CHENIERE ENERGY, INC. 5,000,000 Shares of Common Stock Underwriting Agreement
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Execution Copy
CHENIERE ENERGY, INC.
5,000,000 Shares of Common Stock
Underwriting Agreement
December 2, 2004
X.X.
Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx
Incorporated
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co., Inc.
As Representatives of the
several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 hereto
c/o X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Cheniere Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the "Underwriters"), for whom you are acting as representatives (the "Representatives"), an aggregate of 5,000,000 shares (the "Underwritten Shares") of Common Stock, par value $ 0.003 per share, of the Company (the "Common Stock") and, at the option of the Underwriters, up to an additional 750,000 shares (the "Option Shares") of Common Stock. The Underwritten Shares and the Option Shares are herein referred to as the "Shares". The shares of Common Stock of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sale of the Shares are herein referred to as the "Stock." The Stock, including the Shares, will have attached thereto rights (the "Rights") to purchase one one-thousandth of a share of Series A Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (the "Preferred Stock"). The Rights are to be issued pursuant to a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") dated as of October 14, 2004 by and between the Company and U.S. Stock Transfer Corp.
The Company hereby confirms its agreement with the several Underwriters concerning the purchase and sale of the Shares, as follows:
1. Registration Statement. The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the "Securities Act"), a registration statement (File No. 333-111454) including a prospectus, relating to the Shares as part of up to $600 million in the aggregate of any or all of Company Common Stock, preferred stock, senior unsecured debt securities, senior subordinated debt securities, warrants, units and guarantees of debt securities. Such registration statement as amended to the date of this Agreement is referred to in this Agreement as the "Registration Statement". The term "Base Prospectus" means the prospectus included in the Registration Statement. The Company has filed with, or transmitted for filing to, or shall promptly hereafter file with or transmit for filing to, the Commission a prospectus supplement (the "Prospectus Supplement") specifically relating to the Shares pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act. The term "Prospectus" means the Prospectus Supplement together with the Base Prospectus in the form first used to confirm sales of the Shares. If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the "Rule 462 Registration Statement"), then any reference herein to the term "Registration Statement" shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement. Any reference in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, any supplemental Prospectus (including the Prospectus Supplement) or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents
incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, as of the effective date of the Registration Statement or the date of such supplemental prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be and any reference to "amend", "amendment" or "supplement" with respect to the Registration Statement, any preliminary Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after such date under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the "Exchange Act") that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
2. Purchase of the Shares by the Underwriters.
(a) The Company agrees to issue and sell the Underwritten Shares to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and each Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective number of Underwritten Shares set forth opposite such Underwriter's name in Schedule 1 hereto at a price per share (the "Purchase Price") of $57.30.
In addition, the Company agrees to issue and sell the Option Shares to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and the Underwriters, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, shall have the option to purchase, severally and not jointly, from the Company the Option Shares at the Purchase Price.
If any Option Shares are to be purchased, the number of Option Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the number of Option Shares which bears the same ratio to the aggregate number of Option Shares being purchased as the number of Underwritten Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule 1 hereto (or such number increased as set forth in Section 9 hereof) bears to the aggregate number of Underwritten Shares being purchased from the Company by the several Underwriters, subject, however, to such adjustments to eliminate any fractional Shares as the Representatives in their sole discretion shall make.
The Underwriters may exercise the option to purchase the Option Shares at any time in whole, or from time to time in part, on or before the thirtieth day following the date of this Agreement, by written notice from the Representatives to the Company. Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Option Shares as to which the option is being exercised and the date and time when the Option Shares are to be delivered and paid for which may be the same date and time as the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) but shall not be earlier than the Closing Date nor later than the tenth full business day (as hereinafter defined) after the date of such notice (unless such time and date are postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 9 hereof). Any such notice shall be given at least two business days prior to the date and time of delivery specified therein.
(b) The Company understands that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Shares as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Representatives is advisable, and initially to offer the Shares on the terms set forth in the Prospectus. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters may offer and sell Shares to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter and that any such affiliate may offer and sell Shares purchased by it to or through any Underwriter.
(c) Payment for the Shares shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Company to the Representatives in the case of the Underwritten Shares, at the offices of Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx llp at 10:00 A.M. New York City time on
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December 8, 2004, or at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth business day thereafter, as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing or, in the case of the Option Shares, on the date and at the time and place specified by the Representatives in the written notice of the Underwriters' election to purchase such Option Shares. The time and date of such payment for the Underwritten Shares is referred to herein as the "Closing Date" and the time and date for such payment for the Option Shares, if other than the Closing Date, are herein referred to as the "Additional Closing Date".
Payment for the Shares to be purchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall be made against delivery to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters of the Shares to be purchased on such date in definitive form registered in such names and in such denominations as the Representatives shall request in writing not later than two full business days prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of the Shares duly paid by the Company. The certificates for the Shares will be made available for inspection and packaging by the Representatives at the office of X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc. set forth above not later than 1:00 P.M., New York City time, on the business day prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.
3. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter that:
(a) Preliminary Prospectus Supplement. No order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary Prospectus Supplement has been issued by the Commission, and each preliminary Prospectus Supplement, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in any preliminary Prospectus Supplement.
(b) Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by the Commission; as of the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, the Registration Statement and Base Prospectus 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 in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of the applicable filing date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto.
(c) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, when they were filed with the Commission, conformed in all material respects to the requirements
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of the Exchange Act and none of such documents 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 the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and any further documents so filed during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below) and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, when such documents are filed with the Commission, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act 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, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(d) Financial Statements. The financial statements and the related notes thereto of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and present fairly the financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the periods specified; such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby, and the supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein; the other historical financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries and presents fairly the information shown thereby; and the "Summary selected consolidated financial data" set forth in the Prospectus Supplement is accurately presented in all material respects and prepared on a basis consistent with the audited and unaudited historical consolidated financial statements from which it has been derived.
(e) No Material Adverse Change. Since the date of the most recent financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (i) there has not been any change in the capital stock (other than the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of options) or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, set aside for payment, paid or made by the Company on any class of capital stock, or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the business, properties, management, financial position, stockholders' equity, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has entered into any transaction or agreement that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except in the case of each of clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) as otherwise disclosed in or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(f) Organization and Good Standing. The Company and each of its subsidiaries have been duly organized and are validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, are duly qualified to do business and are in good standing in each jurisdiction in which their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of their respective businesses requires such qualification, and have all power and authority necessary to own or hold their respective properties and to conduct the businesses in which they are engaged, except where the
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failure to be so qualified or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, management, financial position, stockholders' equity, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (a "Material Adverse Effect"). The subsidiaries listed in Schedule 2 to this Agreement are the only subsidiaries of the Company. The Company does not own, directly or indirectly, equity securities of any entity other than (i) its interests in such subsidiaries and (ii) as disclosed in the Prospectus, minority interests in Freeport LNG Development, L.P., J&S Cheniere S.A. and Gryphon Exploration Company.
(g) Capitalization. The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Prospectus under the heading "Capitalization"; all the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and are not subject to any preemptive or similar rights; except as described in or expressly contemplated by the Prospectus (including the documents incorporated by reference therein), there are no outstanding rights (including, without limitation, pre-emptive rights), warrants or options to acquire, or instruments convertible into or exchangeable for, any shares of capital stock or other equity interest in the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any contract, commitment, agreement, understanding or arrangement of any kind relating to the issuance of any capital stock of the Company or any such subsidiary, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or any such rights, warrants or options; the capital stock of the Company conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; and all the outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and, except as otherwise described in the Prospectus, are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of any lien, charge, encumbrance, security interest, restriction on voting or transfer or any other claim of any third party.
(h) Due Authorization. The Company has full right, power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder.
(i) Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(j) The Shares. The Shares to be issued and sold by the Company hereunder have been duly authorized by the Company and, when issued and delivered and paid for as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued and will be fully paid and nonassessable and will conform to the descriptions thereof in the Prospectus; and the issuance of the Shares is not subject to any preemptive or similar rights; the Rights Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company; and the Rights have been duly authorized by the Company and, when issued upon issuance of the Shares, will be validly issued, and the Preferred Stock has been duly authorized by the Company and validly reserved for issuance upon the exercise in accordance with the terms of the Rights Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
(k) Descriptions of the Certain Documents. Each Terminal Use Agreement referred to in the Prospectus conforms in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in, and incorporated by reference in, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(l) No Violation or Default. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents; (ii) in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject; or
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(iii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such default or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(m) No Conflicts. The issuance and sale of the Shares will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (iii) result in the violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, for any such conflicts, breaches or violations that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(n) No Consents Required. No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority is required for the issuance and sale of the Shares, except for (i) the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may be required under applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters or (ii) such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, registrations or qualifications that, if not obtained or made, would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(o) Legal Proceedings. Except as described in the Prospectus, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, suits or proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may be a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may be the subject that, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; to the Company's knowledge, no such investigations, actions, suits or proceedings are threatened or contemplated by any governmental or regulatory authority or threatened by others; and (i) there are no current or pending legal, governmental or regulatory actions, suits or proceedings that are required under the Securities Act to be described in the Prospectus that are not so described and (ii) there are no contracts or other documents that are required under the Securities Act to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that are not so filed or described.
(p) Independent Accountants. Each of (i) UHY Xxxx Frankfort Xxxxx & Xxxx, CPAs, LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries and are independent public accountants with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries, (ii) KPMG LLP, who certified the financial statements of Gryphon Exploration Company and are independent public accountants with respect to Gryphon Exploration Company, and (iii) Xxxx & Associates LLP, who certified the financial statements of Freeport LNG Development, L.P. and are independent public accountants with respect to Freeport LNG Development, L.P., whose reports appear or are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, are, in each case, independent public accountants as required by the Securities Act.
(q) Title to Real and Personal Property. The Company and its subsidiaries have good and indefeasable title in fee simple to, have valid rights to lease or otherwise use, or have options to acquire, all items of real and personal property that are material to the respective businesses of the
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Company and its subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, claims and defects and imperfections of title except those that (i) do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries or (ii) could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(r) Title to Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights to use all material patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service xxxx registrations, copyrights, licenses and know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses; and the conduct of their respective businesses will not conflict in any material respect with any such rights of others, and the Company and its subsidiaries have not received any notice of any claim of infringement or conflict with any such rights of others.
(s) No Undisclosed Relationships. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers or suppliers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the other, that is required by the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and that is not so described or incorporated by reference therein.
(t) Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus, will not be an "investment company" within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, "Investment Company Act").
(u) Public Utility Holding Company Act. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a "holding company" within the meaning of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended.
(v) Taxes. The Company and its subsidiaries have paid all federal, state, local and foreign taxes and filed all tax returns required to be paid or filed through the date hereof; and except as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus, there is no tax deficiency that has been, or could reasonably be expected to be, asserted against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets.
(w) Licenses and Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries possess all licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by, and have made all declarations and filings with, the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities that are necessary for the ownership or lease of their respective properties, the conduct of their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or as are currently required to develop their proposed LNG receiving terminals, given the current state of such development, except where the failure to possess or make the same would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect or, in the case of development of their proposed LNG receiving terminals, as described in the Prospectus; and except as described in the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received notice of any revocation or modification of any such license, certificate, permit or authorization or has any reason to believe that any such license, certificate, permit or authorization will not be renewed in the ordinary course.
(x) No Labor Disputes. No labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is contemplated or threatened.
(y) Compliance With Environmental Laws. The Company and its subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws, rules, regulations,
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decisions and orders relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (collectively, "Environmental Laws"); (ii) have received and are in compliance with all permits, licenses or other approvals currently required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses; and (iii) have not received notice of any actual or potential liability for the investigation or remediation of any disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, except in any such case as described in the Prospectus or for any such failure to comply, or failure to receive required permits, licenses or approvals, or liability as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(z) Compliance With ERISA. Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"), that is maintained, administered or contributed to by the Company or any of its affiliates for employees or former employees of the Company and its affiliates has been maintained in all material respects in compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"); no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any such plan excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption; and for each such plan that is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, no "accumulated funding deficiency" as defined in Section 412 of the Code has been incurred, whether or not waived, and the fair market value of the assets of each such plan (excluding for these purposes accrued but unpaid contributions) exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such plan determined using reasonable actuarial assumptions.
(aa) Accounting Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain systems of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management's general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management's general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.
(bb) Insurance. The Company and its subsidiaries have insurance covering their respective properties, operations, personnel and businesses, which insurance is in amounts and insures against such losses and risks as are reasonably adequate for the conduct by the Company and its subsidiaries of their respective businesses; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has (i) received notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that capital improvements or other expenditures are required or necessary to be made in order to continue such insurance or (ii) any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage at reasonable cost from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business.
(cc) No Unlawful Payments. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the Company's knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977; or (iv) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment.
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(dd) No Restrictions on Subsidiaries. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, no subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or is subject, 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 properties or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company.
(ee) No Broker's Fees. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder's fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares.
(ff) No Registration Rights. No person has the right to require the Company or any of its subsidiaries to register any securities for sale under the Securities Act by reason of the filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission or the issuance and sale of the Shares.
(gg) No Stabilization. The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares.
(hh) Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith. The statements and financial information (including the assumptions described therein) included in the Prospectus Supplement described under the heading "Business—Our LNG receiving terminals—Freeport LNG—Our expectations regarding Freeport LNG," in the second paragraph under the heading "Business—Our LNG receiving terminals—Sabine Pass LNG—Total TUA" and in the second paragraph under the heading "Business—Our LNG receiving terminals—Chevron USA TUA" were made by the Company with a reasonable basis and in good faith and reflect the Company's good faith best estimate of the matters described therein; all assumptions material to such statements and financial information are set forth in the Prospectus; the assumptions used in the preparation of the Projected Information are reasonable; and none of the Company or its subsidiaries are aware of any business, economic or industry developments inconsistent with the assumptions underlying such statements and financial information.
(ii) Statistical and Market Data. Nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has caused the Company to believe that the statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus is not based on or derived from sources that are reliable and accurate in all material respects.
(jj) Engineers; Reserve Report. The information incorporated by reference into the Prospectus regarding the Company's estimated proved reserves is based on the reports generated by Sharp Petroleum Engineering, Inc. and Xxxxx Xxxxx Company, as independent petroleum engineers with respect to the Company (the "Engineers"). The information underlying the estimates of the reserves of the Company supplied by the Company to the Engineers, for the purposes of preparing the reserve reports of the Company referenced in the Prospectus (the "Reserve Reports"), was true and correct in all material respects on the date of each such Reserve Report; the estimates of future capital expenditures and other future exploration and development costs supplied to the Engineers were prepared in good faith and with a reasonable basis; the information provided to the Engineers for purposes of preparing the Reserve Reports was prepared in all material respects in accordance with customary industry practices; the Engineers were, as of the date of each of the Reserve Reports prepared by them, and are, as of the date hereof, independent petroleum
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engineers with respect to the Company; other than normal production of reserves and intervening spot market product price fluctuations, and except as disclosed in the Prospectus, the Company is not aware of any facts or circumstances that would result in a material decline in the reserves in the aggregate, or the aggregate present value of future net cash flows therefrom, as incorporated by reference in the Prospectus and as reflected in the Reserve Reports; estimates of such reserves and the present value of the future net cash flows therefrom as incorporated by reference in the Prospectus and reflected in the Reserve Reports comply in all material respects with the Securities Act.
(kk) Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company's directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any provision of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the "Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act"), including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.
4. Further Agreements of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with each Underwriter that:
(a) Effectiveness of the Registration Statement. The Company will file the Prospectus with the Commission within the time periods specified by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A under the Securities Act and will file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares; and the Company will furnish copies of the Prospectus to the Underwriters in New York City prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request.
(b) Delivery of Copies. The Company will deliver, without charge, (i) to the Representatives, four signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto, in each case including all exhibits and consents filed therewith and documents incorporated by reference therein; and (ii) to each Underwriter (A) a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) and (B) during the Prospectus Delivery Period, as many copies of the Prospectus (including all amendments and supplements thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein) as the Representatives may reasonably request. As used herein, the term "Prospectus Delivery Period" means such period of time after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus relating to the Shares is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales of the Shares by any Underwriter or dealer.
(c) Amendments or Supplements. Before filing any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, whether before or after the time that the Registration Statement becomes effective, the Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters a copy of the proposed amendment or supplement for review and will not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably object.
(d) Notice to the Representatives. The Company will advise the Representatives promptly, and confirm such advice in writing, (i) when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective; (ii) when any supplement to the Prospectus or any amendment to the Prospectus has been filed; (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or the receipt of any comments from the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or any other request by the Commission for any additional information; (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of
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any preliminary Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus or the initiation or, to the extent the Company becomes aware, threatening of any proceeding for that purpose; (v) of the occurrence of any event within the Prospectus Delivery Period as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include 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 existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; and (vi) of the receipt by the Company of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or, to the extent the Company becomes aware, threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and the Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus or suspending any such qualification of the Shares and, if any such order is issued, will obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.
(e) Ongoing Compliance of the Prospectus. If during the Prospectus Delivery Period (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus as may be necessary so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with law.
(f) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company will qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives shall reasonably request and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for distribution of the Shares; provided that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.
(g) Earning Statement. The Company will make generally available to its security holders and the Representatives as soon as practicable an earning statement that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated thereunder covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the "effective date" (as defined in Rule 158) of the Registration Statement.
(h) Clear Market. For a period of 90 days after the date hereof, the Company will not (i) offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Stock or (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, other than (x) the Shares to be sold hereunder and any shares of Stock of the Company issued upon the exercise of options granted under existing employee stock option plans, (y) options for shares of Common Stock granted under such plans and (z) the issuance by the Company of shares of Stock of the Company in connection with acquisitions by the Company of
11
assets or equity interests; provided that, in the case of clause (z), each transferee or recipient agrees to be subject to the restrictions described in this paragraph.
(i) Use of Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described in the Prospectus under the heading "Use of Proceeds".
(j) No Stabilization. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares.
(k) Exchange Listing. The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to list, subject to notice of issuance, the Shares on the American Stock Exchange (the "Exchange").
(l) Reports. For a period of three (3) years following the date hereof, the Company will furnish to the Representatives or to make available via the Commission's Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval (XXXXX) System, as soon as they are available, copies of all reports or other communications furnished to holders of the Shares and copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange or automatic quotation system.
5. Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations. The obligation of each Underwriter to purchase the Underwritten Shares on the Closing Date or the Option Shares on the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, as provided herein is subject to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) Registration Compliance; No Stop Order. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the Securities Act and in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof; and all requests by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representatives.
(b) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company contained herein shall be true and correct on the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.
(c) No Material Adverse Change. Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, no event or condition of a type described in Section 3(e) hereof shall have occurred or shall exist, which event or condition is not described in the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the effect of which in the judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement and the Prospectus.
(d) Officers' Certificate. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate of the chief financial officer or chief accounting officer of the Company and one additional senior executive officer of the Company who is satisfactory to the Representatives (i) confirming that such officers have carefully reviewed the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and that the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct, (ii) confirming that the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Closing Date, (iii) to the effect set forth in paragraphs (a) and (c) above, and (iv) that, to the knowledge of such officers, the statements of the Company and its officers made in any certificates delivered pursuant to this Agreement are true and correct on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.
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(e) Comfort Letters. On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, each of UHY Xxxx Frankfort Xxxxx & Xxxx, CPAs, LLP and Xxxx & Associates LLP shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; provided, that the letter delivered on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be shall use a "cut-off" date no more than five business days prior to such Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.
(f) Opinions of Counsel for the Company. Xxxxxxx Xxxxx LLP, counsel for the Company, and Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxxx, Esq., General Counsel of the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, their written opinion, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in Annexes A-1 and A-2, respectively.
(g) Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriters. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, an opinion of Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx llp, counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
(h) No Legal Impediment to Issuance. No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares.
(i) Good Standing. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company and its subsidiaries in their respective jurisdictions of organization and their good standing as foreign entities in such other jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably request, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate Governmental Authorities of such jurisdictions.
(j) Exchange Listing. The Shares to be delivered on the Closing Date or Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall have been approved for listing on the Exchange, subject to official notice of issuance.
(k) Lock-up Agreements. The "lock-up" agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, between you and the executive officers and directors of the Company relating to sales and certain other dispositions of shares of Stock or certain other securities, delivered to you on or before the date hereof, shall be full force and effect on the Closing Date or Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.
(l) Additional Documents. On or prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such further certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.
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All opinions, letters, certificates and evidence mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.
6. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, reasonable legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any preliminary Prospectus Supplement, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in subsection (b) below; provided that, with respect to any such untrue statement in or omission from any preliminary Prospectus Supplement, the indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph (a) shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter to the extent that the sale to the person asserting any such loss, claim, damage or liability was an initial resale by such Underwriter and any such loss, claim, damage or liability of or with respect to such Underwriter results from the fact that both (i) to the extent required by applicable law, a copy of the Prospectus was not sent or given to such person at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of such Shares to such person and (ii) the untrue statement in or omission from such preliminary Prospectus Supplement was corrected in the Prospectus unless, in either case, such failure to deliver the Prospectus was a result of non-compliance by the Company with the provisions of Section 4 hereof.
(b) Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any preliminary Prospectus Supplement, it being understood and agreed upon that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter (treating tables as part of the paragraph preceding each such table): the concession and reallowance figures appearing in the fifth paragraph under the caption "Underwriting", the information contained in the fifth-to-last paragraph under the caption "Underwriting", the information contained in the third-to-last paragraph under the caption "Underwriting", and the information in the Prospectus contained in the last paragraph under the caption "Underwriting".
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(c) Notice and Procedures. If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) above, such person (the "Indemnified Person") shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the "Indemnifying Person") in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under this Section 6 except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure. If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person to represent the Indemnified Person and any others entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Section 6 that the Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any reasonably necessary local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such reasonable fees and expenses shall be paid or reimbursed as they are incurred. Any such separate firm for any Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control persons of such Underwriter shall be designated in writing by X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc. and any such separate firm for the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and any control persons of the Company shall be designated in writing by the Company. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by the Indemnifying Person of such request and (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.
(d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or
15
liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) 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 that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company from the sale of the Shares and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters in connection therewith, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
(e) Limitation on Liability. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 6 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 6, in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Shares exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 6 are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.
(f) Non-Exclusive Remedies. The remedies provided for in this Section 6 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.
7. Effectiveness of Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.
8. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date or, in the case of the Option Shares, prior to the Additional Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on or by any of the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq National Market, the Chicago Board Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange or the Chicago Board of Trade; (ii) trading of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or New York State authorities; or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis, either within or outside the United States, that, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement and the Prospectus.
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(a) If, on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, any Underwriter defaults on its obligation to purchase the Shares that it has agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, the non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Shares by other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement. If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Shares, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Shares on such terms. If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter, either the non defaulting Underwriters or the Company may postpone the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, for up to five full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that effects any such changes. As used in this Agreement, the term "Underwriter" includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in Schedule 1 hereto that, pursuant to this Section 9, purchases Shares that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Shares that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate number of Shares to be purchased on such date, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of Shares that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder on such date plus such Underwriter's pro rata share (based on the number of Shares that such Underwriter agreed to purchase on such date) of the Shares of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made.
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Shares that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate amount of Shares to be purchased on such date, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement or, with respect to any Additional Closing Date, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase Shares on the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 9 shall be without liability on the part of the Company, except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Section 10 hereof and except that the provisions of Section 6 hereof shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.
(d) Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have to the Company or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default.
10. Payment of Expenses.
(a) Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company will pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including without limitation, (i) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Shares and any taxes
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payable in that connection; (ii) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement, the preliminary Prospectus Supplement and the Prospectus (including all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto) and the distribution thereof; (iii) the fees and expenses of the Company's counsel and independent accountants; (iv) any fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration or qualification and determination of eligibility for investment of the Shares under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including the related filing fees and reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters); (v) the cost of preparing stock certificates; (vi) the costs and charges of any transfer agent and any registrar; (vii) any expenses and application fees incurred in connection with any filing with, and clearance of the offering by, the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.; (viii) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any "road show" presentation to potential investors; and (ix) all expenses and application fees related to the listing of the Shares on the Exchange.
(b) If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to clause (ii) of Section 8, (ii) the Company for any reason fails to tender the Shares for delivery to the Underwriters or (iii) the Underwriters decline to purchase the Shares for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the reasonable fees and expenses of their counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby.
11. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and any controlling persons referred to in Section 6 hereof. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein. No purchaser of Shares from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase.
12. Survival. The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Shares and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters.
13. Certain Defined Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except where otherwise expressly provided, the term "affiliate" has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; (b) the term "business day" means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or required to be closed in New York City; and (c) the term "subsidiary" has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
14. Miscellaneous.
(a) Authority of the Representatives. Any action by the Underwriters hereunder may be taken by X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc. on behalf of the Underwriters, and any such action taken by X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc. shall be binding upon the Underwriters.
(b) Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be given to the Representatives c/o X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc., 000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 (fax: (000) 000-0000); Attention: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx. Notices to the Company shall be given to it at 000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000 (fax: (000) 000-0000); Attention: Xxx X. Xxxxxxxxx, Chief Financial Officer.
(c) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
(d) Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
(e) Amendments or Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.
(f) Headings. The headings herein are included for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate your acceptance of this Agreement by signing in the space provided below.
Very truly yours, | |||
CHENIERE ENERGY, INC. |
|||
By |
/s/ Z. S. Kobiashvili Title: Senior Vice President |
Accepted: December 2, 2004
X.X. XXXXXX SECURITIES INC.
By |
/s/ Xxx Xxxxxxx-Xxxxx Xxx Xxxxxxx-Xxxxx |
For
itself and on behalf of
the several Underwriters listed
in Schedule 1 hereto.
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Schedule 1
Underwriter |
Number of Shares |
||
---|---|---|---|
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc. | 1,950,000 | ||
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated |
1,450,000 | ||
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co., Inc. | 1,450,000 | ||
Xxxxxxxxx Capital Partners LLC | 150,000 | ||
Total | 5,000,000 |
Schedule 2
Subsidiaries of Cheniere Energy, Inc.
Name of Subsidiary |
Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization |
Assumed Names Under Which Subsidiary Does Business |
||
---|---|---|---|---|
Cheniere Energy Operating Co., Inc. | Delaware | Not applicable | ||
Cheniere-Gryphon Management, Inc. |
Delaware |
Not applicable |
||
Cheniere LNG, Inc. |
Delaware |
Not applicable |
||
Cheniere LNG Services, Inc. |
Delaware |
Not applicable |
||
Cheniere LNG Terminals, Inc. |
Delaware |
Not applicable |
||
Cheniere Pipeline Company |
Delaware |
Not applicable |
||
Cheniere Resources, Inc. |
Delaware |
Not applicable |
||
Cheniere Sabine Pass Pipeline Company |
Delaware |
Not applicable |
||
Corpus Christi LNG-GP, Inc. |
Delaware |
Not applicable |
||
Corpus Christi LNG, L.P. |
Delaware |
Not applicable |
||
Cheniere Corpus Christi Pipeline Company |
Delaware |
Not applicable |
||
Sabine Pass LNG-GP, Inc. |
Delaware |
Not applicable |
||
Sabine Pass LNG, L.P. |
Delaware |
Not applicable |
||
Cheniere LNG-LP Interests, LLC |
Delaware |
Not applicable |
||
Cheniere LNG Holdings, Inc. |
Delaware |
Not applicable |
||
Cheniere Mgt Services, LLC |
Delaware |
Not applicable |
2
(a) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus (other than the financial statements, the notes and schedules thereto, and the other financial data included or incorporated be reference therein and the exhibits to the Registration Statement and the reports incorporated therein by reference, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) as of the effective date thereof, as of the effective date of any amendment thereto and as of the date of the Underwriting Agreement, in each case, appear on their face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act.
(b) The Company and each of its subsidiaries are validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and are duly qualified to do business and are in good standing in each jurisdiction listed on Schedule I hereto; and the Company and each of its subsidiaries and have all power and authority necessary to own or hold their respective properties and to conduct their businesses as described in the Prospectus under the General Corporate Law of the State of Delaware (the "DGCL"), in the case of the Company and its corporate subsidiaries, the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act (the "DRULPA"), in the case of the Company's subsidiaries that are limited partnerships, the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (the "DLLCA"), in the case of the Company's subsidiaries that are limited liability companies, and the laws of the State of Texas.
(c) All the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable;the capital stock of the Company conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; and all the outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable.
(d) The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(e) The Shares to be issued and sold by the Company hereunder have been duly authorized, and when delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and the issuance of the Shares is not subject to any preemptive or similar rights.
(f) The issuance and sale of the Shares being delivered on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to any of the agreements filed with the Commission as an exhibit to any report of the Company set forth in the bullets contained in the fourth paragraph under the caption "Where you can find more information" in the Prospectus Supplement, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (iii) result in the violation of any Applicable Laws except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, for such conflict, breach or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(g) No Governmental Approval is required for the issuance and sale of the Shares being delivered on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, except for the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act and as may be required under applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters.
(h) The statements in the Prospectus under the captions "Business—Governmental Regulation" and "Description of Capital Stock," insofar as they refer to statements of law, regulation or legal conclusions, fairly summarize the matters referred to therein in all material respects, subject to the qualifications and assumptions stated therein.
A-1-1
(i) The statements in the Prospectus under the caption "Business—Our LNG receiving terminals," insofar as such statements purport to summarize certain provisions of the terminal use agreements and the other agreements referred to thereunder, fairly summarize such provisions in all material respects, subject to the qualifications and assumptions stated therein.
(j) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus, will not be an "investment company" within the meaning of the Investment Company Act.
(k) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be (other than the financial statements, the notes and schedules thereto, and the other financial data included in such documents and the exhibits thereto, as to which such counsel need express no opinion), when they were filed with the Commission appear on their face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(l) The Rights Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company; the Rights have been duly authorized by the Company, and, when issued upon issuance of the Shares, will be validly issued, and the Preferred Stock has been duly authorized by the Company and validly reserved for issuance upon the exercise of the Rights and, when issued upon such exercise in accordance with the terms of the Rights Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
"Applicable Laws" means those laws, rules and regulations that, in such counsel's experience, are normally applicable to transactions of the type contemplated by Underwriting Agreement, without such counsel having made any special investigation as to the applicability of any specific law, rule or regulation, and which are not the subject of a specific opinion referring expressly to a particular law or laws; provided that the term "Applicable Laws" does not include:
(i) any municipal or other local law, rule or regulation, and any other law, rule or regulation relating to (a) pollution or protection of the environment, (b) zoning, land use, building or construction codes or guidelines, (c) labor, employee rights and benefits, or occupational safety and health, or (d) utility regulation;
(ii) antitrust laws and other laws regulating competition;
(iii) antifraud laws;
(iv) tax laws, rules or regulations;
(v) United States federal and state securities or blue sky laws, rules or regulations;
(vi) the rules and regulations of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.;
(vii) (a) the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder by the Commission and (b) the Natural Gas Act, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; and
(viii) any law, rule or regulation that may have become applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries as a result of the involvement of any of the Underwriters with the transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement or because of any facts specifically pertaining to any of the Underwriters or because of the legal or regulatory status or the nature of the business of any of the Underwriters.
"Governmental Approval" means any consent, approval, license, authorization or validation of, or filing, recording or registration with, any executive, legislative, judicial or regulatory authority pursuant
A-1-2
to (i) the Applicable Laws of the State of Texas, (ii) the Applicable Laws of the United States of America, (iii) the DGCL, (iv) the DRULPA or (v) the DLLCA.
Such counsel shall also state that they have participated in conferences with representatives of the Company, with representatives of its independent accountants and with representatives of the Underwriters and their counsel at which conferences the contents of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (including the documents incorporated by reference therein) and any amendment and supplement thereto and related matters were discussed and, although such counsel have not independently verified and are not passing on, and assume no responsibility for, the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (including the documents incorporated by reference therein) and any amendment or supplement thereto (except as expressly provided above), on the basis of the foregoing (relying with respect to factual matters to the extent such counsel deems appropriate upon statements by officers and other representatives of the Company), no facts have come to the attention of such counsel to cause such counsel to believe that the Registration Statement, at the time the Registration Statement became effective, 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 that the Prospectus (including the documents incorporated by reference therein) or any amendment or supplement thereto as of its date and the Closing Date contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (other than the financial statements, the notes and schedules thereto, and the other financial data included or incorporated by reference therein and the exhibits to the Registration Statement and the reports incorporated therein by reference, as to which such counsel need express no opinion). Such counsel shall also state that no order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose is pending or, to the best knowledge of such counsel, threatened by the Commission.
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely as to matters of fact on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and public officials that are furnished to the Underwriters.
The opinion of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx LLP described above shall be rendered to the Underwriters at the request of the Company and shall so state therein.
X-0-0
(a) To the knowledge of such counsel, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries identified in Schedule A1 to this opinion is (i) in violation of its charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents; (ii) in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its property or assets is subject; or (iii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except as discosed in the Prospectus, or in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) for any such default or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) To the knowledge of such counsel, except as described in the Prospectus, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, suits or proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or will be a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may be the subject which, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and to the best knowledge of such counsel, no such investigations, actions, suits or proceedings are threatened or contemplated by any governmental or regulatory authority or threatened by others.
(c) To the knowledge of such counsel, (A) there are no current or pending legal, governmental or regulatory actions, suits or proceedings that are required under the Securities Act to be described in the Prospectus and that are not so described and (B) there are no statutes, regulations or contracts and other documents that are required under the Securities Act to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described, in the Prospectus and that have not been so filed or described subject to the qualifications and assumptions stated therein.
(d) To the knowledge of such counsel, each of the Company and its subsidiaries owns, possesses or has obtained all licenses, permits, certificates, consents, orders, approvals and other authorizations from, and has made all declarations and filings with, all Governmental Authorities (including foreign regulatory agencies), all self-regulatory organizations and all courts and other tribunals, domestic or foreign, necessary to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate its properties and to carry on its business as conducted as of the date hereof, and neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has received any actual notice of any proceeding relating to revocation or modification of any such license, permit, certificate, consent, order, approval or other authorization, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
- 1
- Sabine Pass LNG-GP, Inc., Sabine Pass LNG, L.P., Corpus Christi LNG-GP, Inc., Corpus Christi LNG, L.P., Cheniere LNG-LP Interests, LLC and Cheniere LNG, Inc.
A-2-1
Such counsel shall also state that he has participated in conferences with representatives of the Company, with representatives of its independent accountants and with representatives of the Underwriters and their counsel at which conferences the contents of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (including the documents incorporated by reference therein) and any amendment and supplement thereto and related matters were discussed and, although such counsel has not independently verified and is not passing on, and assume no responsibility for, the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (including the documents incorporated by reference therein) and any amendment or supplement thereto (except as expressly provided above), on the basis of the foregoing (relying with respect to factual matters to the extent such counsel deems appropriate upon statements by officers and other representatives of the Company), no facts have come to the attention of such counsel to cause such counsel to believe that the Registration Statement, at the time the Registration Statement became effective, 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 that the Prospectus (including the documents incorporated by reference therein) or any amendment or supplement thereto as of its date and the Closing Date contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (other than the financial statements, the notes and schedules thereto, and the other financial data included or incorporated by reference therein and the exhibits to the Registration Statement and the reports incorporated therein by reference, as to which such counsel need express no opinion). Such counsel shall also state no order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose is pending or, to the best knowledge of such counsel, threatened by the Commission.
A-2-2
Exhibit A
December , 2004
X.X.
XXXXXX SECURITIES INC.
XXXXXXX LYNCH, PIERCE, XXXXXX & XXXXX
INCORPORATED
XXXXXX XXXXXXX & CO., INC.
As Representatives of the
several Underwriters to be listed in
Schedule I to the Underwriting
Agreement referred to below
c/o X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Re: CHENIERE ENERGY, INC.—Public Offering
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned understands that you, as Representatives of the several Underwriters, propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the "Underwriting Agreement") with Cheniere Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), providing for the public offering (the "Public Offering") by the several Underwriters to be named in Schedule I to the Underwriting Agreement (the "Underwriters") of Common Stock, $0.003 per share par value, of the Company (the "Common Stock"). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.
In consideration of the Underwriters' agreement to purchase and make the Public Offering, and for other good and valuable consideration receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc. on behalf of the Underwriters, the undersigned will not, during the period ending ninety (90) days after the date of the final prospectus relating to the Public Offering (the "Prospectus"), (1) offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock (including without limitation, Common Stock which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and securities which may be issued upon exercise of a stock option or warrant) or (2) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise; provided, however, that during the period beginning on the 30th day after the date of the Prospectus, the undersigned may effect Specified Tax Liability Sales (as defined below). In addition, the undersigned agrees that, without the prior written consent of X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc. on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the period ending ninety (90) days after the date of the Prospectus, make any demand for, or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock.
For the purposes of the previous paragraph, a "Specified Tax Liability Sale" means the sale on a date more than thirty (30) days after the date of the Prospectus, for cash, of shares of Common Stock to pay the tax liabilities set forth on Schedule A hereto (the "Specified Tax Liabilities"). The undersigned represents and warrants that the Specified Tax Liabilities are bona fide tax liabilities of the undersigned resulting from the exercise on the dates set forth on Schedule A of options to purchase Common Stock. The undersigned agrees to promptly apply the net proceeds of any Specified Tax Liability Sale to satisfy the Specified Tax Liabilities. The undersigned further agrees that the aggregate
amount of all Specified Tax Liability Sales by or on behalf of the undersigned shall not exceed the amount of the Specified Tax Liabilities.
In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company, and any duly appointed transfer agent for the registration or transfer of the securities described herein, are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Letter Agreement.
The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Letter Agreement. All authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred and any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors, assigns, heirs or personal representatives of the undersigned.
The undersigned understands that, if the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Common Stock to be sold thereunder, the undersigned shall be released form all obligations under this Letter Agreement.
The undersigned understands that the Underwriters are entering into the Underwriting Agreement and proceeding with the Public Offering in reliance upon this Letter Agreement.
This lock-up agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof.
Very truly yours, | |
(Signature) |
|
(Print Name of Stockholder) |
2
Schedule A to Lock-Up Agreement
Schedule Relating to Specified Tax Liability
Date of Option Exercise |
Number of Options Exercised |
Exercise Price |
Resulting Tax Liability |
|||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total (the "Specified Tax Liability") |
$ |
3