1,900,000/1/
CPS SYSTEMS, INC.
COMMON STOCK
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
----------------------
March ____, 1998
CRUTTENDEN XXXX INCORPORATED
Josephthal & Co. Inc.
As Representative of the several Underwriters
00000 Xxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
CPS Systems, Inc., a Texas corporation (the "Company"), addresses you as
the Representative of each of the persons, firms and corporations listed in
Schedule A hereto (herein collectively called the "Underwriters") and hereby
confirms its agreement with the several Underwriters as follows:
1. Description of Shares. The Company proposes to issue and sell
---------------------
1,900,000 shares of its authorized and unissued Common Stock, $.01 par value per
share (the "Firm Shares"), to the several Underwriters. In addition, certain
shareholders of the Company listed on Schedule B hereto (the "Selling
Shareholders") propose to grant to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to
285,000 additional shares of the Company's Common Stock (the "Option Shares"),
as provided in Section 5 hereof. The Company also proposes to sell to you,
individually and not in your capacity as Representative, warrants (the
"Representatives' Warrants") to purchase up to 190,000 (218,500 if the
overallotment option is exercised in full) shares of Common Stock of the Company
(the "Representatives' Warrant Stock"), which sale will be consummated in
accordance with the terms and conditions of the Representatives' Warrant
Agreement (the "Representatives' Warrant Agreement"), the form of which is filed
as an exhibit to the Registration Statement described below. As used in this
Agreement, the term "Shares" shall include the Firm Shares and the Option
Shares. All shares of Common Stock of the Company to be outstanding after
giving effect to the sales contemplated hereby, including the sale of the
Shares, are hereinafter referred to as "Common Stock." Unless the context
otherwise requires, references herein to the "Company" include CPS Systems, Inc.
together with its subsidiaries described in the Prospectus (hereinafter
defined).
--------------------
/1/ Plus an option to purchase up to 285,000 additional shares from certain
selling shareholders to cover over-
1
2. Representations, Warranties and Agreements of the Company.
----------------------------------------------------------
The Company represents and warrants to and agrees with each
Underwriter and each Selling Shareholder that:
(a) A registration statement on Form SB-2 (File No. 333-
39173) with respect to the Shares, the Representatives' Warrants and the
Representatives' Warrant Stock, including a prospectus subject to completion,
has been prepared by the Company in conformity with the requirements of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), and the applicable rules and
regulations (the "Rules and Regulations") of the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") under the Act and has been filed with the
Commission; such amendments to such registration statement and such amended
prospectuses subject to completion as may have been required prior to the date
hereof have been similarly prepared and filed with the Commission; and the
Company will file such additional amendments to such registration statement and
such amended prospectuses subject to completion as may hereafter be required.
Copies of such registration statement and amendments and of each related
prospectus subject to completion (the "Preliminary Prospectuses") have been
delivered to you.
If the registration statement relating to the Shares has been
declared effective under the Act by the Commission, the Company will prepare and
promptly file with the Commission the information previously omitted from the
registration statement pursuant to Rule 430A(a) of the Rules and Regulations
pursuant to subparagraph (1) or (4) of Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations
or as part of a post-effective amendment to the registration statement
(including a final form of prospectus). If the registration statement relating
to the Shares has not been declared effective under the Act by the Commission,
the Company will prepare and promptly file an amendment to the registration
statement, including a final form of prospectus. The term "Registration
Statement" as used in this Agreement shall mean such registration statement,
including financial statements, schedules and exhibits, in the form in which it
became or becomes, as the case may be, effective (including, if the Company
omitted information from the registration statement pursuant to Rule 430A(a) of
the Rules and Regulations, the information deemed to be a part of the
registration statement at the time it became effective pursuant to Rule 430A(b)
of the Rules and Regulations) and, in the event of any amendment thereto after
the effective date of such registration statement, shall also mean (from and
after the effectiveness of such amendment) such registration statement as so
amended. The term "Prospectus" as used in this Agreement shall mean the
prospectus relating to the Shares as included in such Registration Statement at
the time it becomes effective (including, if the Company omitted information
from the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430A(a) of the Rules and
Regulations, the information deemed to be a part of the Registration Statement
at the time it became effective pursuant to Rule 430A(b) of the Rules and
Regulations), except that if any revised prospectus shall be provided to the
Underwriters by the Company for use in connection with the offering of the
Shares that differs from the prospectus on file with the Commission at the time
the Registration Statement became or becomes, as the case may be, effective
(whether or not such revised prospectus is required to be filed with the
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
allotments, if any.
2
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) of the Rules and Regulations), the term
"Prospectus" shall refer to such revised prospectus from and after the time it
is first provided to the Underwriters for such use.
(b) The Commission has not issued any order preventing or
suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or instituted proceedings for
that purpose, and each such Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing
thereof, has conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act
and the Rules and Regulations and, as of its date, has not included any untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading; and at the time the Registration Statement became or
becomes, as the case may be, effective and at all times subsequent thereto up to
and on the Closing Date (hereinafter defined) and on any later date on which
Option Shares are to be purchased, (i) the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, and any amendments or supplements thereto, contained and will
contain all material information required to be included therein by the Act and
the Rules and Regulations and will in all material respects conform to the
requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations, (ii) the Registration
Statement, and any amendments or supplements thereto, did not and will not
include 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, and (iii) the Prospectus, and any amendments or supplements thereto,
did not and will not include 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; provided, however,
-------- -------
that none of the representations and warranties contained in this subparagraph
(b) shall apply to information contained in or omitted from the Registration
Statement or Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, in reliance
upon, and in conformity with, written information relating to any Underwriter
furnished to the Company by such Underwriter specifically for use in the
preparation thereof.
(c) The Company does not own or control, directly or
indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the
subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21 of the Registration Statement. The Company and
each of its subsidiaries has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
incorporation with full power and authority (corporate and other) to own, lease
and operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the
Prospectus; the Company and each of its subsidiaries is duly qualified to do
business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing in each jurisdiction
in which the ownership or leasing of its properties or the conduct of its
business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so
qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the
condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, operations or business of the
Company taken as a whole; no proceeding has been instituted in any such
jurisdiction, revoking, limiting or curtailing, or seeking to revoke, limit or
curtail, such power and authority or qualification; the Company is in possession
of and operating in compliance with all authorizations, licenses, certificates,
consents, orders and permits from state, federal and other regulatory
authorities that are material to the conduct of its business, all of which are
valid and in
3
full force and effect; the Company is not in material violation of its charter
or bylaws or in default in the performance or observance of any material
obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any material bond,
debenture, note or other evidence of indebtedness, or in any material lease,
contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, joint venture or
other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it or
its properties or assets may be bound; and the Company is not in violation of
any law, order, rule, regulation, writ, injunction, judgment or decree of any
court, government or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, having
jurisdiction over the Company or over its properties or assets.
(d) The Company has full legal right, power and authority to
enter into this Agreement and the Representatives' Warrant Agreement and to
perform the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby. Each of this Agreement
and the Representatives' Warrant Agreement has been duly authorized, executed
and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding agreement on the part of
the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as rights to
indemnification under this Agreement or the Representatives' Warrant Agreement
may be limited by applicable law and except as the enforcement may be limited by
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar
laws relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally or by general
equitable principles; the performance of this Agreement and the Representatives'
Warrant Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein or therein
contemplated will not violate any provisions of the charter, bylaws or other
organizational document of the Company and will not result in a breach or
violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute, either by itself
or upon notice or the passage of time or both, a default under any bond,
debenture, note or other evidence of indebtedness, or under any lease, contract,
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, joint venture or other
agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which its
properties or assets may be bound, or any law, order, rule, regulation, writ,
injunction, judgment or decree of any court, government or governmental agency
or body, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or over its
properties or assets. No consent, approval, authorization or order of or
qualification with any court, government or governmental agency or body,
domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or over its properties
or assets is required for the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the
Representatives' Warrant Agreement and the consummation by the Company of the
transactions herein and therein contemplated, except such as may be required
under the Act or under state or other securities or Blue Sky laws, all of which
requirements have been satisfied in all material respects.
(e) There is not any pending or, to the best of the
Company's knowledge, threatened action, suit, claim or proceeding against the
Company, or any of its officers or any of its properties, assets or rights
before any court, government or governmental agency or body, domestic or
foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or over its officers or properties
or otherwise that (i) is reasonably likely to result in any material adverse
change in the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, operations, business
or business prospects of the Company or might materially and adversely affect
its properties, assets or rights, (ii) might prevent consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby or (iii) is required to be disclosed in the
4
Registration Statement or Prospectus and is not so disclosed; and there are no
agreements, contracts, leases or documents of the Company of a character
required to be described or referred to in the Registration Statement or
Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement by the Act
or the Rules and Regulations or by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the
"Exchange Act") or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder that
have not been accurately described in all material respects in the Registration
Statement or Prospectus or filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement.
(f) All outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company
have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and
nonassessable, have been issued in compliance with all federal and state
securities laws, were not issued in violation of or subject to any preemptive
rights or other rights to subscribe for or purchase securities, and the
authorized and outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the
Prospectus under the caption "Capitalization" and conforms to the statements
relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (and
such statements correctly state the substance of the instruments defining the
capitalization of the Company); the Firm Shares and the Option Shares have been
duly authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriters pursuant to this
Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company against payment therefor
in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be duly and validly issued
and fully paid and nonassessable, and will be sold free and clear of any pledge,
lien, security interest, encumbrance, claim or equitable interest; and no
preemptive right, co-sale right, registration right, right of first refusal or
other similar right of shareholders exists with respect to any of the Firm
Shares or Option Shares or the issuance and sale thereof other than those that
will automatically expire upon the consummation of the transactions contemplated
on the Closing Date. No further approval or authorization of any shareholder,
the Board of Directors of the Company or others is required for the issuance and
sale or transfer of the Shares except as may be required under the Act, the
Rules and Regulations or under state or other securities or Blue Sky laws.
Except as disclosed in or contemplated by the Prospectus and the financial
statements of the Company, and the related notes thereto, included in the
Prospectus, the Company has no outstanding options to purchase, or any
preemptive rights or other rights to subscribe for or to purchase, any
securities or obligations convertible into, or any contracts or commitments to
issue or sell, shares of its capital stock or any such options, rights,
convertible securities or obligations. The description of the Company's stock
option, stock bonus and other stock plans or arrangements, and the options or
other rights granted and exercised thereunder, set forth in the Prospectus
accurately and fairly presents the information required to be shown with respect
to such plans, arrangements, options and rights under the Act and the Rules and
Regulations.
(g) Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx LLP, which has expressed its opinion with
respect to the financial statements of the Company filed with the Commission as
a part of the Registration Statement, which are included in the Prospectus, are
independent accountants within the meaning of the Act and the Rules and
Regulations. The audited financial statements of the Company, together with the
related schedules and notes, and the unaudited financial information, included
in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, fairly present the financial
position and the
5
results of operations of the Company at the respective dates and for the
respective periods to which they apply. Such financial statements of the
Company, together with the related schedules and notes, filed with the
Commission as part of the Registration Statement, have been prepared in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied
throughout the periods as certified by Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx LLP. The selected and
summary financial and statistical data included in the Registration Statement
present fairly the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis
consistent with the audited financial statements presented therein. No other
financial statements or schedules are required to be included in the
Registration Statement.
(h) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which
information is given in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, except as
specifically disclosed or contemplated therein, there has not been (i) any
material adverse change in the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings,
operations or business of the Company, (ii) incurred by the Company any
transaction that is material to the Company, (iii) any obligation, direct or
contingent incurred by the Company that is material to the Company, (iv) any
change in the capital stock or outstanding indebtedness of the Company that is
material to the Company, (v) any dividend or distribution of any kind declared,
paid or made on the capital stock of the Company, or (vi) any loss or damage
(whether or not insured) to the property of the Company which has a material
adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, operations
or business of the Company.
(i) Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and
Prospectus, (i) the Company has good and marketable title to all properties and
assets described in the Registration Statement and Prospectus as owned by it,
free and clear of any pledge, lien, security interest, encumbrance, claim or
equitable interest, other than such as would not have a material adverse effect
on the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, operations or business of
the Company, (ii) the agreements to which the Company is a party described in
the Registration Statement are valid agreements, enforceable by the Company,
except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or
affecting creditors' rights generally or by general equitable principles and, to
the best of the Company's knowledge, the other contracting party or parties
thereto are not in material breach or material default under any of such
agreements, and (iii) the Company has valid and enforceable leases for all
properties described in the Registration Statement and Prospectus as leased by
it, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or
affecting creditors' rights generally or by general equitable principles. Except
as set forth in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, the Company owns or
leases all such properties as are necessary to its operations as now conducted
and as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(j) The Company has timely filed all federal, state, local
and foreign tax returns required to be filed by it and has paid all taxes shown
thereon as due, and there is no tax deficiency that has been or, to the best of
the Company's knowledge, is reasonably likely to be asserted against the
Company, which might have a material adverse effect on the condition
6
(financial or otherwise), earnings, operations or business of the Company, and
all tax liabilities are adequately provided for on the books of the Company.
(k) The Company maintains insurance with insurers of
recognized financial responsibility of the types and in the amounts generally
deemed adequate for its business including, but not limited to, insurance
covering real and personal property owned or leased by the Company against
theft, damage, destruction, acts of vandalism and all other risks customarily
insured against, all of which insurance is in full force and effect; the Company
has not been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and the
Company does not have any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew
its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain
similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its
business at a cost that would not materially and adversely affect the condition
(financial or otherwise), earnings, operations or business of the Company.
(l) To the best of Company's knowledge, no labor disturbance
by the employees of the Company exists or is imminent. No collective bargaining
agreement exists with any of the Company's employees and, to the best of the
Company's knowledge, no such agreement is imminent.
(m) Except as disclosed in or specifically contemplated by
the Prospectus, the Company owns or possesses adequate rights to use all patent
rights, trade secrets, mask works, know-how, trademarks, copyrights, licenses,
service marks and trade names that are necessary to conduct its businesses as
described in the Registration Statement and Prospectus; the Company has not
received any notice of, and has no knowledge of, any infringement of or conflict
with asserted rights of the Company by others with respect to any patent rights,
trade secrets, mask works, know-how, trademarks, copyrights, licenses, service
marks or trade names; and the Company has not received any notice of, and has no
knowledge of, any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others
with respect to any patent rights, trade secrets, mask works, know-how,
trademarks, copyrights, licenses, service marks or trade names which, singly or
in the aggregate, in the event of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding,
would have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise),
earnings, operations, business or business prospects of the Company.
(n) The Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(g)
of the Exchange Act and is approved for quotation on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market,
and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect
of, terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act or
delisting the Common Stock from the Nasdaq SmallCap Market, nor has the Company
received any notification that the Commission or the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD") is contemplating terminating such registration
or listing.
(o) The Company has been advised concerning the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), and the rules and regulations
thereunder, and
7
has in the past conducted, and intends in the future to conduct, its affairs in
such a manner as to ensure that it will not become an "investment company" or a
company "controlled" by an "investment company" within the meaning of the 1940
Act and such rules and regulations.
(p) The Company has not distributed and will not distribute
prior to the later of (i) the Closing Date, or any date on which Option Shares
are to be purchased, as the case may be, and (ii) completion of the distribution
of the Shares, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of
the Shares other than any Preliminary Prospectuses, the Prospectus, the
Registration Statement and other materials, if any, permitted by the Act
(q) The Company has not at any time during the last five (5)
years (i) made any unlawful contribution to any candidate for foreign office or
failed to disclose fully any contribution in violation of law, or (ii) made any
payment to any federal or state governmental officer or official, or other
person charged with similar public or quasi-public duties, other than payments
required or permitted by the laws of the United States or any jurisdiction
thereof.
(r) The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or
indirectly, any action designed to or that might reasonably be expected to cause
or result in stabilization in violation of law or manipulation of the price of
the Common Stock to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.
(s) Each officer, director and director-nominee of the
Company and each beneficial owner of the Company's Common Stock has agreed in
writing that such person will not without the prior written consent of
Cruttenden Xxxx Incorporated, for a period of 365 days from the date that the
Registration Statement is declared effective by the Commission (the "Lock-up
Period"), (which consent may be withheld in its sole discretion), directly or
indirectly, sell, offer, contract or grant any option to sell (including without
limitation, any short sale), pledge, transfer, establish an open "put equivalent
position" within the meaning of Rule 16a-1(h) under the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), or otherwise dispose of any shares of
Common Stock, options or warrants to acquire shares of Common Stock, or
securities exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into shares of Common
Stock currently or hereafter owned either of record or beneficially (as defined
in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) by such person (collectively,
"Securities") or publicly announce the undersigned's intention to do any of the
foregoing. Furthermore, such person will also agree and consent to the entry of
stop transfer instructions with the Company's transfer agent against the
transfer of the Securities held by such person except in compliance with this
restriction. In addition, such person will also agree that the Representative
shall have the right of first refusal for a period of two years after the date
the Registration Statement is declared effective to be the sole broker/dealer
for any sales made under Rule 144 of the Securities Act (or similar provisions
enacted subsequent to the date of this Agreement). The Company has provided to
counsel for the Underwriters a complete and accurate list of all shareholders of
the Company and the number and type of securities held by each shareholder. The
Company has provided to counsel for the Underwriters true, accurate and complete
copies of all of the agreements pursuant to which its officers, directors,
director-nominees and shareholders have agreed to such restrictions (the "Lock-
up Agreements"). The Company hereby represents and warrants that it will not
release any of its officers, directors or director-nominees or other
8
shareholders from any Lock-up Agreements currently existing or hereafter
effected without the prior written consent of Cruttenden Xxxx Incorporated
(t) Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and
Prospectus, (i) the Company is in material compliance with all rules, laws and
regulations relating to the use, treatment, storage and disposal of toxic
substances and protection of health or the environment ("Environmental Laws")
that are applicable to its business, (ii) the Company has received no notice
from any governmental authority or third party of an asserted claim under
Environmental Laws, which claim is required to be disclosed in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, (iii) to its best knowledge, the Company is not
likely to be required to make future material capital expenditures to comply
with Environmental Laws and (iv) no property which is owned, leased or occupied
by the Company has been designated as a Superfund site pursuant to the
Comprehensive Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended (42
U.S.C. (S) 9601, et seq.), or otherwise designated as a contaminated site under
-- ----
applicable state or local law.
(u) The Company maintains a system of internal accounting
controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are
executed in accordance with management's general or specific authorizations,
(ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial
statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to
maintain accountability for assets, including without limitation cash receipts,
(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 existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is
taken with respect to any differences.
(v) There are no outstanding loans, advances (except normal
advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees
of indebtedness by the Company to or for the benefit of any of the officers,
directors or director-nominees of the Company or any of the members of the
families of any of them, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus.
(w) The Representatives' Warrants have been duly and validly
authorized by the Company and upon delivery to you in accordance with the
Representatives' Warrant Agreement will be duly issued and legal, valid and
binding obligations of the Company.
(x) The Representatives' Warrant Stock has been duly
authorized and reserved for issuance upon the exercise of the Representatives'
Warrants and when issued upon payment of the exercise price therefor will be
validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable shares of Common Stock of the
Company.
9
3. Representations, Warranties and Covenants of the Selling Shareholders.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Each of the Selling Shareholders severally, and not jointly,
represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the several Underwriters that:
(a) Such Selling Shareholder has, and on the Closing Date
and on any later date on which the Option Shares are to be purchased will have,
good and marketable title to the Shares proposed to be sold by such Selling
Shareholder hereunder on such closing date and full right, power and authority
to enter into this Agreement and to sell, assign, transfer and deliver such
Option Shares hereunder, free and clear of all voting trust arrangements, liens,
encumbrances, equities, security interests, restrictions and claims whatsoever,
other than pursuant to this Agreement and the Shareholders' Agreement (as
defined below); and upon delivery of and payment for such Shares hereunder, the
Underwriters will acquire good and marketable title thereto, free and clear of
all liens, encumbrances, equities, claims, restrictions, security interests,
voting trusts or other defects of title whatsoever.
(b) Such Selling Shareholder has executed and delivered a
Power of Attorney and caused to be executed and delivered on his behalf a
Custody Agreement (hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Shareholders'
Agreement") and in connection herewith such Selling Shareholder further
represents, warrants and agrees that such Selling Shareholder has deposited in
custody, under the Shareholders' Agreement, with the agent named therein (the
"Agent") as custodian, certificates in negotiable form for the Shares or
warrants to purchase the Shares to be sold hereunder by such Selling
Shareholder, for the purpose of further delivery pursuant to this Agreement.
Such Selling Shareholder agrees that the Shares or warrants to purchase the
Shares to be sold by such Selling Shareholder on deposit with the Agent are
subject to the interests of the Company and the Underwriters, that the
arrangements made for such custody are to that extent irrevocable, and that the
obligations of such Selling Shareholder hereunder shall not be terminated,
except as provided in this Agreement or in the Shareholders' Agreement, by any
act of such Selling Shareholder, by operation of law, by the death or incapacity
of such Selling Shareholder or by the occurrence of any other event. If the
Selling Shareholder should die or become incapacitated, or if any other event
should occur, before the delivery of the Shares hereunder, the documents
evidencing Shares or warrants to purchase the Shares then on deposit with the
Agent shall be delivered by the Agent in accordance with the terms and
conditions of this Agreement and the Shareholders' Agreement as if such death,
incapacity or other event had not occurred, regardless of whether or not the
Agent shall have received notice thereof. This Agreement and the Shareholders'
Agreement have been duly executed and delivered by or on behalf of such Selling
Shareholder and the form of such Shareholders' Agreement has been delivered to
you.
(c) The performance of this Agreement and the Shareholders'
Agree ment and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and
thereby will not result in a breach or violation by such Selling Shareholder of
any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default by such Selling
Shareholder under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, trust (constructive
or other), loan agreement, lease, franchise, license or other agreement or
instrument to which such Selling Shareholder is a party or by which such Selling
Shareholder or any of its
10
properties is bound, any statute, or any judgment, decree, order, rule or
regulation of any court or governmental agency or body applicable to such
Selling Shareholder or any of its properties, other than breaches or violations
which do not adversely affect such Selling Shareholder's ability to perform
under this Agreement or the Shareholders' Agreement.
(d) Such Selling Shareholder has not taken and will not
take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or which has constituted or
which might reasonably be expected to cause or result in stabilization or
manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale
or resale of the Shares, except usual and customary market maker and brokerage
transactions up to two business days prior to the offering contemplated hereby
in each case in accordance with applicable Commission regulations.
(e) To the extent that any statements or omissions made in
the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto, are made in reliance upon and in conformity
with written information furnished to the Company by such Selling Shareholder
specifically for use therein, such Preliminary Prospectus and the Registration
Statement did, and the Prospectus and any further amendments or supplements to
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will, when they become effective
or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, not contain any untrue
statement of material fact or omit any material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in light of
the circumstances under which they were made.
(f) To the best of its knowledge, such Selling Shareholder
is not aware that any of the representations and warranties set forth in Section
2 above is untrue or inaccurate in any material respect.
4. Representation, Warranties and Agreements of the Underwriters.
-------------------------------------------------------------
The information set forth in the last paragraph on the front cover page (insofar
as such information relates to the Underwriters), in the first paragraph on page
2, concerning stabilization and over-allotment by the Underwriters, and in third
and eighth paragraphs under the caption "Underwriting" in any Preliminary
Prospectus and in the final form of Prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)
constitutes the only information furnished by the Underwriters to the Company
for inclusion in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or the Registration
Statement, and you, on behalf of the respective Underwriters, represent and
warrant to the Company that the statements made therein do not include 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, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
5. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of Shares. On the basis of the
-------------------------------------
representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject to the
terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to the
Underwriters, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to
purchase from the Company, at a purchase price of $_____ per share, the
respective number of Firm Shares as hereinafter set forth. The obligation of
each Underwriter to the Company
11
shall be to purchase from the Company that number of Firm Shares which is set
forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule A hereto (subject to
adjustment as provided in Section 11).
Delivery of definitive certificates for the Firm Shares to be
purchased by the Underwriters pursuant to this Section 5 shall be made against
payment of the purchase price therefor by the several Underwriters by certified
or official bank check or checks drawn in next-day funds, payable to the order
of the Company (and the Company agrees not to deposit any such check in the bank
on which it is drawn until the day following the date of its delivery to the
Company) at the offices of the Representatives or such other place as may be
agreed upon among the Representatives and the Company, at 7:00 A.M., California
time, on the third (3rd) full business day following the first day that Shares
are traded (or at such time and date to which payment and delivery shall have
been postponed pursuant to Section 11 hereof), such time and date of payment and
delivery being herein called the "Closing Date." The certificates for the Firm
Shares to be so delivered will be made available to you at such office or such
other location as you may reasonably request for checking at least one (1) full
business day prior to the Closing Date and will be in such names and
denominations as you may request, such request to be made at least two (2) full
business days prior to the Closing Date. If the Representatives so elect,
delivery of the Firm Shares may be made by credit through full fast transfer to
the accounts at The Depository Trust Company designated by the Representative.
It is understood that you, individually, and not as the
Representatives of the several Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to)
make payment of the purchase price on behalf of any Underwriter or Underwriters
whose check or checks shall not have been received by you prior to the Closing
Date for the Firm Shares to be purchased by such Underwriter or Underwriters.
Any such payment by you shall not relieve any such Underwriter or Underwriters
of any of its or their obligations hereunder.
On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements
herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the
Selling Shareholders hereby grant to the several Underwriters, for the purpose
of covering over-allotments in connection with the distribution and sale of the
Firm Shares only, a nontransferable option to purchase, in the respective
amounts set forth on the Schedule B, up to an aggregate of 285,000 Option Shares
at the purchase price per share for the Firm Shares set forth in this Section 5.
Such option may be exercised by the Representatives on behalf of the several
Underwriters on one or more occasions in whole or in part during the forty-five
(45) day period after the date on which the Firm Shares are initially offered to
the public, by giving written notice to the Company and the Agent. The number of
Option Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter upon the exercise of such
option shall be the same proportion of the total number of Option Shares to be
purchased as the number of Firm Shares purchased by such Underwriter (set forth
in Schedule A hereto) bears to the total number of Firm Shares purchased by the
several Underwriters (set forth in Schedule A hereto), adjusted by the
Representatives in such manner as to avoid fractional shares.
12
Delivery of definitive certificates for the Option Shares to be
purchased by the several Underwriters pursuant to the exercise of the option
granted by this Section 5 shall be made against payment of the purchase price
therefor by the several Underwriters by certified or official bank check or
checks drawn in next-day funds, payable to the order of the Agent (and the Agent
agrees not to deposit any such check in the bank on which it is drawn until the
day following the date of its delivery). Such delivery and payment shall take
place at the offices of the Representatives, or at such other place as may be
agreed upon by the Representatives and the Agent (i) on the Closing Date, if
written notice of the exercise of such option is received by the Agent at least
three (3) full business days prior to the Closing Date, or (ii) on a date which
shall not be later than the fifth (5th) full business day following the date the
Agent receives written notice of the exercise of such option, if such notice is
received by the Agent less than three (3) full business days prior to the
Closing Date.
To the extent that the option is not exercised for the entire
285,000 Option Shares, the number of Option Shares to be sold by each Selling
Shareholder shall be that number which bears the same relationship to the
aggregate number of Option Shares being purchased as the maximum number of
Option Shares being sold by each Selling Shareholder bears to 285,000.
The certificates for the Option Shares to be so delivered will be
made available to you at such office or such other location as you may
reasonably request for inspection at least two (2) full business days prior to
the date of payment and delivery and will be in such names and denominations as
you may request, such request to be made at least three (3) full business days
prior to such date of payment and delivery. If the Representatives so elect,
delivery of the Option Shares may be made by credit through full fast transfer
to the accounts at The Depository Trust Company designated by the
Representative.
It is understood that you, individually, and not as the
Representatives of the several Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to)
make payment of the purchase price on behalf of any Underwriter or Underwriters
whose check or checks shall not have been received by you prior to the date of
payment and delivery for the Option Shares to be purchased by such Underwriter
or Underwriters. Any such payment by you shall not relieve any such Underwriter
or Underwriters of any of its or their obligations hereunder.
Upon exercise of any option provided for in this Section 5, the
obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase such Option Shares will be
subject (as of the date hereof and as of the date of payment and delivery for
such Option Shares) to the accuracy of and compliance with the representations,
warranties and agreements of the Company herein, to the accuracy of the
statements of the Company and officers of the Company made pursuant to the
provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its obligations
hereunder, and to the condition that all proceedings taken at or prior to the
payment date in connection with the sale and transfer of such Option Shares
shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to you and to
Underwriters' Counsel, and you shall have been furnished with all such
documents, certificates and opinions as you may reasonably request in order to
evidence the accuracy and completeness of any of the
13
representations, warranties or statements, the performance of any of the
covenants or agreements of the Company or the compliance with any of the
conditions herein contained in each case in all material respects.
After the Registration Statement becomes effective, the several
Underwriters intend to make an initial public offering (as such term is
described in Section 13 hereof) of the Firm Shares at an initial public offering
price of $_____ per share. After the initial public offering, the several
Underwriters may, in their discretion, vary the public offering price.
6. Further Agreements of the Company. The Company agrees with the
---------------------------------
several Underwriters that:
(a) The Company will use best efforts to cause the
Registration Statement and any amendment thereof, if not effective at the time
and date that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto, to
become effective as promptly as possible; it will notify you, promptly after it
shall receive notice thereof, of the time when the Registration Statement or any
subsequent amendment to the Registration Statement has become effective or any
supplement to the Prospectus has been filed; if the Company omitted information
from the Registration Statement at the time it was originally declared effective
in reliance upon Rule 430A(a) of the Rules and Regulations, the Company will
provide evidence satisfactory to you that the Prospectus contains such
information and has been filed, within the time period prescribed, with the
Commission pursuant to subparagraph (1) or (4) of Rule 424(b) of the Rules and
Regulations or as part of a post-effective amendment to such Registration
Statement as originally declared effective which is declared effective by the
Commission; if for any reason the filing of the final form of Prospectus is
required under Rule 424(b)(3) of the Rules and Regulations, it will provide
evidence satisfactory to you that the Prospectus contains such information and
has been filed with the Commission within the time period prescribed; it will
notify you promptly of any request by the Commission for the amending or
supplementing of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or for additional
information; promptly upon your request, it will prepare and file with the
Commission any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or
Prospectus which, in the opinion of counsel for the several Underwriters
("Underwriters' Counsel"), may be necessary or advisable in connection with the
distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters; it will promptly prepare and
file with the Commission, and promptly notify you of the filing of, any
amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus which may
be necessary to correct any statements or omissions, if, at any time when a
prospectus relating to the Shares is required to be delivered under the Act, any
event shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus or any other
prospectus relating to the Shares as then in effect would include 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; in case any Underwriter is required to deliver a
prospectus nine (9) months or more after the effective date of the Registration
Statement in connection with the sale of the Shares, it will prepare promptly
upon request, but at the expense of such Underwriter, such amendment or
amendments to the Registration Statement and such prospectus or prospectuses as
may be necessary to permit
14
compliance with the requirements of Section 10(a)(3) of the Act; and it will
file no amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus
which shall not previously have been submitted to you a reasonable time prior to
the proposed filing thereof or to which you shall reasonably object in writing,
subject, however, to compliance with the Act and the Rules and Regulations and
the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and the provisions of
this Agreement.
(b) The Company will advise you promptly after it shall
received notice or obtained knowledge of the issuance of any stop order by the
Commission suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of the
initiation or threat of any proceeding for that purpose; and it will promptly
use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or to obtain its
withdrawal at the earliest possible moment if such stop order should be issued.
(c) The Company will use reasonable efforts to qualify the
Shares for offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as
you may designate and to continue such qualifications in effect for so long as
may be required for purposes of the distribution of the Shares, except that the
Company shall not be required in connection therewith or as a condition thereof
to qualify as a foreign corporation or to execute a general consent to service
of process in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise required to be so
qualified or to so execute a general consent to service of process. In each
jurisdiction in which the Shares shall have been qualified as above provided,
the Company will make and file such statements and reports in each year as are
or may be reasonably required by the laws of such jurisdiction.
(d) The Company will furnish to you, as soon as available,
copies of the Registration Statement (three of which will be signed and which
will include all exhibits), each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any
amendments or supplements to such documents, including any prospectus prepared
to permit compliance with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act (three of which will
include all exhibits) all in such quantities as you may from time to time
reasonably request.
(e) The Company will make generally available to its
shareholders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than the forty-
fifth (45th) day following the end of the fiscal quarter first occurring after
the first anniversary of the effective date of the Registration Statement, an
earnings statement (which will be in reasonable detail but need not be audited)
complying with the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and covering a twelve
(12) month period beginning after the effective date of the Registration
Statement.
(f) During a period of five (5) years after the date hereof
and for so long as the Company is subject to Section 13 or 15 of the Exchange
Act, the Company will furnish to its shareholders as soon as practicable after
the end of each respective period, annual reports (including financial
statements audited by independent certified public accountants) and unaudited
quarterly reports of operations for each of the first three quarters of the
fiscal year, and
15
will furnish to you and the other several Underwriters hereunder, upon request
(i) concurrently with furnishing such reports to its shareholders, statements of
operations of the Company for each of the first three (3) quarters in the form
furnished to the Company's shareholders, (ii) concurrently with furnishing to
its shareholders, a balance sheet of the Company as of the end of such fiscal
year, together with statements of operations, of shareholders' equity, and of
cash flows of the Company for such fiscal year, accompanied by a copy of the
certificate or report thereon of independent certified public accountants, (iii)
as soon as they are available, copies of all reports (financial or other) mailed
to shareholders, (iv) as soon as they are available, copies of all reports and
financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission, any securities
exchange or the NASD, (v) every material press release and every material news
item or article in respect of the Company or its affairs which was generally
released to shareholders or prepared by the Company, and (vi) any additional
information of a public nature concerning the Company or its business which you
may reasonably request. During such five (5) year period, if the Company shall
have active subsidiaries, the foregoing financial statements shall be on a
consolidated basis to the extent that the accounts of the Company and its
subsidiaries are consolidated, and shall be accompanied by similar financial
statements for any significant subsidiary that is not so consolidated.
(g) The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of
the Shares being sold by it in the manner set forth under the caption "Use of
Proceeds" in the Prospectus.
(h) The Company will maintain a transfer agent and a
registrar (which may be the same entity) for its Common Stock.
(i) The Company will file Form SR in conformity with the
requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations.
(j) If the transactions contemplated hereby are not
consummated by reason of any failure, refusal or inability on the part of the
Company to perform any agreement on its part to be performed hereunder or to
fulfill any condition of the Underwriters' obligations hereunder, or if the
Company shall terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 12(a) hereof, or if
the Underwriters shall terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 12(b)(i),
and, in the judgment of the Representatives, a public offering price of $5.00 or
more per share is available, then the Company shall pay the Representative an
amount equal to one and one half percent (1.5%) of the gross amount of the
proposed offering (assuming a $5.00 per share price) less any amounts previously
paid to the Representatives.
(k) If at any time during the ninety (90) day period after
the Registration Statement becomes effective, any rumor, publication or event
relating to or affecting the Company shall occur as a result of which in your
opinion the market price of the Common Stock has been or is likely to be
materially affected (regardless of whether such rumor, publication or event
necessitates a supplement to or amendment of the Prospectus), the Company will,
if reasonably requested by you, forthwith prepare, and, if permitted by law,
disseminate a press
16
release or other public statement, reasonably satisfactory to you, responding to
or commenting on such rumor, publication or event.
(l) During the Lock-up Period, the Company will not, without the
prior written consent of Cruttenden Xxxx Incorporated, effect the Disposition
of, directly or indirectly, any Securities other than (i) the sale of the Firm
Shares and the Option Shares hereunder and, (ii) the Company's issuance of
options or Common Stock under the Company's presently authorized stock option
plans or restricted stock plans (collectively, the "Option Plans").
7. Expenses.
--------
(a) The Company agrees with each Underwriter that:
(i) The Company will pay and bear all costs and expenses
in connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration
Statement (including financial statements, schedules and exhibits), Preliminary
Prospectuses and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto; the
printing of this Agreement, the Agreement Among Underwriters, the Selected
Dealer Agreement, the Preliminary Blue Sky Survey and any supplemental Blue Sky
Survey, the Underwriters' Questionnaire and Power of Attorney, and any
instruments related to any of the foregoing; the issuance and delivery of the
Shares hereunder to the several Underwriters, including transfer taxes, if any,
the cost of all certificates representing the Shares and transfer agents' and
registrars' fees; the fees and disbursements of counsel and accountants for the
Company; the fees and disbursements of counsel for the several Underwriters, all
fees and other charges of the Company's independent certified public
accountants; the cost of furnishing to the several Underwriters copies of the
Registration Statement (including appropriate exhibits), Preliminary Prospectus
and the Prospectus, and any amendments or supplements to any of the foregoing;
NASD filing fees and the cost of qualifying the Shares under the laws of such
jurisdictions as you may designate (including filing fees and fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters related to such qualification);
the Company's road show costs and expenses, the cost of preparing bound volumes
of the documents relating to the public offering of Common Stock contemplated
hereby; and all other expenses directly incurred by the Company in connection
with the performance of its obligations hereunder.
(ii) To the extent that the Representatives' accountable
expenses (including without limitation, travel expenses) exceed $20,000 (which
amount has previously been advanced to the Representatives by the Company), the
Company shall reimburse the Representatives on the Closing Date up to an
additional $30,000 (exclusive of the Representatives' legal expenses) for such
accountable expenses.
(iii) In addition to its other obligations under Section
7(a)(i) hereof, if the Shares are sold pursuant to this Agreement, the Company
will pay to the Representatives a nonaccountable expense allowance equal to 3.0%
of the aggregate sales price of the Shares to the public. This nonaccountable
expense allowance with respect to the Firm Shares
17
shall be paid to you on the Closing Date and the nonaccountable expense
allowance with respect to the Option Shares shall be paid to you on the closing
of the sale to you of such Option Shares. The $20,000 previously paid to the
Representative by the Company and any amount owed to the Representatives
pursuant to Section 7(a)(ii) hereof shall be credited against this
nonaccountable expense allowance.
(iv) In addition to its other obligations under Section 9
hereof, the Company agrees that, as an interim measure during the pendency of
any claim, action, investigation, inquiry or other proceeding described in
Section 9(a) hereof, it will reimburse the Underwriters and Selling
Shareholders, as the case may be, on a monthly basis for all reasonable legal or
other expenses incurred in connection with investigating or defending any such
claim, action, investigation, inquiry or other proceeding, notwithstanding the
absence of a judicial determination as to the propriety and enforceability of
the Company's obligation to reimburse the Underwriters for such expenses and the
possibility that such payments might later be held to have been improper by a
court of competent jurisdiction. To the extent that any such interim
reimbursement payment is so held to have been improper, the Underwriters shall
promptly return such payment to the Company together with interest, compounded
daily, determined on the basis of the prime rate (or other commercial lending
rate for borrowers of the highest credit standing) listed from time to time in
The Wall Street Journal which represents the base rate on corporate loans posted
by a substantial majority of the nation's five (5) largest banks (the "Prime
Rate"). Any such interim reimbursement payments which are not made to the
Underwriters within thirty (30) days of a request for reimbursement shall bear
interest at the Prime Rate from the date of such request.
(b) In addition to their other obligations under Section
9(b) hereof, the Underwriters severally and not jointly agree that, as an
interim measure during the pendency of any claim, action, investigation, inquiry
or other proceeding described in Section 9(b) hereof, they will reimburse the
Company and Selling Shareholders, as the case may be, on a monthly basis for all
reasonable legal or other expenses incurred in connection with investigating or
defending any such claim, action, investigation, inquiry or other proceeding,
notwithstanding the absence of a judicial determination as to the propriety and
enforceability of the Underwriters' obligation to reimburse the Company for such
expenses and the possibility that such payments might later be held to have been
improper by a court of competent jurisdiction. To the extent that any such
interim reimbursement payment is so held to have been improper, the Company
shall promptly return such payment to the Underwriters together with interest,
compounded daily, determined on the basis of the Prime Rate. Any such interim
reimbursement payments which are not made to the Company within thirty (30) days
of a request for reimbursement shall bear interest at the Prime Rate from the
date of such request
(c) It is agreed that any controversy arising out of the
operation of the interim reimbursement arrangements set forth in Sections
7(a)(iv) and 7(b) hereof, including the amounts of any requested reimbursement
payments, the method of determining such amounts and the basis on which such
amounts shall be apportioned among the reimbursing parties, shall be settled by
arbitration conducted pursuant to the Code of Arbitration Procedure of the NASD
in
18
Orange County, California (or as close geographically to Orange County,
California as is reasonably practical). Any such arbitration must be commenced
by service of a written demand for arbitration or a written notice of intention
to arbitrate, therein electing the arbitration tribunal. In the event the party
demanding arbitration does not make such designation of an arbitration tribunal
in such demand or notice, then the party responding to said demand or notice is
authorized to do so. Any such arbitration will be limited to the operation of
the interim reimbursement provisions contained in Sections 7(a)(iv) and 7(b)
hereof and will not resolve the ultimate propriety or enforceability of the
obligation to indemnify for expenses which is created by the provisions of
Sections 9(a) and 9(b) hereof or the obligation to contribute to expenses which
is created by the provisions of Section 9(d) hereof.
8. Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations. The obligations of the
---------------------------------------
several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Shares as provided herein shall
be subject to the accuracy, as of the date hereof and the Closing Date and any
later date on which Option Shares are to be purchased, as the case may be, of
the representations and warranties of the Company and the performance by the
Company of its obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) The Registration Statement shall have become effective not later
than 2:00 P.M., California time, on the date of this Agreement, or such later
date as shall be consented to in writing by you; and no stop order suspending
the effectiveness thereof shall have been issued and no proceedings for that
purpose shall have been initiated or, to the knowledge of the Company or any
Underwriter, threatened by the Commission, and any request of the Commission for
additional information (to be included in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus or otherwise) shall have been complied with to the satisfaction of
Underwriters' Counsel.
(b) All corporate proceedings and other legal matters in connection
with this Agreement, the form of Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and
the registration, authorization, issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares,
shall have been reasonably satisfactory to Underwriters' Counsel, and such
counsel shall have been furnished with such documents and information as they
may reasonably have requested to enable them to pass upon the matters referred
to in this Section.
(c) You shall be satisfied that since the respective dates as of which
information is given in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, (i) there
shall not have been any change in the capital stock of the Company other than
pursuant to the exercise of outstanding options and warrants disclosed in the
Prospectus or any material change in the indebtedness of the Company, (ii)
except as set forth or contemplated by the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus, no material verbal or written agreement or other transaction shall
have been entered into by the Company, which is not in the ordinary course of
business, (iii) no loss or damage (whether or not insured) to the property of
the Company shall have been sustained which materially and adversely affects the
condition (financial or otherwise), business, results of
19
operations or prospects of the Company, (iv) no legal or governmental action,
suit or proceeding affecting the Company which is material to the Company or
which affects or may affect the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
shall have been instituted or threatened and (v) there shall not have been any
material change in the condition (financial or otherwise), business, management,
results of operations or prospects of the Company which makes it impractical or
inadvisable in the judgment of the Representatives to proceed with public
offering or purchase the Common Shares as contemplated hereby.
(d) You shall have received on the Closing Date and on any later date
on which Option Shares are purchased, as the case may be, an opinion of
Schreeder, Wheeler, Flint, counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date or
such later date on which Option Shares are purchased, addressed to the
Underwriters (and stating that it may be relied upon by Underwriters' Counsel in
rendering its opinion pursuant to Section 8 (d) of this Agreement) and with
reproduced copies or signed counterparts thereof for each of the Underwriters,
to the effect that:
(i) The Company and each of its subsidiaries has been duly
incorporated and is validly existing and in good standing under the
laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation;
(ii) The Company and each of its subsidiaries has full
corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties
and to conduct its business as described in the Registration
Statement;
(iii) The Company and each of its subsidiaries is duly
qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good
standing in each jurisdiction, if any, in which the ownership or
leasing of its properties or the conduct of its business requires such
qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or be in
good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the
condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, operations or business
of the Company taken as a whole. To such counsel's knowledge, Company
has no subsidiaries or other than as listed in Exhibit 21 to the
Registration Statement;
(iv) The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock
of the Company is as set forth in the Prospectus under the caption
"Capitalization"; all outstanding shares of capital stock of the
Company have been duly and validly issued and are fully paid and
nonassessable, and, to such counsel's knowledge, have not been issued
in violation of or subject to any preemptive right, co-sale right,
registration right, right of first refusal or other similar right;
without limiting the foregoing, to such counsel's knowledge, there are
no preemptive or other rights to subscribe for or purchase any of the
Shares;
20
(v) The certificates evidencing the Shares to be
delivered hereunder are in due and proper form under Texas law and
when duly countersigned by the Company's transfer agent and registrar
and delivered to you against payment of the agreed compensation in
accordance with this Agreement, the Firm Shares and the Option Shares,
represented thereby will be duly and validly issued and fully paid and
nonassessable, and will not have been issued in violation of or
subject to any preemptive right, co-sale right, registration right,
right of first refusal or other similar right of shareholders and will
conform in all respects to the description thereof in the Registration
Statement;
(vi) the Company has the corporate power and authority to
enter into this Agreement and to issue, sell and deliver to the
Underwriters the Shares to be issued and sold by it hereunder;
(vii) The Company has the corporate power and authority to
enter into the Representatives' Warrant Agreement and to issue, sell
and deliver to the Representative the Representatives' Warrants to be
issued and sold by it thereunder;
(viii) Each of this Agreement, the Representatives'
Warrant Agreement and the Representatives' Warrants has been duly
authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the
Company and has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and,
assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by you, is a valid
and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable in accordance with
its terms, except insofar as indemnification provisions may be limited
by applicable law and to which counsel need not express any opinion
and except as enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium or similar laws relating to or affecting
creditors' rights generally or by general equitable principles;
(ix) The Registration Statement has become effective under
the Act and, to such counsel's knowledge, 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
threatened under the Act;
(x) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and
each amendment or supplement thereto (other than the financial
statements and schedules included in the Registration Statement as to
which such counsel need express no opinion), as of the effective date
of the Registration Statement, complied as to form in all material
respects with the requirements of the Act and the applicable Rules and
Regulations;
21
(xi) The statements in the Registration Statement and
Prospectus under the captions "Management," "Certain Transactions,"
"Description of Capital Stock" and "Shares Eligible For Future Sale,"
and in the Registration Statement in Items 24 and 26 insofar as they
constitute matters of law or legal conclusions or are descriptions of
contracts, agreements or other documents are accurate and complete in
all material respects and fairly present the information contained
herein;
(xii) The description in the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus of the charter and bylaws of the Company and of
statutes are accurate and fairly present the information required to
be presented by the Act and the applicable Rules and Regulations and
the Company is not in violation of its charter or bylaws, or other
organizational documents;
(xiii) To such counsel's knowledge, there are no
agreements, contracts, leases or documents to which the Company is a
party of a character required to be described or referred to in the
Registration Statement or Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to
the Registration Statement that are not described or referred to
therein or filed as required;
(xiv) The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the
Representatives' Warrant Agreement and the performance by the Company
of its obligations hereunder and thereunder will not (a) result in any
violation of the Company's charter, bylaws or other organizational
documents, or (b) result in a material breach or violation of any of
the terms and provisions of, or constitute a material default under,
any material bond, debenture, note or other evidence of indebtedness,
or under any material lease, contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of
trust, loan agreement, joint venture or other agreement or instrument
to which the Company is a party or by which its properties are bound,
or any applicable statute, rule or regulation known to such counsel
or, to such counsel's knowledge, any order, writ or decree of any
court, government or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction
over the Company or over any of its properties or operations;
(xv) To counsel's best knowledge, no consent, approval,
authorization or order of or qualification with any court, government
or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or
over any of its properties or operations is necessary in connection
with the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated
in this Agreement and the Representatives' Warrant Agreement, except
such as have been obtained under the Act or such as may be required
under state or other securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with
the purchase and the distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters;
22
(xvi) To such counsel's knowledge, there are no legal or
governmental proceedings pending or threatened against the Company of
a character required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus by the Act or the Rules and Regulations or by the
Exchange Act or the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder, other than those described therein;
(xvii) The Representatives' Warrants have been duly and
validly authorized by the Company and upon delivery to you in
accordance with the Representatives' Warrant Agreement will be duly
issued and legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company;
(xviii) The Representatives' Warrant Stock to be issued by
the Company pursuant to the terms of the Representatives' Warrant has
been duly authorized and, upon issuance and delivery against payment
therefor in accordance with the terms of the Representatives' Warrant
Agreement, will be duly and validly issued and fully paid and
nonassessable, and to such counsel's knowledge, will not have been
issued in violation of or subject to any preemptive right, co-sale
right, registration right, right of first refusal or other similar
right of shareholders;
(xix) To such counsel's knowledge, no holders of Common
Stock or other securities of the Company have registration rights with
respect to securities of the Company that have not been waived; and
(xx) The offer and sale of all securities of the Company
made within the last three years as set forth in Item 15 of the
Registration Statement were exempt from the registration requirements
of the Securities Act, pursuant to the provisions set forth in such
Item, and from the registration or qualification requirements of all
relevant state securities laws.
(xxi) The Company has satisfied the conditions for use of
Form SB-2 as set forth in the General Instructions thereto.
(xxii) No transfer taxes are required to be paid in
connection with the sale and delivery of the Shares to the
Underwriters.
In addition, such counsel shall state that such counsel has
participated in conferences with officials and other representatives of the
Company, the Representatives, Underwriters' Counsel and the independent
certified public accountants of the Company, at which the contents of the
Registration Statement and Prospectus and related matters were discussed, and
although they have not verified the accuracy or completeness of the statements
contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, nothing has come to
the attention of such counsel that leads them to believe that, at the time the
Registration Statement became effective and at all times subsequent thereto up
to and on the Closing Date and on any later date on which Option Shares are
23
purchased, the Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto,
when such documents became effective or were filed with the Commission (other
than the financial statements and supporting schedules included in the
Registration Statement as to which such counsel need express no comment)
contained any 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 at the Closing Date or any later date on which the Option
Shares are purchased, as the case may be, the Registration Statement, the
Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto contained any untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to
make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading.
Counsel rendering the foregoing opinion may rely as to questions of
law not involving the laws of the United States upon opinions of local counsel,
and as to questions of fact upon representations or certificates of officers of
the Company, and of government officials, in which case its opinion is to state
that they are so relying and that they have no knowledge of any material
misstatement or inaccuracy in any such opinion, representation or certificate.
Copies of any opinion, representation or certificate so relied upon shall be
delivered to you, as Representatives of the Underwriters, and to Underwriters'
Counsel.
(e) You shall have received on the date on which any Option
Shares are purchased an opinion or opinions of counsel for the Selling
Shareholders, addressed to the Underwriters and stating that it may be relied
upon by Underwriters' Counsel in rendering its opinion pursuant to Section 8(f)
and dated the date on which any Option Shares are purchased, to the effect that:
(1) To the best of such counsel's knowledge, this
Agreement and the Shareholders' Agreement have been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of each of the
Selling Shareholders; the Agent has been duly and validly
authorized to act as the custodian of the Shares and, where
applicable, warrants to purchase the Shares, to be sold by each
such Selling Shareholder; and the performance of this Agreement
and the Shareholders' Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions herein contemplated by the Selling Shareholders will
not result in a breach of, or constitute a default under, any
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, trust (constructive or
other), loan agreement, lease, franchise, license or other
agreement or instrument to which any of the Selling Shareholders
is a party or by which any of the Selling Shareholders or any of
their properties may be bound, or violate any statute, judgment,
decree, order, rule or regulation known to such counsel of any
court or governmental body having jurisdiction over any of the
Selling Shareholders or any of their properties; and to the best
of such counsel's knowledge, no approval, authorization, order or
consent of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency or
other governmental body is required for the execution and
delivery of this Agreement or the Shareholders' Agreement or the
consummation by the
24
Selling Shareholders of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, except such as have been obtained and are in full
force and effect under the Act and such as may be required under
the rules of the NASD and applicable Blue Sky laws;
(2) To the best of such counsel's knowledge, the
Selling Shareholders have full right, power and authority to
enter into this Agreement and the Shareholders' Agreement and to
sell, transfer and deliver the Shares to be sold on such closing
date by such Selling Shareholders and good and marketable title
to such Shares so sold, free and clear of all liens,
encumbrances, equities, claims, restrictions, security interests,
voting trusts, or other defects of title whatsoever, has been
transferred to the Underwriters (whom counsel may assume to be
bona fide purchasers) who have purchased such Shares hereunder;
(3) To the best of such counsel's knowledge, this
Agreement and the Shareholders' Agreement are valid and binding
agreements of each of the Selling Shareholders in accordance with
their terms except as enforceability may be limited by general
equitable principles, bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
moratorium or other laws affecting creditors' rights generally
and except with respect to those provisions relating to
indemnities or contributions for liabilities under the Act, as to
which no opinion need be expressed; and
(4) No transfer taxes are required to be paid in
connection with the sale and delivery of the Shares to the
Underwriters here under.
(f) You shall have received on the Closing Date and on any later
date on which Option Shares are purchased, as the case may be, an opinion of
Summit Law Group PLLC in form and substance satisfactory to you, with respect to
the sufficiency of all such corporate proceedings and other legal matters
relating to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby as you may
reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such
documents as they may have requested for the purpose of enabling them to pass
upon such matters.
(g) You shall have received on the Closing Date and on any later
date on which Option Shares are to be purchased, as the case may be, a letter
from Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx LLP, addressed to the Company and the Underwriters, dated
the Closing Date or such later date on which Option Shares are purchased, as the
case may be, confirming that they are independent certified public accountants
with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act and the applicable
published Rules and Regulations and based upon the procedures described in such
letter delivered to you concurrently with the execution of this Agreement
(herein called the "Original
25
Letter"), but carried out to a date not more than three (3) business days prior
to the Closing Date or such later date on which Option Shares are to be
purchased, as the case may be, (i) confirming, to the extent true, that the
statements and conclusions set forth in the Original Letter are accurate as of
the Closing Date or such later date on which Option Shares are to be purchased,
as the case may be, and (ii) setting forth any revisions and additions to the
statements and conclusions set forth in the Original Letter which are necessary
to reflect any changes in the facts described in the Original Letter since the
date of such letter, or to reflect the availability of more recent financial
statements, data or information. The letter shall not disclose any change in the
condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, operations or business of the
Company from that set forth in the Registration Statement or Prospectus, which,
in your sole judgment, is material and adverse and that makes it, in your sole
judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering of
the Shares as contemplated by the Prospectus. The Original Letter from Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx LLP shall be addressed to or for the use of the Underwriters in form
and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters and shall (i) represent, to the
extent true, that they are independent certified public accountants with respect
to the Company within the meaning of the Act and the applicable published Rules
and Regulations, (ii) set forth its opinion with respect to its examination of
the balance sheets of the Company as of September 30, 1997, and December 31,
1996 and related statements of operations, shareholders' equity, and cash flows
for the years ended December 31, 1995 and 1996, and (iii) address other matters
agreed upon by Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx LLP and you. In addition, you shall have received
from Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx LLP a letter addressed to the Company and made available to
you for the use of the Underwriters stating that its review of the Company's
system of internal accounting controls, to the extent they deemed necessary in
establishing the scope of its examination of the Company's financial statements
as of September 30, 1997, did not disclose any weaknesses in internal controls
that they considered to be material weaknesses.
(h) You shall have received on the Closing Date and on any later
date on which Option Shares are purchased, as the case may be, a certificate of
the Company, dated the Closing Date or such later date on which Option Shares
are to be purchased, as the case may be, signed by the President and Chief
Financial Officer of the Company, to the effect that, and you shall be satisfied
that:
(i) The representations and warranties of the Company in
this Agreement are true and correct, as if made on and as of the
Closing Date or any later date on which Option Shares are to be
purchased, as the case may be, and the Company has complied, in all
material aspects, with all the agreements and satisfied all the
conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied, in all material
respects, at or prior to the Closing Date or any later date on which
Option Shares are to be purchased, as the case may be;
(ii) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that
purpose have been instituted or, to their knowledge, are pending or
threatened under the Act;
26
(iii) When the Registration Statement became effective and
at all times subsequent thereto up to the delivery of such
certificate, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and any
amendments or supplements thereto, contained all material information
required to be included therein by the Act and the Rules and
Regulations or the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder, as the case may be, and in
all material respects conformed to the requirements of the Act and the
Rules and Regulations or the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder, as the case may be, the
Registration Statement, and any amendment or supplement thereto, did
not and does not include 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, the
Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto, did not and does
not include 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,
since the effective date of the Registration Statement, there has
occurred no event required to be set forth in an amended or
supplemented Prospectus that has not been so set forth; and
(iv) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which
information is given in the Registration Statement and Prospectus,
there has not been (a) any material adverse change in the condition
(financial or otherwise), earnings, operations or business of the
Company, (b) any transaction that is material to the Company, (c) any
obligation, direct or contingent incurred by the Company, that is
material to the Company, (d) any change in the capital stock or
outstanding indebtedness of the Company, (e) any dividend or
distribution of any kind declared, paid or made on the capital stock
of the Company, or (f) any loss or damage (whether or not insured) to
the property of the Company which has a material adverse effect on the
condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, operations or business
of the Company.
(i) The Company shall have obtained and delivered to you an
agreement from each officer, director and director-nominee of the Company, and
each beneficial owner of five percent or more of the Common Stock immediately
after the offering contemplated hereby, in writing prior to the date hereof that
such person will not, during the Lock-up Period, effect the Disposition of any
Securities now owned or hereafter acquired directly by such person or with
respect to which such person has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition,
otherwise than (i) as a bona fide gift or gifts, provided the donee or donees
thereof agree in writing to be bound by this restriction, (ii) as a distribution
to limited partners or shareholders of such person, provided that the
distributees thereof agree in writing to be bound by the terms of this
restriction, or (iii) with the prior written consent of Cruttenden Xxxx
Incorporated. The foregoing restriction is expressly agreed to preclude the
holder of the Securities from engaging in any hedging or other transaction which
is designed to or reasonably expected to lead to or result in a Disposition of
Securities during the
27
Lock-up Period, even if such Securities would be disposed of by someone other
than the such holder. Such prohibited hedging or other transactions would
include, without limitation, any short sale (whether or not against the box) or
any purchase, sale or grant of any right (including, without limitation, any put
or call option) with respect to any Securities or with respect to any security
(other than a broad-based market basket or index) that includes, relates to or
derives any significant part of its value from Securities. Furthermore, such
person will have also agreed and consented to the entry of stop transfer
instructions with the Company's transfer agent against the transfer of the
Securities held by such person except in compliance with this restriction.
(j) The Company shall have furnished to you such further certificates
and documents as you shall reasonably request, including certificates of
officers of the Company as to the accuracy of the representations and warranties
of the Company, as to the performance by the Company of its obligations
hereunder and as to the other conditions concurrent and precedent to the
obligations of the Underwriters hereunder.
(k) The Representatives' Warrant Agreement shall have been entered
into by the Company and you, and the Representatives' Warrants shall have been
issued and sold to you pursuant thereto.
All such opinions, certificates, letters and documents will be in
compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are reasonably satisfactory
to Underwriters' Counsel. The Company will furnish you with such number of
conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and documents as you
shall reasonably request.
9. Indemnification and Contribution.
--------------------------------
(a) The Company and each of the Selling Shareholders severally agrees
to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter against any losses, claims,
damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Underwriter may become
subject (including, without limitation, in its capacity as an Underwriter or as
a "qualified independent underwriter" within the meaning of Schedule E of the
Bylaws of the NASD), under the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, specifically
including, but not limited to, losses, claims, damages or liabilities, insofar
as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof)
arise out of or are based upon (i) with respect to the Company, any breach of
any representation, warranty, agreement or covenant of the Company herein
contained, or any failure of the Company to perform its obligations hereunder or
under law, (ii) with respect to each of the Selling Shareholders, arise out of
or are based in whole or in part on any inaccuracy in the representations and
warranties of such Selling Shareholder contained herein or any failure of such
Selling Shareholder to perform its obligations hereunder or under law, (iii) any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in
the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto, or the 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 (but, with respect to each of the Selling Shareholder only to
28
the extent that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or
alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished by such Selling Shareholder, in its capacity as such, to
the Company or the Underwriters, directly or through such Selling Shareholders'
representatives, specifically for inclusion therein) and agrees to reimburse
each Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by it in
connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage,
liability or action; provided, however, that neither the Company nor any Selling
-------- -------
Shareholder shall be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss,
claim, damage, liability or action arises out of or is based upon an untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in
the Registration Statement, such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, or
any such amendment or supplement thereto, in reliance upon, and in conformity
with, written information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company
as described in Section 4 hereof, and, provided further, that the indemnity
-------- -------
agreement provided in this Section 9(a) with respect to any Preliminary
Prospectus shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter from whom the
person asserting any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or actions based upon
any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of material fact or omission or
alleged omission to state therein a material fact purchased Shares, if a copy of
the Prospectus in which such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or
omission or alleged omission was corrected had not been sent or given to such
person within the time required by the Act and the Rules and Regulations, unless
such failure is the result of noncompliance by the Company with Section 6(d)
hereof.
The indemnity agreement in this Section 9(a) shall extend upon the
same terms and conditions to, and shall inure to the benefit of, each person, if
any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Act or the Exchange
Act. This indemnity agreement shall be in addition to any liabilities which the
Company may otherwise have.
(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify
and hold harmless the Company and the Selling Shareholders against any losses,
claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which the Company may
become subject under the Act or otherwise, specifically including, but not
limited to, losses, claims, damages or liabilities, insofar as such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or
are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material
fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or the 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, to the extent, but only to the extent,
that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
furnished to the Company as described in Section 4 hereof, and agrees to
reimburse the Company and the Selling Shareholders for any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or
defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action.
29
The indemnity agreement in this Section 9(b) shall extend upon the
same terms and conditions to, and shall inure to the benefit of, each officer of
the Company who signed the Registration Statement and each director of the
Company and each person, if any, who controls the Company or any of the Selling
Shareholders within the meaning of the Act or the Exchange Act. This indemnity
agreement shall be in addition to any liabilities which each Underwriter may
otherwise have.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section
9 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if
a claim in respect thereof is to be made against any indemnifying party under
this Section 9, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement
thereof but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it
from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than
under this Section 9. In case any such action is brought against any
indemnified party, and it notified the indemnifying party of the commencement
thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, to
the extent that it shall elect by written notice delivered to the indemnified
party promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice from such indemnified party,
to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such
indemnified party; provided, however, that if the defendants in any such action
-------- -------
include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the
indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal
defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different
from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party which pose a
conflict of interest for such counsel, the indemnified party or parties shall
have the right to select separate counsel to assume such legal defenses and to
otherwise participate in the defense of such action on behalf of such
indemnified party or parties. Upon receipt of notice from the indemnifying
party to such indemnified party of the indemnifying party's election so to
assume the defense of such action and approval by the indemnified party of
counsel, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party
under this Section 9 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by
such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof unless (i) the
indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in accordance with the
proviso to the next preceding sentence (it being understood, however, that the
indemnifying party shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one
separate counsel (together with appropriate local counsel) approved by the
indemnifying party representing all the indemnified parties under Section 9(a)
or 9(b) hereof who are parties to such action), (ii) the indemnifying party
shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to
represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of
commencement of the action or (iii) the indemnifying party has authorized the
employment of counsel for the indemnified party at the expense of the
indemnifying party. In no event shall any indemnifying party be liable in
respect of any amounts paid in settlement of any action unless the indemnifying
party shall have approved the terms of such settlement; provided that such
--------
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. 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 indemnification could have
been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes
an unconditional
30
release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the
subject matter of such indemnification.
(d) In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in any
action in which a claim for indemnification is made pursuant to this Section 9
but it is judicially determined (by the entry of a final judgment or decree by a
court of competent jurisdiction and the expiration of time to appeal or the
denial of the last right of appeal) that such indemnification may not be
enforced in such case notwithstanding the fact that this Section 9 provides for
indemnification in such case, all the parties hereto shall contribute to the
aggregate losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which they may be subject
(after contribution from others) in such proportion so that the Underwriters
severally and not jointly are responsible pro rata for the portion represented
by the percentage that the underwriting discount bears to the initial public
offering price, and the Company is responsible for the remaining portion,
provided, however, that (i) no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any
-------- -------
amount in excess of the underwriting discount applicable to the Shares purchased
by such Underwriter and (ii) no person guilty of a fraudulent misrepresentation
(within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to
contribution from any person who is not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation. The contribution agreement in this Section 9(d) shall extend
upon the same terms and conditions to, and shall inure to the benefit of, each
person, if any, who controls the Underwriters or the Company within the meaning
of the Act or the Exchange Act and each officer of the Company who signed the
Registration Statement and each director of the Company.
(e) The parties to this Agreement hereby acknowledge that they are
sophisticated business persons who were represented by counsel during the
negotiations regarding the provisions hereof including, without limitation, the
provisions of this Section 9, and are fully informed regarding said provisions.
They further acknowledge that the provisions of this Section 9 fairly allocate
the risks in light of the ability of the parties to investigate the Company and
its business in order to assure that adequate disclosure is made in the
Registration Statement and Prospectus as required by the Act and the Exchange
Act. The parties are advised that federal or state public policy, as
interpreted by the courts in certain jurisdictions, may be contrary to certain
of the provisions of this Section 9, and the parties hereto hereby expressly
waive and relinquish any right or ability to assert such public policy as a
defense to a claim under this Section 9 and further agree not to attempt to
assert any such defense.
10. Representations, Warranties, Covenants and Agreements to Survive
----------------------------------------------------------------
Delivery. All representations, warranties, covenants and agreements of the
--------
Company and the Underwriters herein or in certificates delivered pursuant
hereto, and the indemnity and contribution agreements contained in Sections 7
and 9 and hereof shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless
of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any controlling
person within the meaning of the Act or the Exchange Act, or by or on behalf of
the Company or any of its officers, directors or controlling persons within the
meaning of the Act or the Exchange Act, and shall survive the delivery of the
Shares to the several Underwriters hereunder or termination of this Agreement.
31
11. Substitution of Underwriters. If any Underwriter or Underwriters
----------------------------
shall fail to take up and pay for the number of Firm Shares agreed by such
Underwriter or Underwriters to be purchased hereunder upon tender of such Firm
Shares in accordance with the terms hereof, and if the aggregate number of Firm
Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters so agreed but failed to
purchase does not exceed 10% of the Firm Shares, the remaining Underwriters
shall be obligated, severally in proportion to their respective commitments
hereunder, to take up and pay for the Firm Shares of such defaulting Underwriter
or Underwriters.
If any Underwriter or Underwriters so defaults and the aggregate
number of Firm Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed
but failed to take up and pay for exceeds 10% of the Firm Shares, the remaining
Underwriters shall have the right, but shall not be obligated, to take up and
pay for (in such proportions as may be agreed upon among them) the Firm Shares
which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters so agreed but failed to
purchase. If such remaining Underwriters do not, at the Closing Date, take up
and pay for the Firm Shares which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters so
agreed but failed to purchase, the Closing Date shall be postponed for twenty-
four (24) hours to allow the several Underwriters the privilege of substituting
within twenty-four (24) hours (including non-business hours) another underwriter
or underwriters (which may include any nondefaulting Underwriter) satisfactory
to the Company. If no such underwriter or underwriters shall have been
substituted as aforesaid by such postponed Closing Date, the Closing Date may,
at the option of the Company, be postponed for a further twenty-four (24) hours,
if necessary, to allow the Company the privilege of finding another underwriter
or underwriters, satisfactory to you, to purchase the Firm Shares which the
defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters so agreed but failed to purchase. If it
shall be arranged for the remaining Underwriters or substituted underwriter or
underwriters to take up the Firm Shares of the defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters as provided in this Section 11, (i) the Company shall have the
right to postpone the time of delivery for a period of not more than seven (7)
full business days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made
necessary in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any other
documents or arrangements, and the Company agrees promptly to file any
amendments to the Registration Statement or supplements to the Prospectus which
may thereby be made necessary, and (ii) the respective number of Firm Shares to
be purchased by the remaining Underwriters and substituted underwriter or
underwriters shall be taken as the basis of their underwriting obligation. If
the remaining Underwriters shall not take up and pay for all such Firm Shares so
agreed to be purchased by the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters or
substitute another underwriter or underwriters as aforesaid and the Company
shall not find or shall not elect to seek another underwriter or underwriters
for such Firm Shares as aforesaid, then this Agreement shall terminate.
In the event of any termination of this Agreement pursuant to the
preceding paragraph of this Section 11, the Company shall not be liable to any
Underwriter (except as provided in Sections 7 and 9 hereof) nor shall any
Underwriter (other than an Underwriter who shall have failed, otherwise than for
some reason permitted under this Agreement, to purchase the number of Firm
Shares agreed by such Underwriter to be purchased hereunder, which Underwriter
32
shall remain liable to the Company and the other Underwriters for damages, if
any, resulting from such default) be liable to the Company (except to the extent
provided in Sections 7 and 9 hereof).
The term "Underwriter" in this Agreement shall include any person
substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 11.
12. Effective Date of this Agreement and Termination.
------------------------------------------------
(a) This Agreement shall become effective at the earlier of (i) 6:30
A.M., California time, on the second full business day following the effective
date of the Registration Statement, or (ii) the time of the initial public
offering of any of the Shares by the Underwriters after the Registration
Statement becomes effective. The time of the initial public offering shall mean
the time of the release by you, for publication, of the first newspaper
advertisement relating to the Shares, or the time at which the Shares are first
generally offered by the Underwriters to the public by letter, telephone,
telegram or telecopy, whichever shall first occur. By giving notice as set
forth in Section 13 before the time this Agreement becomes effective, you, as
Representatives of the several Underwriters, or the Company, may prevent this
Agreement from becoming effective without liability of any party to any other
party, except as provided in Sections 6(j), 7 and 9 hereof.
(b) You, as Representatives of the several Underwriters, shall have
the right to terminate this Agreement by giving notice as hereinafter specified
at any time at or prior to the Closing Date or on or prior to any later date on
which Option Shares are purchased, as the case may be, (i) if the Company shall
have failed, refused or been unable to perform any agreement on its part to be
performed, or (ii) because any other condition of the Underwriters' obligations
hereunder required to be fulfilled is not fulfilled, including, without
limitation, any change in the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings,
operations, business or business prospects of the Company from that set forth in
the Registration Statement or Prospectus, which, in your sole judgment, is
material and adverse, or (iii) if additional material governmental restrictions,
not in force and effect on the date hereof, shall have been imposed upon trading
in securities generally or minimum or maximum prices shall have been generally
established on the New York Stock Exchange or on the American Stock Exchange or
in the over the counter market by the NASD, or trading in securities generally
shall have been suspended on either such exchange or in the over the counter
market by the NASD, or if a banking moratorium shall have been declared by
federal, New York or California authorities, or (iv) if the Company shall have
sustained a loss by strike, fire, flood, earthquake, accident or other calamity
of such character as to interfere materially with the conduct of the business
and operations of the Company regardless of whether or not such loss shall have
been insured, or (v) if there shall have been a material adverse change in the
general political or economic conditions or financial markets as in your
reasonable judgment makes it inadvisable or impracticable to proceed with the
offering, sale and delivery of the Shares, or (vi) if there shall have been an
outbreak or escalation of hostilities or of any other insurrection or armed
conflict or the declaration by the United States of a national emergency which,
in the reasonable opinion of the Representatives, makes it impracticable or
inadvisable to proceed with the public
33
offering of the Shares as contemplated by the Prospectus. Any termination
pursuant to any of subparagraphs (ii) through (vi) above shall be without
liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Sections 7 and 9
hereof. In the event of termination pursuant to subparagraph (i) above, the
Company shall also remain obligated to pay costs and expenses pursuant to
Sections 6(j), 7 and 9 hereof.
If you elect to prevent this Agreement from becoming effective or to
terminate this Agreement as provided in this Section 12, you shall promptly
notify the Company by telephone, telecopy or telegram, in each case confirmed by
letter. If the Company shall elect to prevent this Agreement from becoming
effective, the Company shall promptly notify you by telephone, telecopy or
telegram, in each case, confirmed by letter.
13. Notices. All notices or communications hereunder, except as
-------
herein otherwise specifically provided, shall be in writing and if sent to you
shall be mailed, delivered, telegraphed (and confirmed by letter) or telecopied
(and confirmed by letter) to you c/o Cruttenden Xxxx Incorporated, 00000 Xxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000, telecopier number (000) 000-0000,
Attention: Xxxxx Xxxxxxx; if sent to the Company, such notice shall be mailed,
delivered, telegraphed (and confirmed by letter) or telecopied (and confirmed by
letter) to 0000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxx, XX, telecopier number (214) 855-
5277, Attention: Xxx Hoofardff.
14. Parties. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be
-------
binding upon the several Underwriters and the Company and their respective
executors, administrators, successors and assigns. Nothing expressed or
mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person
or corporation, other than the parties hereto and their respective executors,
administrators, successors and assigns, and their controlling persons within the
meaning of the Act or the Exchange Act, officers and directors referred to in
Section 9 hereof, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim in respect of
this Agreement or any provisions herein contained, this Agreement and all
conditions and provisions hereof being intended to be and being for the sole and
exclusive benefit of the parties hereto and their respective executors,
administrators, successors and assigns and said controlling persons and said
officers and directors, and for the benefit of no other person or corporation.
No purchaser of any of the Shares from any Underwriter shall be construed a
successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase. The Agreement
constitutes the entire agreement and understanding of the parties with respect
to the subject matter hereof.
In all dealings with the Company under this Agreement, you shall act
on behalf of each of the several Underwriters, and the Company shall be entitled
to act and rely upon any statement, request, notice or agreement made or given
by you on behalf of each of the several Underwriters.
15. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and
--------------
construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of California.
34
16. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in several
------------
counterparts, each of which will constitute an original.
If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding among the
Company and the several Underwriters, please so indicate in the space provided
below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding
agreement among the Company and the several Underwriters.
Very truly yours,
CPS SYSTEMS, INC.
By:
----------------------------------
Name:
---------------------------------
Title:
-------------------------------
SELLING SHAREHOLDERS
By:
-----------------------------------
Attorney-in-fact
Accepted as of the date first above written:
CRUTTENDEN XXXX INCORPORATED
On their behalf and on behalf of each of the
several Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.
By: CRUTTENDEN XXXX INCORPORATED
By:
---------------------------
Name:
----------------------
Title:
---------------------
JOSEPHTHAL & CO. INC.
On their behalf and on behalf of each of the
several Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.
By: JOSEPHTHAL & CO. INC.
By:
---------------------------
Name:
----------------------
Title:
---------------------
35
SCHEDULE A
Number of
Firm Shares
To Be
Underwriters Purchased
----------- ----------
Cruttenden Xxxx Incorporated...................................
Josephthal & Co. Inc...........................................
-------------
Total........................................................
=============
36
SCHEDULE B
Selling Shareholders Number of Option Shares
-------------------- -----------------------
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx 85,660
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx 85,660
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx Mezzanine Fund, L.P. 63,472
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx 21,280
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx 10,640
G. Xxxx Xxxxx 18,288
37
