EXHIBIT 1.1
Underwriting Agreement
October ___, 1999
BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc.
Bear Xxxxxxx & Co., Inc.
As Representatives of the several Underwriters
c/o BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc.
000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Introductory. ArthroCare Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the
"Company), proposes to issue and sell to the several underwriters named in
Schedule A (the "Underwriters") an aggregate of 1,000,000 shares (the "Firm
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Shares") of its Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the "Common Shares").
In addition, the Company has granted to the Underwriters an option to purchase
up to an additional 150,000 Common Shares (the "Option Shares") as provided in
Section 2. The Firm Shares and, if and to the extent such option is exercised,
the Option Shares are collectively called the "Shares". BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx Inc. and Bear Xxxxxxx & Co., Inc. have agreed to act as representatives
of the several Underwriters (in such capacity, the "Representatives") in
connection with the offering and sale of the Shares.
The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") a registration statement on Form S-3
(File No. 333-87187), which contains a form of prospectus to be used in
connection with the public offering and sale of the Shares. Such registration
statement, as amended, including the financial statements, exhibits and
schedules thereto, in the form in which it was declared effective by the
Commission under the Securities Act of 1933 and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder (collectively, the "Securities Act"), including all
documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein and any
information deemed to be a part thereof ("Incorporated Documents") at the time
of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A or Rule 434 or the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively,
the "Exchange Act"), is called the "Registration Statement". Any registration
statement filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act
is called the "Rule 462(b) Registration Statement", and from and after the date
and time of filing of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement the term
"Registration Statement" shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement.
Such prospectus, in the form first used
by the Underwriters to confirm sales of the Shares, is called the "Prospectus";
provided, however, if the Company has, with the consent of BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx Inc., elected to rely upon Rule 434 under the Securities Act, the term
"Prospectus" shall mean the Company's prospectus subject to completion (each, a
"preliminary prospectus") dated September 30, 1999 (such preliminary prospectus
is called the "Rule 434 preliminary prospectus"), together with the applicable
term sheet (the "Term Sheet") prepared and filed by the Company with the
Commission under Rules 434 and 424(b) under the Securities Act and all
references in this Agreement to the date of the Prospectus shall mean the date
of the Term Sheet. All references in this Agreement to the Registration
Statement, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, a preliminary prospectus, the
Prospectus or the Term Sheet, or any amendments or supplements to any of the
foregoing, shall include any copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to
its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System ("XXXXX"). All
references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other
information which is "contained," "included" or "stated" in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus (and all other references of like import) shall be
deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other
information which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be; and all references
in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include the filing of any document
under the Exchange Act which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be.
The Company hereby confirms its agreements with the
Underwriters as follows:
SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company
represents, warrants and covenants to each Underwriter as follows:
(a) Compliance with Registration Requirements. The Registration
Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement have been declared
effective by the Commission under the Securities Act. The Company has complied
to the Commission's satisfaction with all requests of the Commission for
additional or supplemental information. No stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted
or are pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or
threatened by the Commission.
Each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus when filed complied in
all material respects with the Securities Act and, if filed by electronic
transmission pursuant to XXXXX (except as may be permitted by Regulation S-T
under the Securities Act), was identical to the copy thereof delivered to the
Underwriters for use in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares. Each
of the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any
post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became effective and at all
subsequent times, complied and will comply in all material respects with the
Securities Act and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The Prospectus, as
amended or supplemented, as of its date and at all subsequent times, did not and
will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances
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under which they were made, not misleading. The representations and warranties
set forth in the two immediately preceding sentences do not apply to statements
in or omissions from the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus, or any
amendments or supplements thereto, made in reliance upon and in conformity with
information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by
the Representatives expressly for use therein. There are no contracts or other
documents required by the Securities Act to be described in the Prospectus or to
be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which have not been
accurately described in all material respects or filed as required.
(b) Offering Materials Furnished to Underwriters. The Company has
delivered to the Representatives two complete conformed copy of the Registration
Statement and of each consent and certificate of experts filed as a part
thereof, and conformed copies of the Registration Statement (without exhibits)
and preliminary prospectuses and the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, in
such quantities and at such places as the Representatives have reasonably
requested for each of the Underwriters.
(c) Distribution of Offering Material By the Company. The Company
has not distributed and will not distribute, prior to the later of the Second
Closing Date (as defined below) and the completion of the Underwriters'
distribution of the Shares, any offering material in connection with the
offering and sale of the Shares other than a preliminary prospectus, the
Prospectus or the Registration Statement.
(d) The Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by, and is a valid and binding agreement of,
the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as rights to
indemnification hereunder may be limited by applicable law and except as the
enforcement hereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and
remedies of creditors or by general equitable principles.
(e) Authorization of the Shares To Be Sold by the Company. The
Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Company have been duly
authorized for issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and
delivered by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, will be validly issued,
fully paid and nonassessable.
(f) No Applicable Registration or Other Similar Rights. There are
no persons with registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt
securities registered for sale under the Registration Statement or included in
the offering contemplated by this Agreement, except for such rights as have been
duly waived.
(g) No Material Adverse Change. Subsequent to the respective dates
as of which information is given in the Prospectus: (i) there has been no
material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the
earnings, business, operations or prospects, whether or not arising from
transactions in the ordinary course of business, of the Company and its
subsidiaries, considered as one entity (any such change or effect, where the
context so requires, is called a "Material Adverse Change" or a "Material
Adverse Effect"); (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one
entity, have not incurred any material liability or obligation, indirect, direct
or contingent,
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not in the ordinary course of business nor entered into any material transaction
or agreement not in the ordinary course of business; and (iii) there has been no
dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company or,
except for dividends paid to the Company or other subsidiaries, any of its
subsidiaries on any class of capital stock or repurchase or redemption by the
Company or any of its subsidiaries of any class of capital stock.
(h) Independent Accountants. PricewaterhouseCoopers L.L.P., who
have expressed their opinion with respect to the financial statements (which
term as used in this Agreement includes the related notes thereto) and
supporting schedules filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration
Statement and included in the Prospectus, are independent public or certified
public accountants as required by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.
(i) Preparation of the Financial Statements. The financial
statements filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and
included in the Prospectus present fairly the consolidated financial position of
the Company and its subsidiaries as of and at the dates indicated and the
results of their operations and cash flows for the periods specified. The
supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly the
information required to be stated therein. Such financial statements and
supporting schedules have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles as applied in the United States applied on a consistent
basis throughout the periods involved, except as may be expressly stated in the
related notes thereto. No other financial statements or supporting schedules are
required to be included in the Registration Statement. The financial data set
forth in the Prospectus under the captions "Prospectus Summary--Summary Selected
Financial Data", "Selected Financial Data" and "Capitalization" fairly present
the information set forth therein on a basis consistent with that of the audited
financial statements contained in the Registration Statement.
(j) Company's Accounting System. The Company and each of its
subsidiaries maintain a system of 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 as applied in the United States and to
maintain accountability for assets; (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.
(k) Subsidiaries of the Company. The Company does not own or
control, directly or indirectly, (i) any corporation, association or other
entity other than the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21 to the Company's Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 2, 1999 and (ii) none of
such corporations, associations or other entities identified in subsection (i)
above is a Significant Subsidiary (as that term is defined in Regulation S-X of
the Securities Act).
(l) Incorporation and Good Standing of the Company and its
Subsidiaries. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has been duly organized
and is validly existing as a corporation or limited liability company, as the
case may be, in good
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standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is organized with full
corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as
described in the prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign
corporation and is in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction which
requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or be
in good standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(m) Capitalization of the Subsidiaries. All the outstanding shares
of capital stock of each subsidiary have been duly and validly authorized and
issued and are fully paid and nonassessable, and, except as otherwise set forth
in the Prospectus, all outstanding shares of capital stock of the subsidiaries
are owned by the Company either directly or through wholly owned subsidiaries
free and clear of any security interests, claims, liens or encumbrances.
(n) No Prohibition on Subsidiaries from Paying Dividends or Making
Other Distributions. No subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited,
directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making
any other distribution on such subsidiary's capital stock, from repaying to the
Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from
transferring any of such subsidiary's property or assets to the Company or any
other subsidiary of the Company, except as described in or contemplated by the
Prospectus.
(o) Capitalization and Other Capital Stock Matters. The authorized,
issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the
Prospectus under the caption "Capitalization" as of the date set forth therein
(other than for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to employee benefit plans
described in the Prospectus or upon exercise of outstanding options or warrants
described in the Prospectus). The Common Shares (including the Shares) conform
in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus.
All of the issued and outstanding Common Shares have been duly authorized and
validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and have been issued in
compliance with federal and state securities laws. None of the outstanding
Common Shares were issued in violation of any preemptive rights, rights of first
refusal or other similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities of the
Company. There are no authorized or outstanding options, warrants, preemptive
rights, rights of first refusal or other rights to purchase, or equity or debt
securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, any capital
stock of the Company or any of its subsidiaries other than those accurately
described in the Prospectus. The description of the Company's stock option,
stock bonus and other stock plans or arrangements, and the options or other
rights granted 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.
(p) Stock Exchange Listing. The Shares are registered pursuant to
[Section 12(b) or 12(g)] of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange
Act") and are listed on the Nasdaq National Market, and the Company has taken no
action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the
registration of the Common Shares under the Exchange Act or delisting the Common
Shares from the Nasdaq National Market, nor has the Company received any
notification that the Commission, the National Association of Securities
Dealers, LLC (the "NASD") or the Nasdaq National Market is contemplating
terminating such registration or listing.
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(q) No Consents, Approvals or Authorizations Required. No consent,
approval, authorization, filing with or order of any court or governmental
agency or regulatory body is required in connection with the transactions
contemplated herein including, without limitation, the Food and Drug
Administration (the "FDA"), except such as have been obtained or made under the
Securities Act and such as may be required (i) under the blue sky laws of any
jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by
the Underwriters in the manner contemplated here and in the Prospectus, (ii) by
the National Association of Securities Dealers, L.L.C. and (iii) by the federal
and provincial laws of Canada.
(r) Non-Contravention of Existing Instruments Agreements. Neither
the issue and sale of the Shares nor the consummation of any other of the
transactions herein contemplated nor the fulfillment of the terms hereof will
conflict with, result in a breach or violation or imposition of any lien, charge
or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries pursuant to, (i) the charter or by-laws of the Company or any of
its subsidiaries, (ii) the terms of any material indenture, contract, lease,
mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement,
obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is a party or bound or to which its or their property is subject or
(iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree applicable
to the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any court, regulatory body,
administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having
jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of its or their
properties.
(s) No Defaults or Violations. Neither the Company nor any
subsidiary is in violation or default of (i) any provision of its charter or by-
laws, (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust,
note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition,
covenant or instrument to which it is a party or bound or to which its property
is subject or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or
decree of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body,
arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or such
subsidiary or any of its properties, as applicable, except any such violation or
default which would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material
Adverse Change except as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus.
(t) No Actions, Suits or Proceedings. Except as otherwise disclosed
in the Prospectus, no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or
governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company
or any of its subsidiaries or its or their property is pending or, to the best
knowledge of the Company, threatened that (i) could reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect on the performance of this Agreement or the
consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby or (ii) could
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(u) All Necessary Permits, Etc. Except as otherwise disclosed in
the Prospectus, the Company and each subsidiary possess such valid and current
material certificates, authorizations or permits issued by the appropriate
state, federal or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct
their respective businesses as currently conducted including, without
limitation, the FDA, and neither the Company nor any subsidiary has received any
notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of, or non-
compliance with, any such certificate, authorization or permit
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which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision,
ruling or finding, could result in a Material Adverse Change.
(v) Title to Properties. The Company and each of its subsidiaries
has good and marketable title to all the properties and assets reflected as
owned in the financial statements referred to in Section 1 (i) above (or
elsewhere in the Prospectus), in each case free and clear of any security
interests, mortgages, liens, encumbrances, equities, claims and other defects,
except such as do not materially and adversely affect the value of such property
and do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such
property by the Company or such subsidiary. The real property, improvements,
equipment and personal property held under lease by the Company or any
subsidiary are held under valid and enforceable leases, except as rights to
indemnification thereunder may be limited by applicable law and except as the
enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and
remedies of creditors or by general equitable principles. With such exceptions
as are not material and do not materially interfere with the use made or
proposed to be made of such real property, improvements, equipment or personal
property by the Company or such subsidiary.
(w) Tax Law Compliance. The Company and its consolidated
subsidiaries have filed all necessary federal, state and foreign income and
franchise tax returns and have paid all taxes required to be paid by any of them
and, if due and payable, any related or similar assessment, fine or penalty
levied against any of them. The Company has made adequate charges, accruals and
reserves in the applicable financial statements referred to in Section 1(i)
above in respect of all federal, state and foreign income and franchise taxes
for all periods as to which the tax liability of the Company or any of its
consolidated subsidiaries has not been finally determined. The Company is not
aware of any tax deficiency that has been or might be asserted or threatened
against the Company that could result in a Material Adverse Change.
(x) Intellectual Property Rights. Each of the Company and its
subsidiaries owns all patents, patent rights, inventions, trade secrets, know-
how, trademarks, service marks, trade names and copyrights or possesses adequate
rights to use all licenses which are necessary to conduct its businesses as now
or as proposed to be conducted by it as described in the Registration Statement
and Prospectus and any as now or as proposed to be conducted by it Incorporated
Document; the expiration of any patents, patent rights, trade secrets,
trademarks, service marks, trade names or copyrights would not result in a
Material Adverse Change that is not otherwise disclosed in the 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, patent rights, inventions, trade secrets, know-how,
trademarks, service marks, trade names or copyrights; 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, patent rights,
inventions, trade secrets, know-how, trademarks, service marks, trade names or
copyrights which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable
decision, ruling or finding, might have a Material Adverse Change. To the
Company's knowledge, none of the patent rights owned or licensed by the Company
are unenforceable or invalid. The Company has duly and properly filed or caused
to be filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (the "PTO") and
appropriate foreign and international patent authorities all patent applications
described or referred to in the Prospectus and as set forth on Schedule B, and
has complied with
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the PTO's duty of candor and disclosure for each of the United States patent
applications set forth on Schedule B; the Company is unaware of any facts which
would preclude their grant of a patent from each of the patent applications set
forth on Schedule B; the Company has no knowledge of any facts which would
preclude it from having clear title to its patent applications referenced in the
Prospectus. The Company is not aware of the granting of any patent rights to
third parties or the filing of patent applications by third parties or any other
rights to any of the Company's Intellectual Property.
(y) Year 2000 Preparedness. There are no issues related to the
Company's, or any of its subsidiaries', preparedness for the Year 2000 that (i)
are of a character required to be described or referred to in the Registration
Statement or Prospectus or any Incorporated Document by the Securities Act or by
the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder which
have not been accurately described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus
or any Incorporated Document or (ii) might reasonably be expected to result in
any Material Adverse Change or that might materially affect their properties,
assets or rights. Except as set forth in the Prospectus, all internal computer
systems and each Constituent Component (as defined below) of those systems and
all computer-related products and each Constituent Component (as defined below)
of those products of the Company and each of its subsidiaries fully comply with
Year 2000 Qualification Requirements. "Year 2000 Qualifications Requirements"
means that the internal computer systems and each Constituent Component (as
defined below) of those systems and all computer-related products and each
Constituent Component (as defined below) of those products of the Company and
each of its Subsidiaries (i) have been reviewed to confirm that they store,
process (including sorting and performing mathematical operations, calculations
and computations), input and output data containing date and information
correctly regardless of whether the date contains dates and times before, on or
after January 1, 2000, (ii) have been designated to ensure date and time entry
recognition and calculations, and date data interface values that reflect the
century, (iii) accurately manage and manipulate data involving dates and times,
including single century formulas and multi-century formulas, and will not cause
an abnormal ending scenario within the application or generate incorrect values
or invalid results involving such dates, (iv) accurately process any date
rollover, and (v) accept and respond to two-digit year date input in a manner
that resolves any ambiguities as to the century. "Constituent Component" means
all software (including operating systems, programs, packages and utilities),
firmware, hardware, networking components, and peripherals provided as part of
the configuration. Except as set forth in the Prospectus, the Company has
inquired of material vendors as to their preparedness for the Year 2000 and has
disclosed in the Registration Statement or Prospectus any issues that might
reasonably be expected to result in any Material Adverse Change .
(z) No Transfer Taxes or Other Fees. There are no transfer taxes or
other similar fees or charges under Federal law or the laws of any state, or any
political subdivision thereof, required to be paid in connection with the
issuance and sale by the Company of the shares.
(aa) Company Not an "Investment Company". The Company has been
advised of the rules and requirements under the Investment Company Act of 1940,
as amended (the "Investment Company Act"). The Company is not, and after receipt
of payment for the Shares will not be, an "investment company" or an entity
"controlled" by an "investment company" within the meaning of the Investment
Company Act and will
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conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become subject to the
Investment Company Act.
(bb) Insurance. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries are insured
by recognized, financially sound and reputable institutions with policies in
such amounts and with such deductibles and covering such risks as are generally
deemed adequate and customary for their businesses including, but not limited
to, policies covering real and personal property owned or leased by the Company
and its subsidiaries against theft, damage, destruction, acts of vandalism and
earthquakes, general liability and Directors and Officers liability. The Company
has no reason to believe that it or any subsidiary will not be able (i) to renew
its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (ii) to
obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or
appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would
not result in a Material Adverse Change. Neither of the Company nor any
subsidiary has been denied any insurance coverage which it has sought or for
which it has applied.
(cc) Labor Matters. To the best of Company's knowledge, no labor
disturbance by the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or
is imminent; and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor
disturbance by the employees of any of its principal suppliers, value added
resellers, subcontractors, original equipment manufacturers, authorized dealers
or international distributors that might be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Change.
(dd) No Price Stabilization or Manipulation. The Company has not
taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that
might be reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation
of the price of the Common Stock to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.
(ee) Lock-Up Agreements. Each officer and director of the company
has agreed to sign an agreement substantially in the form attached hereto as
Exhibit A (the "Lock-up Agreements"). The Company has provided to counsel for
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the Underwriters a complete and accurate list of all securityholders of the
Company and the number and type of securities held by each securityholder as of
June 30, 1999. The Company has provided to counsel for the Underwriters true,
accurate and complete copies of all of the Lock-up Agreements presently in
effect or effected hereby Except as contemplated by the letter agreement between
the Representatives and Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx dated September 15, 1999, the Company
represents and warrants that it will not release any of its officers, directors
or other stockholders from any Lock-up Agreements currently existing or
hereafter effected without the prior written consent of BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx Inc.
(ff) Related Party Transactions. There are no business relationships
or related-party transactions involving the Company or any subsidiary or any
other person required to be described in the Prospectus which have not been
described as required.
(gg) No Unlawful Contributions or Other Payments. Except as
otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries nor, to the best of the Company's knowledge, any employee or agent
of the Company or any subsidiary, has made any contribution or other payment to
any official of, or candidate
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for, any federal, state or foreign office in violation of any law or of the
character required to be disclosed in the Prospectus.
(hh) Environmental Laws. Except as otherwise disclosed in the
Prospectus, (i) the Company is in 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")
which are applicable to its business, except where the failure to comply would
not result in a Material Adverse Change, (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 and any Incorporated Document, (iii) the Company
will not 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
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applicable state or local law.
(ii) Periodic Review of Costs of Environmental Compliance. In the
ordinary course of its business, the Company conducts a periodic review of the
effect of Environmental Laws on the business, operations and properties of the
Company and its subsidiaries, in the course of which it identifies and evaluates
associated costs and liabilities (including, without limitation, any capital or
operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or
compliance with Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any
related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to
third parties). On the basis of such review and the amount of its established
reserves, the Company has reasonably concluded that such associated costs and
liabilities would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material
Adverse Change.
(jj) ERISA Compliance. Except as otherwise disclosed in the
Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries and any "employee benefit plan" (as
defined under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended,
and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (collectively,
"ERISA")) established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or their
"ERISA Affiliates" (as defined below) are in compliance in all material respects
with ERISA. "ERISA Affiliate" means, with respect to the Company or a
subsidiary, any member of any group of organizations described in Sections
414(b),(c),(m) or (o) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the
regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the "Code") of which the
Company or such subsidiary is a member. No "reportable event" (as defined under
ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any
"employee benefit plan" established or maintained by the Company, its
subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates. No "employee benefit plan"
established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA
Affiliates, if such "employee benefit plan" were terminated, would have any
"amount of unfounded benefit liabilities" (as defined under ERISA). Neither the
Company, its subsidiaries nor any of their ERISA Affiliates has incurred or
reasonably expects to incur any liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with
respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any "employee benefit plan" or
(ii) Sections 412, 4971, 4975 or 4980B of the Code. Each "employee benefit plan"
established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA
Affiliates that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is
so
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qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or failure to act, which
would cause the loss of such qualification.
(kk) Exchange Act Compliance. The documents incorporated or deemed
to be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, at the time they were or
hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all
material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act, and, when read
together with the other information in the Prospectus, at the time the
Registration Statement and any amendments thereto become effective and at the
First Closing Date and the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, will not
contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the 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.
(ll) Exchange Act Reports Filed. The Company has filed all reports
required to be filed pursuant to the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.
(mm) Conditions for Use of Form S-3. The Company has satisfied the
conditions for the use of Form S-3, as set forth in the general instructions
thereto, with respect to the Registration Statement.
Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company and delivered to the
Representative or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed to be a
representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters
set forth therein.
Section 2. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Shares.
(a) The Firm Shares. The Company agrees to issue and sell to the
several Underwriters the Firm Shares upon the terms herein set forth. On the
basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and
upon the terms but subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Underwriters
agree, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective
number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their names on Schedule A. The purchase
----------
price per Firm Share to be paid by the several Underwriters to the Company shall
be $[___] per share.
(b) The First Closing Date. Delivery of the Firm Shares to be
purchased by the Underwriters and payment therefor shall be made by the Company
and the Representative at 6:00 a.m. San Francisco time, at the offices of Xxxxxx
& Xxxxxxx (or at such other place as may be agreed upon among the
Representatives and the Company), (i) on the third (3/rd/) full business day
following the first day that Shares are traded, (ii) if this Agreement is
executed and delivered after 1:30 P.M., San Francisco time, the fourth (4/th/)
full business day following the day that this Agreement is executed and
delivered or (iii) at such other time and date not later that seven (7) full
business days following the first day that Shares are traded as the
Representative and the Company may determine (or at such time and date to which
payment and delivery shall have been postponed pursuant to Section 8 hereof),
such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called the "Closing
Date;" provided, however, that if the Company has not made available to the
Representatives copies of the Prospectus within the time provided in Section
4(d) hereof, the Representatives may, in their sole discretion, postpone the
Closing Date until no later that two (2) full business days following delivery
of copies of the Prospectus to the Representative.
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(c) The Option Shares; the Second Closing Date. In addition, on the
basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and
upon the terms but subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Company
hereby grants an option to the several Underwriters to purchase, severally and
not jointly, up to an aggregate of 150,000 Option Shares from the Company at the
purchase price per share to be paid by the Underwriters for the Firm Shares. The
option granted hereunder is for use by the Underwriters solely in covering any
over-allotments in connection with the sale and distribution of the Firm Shares.
The option granted hereunder may be exercised at any time upon notice by the
Representatives to the Company, which notice may be given at any time within 30
days from the date of this Agreement. The time and date of delivery of the
Option Shares, if subsequent to the First Closing Date, is called the "Second
Closing Date" and shall be determined by the Representatives and shall not be
earlier than three nor later than five full business days after delivery of such
notice of exercise. If any Option Shares are to be purchased, each Underwriter
agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Option Shares
(subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as the
Representatives may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total
number of Option Shares to be purchased as the number of Firm Shares set forth
on Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of
----------
Firm Shares. The Representatives may cancel the option at any time prior to its
expiration by giving written notice of such cancellation to the Company.
(d) Public Offering of the Shares. The Representatives hereby
advise the Company that the Underwriters intend to offer for sale to the public,
as described in the Prospectus, their respective portions of the Shares as soon
after this Agreement has been executed and the Registration Statement has been
declared effective as the Representatives, in their sole judgment, have
determined is advisable and practicable.
(e) Payment for the Shares. Payment for the Shares shall be made at
the First Closing Date (and, if applicable, at the Second Closing Date) by wire
transfer in immediately available-funds to the order of the Company.
It is understood that the Representatives have been authorized, for
their own account and the accounts of the several Underwriters, to accept
delivery of and receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the
Firm Shares and any Option Shares the Underwriters have agreed to purchase.
BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc., individually and not as a Representative of
the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment for any
Shares to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds shall not have been
received by the Representatives by the First Closing Date or the Second Closing
Date, as the case may be, for the account of such Underwriter, but any such
payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from any of its obligations under
this Agreement.
(f) Delivery of the Shares. The Company shall deliver, or cause to
be delivered, a credit representing the Firm Shares to an account or accounts at
The Depository Trust Company, as designated by the Representatives for the
accounts of the Representatives and the several Underwriters at the First
Closing Date, against the irrevocable release of a wire transfer of immediately
available funds for the amount of the purchase price therefor. The Company shall
also deliver, or cause to be delivered a credit representing the Option Shares
the Underwriters have agreed to purchase at the First Closing Date (or the
Second Closing Date, as the case may be), to an account or accounts at The
Depository Trust Company as designated by the Representatives for
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the accounts of the Representative and the several Underwriters, against the
irrevocable release of a wire transfer of immediately available funds for the
amount of the purchase price therefor. Time shall be of the essence, and
delivery at the time and place specified in this Agreement is a further
condition to the obligations of the Underwriters.
(g) Delivery of Prospectus to the Underwriters. Not later than
12:00 noon on the second business day following the date the Shares are released
by the Underwriters for sale to the public, the Company shall deliver or cause
to be delivered copies of the Prospectus in such quantities and at such places
as the Representatives shall request.
SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company. The Company further covenants and
agrees with each Underwriter as follows:
(a) Registration Statement Matters. The Company will (i) use its
best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to become effective or, if the
procedure in Rule 430A of the Securities Act is followed, to prepare and timely
file with the Commission under Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act a Prospectus
in a form approved by the Representatives containing information previously
omitted at the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement in reliance
on Rule 430A of the Securities Act and (ii) not file any amendment to the
Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus of which the
Representatives shall not previously have been advised and furnished with a copy
or to which the Representatives shall have reasonably objected in writing, or
subject however, to compliance with the Securities Act. If the Company elects to
rely on Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, the Company shall file a Rule
462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b)
under the Securities Act prior to the time confirmations are sent or given, as
specified by Rule 462(b)(2) under the Securities Act, and shall pay the
applicable fees in accordance with Rule 111 under the Securities Act.
(b) Securities Act Compliance. The Company will advise the
Representatives promptly (i) when the Registration Statement or any post-
effective amendment thereto shall have become effective, (ii) of receipt of any
comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request of the Commission for
amendment of the Registration Statement or for supplement to the Prospectus or
for any additional information and (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any
stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the use
of the Prospectus or of the institution of any proceedings for that purpose. The
Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order
preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus and to obtain as soon as
possible the lifting thereof, if issued.
(c) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company will cooperate with the
Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters in endeavoring to qualify the
Shares for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions (both national
and foreign) as the Representative may reasonably have designated in writing and
will make such applications, file such documents, and furnish such information
as may be reasonably required for that purpose, provided the Company shall not
be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to
service of process in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or
required to file such a consent. The Company will, from time to time, prepare
and file such statements, reports and other documents, as are
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or may be required to continue such qualifications in effect for so long a
period as the Representatives may reasonably request for distribution of the
Shares.
(d) Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus and Other
Securities Act Matters. The Company will comply with the Securities Act and the
rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, so as to permit the
completion of the distribution of the Shares as contemplated in this Agreement
and the Prospectus. If during the period in which a prospectus is required by
law to be delivered by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur as a
result of which, in the judgment of the Company or in the reasonable opinion of
the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters, it becomes necessary to
amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in
the light of the circumstances existing at the time the Prospectus is delivered
to a purchaser, not misleading, or, if it is necessary at any time to amend or
supplement the Prospectus to comply with any law, the Company promptly will
prepare and file with the Commission, and furnish at its own expense to the
Underwriters and to dealers, an appropriate amendment to the Registration
Statement or supplement to the Prospectus so that the Prospectus as so amended
or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when it is so
delivered, be misleading, or so that the Prospectus will comply with the law.
(e) Copies of any Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus. The
Company agrees to furnish the Representatives, without charge, during the period
beginning on the date hereof and ending on the later of the First Closing Date
or such date, as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, the Prospectus
is no longer required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an
Underwriter or dealer (the "Prospectus Delivery Period"), as many copies of the
Prospectus and any amendments and supplements thereto (including any documents
incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference therein) as the Representatives
may reasonably request.
(f) Insurance. The Company shall obtain Directors and Officers
liability insurance in the minimum amount of $10 million which shall apply to
the offering contemplated hereby.
(g) Notice of Subsequent Events. If at any time during the ninety
(90) day period after the Registration Statement becomes effective, any,
publication or event relating to or affecting the Company shall occur as a
result of which in your opinion the market price of the Company Shares has been
or is likely to be materially affected (regardless of whether such publication
or event necessitates a supplement to or amendment of the Prospectus), the
Company will, after written notice from you advising the Company to the effect
set forth above, forthwith prepare, consult with you concerning the substance of
and disseminate a press release or other public statement, reasonably
satisfactory to you, responding to or commenting on such publication or event.
(h) Use of Proceeds. The Company shall apply the net proceeds from
the sale of the Shares sold by it in the manner described under the caption "Use
of Proceeds" in the Prospectus.
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(i) Transfer Agent. The Company shall engage and maintain, at its
expense, a registrar and transfer agent (which may be the same entity as the
registrar) for the Company Shares.
(j) Earnings Statement. As soon as practicable, the Company will
make generally available to its security holders and to the Representative an
earnings statement (which need not be audited) covering the twelve-month period
ending _____ that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities
Act.
(k) Periodic Reporting Obligations. During the Prospectus Delivery
Period the Company shall file, on a timely basis, with the Commission and the
Nasdaq National Market all reports and documents required to be filed under the
Exchange Act.
(l) Agreement Not to Offer or Sell Additional Securities. The
Company will not, without the prior written consent of BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx Inc., for a period of 90 days following the date of the Prospectus,
offer, sell or contract to sell, or otherwise dispose of or enter into any
transaction which is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the
disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due
to cash settlement or otherwise by the Company or any affiliate of the Company
or any person in privity with the Company or any affiliate of the Company)
directly or indirectly, or announce the offering of, any other Common Shares or
any securities convertible into, or exchangeable for, Common Shares; provided,
however, that the Company may (i) issue and sell Common Shares pursuant to any
director or employee stock option plan, stock ownership plan or dividend
reinvestment plan of the Company in effect at the date of the Prospectus and
described in the Prospectus in the ordinary course of business so long as none
of those shares held by persons subject to lock-up agreements may be transferred
on during the period of 90 days from the date that the Registration Statement is
declared effective (the "Lock-Up Period") and the Company shall enter stop
transfer instructions with its transfer agent and registrar against the transfer
of any such Common Shares and (ii) the Company may issue Common Shares issuable
upon the conversion of securities or the exercise of warrants outstanding at the
date of the Prospectus and described in the Prospectus.
(m) Future Reports to the Representative. During the period of five
years hereafter the Company will furnish to the Representatives (i) as soon as
practicable after the end of each fiscal year, copies of the Annual Report of
the Company containing the balance sheet of the Company as of the close of such
fiscal year and statements of income, stockholders' equity and cash flows for
the year then ended and the opinion thereon of the Company's independent public
or certified public accountants; (ii) as soon as practicable after the filing
thereof, copies of each proxy statement, Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q, Current Report on Form 8-K or other report filed by the
Company with the Commission, the National Association of Securities Dealers, LLC
or any securities exchange; and (iii) as soon as available, copies of any report
or communication of the Company mailed generally to holders of its capital
stock.
(n) Exchange Act Compliance. During the Prospectus Delivery Period,
the Company will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission
pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15 of the Exchange Act in the manner and within
the time periods required by the Exchange Act.
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SECTION 4. Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriters. The
obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Shares as
provided herein on the First Closing Date and, with respect to the Option
Shares, the Second Closing Date, shall be subject to the accuracy of the
representations and warranties on the part of the Company set forth in Section 1
hereof as of the date hereof and as of the First Closing Date as though then
made and, with respect to the Option Shares, as of the Second Closing Date as
though then made, to the timely performance by the Company of its covenants and
other obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional conditions:
(a) Compliance with Registration Requirements; No Stop Order; No
Objection from the National Association of Securities Dealers, LLC The
Registration Statement shall have become effective prior to the execution of
this Agreement, or at 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 any Incorporated Document or
otherwise) shall have been complied with to the satisfaction of Underwriters'
Counsel; and the National Association of Securities Dealers, LLC shall have
raised no objection to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms
and arrangements.
(b) Corporate Proceedings. All corporate proceedings and other
legal matters in connection with this Agreement, the form of Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, and the registration, authorization, issue, sale
and delivery of the Shares, shall have been reasonably satisfactory to
Underwriters' Counsel, and such counsel shall have been furnished with such
papers and information as they may reasonably have requested to enable them to
pass upon the matters referred to in this Section.
(c) No Material Adverse Change or Ratings Agency Change. Subsequent
to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the First Closing
Date, or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, there shall not have been
any Material Adverse Change in the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings,
operations, business or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries
considered as one enterprise 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.
(d) Opinion of Counsel for the Company. You shall have received on
the First Closing Date, or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, an
opinion of Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx, counsel for the Company substantially in the form
of Exhibit B attached hereto, dated the First Closing Date, or the Second
---------
Closing Date, addressed to the Underwriters and with reproduced copies or signed
counterparts thereof for each of the Underwriters.
Counsel rendering the opinion contained in Exhibit B may rely as to
---------
questions of law not involving the laws of the United States or the States of
California and Delaware 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 their
-16-
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) Opinion of Patent Counsel for the Company. You shall have
received on the First Closing Date, or the Second Closing Date, as the case may
be, an opinion of Xxxxxxxx and Xxxxxxxx and Crew LLP, patent counsel for the
Company substantially in the form of Exhibit C attached hereto.
---------
(f) Opinion of Regulatory Counsel for the Company. You shall have
received on the First Closing Date, or the Second Closing Date, as the case may
be, an opinion of Xxxxx & Xxxxxxx L.L.P., special regulatory counsel for the
Company, substantially in the form of Exhibit D attached hereto.
---------
(g) Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriters. You shall have
received on the First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may
be, an opinion of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxx, substantially in the form of
Exhibit E hereto. 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.
(h) Accountants' Comfort Letter. You shall have received on the First
Closing Date and on the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, a letter from
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP addressed to the Underwriters, dated the First
Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, confirming that
they are independent certified public accountants with respect to the Company
within the meaning of the Securities Act and based upon the procedures described
in such letter delivered to you concurrently with the execution of this
Agreement (herein called the "Original Letter"), but carried out to a date not
more than five (5) business days prior to the First Closing Date or the Second
Closing Date, 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 First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, 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, business or business prospects
of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise 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 PricewaterhouseCoopers 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 Securities Act, (ii) set forth their opinion
with respect to their examination of the consolidated balance sheet of the
Company as of December 28, 1996, January 3, 1998 and January 2, 1999 and related
consolidated statements of operations, shareholders' equity, and cash flows for
the twelve (12) months ended December 28, 1996, January 3, 1998 and January 2,
1999 (iii) state that PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP has performed the procedures
set out in
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Statement on Auditing Standards No. 71 ("SAS 71") for a review of interim
financial information and providing the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as
described in SAS 71 on the financial statements for each of the quarters in the
two-quarter period ended July 4, 1998 and July 3, 1999 (the "Quarterly Financial
Statements"), (iv) state that in the course of such review, nothing came to
their attention that leads them to believe that any material modifications need
to be made to any of the Quarterly Financial Statements in order for them to be
in compliance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied
across the periods presented, and address other matters agreed upon by
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. and you. In addition, you shall have received from
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP a letter addressed to the Company and made available
to you for the use of the Underwriters stating that their review of the
Company's system of internal accounting controls, to the extent they deemed
necessary in establishing the scope of their examination of the Company's
consolidated financial statements as of January 2, 1999 did not disclose any
weaknesses in internal controls that they considered to be material weaknesses.
(i) Officers' Certificate. You shall have received on the First
Closing Date and the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate of
the Company, dated the First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the
case may be, signed by the Chief Executive Officer 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 First Closing Date
or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, and the Company has complied
with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be
performed or satisfied at or prior to the First Closing Date or the Second
Closing Date, 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 are pending or threatened under the Act;
(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 and the Incorporated Documents, when such Incorporated Documents became
effective or were filed with the Commission, contained all material information
required to be included therein by the Securities Act 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
Securities Act or the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations of
the Commission thereunder, as the case may be, the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus, and any amendments or supplements 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; 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 which 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, (b) any transaction that is material to
the Company and its
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subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, except transactions entered into in
the ordinary course of business, (c) any obligation, direct or contingent, that
is material to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise,
incurred by the Company or its subsidiaries, except obligations incurred in the
ordinary course of business, (d) any change in the capital stock or outstanding
indebtedness of the Company or any of its subsidiaries that is material to the
Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, (e) any dividend or
distribution of any kind declared, paid or made on the capital stock of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries, or (f) any loss or damage (whether or not
insured) to the property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries which has
been sustained or will have been sustained which has a Material Adverse Effect.
(j) Lock-up Agreement from Certain Stockholders of the Company. The
Company shall have obtained and delivered to you an agreement substantially in
the form of Exhibit A attached hereto from each officer and director of the
---------
Company.
(k) Stock Exchange Listing. The Shares shall have been approved for
inclusion on the Nasdaq National Market, subject only to official notice of
issuance.
(l) Compliance with Prospectus Delivery Requirements. The Company
shall have complied with the provisions of Sections 2(g) and 3(e) hereof with
respect to the furnishing of Prospectuses.
(m) Additional Documents. On or before each of the First Closing
Date and the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, the Representative and
counsel for the Underwriters shall have received such information, documents and
opinions as they may reasonably require for the purposes of enabling them to
pass upon the issuance and sale of the Shares as contemplated herein, or in
order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations and warranties, or
the satisfaction of any of the conditions or agreements, herein contained.
If any condition specified in this Section 4 is not satisfied when and
as required to be satisfied, this Agreement may be terminated by the
Representatives by notice to the Company at any time on or prior to the First
Closing Date and, with respect to the Option Shares, at any time prior to the
Second Closing Date, which termination shall be without liability on the part of
any party to any other party, except that Section 5 (Payment of Expenses),
Section 6 (Reimbursement of Underwriters' Expenses), Section 7 (Indemnification
and Contribution) and Section 10 (Representations and Indemnities to Survive
Delivery) shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.
SECTION 5. Payment of Expenses. The Company agrees to pay all costs, fees
and expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations
hereunder and in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including
without limitation (i) all expenses incident to the issuance and delivery of the
Common Shares (including all printing and engraving costs), (ii) all fees and
expenses of the registrar and transfer agent of the Common Stock, (iii) all
necessary issue, transfer and other stamp taxes in connection with the issuance
and sale of the Shares to the Underwriters, (iv) all fees and expenses of the
Company's counsel, independent public or certified public accountants and other
advisors, (v) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the
preparation, printing, filing, shipping and distribution of the Registration
Statement (including financial statements, exhibits, schedules, consents and
certificates of experts),
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each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus, and all amendments and
supplements thereto, and this Agreement, (vi) all filing fees, attorneys' fees
and expenses incurred by the Company or the Underwriters in connection with
qualifying or registering (or obtaining exemptions from the qualification or
registration of) all or any part of the Shares for offer and sale under the
state securities or blue sky laws or the provincial securities laws of Canada or
any other country, and, if requested by the Representatives, preparing and
printing a "Blue Sky Survey", an "International Blue Sky Survey" or other
memorandum, and any supplements thereto, advising the Underwriters of such
qualifications, registrations and exemptions, (vii) the filing fees incident to,
and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters in
connection with, the National Association of Securities Dealers, LLC review and
approval of the Underwriters' participation in the offering and distribution of
the Common Shares, (viii) the fees and expenses associated with including the
Common Shares on the Nasdaq National Market, (ix) all costs and expenses
incident to the preparation and undertaking of "road show" preparations to be
made to prospective investors other than underwriter travel and related expenses
and (x) all other fees, costs and expenses referred to in Item 14 of Part II of
the Registration Statement. Except as provided in this Section 5, Section 6, and
Section 7 hereof, the Underwriters shall pay their own expenses, including the
fees and disbursements of their counsel.
SECTION 6. Reimbursement of Underwriters' Expenses. If this Agreement is
terminated by the Representatives pursuant to Section 4, Section 8 or Section 9,
or if the sale to the Underwriters of the Shares on the First Closing Date is
not consummated because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the
Company to perform any agreement herein or to comply with any provision hereof,
the Company agrees to reimburse the Representatives and the other Underwriters
(or such Underwriters as have terminated this Agreement with respect to
themselves), severally, upon demand for all out-of-pocket expenses that shall
have been reasonably incurred by the Representatives and the Underwriters in
connection with the proposed purchase and the offering and sale of the Shares,
including but not limited to fees and disbursements of counsel, printing
expenses, travel expenses, postage, facsimile and telephone charges.
SECTION 7. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters. The Company agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its officers and employees, and
each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the
Securities Act and the Exchange Act against any loss, claim, damage, liability
or expense, as incurred, to which such Underwriter or such controlling person
may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other federal
or state statutory law or regulation, or at common law or otherwise (including
in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written
consent of the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld),
insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect
thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based (i) upon any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the
Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, including any information
deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430A or Rule 434 under the
Securities Act, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading; or (ii) upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any
amendment or supplement thereto), or the
-20-
omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading; or (iii) in whole or in part upon any inaccuracy in
the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein; or (iv) in
whole or in part upon any failure of the Company to perform its obligations
hereunder or under law; or (v) any act or failure to act or any alleged act or
failure to act by any Underwriter in connection with, or relating in any manner
to, the Shares or the offering contemplated hereby, and which is included as
part of or referred to in any loss, claim, damage, liability or action arising
out of or based upon any matter covered by clause (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv)
above, provided that the Company shall not be liable under this clause (v) to
the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction shall have determined by a
final judgment that such loss, claim, damage, liability or action resulted
directly from any such acts or failures to act undertaken or omitted to be taken
by such Underwriter through its bad faith or willful misconduct; and to
reimburse each Underwriter and each such controlling person for any and all
expenses (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by BancBoston
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc.) as such expenses are reasonably incurred by such
Underwriter or such controlling person in connection with investigating,
defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage,
liability, expense or action; provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity
agreement shall not apply to any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense to
the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or based upon any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company by the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement,
any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
thereto); and provided, further, that with respect to any preliminary
prospectus, the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not inure to the benefit of
any Underwriter from whom the person asserting any loss, claim, damage,
liability or expense purchased Shares, or any person controlling such
Underwriter, if copies of the Prospectus were timely delivered to the
Underwriter pursuant to Section 2 and a copy of the Prospectus (as then amended
or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or
supplements thereto) was not sent or given by or on behalf of such Underwriter
to such person, if required by law so to have been delivered, at or prior to the
written confirmation of the sale of the Shares to such person, and if the
Prospectus (as so amended or supplemented) would have cured the defect giving
rise to such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense. The indemnity agreement
set forth in this Section 7(a) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the
Company may otherwise have.
(b) Indemnification of the Company, its Directors and Officers.
Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold
harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signed the
Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within
the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, against any loss, claim,
damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Company, or any such
director, officer or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities
Act, the Exchange Act, or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or
at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such
settlement is effected with the written consent of such Underwriter), insofar as
such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as
contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon any untrue or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any
preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
thereto), or arises out of or is based upon the omission or alleged omission to
state therein a material fact
-21-
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made
in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus (or
any amendment or supplement thereto), in reliance upon and in conformity with
written information furnished to the Company by the Representatives expressly
for use therein; and to reimburse the Company, or any such director, officer or
controlling person for any legal and other expense reasonably incurred by the
Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person in connection with
investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim,
damage, liability, expense or action. The indemnity agreement set forth in this
Section 7(b) shall be in addition to any liabilities that each Underwriter may
otherwise have.
(c) Information Provided by the Underwriters. The Company hereby
acknowledges that the only information that the Underwriters have furnished to
the Company expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary
prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) are the
statements set forth in the table in the second paragraph and the third
paragraph under the caption "Underwriting" in the Prospectus; and the
Underwriters confirm that such statements are correct.
(d) Notifications and Other Indemnification Procedures. Promptly
after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 7 of notice of the
commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect
thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under this Section 7, 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 for contribution or otherwise than under
the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 7 or to the extent it is not
prejudiced as a proximate result of such failure. In case any such action is
brought against any indemnified party and such indemnified party seeks or
intends to seek indemnity from an indemnifying party, the indemnifying party
will be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall elect,
jointly with all other indemnifying parties similarly notified, 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, 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 a conflict may arise between the positions of the indemnifying party and
the indemnified party in conducting the defense of any such action or 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, 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 such 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 7 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
-22-
with local counsel), approved by the indemnifying party (BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx Inc. in the case of Section 7(b) and Section 8), representing the
indemnified parties 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 each of which cases the fees and expenses of counsel
shall be at the expense of the indemnifying party.
(e) Settlements. The indemnifying party under this Section 7 shall
not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written
consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, but if settled with
such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying
party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage,
liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding
the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested
an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses
of counsel as contemplated by Section 7(d) hereof, the indemnifying party agrees
that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without
its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days
after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such
indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance
with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party
shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any
settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or
threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party
is or could have been a party and indemnity was or could have been sought
hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or
consent includes (i) an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all
liability on claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or
proceeding and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault,
culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(f) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this
Section 7 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified
party under Section 7(a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages
or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) then each
indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount paid or payable by
such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the
relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters
on the other from the offering of the Shares. If, however, the allocation
provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable
law then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable
by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not
only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the
one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or
omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, (or
actions or proceedings in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the
one hand and the Underwriter on the other shall be deemed to be in the same
proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting
expenses) received by the Company bears to the total underwriting discounts and
commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table
on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault shall be determined by
reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement
of a material fact or
-23-
the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information
supplied by the Company on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other and the
parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to
correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Company and Underwriters agree that it would not be just and
equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 7(f) were determined by pro
rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the
equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7(f). The amount paid
or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) referred to above in
this Section 7(f) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating
or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this
subsection (f), (i) no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in
excess of the underwriting discounts and commissions applicable to the Shares
purchased by such Underwriter and (ii) no person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act)
shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such
fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations in this Section 7(f)
to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting
obligations and not joint.
(g) Timing of Any Payments of Indemnification. Any losses, claims,
damages, liabilities or expenses for which an indemnified party is entitled to
indemnification or contribution under this Section 7 shall be paid by the
indemnifying party to the indemnified party as such losses, claims, damages,
liabilities or expenses are incurred, but in all cases, no later than thirty
(30) days of invoice to the indemnifying party.
(h) Survival. The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in
this Section 7 and the representation and warranties of the Company set forth in
this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless
of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any person
controlling any Underwriter, the Company, its directors or officers or any
persons controlling the Company, (ii) acceptance of any Shares and payment
therefor hereunder, and (iii) any termination of this Agreement. A successor to
any Underwriter, or to the Company, its directors or officers, or any person
controlling the Company, shall be entitled to the benefits of the indemnity,
contribution and reimbursement agreements contained in this Section 7.
(i) Acknowledgements of Parties. 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 7, and are fully informed
regarding said provisions. They further acknowledge that the provisions of this
Section 7 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 Securities Act and the Exchange Act.
Section 8. Default of One or More of the Several Underwriters. If, on the
First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or
more of the several Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares that it
or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number
of Common
-24-
Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or
refused to purchase does not exceed 10% of the aggregate number of the Shares to
be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated, severally,
in the proportions that the number of Firm Common Shares set forth opposite
their respective names on Schedule A bears to the aggregate number of Firm
----------
Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or
in such other proportions as may be specified by the Representative with the
consent of the non-defaulting Underwriters, to purchase the Shares which such
defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase
on such date. If, on the First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the
case may be, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to
purchase Shares and the aggregate number of Shares with respect to which such
default occurs exceeds 10% of the aggregate number of Shares to be purchased on
such date, and arrangements satisfactory to the Representative and the Company
for the purchase of such Shares are not made within 48 hours after such default,
this Agreement shall terminate without liability of any party to any other party
except that the provisions of Sections 4, 5 and 7 shall at all times be
effective and shall survive such termination. In any such case either the
Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone the First
Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, but in no event for
longer than seven days in order that the required changes, if any, to the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus or any other documents or arrangements
may be effected.
As used in this Agreement, the term "Underwriter" shall be deemed to
include any person substituted for a defaulting Underwriter under this Section
8. Any action taken under this Section 8 shall not relieve any defaulting
Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under
this Agreement.
Section 9. Termination of this Agreement. Prior to the First Closing Date,
this Agreement may be terminated by the Representatives by notice given to the
Company if at any time (i) trading or quotation in any of the Company's
securities shall have been suspended or limited by the Commission or by the
Nasdaq Stock Market, or trading in securities generally on either the Nasdaq
Stock Market or the New York Stock Exchange shall have been suspended or
limited, or minimum or maximum prices shall have been generally established on
any of such stock exchanges by the Commission or the National Association of
Securities Dealers, LLC; (ii) a general banking moratorium shall have been
declared by any of federal, New York or California authorities; (iii) there
shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of national or international
hostilities or any crisis or calamity, or any change in the United States or
international financial markets, or any substantial change or development
involving a prospective change in United States' or international political,
financial or economic conditions, as in the judgment of the Representatives is
material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to market the
Common Shares in the manner and on the terms described in the Prospectus or to
enforce contracts for the sale of securities; (iv) in the judgment of the
Representatives there shall have occurred any Material Adverse Change; or (v)
the Company shall have sustained a loss by strike, fire, flood, earthquake,
accident or other calamity of such character as in the judgment of the
Representatives may interfere materially with the conduct of the business and
operations of the Company regardless of whether or not such loss shall have been
insured. Any termination pursuant to this Section 9 shall be without liability
on the part of (a) the Company to any Underwriter, except that the Company shall
be obligated to reimburse the expenses of the Representative and the
Underwriters pursuant to Sections 5 and 6 hereof, (b) any
-25-
Underwriter to the Company, or (c) of any party hereto to any other party except
that the provisions of Section 7 shall at all times be effective and shall
survive such termination.
Section 10. Representations and Indemnities to Survive Delivery. The
respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other
statements of the Company, of its officers and of the several Underwriters set
forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and
effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter
or the Company or any of its or their partners, officers or directors or any
controlling person, as the case may be, and will survive delivery of and payment
for the Shares sold hereunder and any termination of this Agreement.
Section 11. Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and
shall be mailed, hand delivered or telecopied and confirmed to the parties
hereto as follows:
If to the Representative:
BANCBOSTON XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX INC.
000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Attention: General Counsel
If to the Company:
ArthroCare Corporation
000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Attention: President
Any party hereto may change the address for receipt of communications by giving
written notice to the others.
Section 12. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be
binding upon the parties hereto, including any substitute Underwriters pursuant
to Section 9 hereof, and to the benefit of the employees, officers and directors
and controlling persons referred to in Section 7, and to their respective
successors, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder. The
term "successors" shall not include any purchaser of the Shares as such from any
of the Underwriters merely by reason of such purchase.
Section 13. Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of
any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the
validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof.
If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason
determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such
minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid
and enforceable.
-26-
Section 14. Governing Law Provisions.
(a) Governing Law. This agreement shall be governed by and construed
in accordance with the internal laws of the state of New York applicable to
agreements made and to be performed in such state.
(b) Consent to Jurisdiction. Any legal suit, action or proceeding
arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated
hereby ("Related Proceedings") may be instituted in the federal courts of the
United States of America located in the City and County of San Francisco or the
courts of the State of California in each case located in the City and County of
San Francisco (collectively, the "Specified Courts"), and each party irrevocably
submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in
regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court (a "Related
Judgment"), as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in
any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or
document by mail to such party's address set forth above shall be effective
service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such
court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the
laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts
and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any
such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such
court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. Each party not located in the
United States irrevocably appoints CT Corporation System, which currently
maintains a San Francisco office at 00 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxx 00000, Xxxxxx Xxxxxx of America, as its agent to receive service of
process or other legal summons for purposes of any such suit, action or
proceeding that may be instituted in any state or federal court in the City and
County of San Francisco.
(c) Waiver of Immunity. With respect to any Related Proceeding, each
party irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, all
immunity (whether on the basis of sovereignty or otherwise) from jurisdiction,
service of process, attachment (both before and after judgment) and execution to
which it might otherwise be entitled in the Specified Courts, and with respect
to any Related Judgment, each party waives any such immunity in the Specified
Courts or any other court of competent jurisdiction, and will not raise or claim
or cause to be pleaded any such immunity at or in respect of any such Related
Proceeding or Related Judgment, including, without limitation, any immunity
pursuant to the United States Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976, as
amended.
-27-
Section 15. General Provisions. This Agreement constitutes the entire
agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or
oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations
with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may be executed in two
or more counterparts, each one of which shall be an original, with the same
effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.
This Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the
parties hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived
unless waived in writing by each party whom the condition is meant to benefit.
The Table of Contents and the Section headings herein are for the convenience of
the parties only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this
Agreement.
[The remainder of this page has been intentionally left blank.]
-28-
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement,
please sign and return to the Company the enclosed copies hereof, whereupon this
instrument, along with all counterparts hereof, shall become a binding agreement
in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
ARTHROCARE CORPORATION
By: _______________________________
[Title]
The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted by
the Representatives as of the date first above written.
BANCBOSTON XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX INC.
BEAR, XXXXXXX & CO., INC.
On their behalf and on behalf of each of the several underwriters named in
Schedule A hereto.
----------
By BANCBOSTON XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX INC.
By:_________________________________
Authorized Signatory
By BEAR, XXXXXXX & CO., INC.
By:_________________________________
Authorized Signatory
-29-
SCHEDULE A
Underwriters Number of Firm
Common Shares
To be Purchased
BANCBOSTON XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX INC... [___]
BEAR XXXXXXX & CO., INC............. [___]
Total.......................... [___]
SCHEDULE B
PATENTS
S-A
Exhibit A
Lock-Up Agreement
BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc.
Bear, Xxxxxxx & Co, Inc.
c/o BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc.
000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
RE: ArthroCare Corporation (the "Company")
Ladies & Gentlemen:
The undersigned is an owner of record or beneficially of certain shares of
Common Stock of the Company ("Common Stock") or securities convertible into or
exchangeable or exercisable for Common Stock. The Company proposes to carry out
a public offering of Common Stock (the "Offering") for which you will act as the
representatives (the "Representatives") of the underwriters. The undersigned
recognizes that the Offering will be of benefit to the undersigned and will
benefit the Company by, among other things, raising additional capital for its
operations. The undersigned acknowledges that you and the other underwriters are
relying on the representations and agreements of the undersigned contained in
this letter in carrying out the Offering and in entering into underwriting
arrangements with the Company with respect to the Offering.
In consideration of the foregoing, the undersigned hereby agrees that the
undersigned will not offer to sell, contract to sell, or otherwise sell, dispose
of, loan, pledge or grant any rights with respect to (collectively, a
"Disposition") any shares of Common Stock, any options or warrants to purchase
any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable
for shares of Common Stock (collectively, "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 partners or shareholders of such
person, provided that the distributees thereof agree in writing to be bound by
the terms of this restriction, (iii) with respect to sales or purchases of
Common Stock acquired on the open market or (iv) with the prior written consent
of BancBoston Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc., for a period commencing on the date
hereof and continuing to a date 90 days after the Registration Statement is
declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Lock-up
Period"). The foregoing restriction has been 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 Lock-up Period, even if such Securities would be disposed
of by someone other than 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-
A-1
based market basket or index) that included, relates to or derives any
significant part of its value from Securities. The undersigned also agrees and
consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company's transfer
agent and registrar against the transfer of shares of Common Stock or Securities
held by the undersigned except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.
This agreement is irrevocable and will be binding on the undersigned and
the respective successors, heirs, personal representatives, and assigns of the
undersigned.
In the event that the Registration Statement shall not have been declared
effective on or before December 31, 1999 this Lock-Up Agreement shall be of no
further force or effect.
Dated: ______________________________________
_____________________________________________
Printed Name of Holder
By: _________________________________________
Signature
_____________________________________________
Printed Name of Person Signing
(and indicate capacity of person signing if
signing as custodian, trustee, or on behalf
of an entity)
A-2
Exhibit B
Matters to be Covered in the Opinion of Company Counsel
(i) The Company and each Significant Subsidiary/1/ (as that term is defined
in Regulation S-X of the Act) has been duly incorporated and is validly existing
as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
incorporation;
(ii) Legal opinion shall be limited to subsidiaries that are significant
within the meaning of Item 3-01 of Regulation S-X, unless a subsidiary is
otherwise of particular importance to the Company (e.g. limited revenues or
assets but holds proprietary information valuable to the Company).
(ii) The Company and each Significant Subsidiary has the corporate power and
authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business
as described in the Prospectus;
(iii) The Company and each Significant Subsidiary 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. [To
such counsel's knowledge, the Company does not own or control, directly or
indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than [list
subsidiaries];
(iv) The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company is as
set forth in the Prospectus under the caption "Capitalization" as of the dates
stated therein, the issued and 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, 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;
(v) All issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of each Significant
Subsidiary of the Company have been duly authorized 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 and are owned
by the Company free and clear of any pledge, lien, security interest,
encumbrance, claim or equitable interest;
(vi) The Firm Shares or the Option Shares, as the case may be, to be issued by
the Company pursuant to the terms of this Agreement have been duly authorized
and, upon issuance and delivery against payment therefor in accordance with the
terms hereof, 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.
_______________________
/1/ Legal opinion shall be limited to subsidiaries that are significant within
the meaning of item 3-01 of Regulation S--X, unless a subsidiary is
otherwise of particular importance to the Company (e.g. limited revenues or
assets but holds proprietary information valuable to the Company).
B-1
(vii) 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;
(viii) This Agreement 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 the
Representatives, is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable in
accordance with its terms, except as rights to indemnification hereunder may be
limited by applicable law 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 Securities 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 Securities Act;
(xi) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and each amendment or
supplement thereto (other than the financial statements (including supporting
schedules) and financial data derived therefrom 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
Securities Act and each of the Incorporated Documents (other than the financial
statements (including supporting schedules) and the financial data derived
therefrom as to which such counsel need express no opinion) complied when filed
pursuant to the Exchange Act as to form in all material respects with the
requirements of the Securities Act or Exchange Act and the applicable rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder;
(xii) The information in the Prospectus under the caption "Description of
Capital Stock," to the extent that it constitutes matters of law or legal
conclusions, has been reviewed by such counsel and is a fair summary of such
matters and conclusions; and the form of certificate evidencing the Common Stock
and incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the Registration Statement comply
with Delaware law;
(xiii) 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 Securities Act, except
to the extent that such matters are covered by the opinions of Xxxxxxxx and
Xxxxxxxx and Crew LLP and Xxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP.
(xiv) 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 any
Incorporated Document or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement
or any Incorporated Document which are not described or referred to therein or
filed as required;
(xv) The performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions herein contemplated (other than performance of the Company's
indemnification
B-2
obligations hereunder, concerning which no opinion need be expressed) will not
(a) result in any violation of the Company's charter or bylaws or (b) to such
counsel's knowledge, result in a material breach or violation of any of the
terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, any bond, debenture,
note or other evidence of indebtedness, or any lease, contract, indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, joint venture or other agreement or
instrument known to such counsel 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 any of its subsidiaries, or over any of their properties or
operations;
(xvi) No consent, approval, authorization or order of or qualification with
any court, government or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over
the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or over any of their properties or
operations is necessary in connection with the consummation by the Company of
the transactions herein contemplated, except (i) such as have been obtained
under the Securities Act, (ii) 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, (iii) such as may be required by the National
Association of Securities Dealers, LLC and (iv) such as may be required under
the federal or provincial laws of Canada;
(xvii) To such counsel's knowledge, there are no legal or governmental
proceedings pending or threatened against the Company or any of its subsidiaries
of a character required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus or any Incorporated Document by the Securities Act or by the Exchange
Act or the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, other
than those described therein;
(xviii) To such counsel's knowledge, neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries is presently (a) in material violation of its respective charter or
bylaws, or (b) in material breach of any applicable statute, rule or regulation
known to such counsel or, to such counsel's knowledge, any order, writ or decree
of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company
or any of its subsidiaries, or over any of their properties or operations; and
(xix) To such counsel's knowledge, except as set forth in the Registration
Statement and Prospectus and any Incorporated Document, and except under the
Amended and Restated Stockholder Rights Agreement dated October 16, 1995,
between the Company and certain stockholders, no holders of Company Shares or
other securities of the Company have registration rights with respect to
securities of the Company and, except as set forth in the Registration Statement
and Prospectus, all holders of securities of the Company having rights known to
such counsel to registration of such shares of Company Shares or other
securities because of the filing of the Registration Statement by the Company
have, with respect to the offering contemplated thereby, waived such rights or
such rights have expired by reason of lapse of time following notification of
the Company's intent to file the Registration Statement or have included
securities in the Registration Statement pursuant to the exercise of and in full
satisfaction of such rights.
(xx) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and the sale of
the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the
Prospectus, will not be, an "investment company" as such term is defined in the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
B-3
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 such conferences 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 which leads them to believe that, at the time the
Registration Statement became effective and at all times subsequent thereto up
to and on the First Closing Date or Second Closing Date, as the case may be, the
Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto and any
Incorporated Document, when such documents became effective or were filed with
the Commission (other than the financial statements including supporting
schedules and other financial and statistical information derived therefrom, 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
First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto
and any Incorporated Document (except as aforesaid) contained 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. Such counsel shall also state that the conditions for
the use of Form S-3 set forth in the General Instructions thereto have been
satisfied.
B-4
Exhibit C
Matters to be Covered in the Opinion of
Patent Counsel for the Company
Such counsel are familiar with the technology used by the Company in
its business and the manner of its use thereof and have read the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, including particularly the portions of the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus referring to patents, trade secrets,
trademarks, service marks or other proprietary information or materials and:
(i) The Company is listed in the records of the United States
Patent and Trademark Office as the holder of record of the patents listed on a
schedule to such opinion (the "Patents") and each of the applications listed on
a schedule to such opinion (the "Applications"). To the knowledge of such
counsel, there are no claims of third parties to any ownership interest or lien
with respect to any of the Patents or Applications. Such counsel is not aware of
any material defect in form in the preparation or filing of the Applications on
behalf of the Company. To the knowledge of such counsel, the Applications are
being pursued by the Company. To the knowledge of such counsel, the Company owns
as its sole property the Patents and pending Applications;
(ii) The Company is listed in the records of the appropriate
foreign offices as the sole holder of record of the foreign patents listed on a
schedule to such opinion (the "Foreign Patents") and each of the applications
listed on a schedule to such opinion (the "Foreign Applications"). Such counsel
knows of no claims of third parties to any ownership interest or lien with
respect to the Foreign Patents or Foreign Applications. Such counsel is not
aware of any material defect of form in the preparation or filing of the Foreign
Applications on behalf of the Company. To the knowledge of such counsel, the
Foreign Applications are being pursued by the Company. To the knowledge of such
counsel, the Company owns as its sole property the Foreign Patents and pending
Foreign Applications;
(iii) Such counsel knows of no reason why the Patents or Foreign
Patents are not valid as issued. Such counsel has no knowledge of any reason why
any patent to be issued as a result of any Application or Foreign Application
would not be valid or would not afford the Company useful patent protection with
respect thereto;
(iv) As to the statements under the captions "Risk Factors --
Dependence on Patents and Proprietary Rights," and "Business -- Patents and
Proprietary Rights," nothing has come to the attention of such counsel which
caused them to believe that the above-mentioned sections of the Registration
Statement, 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 Stock are to be purchased the Registration Statement and any
amendment or supplement thereto made available and reviewed by such counsel
contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material
fact required to be stated
C-1
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or at the
Closing Date or any later date on which the Option Stock are to be purchased, as
the case may be, the above-mentioned sections of the Registration Statement,
Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto made available and reviewed
by such counsel 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, in light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading; and
(v) Such counsel knows of no material action, suit, claim or
proceeding relating to patents, patent rights or licenses, trademarks or
trademark rights, copyrights, collaborative research, licenses or royalty
arrangements or agreements or trade secrets, know-how or proprietary techniques,
including processes and substances, owned by or affecting the business or
operations of the Company which are pending or threatened against the Company or
any of its officers or directors.
C-2
Exhibit D
Regulatory Counsel Opinion
Such counsel are familiar with the government regulations affecting
the Company in its business and have read the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, including particularly the portions of the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus referring to government regulations and:
(i) Such counsel is of the opinion that the statements summarizing
applicable provisions of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (the "FDCA")
and implementing regulations included in the Prospectus under the captions "Risk
Factors--We must obtain government clearances or approvals before we can sell
our products; we must continue to comply with applicable laws and regulations,"
and "Business--Government Regulation" (the "Regulatory Information"), are
accurate in all material respects and do not omit to summarize applicable
provisions of the FDCA and implementing regulations necessary to make such
statements contained therein not misleading.
(ii) In addition, such counsel shall state that such counsel has
participated in conferences with officials and other representatives of the
Company, at which such conferences the Regulatory Information 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 which caused them
to believe that the Regulatory Information 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 Stock are to be purchased the
Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto made available
and reviewed by counsel 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 in light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading or at the Closing Date or any later date on which the
Option Stock are to be purchased, as the case may be, the above-mentioned
sections of the Registration Statement, Prospectus and any amendment or
supplement thereto made available and reviewed by such counsel 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, in light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
D-1
Exhibit E
Matters to be Covered in the Opinion of Underwriters' Counsel
(i) The [Firm Shares] [Shares to be issued by the Company] [Option
Shares] have been duly authorized and, upon issuance and delivery and
payment therefor in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting
Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
(ii) The Registration Statement complied as to form in all material
respects with the requirements of the Act; the Registration Statement has
become effective under the Act and, to such counsel's knowledge, no stop
order proceedings with respect thereto have been instituted or threatened
or are pending under the Act.
(iii) The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company.
Such counsel shall state that such counsel has reviewed the opinions
addressed to the Representatives from Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx and Xxxxxxxx
and Crew LLP and Xxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP each dated the date hereof, and furnished
to you in accordance with the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement. Such
opinions appear on their face to be appropriately responsive to the requirements
of the Underwriting Agreement.
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 such conferences 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 which leads them to believe that, at the time the
Registration Statement became effective and at all times subsequent thereto up
to and on the First Closing Date or Second Closing Date, as the case may be, the
Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto and any
Incorporated Document, when such documents became effective or were filed with
the Commission (other than the financial statements including supporting
schedules and other financial and statistical information derived therefrom, 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
First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto
and any Incorporated Document (except as aforesaid) contained 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. Such counsel shall also state that the conditions for
the use of Form S-3 set forth in the General Instructions thereto have been
satisfied.
E-1
