
accurate and complete in all material respects.
(p) Other than as set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental
proceedings pending to which the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any of its directors, officers
or employees is a party or of which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the
subject which could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material
Adverse Effect, or a material adverse effect on the power or ability of the Company to perform its
obligations under this Agreement, or to consummate the offer of Shares contemplated herein; and to
the Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental
authorities or threatened by others.
(q) Each preliminary prospectus relating to the shares 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 Securities Act, complied when so filed in all material respects with the Securities Act
and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(r) The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the
application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus will not be, required to
register as an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940,
as amended.
(s) The financial statements included in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus
present fairly the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the
dates shown and their results of operations and cash flows for the periods shown, and such
financial statements have been prepared in conformity with the generally accepted accounting
principles in the
6
United States applied on a consistent basis; and any schedules included in the Time of Sale
Prospectus and the Prospectus present fairly the information required to be stated therein.
(t) The Company and its subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable
foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health
and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants
(“Environmental Laws”), (ii) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of
them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) are in
compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except where such
noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other
approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals
would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(u) There are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws (including, without
limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or
compliance with Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on
operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties) which would individually or in
the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(v) There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person
granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the
Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company or to require the Company to include
such securities with the Shares registered pursuant to the Registration Statement, except as
provided in the Investor Rights Agreement.
(w) No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any subsidiary exists or, to the
knowledge of the Company, is imminent that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(x) The Company and its subsidiaries own, possess or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate
trademarks, trade names and other rights to inventions, know-how, patents, copyrights, confidential
information and other intellectual property (collectively, “Intellectual Property Rights”)
necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, or presently employed by them, and have not
received any notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to
any Intellectual Property Rights that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect.
(y) The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls
sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with
management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to
permit preparation of
7
financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to
maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with
management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is
compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with
respect to any differences. The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term
is defined in Rule 13a-14 under the Exchange Act) that are effective in ensuring that information
required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange
Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the rules
and forms of the Commission, including, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to
ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or
submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management,
including its principal executive officer or officers and its principal financial officer or
officers, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
(z) Except as disclosed in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, since the end of
the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, the Company is not aware of any material weakness or
significant deficiency in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not
remediated).
(aa) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries that is required to be organized or licensed as
an insurance company in its jurisdiction of incorporation (each an “Insurance Subsidiary” or
collectively “Insurance Subsidiaries”) has all necessary consents, licenses, authorizations,
approvals, exemptions, orders, certificates and permits (collectively, the “Consents”) of and from,
and has made all filings and declarations (collectively, the “Filings”) with, all insurance
regulatory authorities, all federal, state, local and other governmental authorities, all
self-regulatory organizations and all courts and other tribunals, necessary to own, lease, license
and use its properties and assets and to conduct its business in the manner described in the Time
of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, and has paid all fees and assessments due and payable in
connection therewith, except where the failure to have such Consents or to make such Filings or
payments would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; as of their
respective dates, such Consents and Filings complied in all material respects with all the laws,
rules and regulations of the applicable regulatory authority with which they were filed, except
where the failure to so comply would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse
Effect, and are, as of the date hereof, in full force and effect; the Company and its Insurance
Subsidiaries are in compliance with such Consents and neither the Company nor any of its Insurance
Subsidiaries has received any notice of any inquiry, investigation or proceeding that would
reasonably be expected to result in the suspension, revocation or limitation of any such Consent or
otherwise impose any limitation on the conduct of the business of the Company or any of its
respective Insurance Subsidiaries, except as set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the
Prospectus or except as any such failure to be in full force and effect, failure to be in
8
compliance with, suspension, revocation or limitation would not, individually or in the
aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; to the Company’s knowledge, no insurance regulatory
agency or body has issued, or commenced any proceeding for the issuance of, any order or decree
impairing, restricting or prohibiting the payment of dividends by any Insurance Subsidiary to its
parent (other than with respect to profits derived from Washington National Insurance Company’s
Florida Home Health Care policies); to the Company’s knowledge, each of the Company and its
Insurance Subsidiaries is in compliance with, and conducts its businesses in conformity with, all
applicable insurance laws and regulations, except where the failure to so comply or conform would
not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; except for statutory or
regulatory restrictions of general application to life and health insurance companies, no
governmental authority has placed any material restriction on the business or properties of the
Company or any Insurance Subsidiary.
(bb) All reinsurance contracts, agreements or other arrangements to which the Company is a
party are in full force and effect, and the Company is not in violation of, or in default in the
performance, observance or fulfillment of, any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition
contained therein, except to the extent that any such violation or default would not have a
Material Adverse Effect; the Company has not received any notice from any of the other parties to
such contracts, agreements or other arrangements that such other party intends not to perform in
any material respect such contracts, agreements or other arrangements, and, to the best of its
knowledge, the Company has no reason to believe that any of the other parties to such contracts,
agreements or other arrangements will be unable or unwilling to perform such contracts, agreements
or other arrangements.
(cc) The 2008 statutory annual statements of each Insurance Subsidiary and the statutory
balance sheets and income statements included in such statutory annual statements together with
related schedules and notes have been prepared, in all material respects, in conformity with
statutory accounting principles and practices (“SAP”) required or permitted by the appropriate
insurance regulator of the jurisdiction of domicile of each such Insurance Subsidiary, and such SAP
have been applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved, except as may otherwise be
indicated therein or in the notes thereto, and present fairly, in all material respects, the
statutory financial position of such Insurance Subsidiaries as of the dates thereof, and the
statutory basis results of operations of such Insurance Subsidiaries for the periods covered
thereby.
(dd) The balance sheets of the Insurance Subsidiaries at dates after December 31, 2008, and
the related statements of income, surplus and cash flows, which have been filed with the applicable
insurance regulatory authorities (the “2009 Quarterly SAP Statements”, and together with the 2008
statutory annual statements of each Insurance Subsidiary described above, the “SAP Statements”),
copies of which have been made available to the Underwriters by the Company, have been prepared in
accordance with SAP applied on a consistent
9
basis and present fairly in all material respects the applicable Insurance Subsidiaries’
respective statutory financial conditions as of such dates and the results of their respective
operations and cash flows.
(ee) The aggregate reserves of the Insurance Subsidiaries as recorded in the Company SAP
Statements have been determined in all material respects in accordance with generally accepted
actuarial principles consistently applied (except as set forth therein). All reserves of the
Insurance Subsidiaries set forth in the SAP Statements are fairly stated in accordance with sound
actuarial principles and meet the requirements of all applicable insurance laws including the
applicable SAP, except where failure to so state reserves or meet such requirements, individually
or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(ff) Each Insurance Subsidiary (i) is in compliance with all applicable insurance regulatory
minimum capital or surplus requirements; (ii) has not become subject to any “Company Action Level”
pursuant to applicable risk-based capital guidelines, and has not received notice of any pending
action that would result in its becoming so subject; (iii) has not taken any steps towards
commencing, and has not received notice of any actions taken by the relevant regulatory authorities
to commence, any rehabilitation, delinquency or insolvency proceedings under applicable insurance
laws in any state or foreign jurisdiction; and (iv) has assets that exceed its respective total
reserves, all as computed in accordance with the applicable SAP applied consistently with past
practice.
(gg) The Company and the subsidiaries have filed all Federal, State, local and foreign tax
returns which have been required to be filed and have paid all taxes indicated by such returns and
all assessments received by them or any of them to the extent that such taxes have become due
(other than any such taxes which are currently being contested in good faith), except to the extent
that any failure to so file or pay would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect; all tax liabilities have been adequately provided for in the consolidated financial
statements of the Company described above, and the Company does not know of any actual or proposed
additional material tax assessments applicable to it.
(hh) Except as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the
Company and each subsidiary are in compliance with all presently applicable provisions of the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and
published interpretations thereunder (“ERISA”); no “reportable event” (as defined in ERISA) has
occurred with respect to any “pension plan” (as defined in ERISA) for which the Company or any
subsidiary would have any liability; neither the Company nor any subsidiary has incurred or expects
to incur any liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal
from, any “pension plan” or (ii) Sections 412 or 4971 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the “Code”); and each
“pension plan” for which the Company or any subsidiary would have
10
any liability that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so
qualified in all material respects and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to
act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.
(ii) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, nor any director, officer,
or employee, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any agent or representative of the Company or of any
of its subsidiaries or affiliates, has taken or will take any action in furtherance of an offer,
payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment or giving of money, property,
gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any “government official” (including
any officer or employee of a government or government-owned or controlled entity or of a public
international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of
the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office) to
influence official action or secure an improper advantage; and the Company and its subsidiaries and
affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws and
have instituted and maintain and will continue to maintain policies and procedures designed to
promote and achieve compliance with such laws and with the representation and warranty contained
herein.
(jj) The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all
times in material compliance with all applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting
requirements, including those of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and
Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism
Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), and the applicable anti-money laundering statutes of jurisdictions
where the Company and its subsidiaries conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and
any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any
governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or
proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator
involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is
pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(kk) (i) The Company, represents that neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries
(collectively, the “Entity”) or, to the knowledge of the Entity, any director, officer, employee,
agent, affiliate or representative of the Entity, is an individual or entity (“Person”) that is, or
is owned or controlled by a Person that is:
(A) the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department
of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the United Nations Security Council,
the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority
(collectively, “Sanctions”), nor
11
(B) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject
of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Burma/Myanmar, Cuba, Iran, North Korea,
Sudan and Syria).
(ii) The Entity represents and covenants that it will not, directly or indirectly, use the
proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any
subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person:
(A) to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person or in
any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the
subject of Sanctions; or
(B) in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person
(including any Person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor,
investor or otherwise).
(iii) The Entity represents and covenants that, for the past three years, it has not knowingly
engaged in, is not now knowingly engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions
with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is
or was the subject of Sanctions.
2. Agreements to Sell and Purchase. The Company hereby agrees to sell to the several
Underwriters, and each Underwriter, upon the basis of the representations and warranties herein
contained, but subject to the conditions hereinafter stated, agrees, severally and not jointly, to
purchase from the Company the respective number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto
opposite the name of such Underwriter (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares
as you may determine), at $___ a share (the “Purchase Price”).
On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, and subject to
its terms and conditions, the Company agrees to sell to the Underwriters the Additional Shares, and
the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to of
the Additional Shares at the Purchase Price. You may exercise this right in whole or from time to
time in part by giving written notice not later than 30 days after the date of this Agreement. Any
exercise notice shall specify the number of Additional Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters
and the date on which such shares are to be purchased. Each purchase date must be at least one
business day after the written notice is given and may not be earlier than the closing date for the
Firm Shares nor later than ten business days after the date of such notice. Additional Shares may
be purchased as provided in Section 4 hereof solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments
made in connection with the offering of the Firm Shares. On each day, if any, that Additional
Shares are to be purchased (an “Option Closing Date”), each Underwriter agrees, severally and not
jointly, to purchase the number of Additional Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate
fractional shares as you may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of
Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date as the
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number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter
bears to the total number of Firm Shares.
3. Terms of Public Offering. The Company is advised by you that the Underwriters propose to
make a public offering of their respective portions of the Shares as soon after the Registration
Statement and this Agreement have become effective as in your judgment is advisable. The Company
is further advised by you that the Shares are to be offered to the public initially at $___ a share
(the “Public Offering Price”) and to certain dealers selected by you at a price that represents a
concession not in excess of $___ a share under the Public Offering Price, and that any Underwriter
may allow, and such dealers may reallow, a concession, not in excess of $___ a share, to any
Underwriter or to certain other dealers.
4. Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Firm Shares sold by the Company shall be made to the
Company in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such
Firm Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City
time, on , 2009, or at such other time on the same or such other date, not later than
, 2009, as shall be designated in writing by you. The time and date of such payment are
hereinafter referred to as the “Closing Date.”
Payment for any Additional Shares shall be made to the Company in Federal or other funds
immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Additional Shares for the
respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date
specified in the corresponding notice described in Section 2 or at such other time on the same or
on such other date, in any event not later than , 200[9], as shall be designated in writing
by you.
The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be registered in such names and in such
denominations as you shall request in writing not later than one full business day prior to the
Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be. The Firm Shares and
Additional Shares shall be delivered to you on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the
case may be, for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, with any transfer taxes
payable in connection with the transfer of the Shares to the Underwriters duly paid, against
payment of the Purchase Price therefor.
5. Conditions to the Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligation of the Company to sell the
Shares to the Underwriters and the several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for
the Shares on the Closing Date are subject to the condition that the Registration Statement shall
have become effective not later than [10:00 am] (New York City time) on the date hereof.
The several obligations of the Underwriters are subject to the following further conditions:
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(a) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date:
(i) there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been
given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change that
does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating accorded the Company
or any of the securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or in the rating
outlook for the Company by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as
such term is defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act; and
(ii) there shall not have occurred any change, or any development involving a
prospective change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business
or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth
in the Time of Sale Prospectus as of the date of this Agreement that, in your judgment, is
material and adverse and that makes it, in your judgment, impracticable to market the
Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus.
(b) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate, dated the Closing
Date and signed by an executive officer of the Company, to the effect set forth in Section 5(a)(i)
above and to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this
Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date and that the Company has complied with all of
the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied
hereunder on or before the Closing Date.
The officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon the best of his or her
knowledge as to proceedings threatened.
(c) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx &
Xxxxxxxx, LLP, outside counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, substantially to the effect
set forth in Exhibit A.
(d) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a negative assurance letter from
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx, LLP, outside counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date,
substantially to the effect set forth in Exhibit B.
(e) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Xxxx X. Xxxxxx,
Secretary of the Company, dated the Closing Date, substantially to the effect set forth in Exhibit
C.
(f) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Xxxxx Xxxx &
Xxxxxxxx LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date, satisfactory to the
Underwriters.
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The opinion of Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx, LLP, described in Section 5(c) above shall be
rendered to the Underwriters at the request of the Company, and shall so state therein.
(g) The Underwriters shall have received, on each of the date hereof and the Closing Date, a
letter dated the date hereof or the Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance
satisfactory to you and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent
registered public accountants, containing
statements and information of the type included in
accountants’ comfort letters prepared in accordance
with AU Section 634, Letters for Underwriters and Certain Other
Requesting Parties to
underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained
in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; provided that the
letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than the date hereof.
(h) The “lock-up” agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit D and Exhibit E
hereto, between you and certain shareholders, officers and directors of the Company, whose names
are set forth on Schedule III hereto, relating to sales and certain other dispositions of shares of
Common Stock or certain other securities, delivered to you on or before the date hereof, shall be
in full force and effect on the Closing Date.
The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase Additional Shares hereunder is subject
to the delivery to you on the applicable Option Closing Date of such documents as you may
reasonably request with respect to the good standing of the Company, the due authorization and
issuance of the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date and other matters related
to the issuance of such Additional Shares.
6. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with the Underwriters as follows:
(a) To furnish to the Underwriters, without charge, two conformed copies of the Registration
Statement (including exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference) and to furnish to
the Underwriters in New York City, without charge, prior to 10:00 a.m. New York City time on the
business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and during the period mentioned in Section
6(e) or 6(f) below, as many copies of the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, any documents
incorporated by reference therein and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the Registration
Statement as the Underwriters may reasonably request.
15
(b) Before amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus
or the Prospectus, to furnish to you a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement and not
to file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably object, and to file with
the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any
prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.
(c) To furnish to you a copy of each proposed free writing prospectus to be prepared by or on
behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and not to use or refer to any proposed free
writing prospectus to which you reasonably object.
(d) Not to take any action that would result in an Underwriter or the Company being required
to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing
prospectus prepared by or on behalf of an Underwriter that an Underwriter otherwise would not have
been required to file thereunder.
(e) If the Time of Sale Prospectus is being used to solicit offers to buy the Shares at a time
when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and any event shall occur or
condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale
Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, not
misleading, or if any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which the Time of Sale
Prospectus conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement then on file, or
if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time
of Sale Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission
and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to any dealer upon request, either
amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Prospectus so that the statements in the Time of Sale
Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when it is
delivered to a prospective purchaser, be misleading or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as
amended or supplemented, will no longer conflict with the Registration Statement, or so that the
Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.
(f) If, during such period after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the
opinion of counsel for the Underwriters the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to
in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales
by an Underwriter or any dealer, any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it
is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule
173(a) of the Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the opinion of
counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with
applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to
the Underwriters and to the dealers (whose names and addresses you will furnish to
16
the Company) to which Shares may have been sold by you on behalf of the Underwriters and to
any other dealers upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the
statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the
circumstances when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the
Securities Act) is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or
supplemented, will comply with applicable law.
(g) To endeavor to qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws
of such jurisdictions as you shall reasonably request.
(h) To make generally available to the Company’s security holders and to you as soon as
practicable an earning statement covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the
first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the date of this Agreement which shall satisfy
the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder.
The Company hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx, it will
not, during the period ending 90 days after the date of the Prospectus, (i) 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, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly
or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock beneficially owned (as such term is used in Rule 13d-3 of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) or any other securities so
owned convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or (ii) enter into any swap
or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic
consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (i)
or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or
otherwise or (iii) file any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of
any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for
Common Stock.
The restrictions contained in the preceding paragraph shall not apply to (i) the Shares to be
sold hereunder, (ii) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of an
option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof of which the
Underwriters have been advised in writing, (iii) grants by the Company of employee stock options or
other equity-based compensation pursuant to the terms of a plan in effect on the date of this
Agreement, or (iv) the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange
Act for the transfer of shares of Common Stock, provided that such plan does not provide for the
transfer of Common Stock during the 90-day restricted period.
17
The Company will issue stop transfer instructions to the transfer agent for its common stock
with respect to any transaction or contemplated transaction that would constitute a breach or
default under any applicable “lock-up” agreement.
7. Expenses. Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are consummated
or this Agreement is terminated, the Company agrees to pay or cause to be paid all expenses
incident to the performance of their obligations under this Agreement, including: i) the fees,
disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and the Company’s accountants in connection
with the registration and delivery of the Shares under the Securities Act and all other fees or
expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, any
preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, any free writing prospectus
prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and amendments and supplements
to any of the foregoing, including all printing costs associated therewith, and the mailing and
delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers, in the quantities hereinabove
specified, ii) all costs and expenses related to the transfer and delivery of the Shares to the
Underwriters, including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon, iii) the cost of printing or
producing any Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum in connection with the offer and sale of the
Shares under state securities laws and all expenses in connection with the qualification of the
Shares for offer and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 6(g) hereof, including
filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection
with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum, iv) all
filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters incurred in
connection with the review and qualification of the offering of the Shares by the Financial
Industry Regulatory Authority, v) all costs and expenses incident to listing the Shares on the New
York Stock Exchange, vi) the cost of printing certificates representing the Shares, vii) the costs
and charges of any transfer agent, registrar or depositary, viii) the costs and expenses of the
Company relating to investor presentations on any road show undertaken in connection with the
marketing of the offering of the Shares, including, without limitation, expenses associated with
the preparation or dissemination of any electronic “road show,” expenses associated with the
production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in
connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and
lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and
the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show, ix) the document production
charges and expenses associated with printing this Agreement and x) all other costs and expenses
incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder for which provision is not
otherwise made in this Section. It is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section,
Section 9 entitled “Indemnity and Contribution” and the last paragraph of Section 11 below, the
Underwriters will pay all of their costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of their
counsel, stock transfer taxes payable on resale of any of the Shares by them.
18
8. Covenants of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, covenants with
the Company not to take any action that would result in the Company being required to file with the
Commission under Rule 433(d) a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of any such
Underwriter that otherwise would not be required to be filed by the Company thereunder, but for the
action of such Underwriter.
9. Indemnity and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each
Underwriter, each person, if any, who controls each Underwriter within the meaning of either
Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of any
Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act from and against any and all
losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim) that
are (i) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in
the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, or caused by any omission or alleged omission
to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, and (ii) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free
writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act, any road show, any Company
information that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the
Securities Act, or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or caused by any omission
or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are caused by any such
untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission based upon information
relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by you expressly for use therein,
provided that the parties agree that the only information provided by such Underwriter through you
to the Company for inclusion in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of
Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or
supplement thereto is set forth in Section 9(b).
(b) Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the
Company, the directors of the Company, the officers of the Company who sign the Registration
Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either Section 15
of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity in
Section 9(a) from the Company to such Underwriter, but only with reference to information relating
to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly
for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any
road show, any issuer free writing prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement
thereto. The Company hereby acknowledges that the only information that the
19
Underwriters have furnished to the Company expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any
preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any road show, any issuer free writing
prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto are the statements set forth in
the [___][th][st] paragraph[s] under the caption “Underwriting” in the preliminary prospectus, the
Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.
(c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted
involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 9(a) or (b),
such person (the “indemnified party”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity
may be sought (the “indemnifying party”) in writing and the indemnifying party, upon request of the
indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to
represent the indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such
proceeding and shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In
any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the
fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (1) the
indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such
counsel or (2) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include
both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the
same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them.
It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of any
indemnified party in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same
jurisdiction, be liable for (i) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition
to any local counsel) for all Underwriters and all persons, if any, who control any Underwriter
within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act or
who are affiliates of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act, and
(ii) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for
the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if
any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either such Section, and that all such fees and
expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. In the case of any such separate firm for the
Underwriters and such control persons and affiliates of any Underwriters, such firm shall be
designated in writing by Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co., Incorporated. In the case of any such separate firm
for the Company, and such directors, officers and control persons of the Company, such firm shall
be designated in writing by the Company. The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any
settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent
or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the
indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment.
No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any
settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or
could have been a party and indemnity could have been
20
sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional
release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such
proceeding and does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a
failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(d) To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 9(a) or (b) is unavailable to an
indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred
to therein, then each indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such
indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified
party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (1) in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the indemnifying party or parties on the
one hand and the indemnified party or parties on the other hand from the offering of the Shares or
(2) if the allocation provided by clause 9(d)(1) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in
clause 9(d)(1) above but also the relative fault of the indemnifying party or parties on the one
hand and of the indemnified party or parties on the other hand in connection with the statements or
omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, 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 Shares shall be
deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Shares
(before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the total underwriting discounts and
commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of
the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate Public Offering Price of the Shares. 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 the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the
Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information
and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Underwriters’ respective
obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 9 are several in proportion to the respective
number of Shares they have purchased hereunder, and not joint.
(e) The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just or equitable if
contribution pursuant to this Section 9 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the
Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that
does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 9(d). The amount paid
or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities
referred to in Section 9(d) shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above,
any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this
Section 9, no Underwriter shall be required
21
to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares
underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of
any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or
alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to
contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The remedies
provided for in this Section 9 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which
may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.
(f) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 9 and the
representations, warranties and other statements of the Company contained in this Agreement shall
remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (1) any termination of this Agreement,
(2) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, any person controlling any
Underwriter or any affiliate of any Underwriter, or the Company, its officers or directors or any
person controlling the Company and (3) acceptance of and payment for any of the Shares.
10. Termination. The Representative may terminate this Agreement by notice given by it to the
Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date (i)
trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on, or by, as the case may be,
any of the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, or the NASDAQ Global Market, (ii)
trading of any securities of the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any
over-the-counter market, (iii) a material disruption in securities settlement, payment or clearance
services in the United States shall have occurred, (iv) any general moratorium on commercial
banking activities shall have been declared by Federal or New York State authorities or (v) there
shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, or any change in financial markets
or any calamity or crisis that, in the judgment of the Representative, is material and adverse and
which, singly or together with any other event specified in this clause(v), makes it, in the
judgment of the Representative, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offer, sale or
delivery of the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus
or the Prospectus.
11. Effectiveness;
Defaulting Underwriters. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery
hereof by the parties hereto.
If, on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of the
Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares that it has or they have agreed to purchase
hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number of Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate
number of the Shares to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated
severally in the proportions that the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective
names in Schedule I bears to the aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of
all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as you may specify, to purchase
the Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to
purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the number of Shares that any Underwriter
has agreed to purchase pursuant to this Agreement be increased pursuant to this Section 11 by an
amount in excess of one-ninth of such number of Shares without the written consent of such
Underwriter. If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to
purchase Firm Shares and the aggregate number of Firm Shares with respect to which such default
occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Firm Shares to be purchased on such date,
and arrangements satisfactory to you and the Company for the purchase of such Firm Shares are not
made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the
part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company. In any such case either you or the Company
shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days, in
order that the required changes, if any, in the Registration Statement, in the Time of Sale
Prospectus, in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. If, on an
Option Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Additional
Shares and the aggregate number of Additional Shares with respect to which such default occurs is
more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option
Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the option to (i) terminate their
obligation hereunder to purchase the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date or
(ii) purchase not less than the number of Additional Shares that such non-defaulting Underwriters
would have been obligated to purchase in the absence of such default. Any action taken under this
paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of
such Underwriter under this Agreement.
If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters, or any of them, because of any
failure or refusal on the part of the Company to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the
conditions of this Agreement, or if for any reason the Company shall be unable to perform its
obligations under this Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters or such Underwriters
as have so terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves, severally, for all out-of-pocket
expenses (including the fees and disbursements of their counsel) reasonably incurred by such
Underwriters in connection with this Agreement or the offering contemplated hereunder.
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12. Entire Agreement. (a) This Agreement, together with any contemporaneous written
agreements and any prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement) that
relate to the offering of the Shares, represents the entire agreement between the Company, on the
one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to the preparation of any preliminary
prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, the conduct of the offering, and the
purchase and sale of the Shares.
(b) The Company acknowledges that in connection with the offering of the Shares: (i) the
Underwriters have acted at arms length, are not agents of, and owe no fiduciary duties to, the
Company or any other person, (ii) the Underwriters owe the Company only those duties and
obligations set forth in this Agreement and prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded
by this Agreement), if any, and (iii) the Underwriters may have interests that differ from those of
the Company. The Company waives to the full extent permitted by applicable law any claims it may
have against the Underwriters arising from an alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with
the offering of the Shares.
13. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in two or more counterparts, each of which
shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the
same instrument.
14. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the
internal laws of the State of New York.
15. Headings. The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for
convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of this Agreement.
16. Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and effective only upon receipt
and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered, mailed or sent to Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
at 0000 Xxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk, with a copy to the
Legal Department; if to the Company shall be delivered, mailed or sent to Conseco, Inc. at 00000
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000, Attention: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx.
Very truly yours, CONSECO, INC. |
||||
By: | ||||
Name: | ||||
Title: | ||||
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Accepted as of the date hereof
XXXXXX XXXXXXX & CO. | ||||
INCORPORATED | ||||
By: |
||||
Title: |
For itself and as Representative of the several
Underwriters listed in Schedule I hereto
Underwriters listed in Schedule I hereto
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